Dogfish Head Rosabi Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Rosabi
Style: American Strong Ale | ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: ~50
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into tulip glass

Another of Dogfish's musical collaboration brews, Rosabi (a portmanteau from the beer's rose color and the inclusion of wasabi) was created with Julianna Barwick. Accompanying the beer is a five song EP.

Rosabi is an "Imperial Pale Ale" with Lousiana red rice and a touch of wasabi, one of Julianna's favorite ingredients. They've classified it as an Imperial Pale Ale to distinguish that it is moderately hopped, rather than being as bitterly hopped as your typical IPA. I'm throwing this in the American Strong Ale category here, because Imperial Pale Ale isn't a real style. At least not yet.

Here's how Dogfish Head describe it:

What’s hoppy? Wasabi. The Japanese root adds bittering and herbal notes similar to hops, with its subtle heat creeping in after the kick of carbonation.

I don't have any sashimi or ginger on hand, but I think we'll be okay. Let's dive in!

Appearance: A crystal-clear reddish-amber-brown body capped by two fingers of bubbly off-white head that fades slowly, leaving brilliant lacing.

Aroma: Resinous and grapefruit peel-like hops along with sharp and hot wasabi over big sticky caramel malt.

Taste: Up front, resