921. Palo Santo Marron
I picked up a couple bottles of this beer at Liquor World in Porter Square, after reading the New Yorker article on Dogfish Head. Jadyn and I split a bottle while cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and I had another bottle later that evening.
Palo Santo Marron means "Holy Tree (or Wood) Brown", and refers to the fact that this beer is aged in barrels made of Paraguayan Palo Santo, a hard, aromatic wood from South America. Palo Santo barrels are often used in South American wine making.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 12.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.25
Palo Santo Marron seems thick and viscous as it is poured from the bottle to the glass. A thick, dark brown head appears on the pour, and quickly fades to an uneven coating of bubbles on the surface of the beer, and a sudsy ring. The beer itself is a very dark, opaque, brown, resembling an imperial stout. Swirling brings back the head and leaves trailers of lace on the side of the glass. Rich and malty aromas are prevalent. Most noticeable is a dark chocolate aroma over subtler notes of dry fruit, and a distinct woody aroma. On warming the roasty edge of the chocolate is mellowed, giving the overall aroma a sweeter, molasses character. Swirling brings out astringent and spicy alcoholic notes.
Sweet, chocolate malts are prevalent initially, but give way to notes of molasses and dry fruit in the center with a hint of alcoholic spice. The spiciness gains strength towards the finish, and meets a dry, woody character. Upon warming the tannic woodiness and spicy alcohol in the finish become stronger. The beer is thick and full-bodied on the palate, with a good amount of carbonation that keeps the beer from feeling to syrupy or heavy on the palate.
This one is strong, malty and high alcohol; it's definitely a sipping beer, and isn't meant to be sessioned. Overall I found it very enjoyable. The Palo Santo gave the beer a woodiness that was distinct from other barrel aged beers that I've had before. If you can get your hands on a bottle give it a try. I'll probably pick up a couple more bottles to see how this one does in the cellar.
I picked up a couple bottles of this beer at Liquor World in Porter Square, after reading the New Yorker article on Dogfish Head. Jadyn and I split a bottle while cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and I had another bottle later that evening.
Palo Santo Marron means "Holy Tree (or Wood) Brown", and refers to the fact that this beer is aged in barrels made of Paraguayan Palo Santo, a hard, aromatic wood from South America. Palo Santo barrels are often used in South American wine making.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 12.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.25
Palo Santo Marron seems thick and viscous as it is poured from the bottle to the glass. A thick, dark brown head appears on the pour, and quickly fades to an uneven coating of bubbles on the surface of the beer, and a sudsy ring. The beer itself is a very dark, opaque, brown, resembling an imperial stout. Swirling brings back the head and leaves trailers of lace on the side of the glass. Rich and malty aromas are prevalent. Most noticeable is a dark chocolate aroma over subtler notes of dry fruit, and a distinct woody aroma. On warming the roasty edge of the chocolate is mellowed, giving the overall aroma a sweeter, molasses character. Swirling brings out astringent and spicy alcoholic notes.
Sweet, chocolate malts are prevalent initially, but give way to notes of molasses and dry fruit in the center with a hint of alcoholic spice. The spiciness gains strength towards the finish, and meets a dry, woody character. Upon warming the tannic woodiness and spicy alcohol in the finish become stronger. The beer is thick and full-bodied on the palate, with a good amount of carbonation that keeps the beer from feeling to syrupy or heavy on the palate.
This one is strong, malty and high alcohol; it's definitely a sipping beer, and isn't meant to be sessioned. Overall I found it very enjoyable. The Palo Santo gave the beer a woodiness that was distinct from other barrel aged beers that I've had before. If you can get your hands on a bottle give it a try. I'll probably pick up a couple more bottles to see how this one does in the cellar.
656. Aprihop
They had a few loose Dogfish Head bottles at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few weeks ago. I really wanted a beer last night after a long day of TAing obligations. I let this warm a bit and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper-amber with a fluffy, sudsy, off-white head that fades slowly leaving thick lace that clings to the glass.
Smell (3.5): Strong apricot aromas are predominant, along with lighter malts and hops.
Taste (3.5): Sweet apricot flavors dominate from start to finish where a moderate bitterness appears providing some balance.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth and full-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Flavorful, but a little sweet.
Overall (3.65): This is a pretty decent fruit beer, it's a little sweet for my tastes, but it's nice enough.
They had a few loose Dogfish Head bottles at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few weeks ago. I really wanted a beer last night after a long day of TAing obligations. I let this warm a bit and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper-amber with a fluffy, sudsy, off-white head that fades slowly leaving thick lace that clings to the glass.
Smell (3.5): Strong apricot aromas are predominant, along with lighter malts and hops.
Taste (3.5): Sweet apricot flavors dominate from start to finish where a moderate bitterness appears providing some balance.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth and full-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Flavorful, but a little sweet.
Overall (3.65): This is a pretty decent fruit beer, it's a little sweet for my tastes, but it's nice enough.
Needing to get out of the black hole of entertainment that is my grandparents' house, I headed to Cricket's for some beer on Monday the 18th. When I arrived I called Win and Jordan. Jordan arrived first and we played darts for an hour or so. Win arrived later, after we had moved to a table on the balcony.
I started off with the always tasty Live Oak Hefe before moving on to new beers.
588. New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper with a thick off-white head that fades to a film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): There's a light Belgian yeast fruitiness, bananas are particularly evident. There are some hints of grain as well as some peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Some toasty malts and sweet fruitiness. The finish is peppery with some citric tartness and a low but lasting bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, but I was hoping for a bit more.
Overall (3.7)
589. 60 Minute IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a thick off-white head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (4.5): Some light, toasty malts and some floral and grassy hops.
Taste (4.5): Toasty malts upfront followed by some sweet caramel. The finish is a strong grassy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a touch of oiliness.
Drinkability (5.0): Sessionable as hell.
Overall (4.4)
590. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Märzen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH
Alcohol: 5.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with an off-white head that thins to a film.
Smell (4.5): Rich and malty with lots of caramel and toffee and a little bit of a tart fruitiness.
Taste (4.0): Some light toasty malts that meld with sweet caramel and toffee flavors. There's a very light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium to full-bodied and creamy with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Nice, but a little rich.
Overall (4.1)
288. Live Oak Liberation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Live Oak Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Very lightly hazy copper with an off-white head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (5.0): A bit of toasty malts, but the aroma is dominated by a wonderful citrusy and grapefruity hop aroma.
Taste (4.0): Toasty upfront with some light citric sweetness and tartness, followed by a bit of peppery spice. The finish is a nice grapefruit and grassy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation with a smooth oiliness.
Drinkability (4.5): Nicely balanced with a great grapefruit character.
Overall (4.25)
591. Münchner Kindl Weissbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Staatliches Hofbräuhaus
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Hefe Weizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy, straw golden with a white head that fades to a patchy layer.
Smell (4.5): Bananas, citrus, bubble-gum, cloves and a light graininess.
Taste (4.0): The taste is much like the smell. There are strong bananas, light bubblegum, cloves and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation
Drinkability (5.0): Tasty and very easy to drink.
Overall (4.35)
I started off with the always tasty Live Oak Hefe before moving on to new beers.
588. New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper with a thick off-white head that fades to a film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): There's a light Belgian yeast fruitiness, bananas are particularly evident. There are some hints of grain as well as some peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Some toasty malts and sweet fruitiness. The finish is peppery with some citric tartness and a low but lasting bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, but I was hoping for a bit more.
Overall (3.7)
589. 60 Minute IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a thick off-white head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (4.5): Some light, toasty malts and some floral and grassy hops.
Taste (4.5): Toasty malts upfront followed by some sweet caramel. The finish is a strong grassy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a touch of oiliness.
Drinkability (5.0): Sessionable as hell.
Overall (4.4)
590. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Märzen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH
Alcohol: 5.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with an off-white head that thins to a film.
Smell (4.5): Rich and malty with lots of caramel and toffee and a little bit of a tart fruitiness.
Taste (4.0): Some light toasty malts that meld with sweet caramel and toffee flavors. There's a very light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium to full-bodied and creamy with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Nice, but a little rich.
Overall (4.1)
288. Live Oak Liberation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Live Oak Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Very lightly hazy copper with an off-white head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (5.0): A bit of toasty malts, but the aroma is dominated by a wonderful citrusy and grapefruity hop aroma.
Taste (4.0): Toasty upfront with some light citric sweetness and tartness, followed by a bit of peppery spice. The finish is a nice grapefruit and grassy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation with a smooth oiliness.
Drinkability (4.5): Nicely balanced with a great grapefruit character.
Overall (4.25)
591. Münchner Kindl Weissbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Staatliches Hofbräuhaus
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Hefe Weizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy, straw golden with a white head that fades to a patchy layer.
Smell (4.5): Bananas, citrus, bubble-gum, cloves and a light graininess.
Taste (4.0): The taste is much like the smell. There are strong bananas, light bubblegum, cloves and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation
Drinkability (5.0): Tasty and very easy to drink.
Overall (4.35)
Labels: American IPA, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Hacker-Pschorr Bräu, Hefe Weizen, Live Oak Brewery, Märzen / Oktoberfest, New Belgium Brewing, Saison, Staatliches Hofbräuhaus
466. Chateau Jiahu
I purchased this a month or so ago at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I served it in my Westvleteren Chalice at around 50ºF.
This is another "molecular archaeology" beer like Midas Touch. The bottle says:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, pale-straw color. It's topped by a thin, fluffy, white head that thins to a persistent film.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and fruity: honey, grapes and a sharp graininess.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with a tart grape fruitiness that fades into a honey sweetness toward the finish. The finish is peppery and spicy with warming alcohol and almost undetectable bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth, creamy and medium to full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet with high, but concealed alcohol.
Overall (3.75): An interesting beer. It's pretty good, and reminds me a little of a dessert wine.
I purchased this a month or so ago at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I served it in my Westvleteren Chalice at around 50ºF.
This is another "molecular archaeology" beer like Midas Touch. The bottle says:
9000 year old Chateau Jiahu stands apart as the most ancient, chemically-attested alcoholic beverage in the world. Its recreation is based on painstaking excavation by Chinese archaeologists of Jiahuin the Yellow River basin, state-of-the-art microanalysis of pottery residues by American laboratories, and the inspired "Neolithic" brewing of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Chateau Jiahu, then as now, opens a window into the world of our ancestors.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, pale-straw color. It's topped by a thin, fluffy, white head that thins to a persistent film.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and fruity: honey, grapes and a sharp graininess.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with a tart grape fruitiness that fades into a honey sweetness toward the finish. The finish is peppery and spicy with warming alcohol and almost undetectable bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth, creamy and medium to full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet with high, but concealed alcohol.
Overall (3.75): An interesting beer. It's pretty good, and reminds me a little of a dessert wine.
Labels: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Herbed/Spiced Beer, Reviews
446. Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale
The appearance of Pumpkin Ales and Oktoberfest beers signifies the begining of fall. I picked up a four-pack of Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale along with a bottle of Cantillon St. Lamvinus at Downtown Wine & Spirits tonight on my way home from lab. I served this chilled in my NERAX pint glass.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00 %
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, orange-copper color with a creamy, fluffy, white head that thins to a persistent film, leaving patchy lace on the glass.
Smell (3.5): The pumpkin pie aromas are definitely present, but not overpowering. There's a toasty whiff of malts and alcohol and notes of pumpkin pie that become stronger as the beer warms: pumpkin, cinnamon and sugar.
Taste (4.0): There's a little bit of malt bready sweetness upfront. Savory pumpkin appears in the center and is followed by the sweet and spicy flavors of pumpkin pie: cinnamon and brown sugar. The finish is sweet with some lingering spiciness as well as a light graininess. The pumpkin pie flavors come out much more as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Nice, but I wouldn't want more than one in a sitting.
Overall (3.85): Flavorful and pumpkin pie-ish without being a spice overload. A nicely done Pumpkin Ale.
The appearance of Pumpkin Ales and Oktoberfest beers signifies the begining of fall. I picked up a four-pack of Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale along with a bottle of Cantillon St. Lamvinus at Downtown Wine & Spirits tonight on my way home from lab. I served this chilled in my NERAX pint glass.
The bottle says:
A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00 %
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, orange-copper color with a creamy, fluffy, white head that thins to a persistent film, leaving patchy lace on the glass.
Smell (3.5): The pumpkin pie aromas are definitely present, but not overpowering. There's a toasty whiff of malts and alcohol and notes of pumpkin pie that become stronger as the beer warms: pumpkin, cinnamon and sugar.
Taste (4.0): There's a little bit of malt bready sweetness upfront. Savory pumpkin appears in the center and is followed by the sweet and spicy flavors of pumpkin pie: cinnamon and brown sugar. The finish is sweet with some lingering spiciness as well as a light graininess. The pumpkin pie flavors come out much more as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Nice, but I wouldn't want more than one in a sitting.
Overall (3.85): Flavorful and pumpkin pie-ish without being a spice overload. A nicely done Pumpkin Ale.
Labels: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Pumpkin Ale, Reviews
439. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
This was purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few months ago. I've been putting off trying it because of the high alcohol and high IBUs, but decided to give it a try tonight. I let this warm and served it in one of my Duvel tulips.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 20.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy copper with a thick, fluffy, creamy, off-white head that leaves thick lace. For such a high alcohol beer the thickness and retention are striking. The head thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (3.5): Sweet sugar and caramel dominate. The aroma of spicy alcohol is also very strong. There are notes of citric and resiny hops, but these are surprisingly low.
Taste (3.5): The initial flavors are very sweet. The sweetness is reminiscent of raw sugar. Towards the center the sweetness becomes fruitier before being met by a strong spicy alcohol flavor. The finish is resiny hops mixed with residual sweetness. Overall the bitterness, though noticeable and significant is overpowered by the malty sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied and syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is noticeable, but it definitely doesn't seem like a 20% abv beer.
Overall (3.65): Definitely tasty, but the hop bitterness is overpowered by the malty sweetness. I was hoping that the balance would tip towards hops rather than malts.
This was purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits a few months ago. I've been putting off trying it because of the high alcohol and high IBUs, but decided to give it a try tonight. I let this warm and served it in one of my Duvel tulips.
The bottle says:
What you have here is the holy grail for hopheads. This beer is continually hopped over a 120-minute boil and then dry-hopped every day for a month. Enjoy now or age for a decade or so.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 20.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy copper with a thick, fluffy, creamy, off-white head that leaves thick lace. For such a high alcohol beer the thickness and retention are striking. The head thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (3.5): Sweet sugar and caramel dominate. The aroma of spicy alcohol is also very strong. There are notes of citric and resiny hops, but these are surprisingly low.
Taste (3.5): The initial flavors are very sweet. The sweetness is reminiscent of raw sugar. Towards the center the sweetness becomes fruitier before being met by a strong spicy alcohol flavor. The finish is resiny hops mixed with residual sweetness. Overall the bitterness, though noticeable and significant is overpowered by the malty sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied and syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is noticeable, but it definitely doesn't seem like a 20% abv beer.
Overall (3.65): Definitely tasty, but the hop bitterness is overpowered by the malty sweetness. I was hoping that the balance would tip towards hops rather than malts.
Labels: American Double IPA, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
435. Dogfish Head Golden Shower
This was purchased at Downtown Wine and Spirits earlier this summer. I had this last night, lightly warmed in my UFO Weizen glass.
Apparently this beer was originally called Prescription Pils and was only distributed at beer fests and a few beer bars. When DFH wanted to bottle for wider distribution the TTB wouldn't approve the name, so they renamed it Golden Shower.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: American Double Pilsner
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear copper color. A thick off-white head tops the beer, it thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.0): Light, sweet and toasty malts, with fruity and caramel notes. There's a leafy hop aroma but it isn't strong.
Taste (4.0): Sweet, caramel and toasty malts upfront. There's a significant hop bitterness in the finish. The balance is good.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation and a little sticky.
Drinkability (3.5): High-alcohol and strong hops hurt the drinkability a little.
Overall (4.0): A tasty pilsner with a nice strong hop presence.
This was purchased at Downtown Wine and Spirits earlier this summer. I had this last night, lightly warmed in my UFO Weizen glass.
Apparently this beer was originally called Prescription Pils and was only distributed at beer fests and a few beer bars. When DFH wanted to bottle for wider distribution the TTB wouldn't approve the name, so they renamed it Golden Shower.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: American Double Pilsner
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear copper color. A thick off-white head tops the beer, it thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.0): Light, sweet and toasty malts, with fruity and caramel notes. There's a leafy hop aroma but it isn't strong.
Taste (4.0): Sweet, caramel and toasty malts upfront. There's a significant hop bitterness in the finish. The balance is good.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation and a little sticky.
Drinkability (3.5): High-alcohol and strong hops hurt the drinkability a little.
Overall (4.0): A tasty pilsner with a nice strong hop presence.
Labels: American Double Pilsner, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
432. Dogfish Head Immort Ale
I picked up a bottle of Dogfish Head Immort Ale at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. The bottled on date is 4/5/06. I served this at around 50º F in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewey
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Strong Ale
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper with a fluffy, beige head that thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer and leaves patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): The aroma is sweet malts under a dominant smoky oak and vanilla aroma.
Taste (4.0): Sweet notes of dark fruit, vanilla and oak. The finish is strong, spicy alcohol with low bitterness and a touch of smoke.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Moderate carbonation, full-bodied and creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors and alcohol are strong, this is a beer to sip.
Overall (3.9): This is a pretty good beer. The oak and smoke flavors and aromas are strong. This was a pretty fresh beer, so perhaps it could benefit from aging.
I picked up a bottle of Dogfish Head Immort Ale at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. The bottled on date is 4/5/06. I served this at around 50º F in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Vast in character, luscious and complex, this smooth, full-bodied ale reveals interwoven notes of maple, vanilla & oak.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewey
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Strong Ale
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper with a fluffy, beige head that thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer and leaves patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): The aroma is sweet malts under a dominant smoky oak and vanilla aroma.
Taste (4.0): Sweet notes of dark fruit, vanilla and oak. The finish is strong, spicy alcohol with low bitterness and a touch of smoke.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Moderate carbonation, full-bodied and creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors and alcohol are strong, this is a beer to sip.
Overall (3.9): This is a pretty good beer. The oak and smoke flavors and aromas are strong. This was a pretty fresh beer, so perhaps it could benefit from aging.
Labels: American Strong Ale, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
427. Dogfish Head Raison D'Être
I got this at Downtown Wine & Spirits, as mentioned in my last post. I let this warm to around 45-50º F and served it in my Westvleteren chalice.
The bottle says this:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear brown-ruby, with a beige one-finger head that thins quickly to a patchy layer and then disappears completely leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Spicy notes of dried fruit, sweet malts, caramel, and a hint of roastiness. Juicy fruitiness upon swirling.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, sugar and fruitiness upfront. The finish is lightly spicy with a fruity tartness and light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Low carbonation, medium-bodied, smooth.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol.
Overall (3.45): A decent, but not great attempt at a Belgian Strong Dark. The aromas could be stronger and more vigorous carbonation would do quite a bit for the appearance and mouthfeel. The taste is good, though perhaps overly sweet without enough spice and bitterness to balance.
I got this at Downtown Wine & Spirits, as mentioned in my last post. I let this warm to around 45-50º F and served it in my Westvleteren chalice.
The bottle says this:
A deep mahogany ale brewed with Belgian beet sugars, green raisins & a sense of purpose.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear brown-ruby, with a beige one-finger head that thins quickly to a patchy layer and then disappears completely leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Spicy notes of dried fruit, sweet malts, caramel, and a hint of roastiness. Juicy fruitiness upon swirling.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, sugar and fruitiness upfront. The finish is lightly spicy with a fruity tartness and light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Low carbonation, medium-bodied, smooth.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol.
Overall (3.45): A decent, but not great attempt at a Belgian Strong Dark. The aromas could be stronger and more vigorous carbonation would do quite a bit for the appearance and mouthfeel. The taste is good, though perhaps overly sweet without enough spice and bitterness to balance.
Labels: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
426. Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
I noticed there were quite a few single bottles of Indian Brown Ale and Raison D'Etre at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I hadn't had either before so I picked up one of each. I let this one warm slightly and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
The bottle says this:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy dark brown with ruby hints. A one-finger, beige head tops the beer and thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (5.0): Deep roasted coffee and chocolate. Just a hint of fruit and alcohol.
Taste (5.0): Sweet chocolate, fruit and caramel upfront. The finish is full of roasted coffee and chocolate bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied, smooth.
Drinkability (4.5): Incredibly flavorful and delicious.
Overall (4.75): This is probably the best American Brown Ale that I've tried. The roasted flavors are bold, but are superbly well balanced by fruity and chocolatey sweetness.
I noticed there were quite a few single bottles of Indian Brown Ale and Raison D'Etre at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I hadn't had either before so I picked up one of each. I let this one warm slightly and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
The bottle says this:
A clean well-hopped brown ale with aromatic barley, caramelized brown sugar and whole-leaf Liberty and Goldings hops.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy dark brown with ruby hints. A one-finger, beige head tops the beer and thins to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (5.0): Deep roasted coffee and chocolate. Just a hint of fruit and alcohol.
Taste (5.0): Sweet chocolate, fruit and caramel upfront. The finish is full of roasted coffee and chocolate bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Low carbonation, full-bodied, smooth.
Drinkability (4.5): Incredibly flavorful and delicious.
Overall (4.75): This is probably the best American Brown Ale that I've tried. The roasted flavors are bold, but are superbly well balanced by fruity and chocolatey sweetness.
Labels: American Brown Ale, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
383. Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout (2005)
Published by Unknown on Saturday, June 10, 2006 at 11:56 PM.
383. Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout (2005)
I purchased this several months ago and haven't really felt up to the task of drinking and rating it until now. The bottle says "A very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley". That "ridiculous amount of barley brings the abv of this one up to a massive 18% I let this warm to approximately 55ºF and served it in one of my New Belgium Snifters.
Beer Stats:
Alcohol: 18%
Serving: 12 oz.
Style: American Double Stout. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours an opaque dark brown that approaches black. A dark brown one-finger head tops the beer. The head thins to a patchy layer leaving some lace. This beer has legs.
Smell (4.5): The aroma of alcohol is immediately evident, though not overpowering. Rich sweet malty aromas dominate. I detect raisins, caramel and chocolate. There are light roasted aromas as well but these are subtle. Swirling brings out more of the dried fruit aromas.
Taste (3.5): This beer is very sweet. I get hints of chocolate and caramel as well as lots of dried fruit flavors like raisins and dates. The finish has just a hint of roasted bitterness along with strong warming alcohol. I think a little more roasted character would go a long way.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light tingly carbonation, full-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): Of necessity this is a sipping beer.
Overall (4.0): This beer was a little too sweet for me. A little more roasted bitterness would go a long way for balance. As is this would make an excellent dessert beer.
I purchased this several months ago and haven't really felt up to the task of drinking and rating it until now. The bottle says "A very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley". That "ridiculous amount of barley brings the abv of this one up to a massive 18% I let this warm to approximately 55ºF and served it in one of my New Belgium Snifters.
Beer Stats:
Alcohol: 18%
Serving: 12 oz.
Style: American Double Stout. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours an opaque dark brown that approaches black. A dark brown one-finger head tops the beer. The head thins to a patchy layer leaving some lace. This beer has legs.
Smell (4.5): The aroma of alcohol is immediately evident, though not overpowering. Rich sweet malty aromas dominate. I detect raisins, caramel and chocolate. There are light roasted aromas as well but these are subtle. Swirling brings out more of the dried fruit aromas.
Taste (3.5): This beer is very sweet. I get hints of chocolate and caramel as well as lots of dried fruit flavors like raisins and dates. The finish has just a hint of roasted bitterness along with strong warming alcohol. I think a little more roasted character would go a long way.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light tingly carbonation, full-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): Of necessity this is a sipping beer.
Overall (4.0): This beer was a little too sweet for me. A little more roasted bitterness would go a long way for balance. As is this would make an excellent dessert beer.
Labels: American Double Stout, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Reviews
318. Midas Touch Golden Elixir
I picked this up at Downtown Wine & Spirits because my dad had heard about on a show on The History Channel. The beer came in a standard 12 oz. brown bottle. The purple label has a fingerprint on the logo, and says "Handcrafted Ancient Ale with barley, honey, white muscat grapes & saffron". I let the beer warm to approximately 50°F, and served it in one of my New Belgium snifters.
Beer Advocate lists this beer as a Herbed/Spiced Beer, a sort of catch-all style that isn't particularly informative for individual beers. The Dogfish Head website gives a more accurate description as to what this beer is about:
Appearance (3.0): Midas Touch pours a crystal clear, deep golden-orange. It's fizzy, with large soda like bubbles. Topped by a white half-inch head, that quickly diminishes to a ring. (Note: from looking at other reviews the turbidity seems to vary with serving method)
Smell (3.5): The beer smells earthy, malty and a little buttery. Upon swirling I get wine-like grape aromas.
Taste (4.0): The taste is complex. Grainy flavors and honey sweetness are evident immediately. Malts take over in the center and are overtaken by tartness and spicyness in the finish. The aftertaste is spicy with alcoholic warmth. A modest bitterness appears mostly in the finish. It's almost like there's a mead to beer to wine transition.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Creamy and medium bodied with light carbonation. Leaves a buttery feel in the mouth.
Drinkability (2.5): This beer is 9.0% abv, which is evident in the taste. The flavors are also very strong, making this a bad session brew.
Overall (BA: 3.6, TC: 3.65): This is an interesting beer, definitely very wine like. It's a neat idea for a beer, and the execution isn't bad. It's almost a little too strong.
I picked this up at Downtown Wine & Spirits because my dad had heard about on a show on The History Channel. The beer came in a standard 12 oz. brown bottle. The purple label has a fingerprint on the logo, and says "Handcrafted Ancient Ale with barley, honey, white muscat grapes & saffron". I let the beer warm to approximately 50°F, and served it in one of my New Belgium snifters.
Beer Advocate lists this beer as a Herbed/Spiced Beer, a sort of catch-all style that isn't particularly informative for individual beers. The Dogfish Head website gives a more accurate description as to what this beer is about:
"This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! Our recipe showcases the known ingredients of barley, white Muscat grapes, honey & saffron found in the drinking vessels in King Midas' tomb! Somewhere between a beer, wine and mead, this smooth, dry ale will please with Chardonnay or I.P.A. drinker alike."The website goes on to say that a tomb, likely that of King Midas, excavated in 1957 contained the world's largest Iron Age drinking set. Analysis of the residues inside the vessels indicated that they contained a beverage consisting of grape wine, barley beer and honey mead. Dogfish Head attempted to recreate this beverage and Midas Touch is the result.
Appearance (3.0): Midas Touch pours a crystal clear, deep golden-orange. It's fizzy, with large soda like bubbles. Topped by a white half-inch head, that quickly diminishes to a ring. (Note: from looking at other reviews the turbidity seems to vary with serving method)
Smell (3.5): The beer smells earthy, malty and a little buttery. Upon swirling I get wine-like grape aromas.
Taste (4.0): The taste is complex. Grainy flavors and honey sweetness are evident immediately. Malts take over in the center and are overtaken by tartness and spicyness in the finish. The aftertaste is spicy with alcoholic warmth. A modest bitterness appears mostly in the finish. It's almost like there's a mead to beer to wine transition.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Creamy and medium bodied with light carbonation. Leaves a buttery feel in the mouth.
Drinkability (2.5): This beer is 9.0% abv, which is evident in the taste. The flavors are also very strong, making this a bad session brew.
Overall (BA: 3.6, TC: 3.65): This is an interesting beer, definitely very wine like. It's a neat idea for a beer, and the execution isn't bad. It's almost a little too strong.
Labels: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Herbed/Spiced Beer, Reviews
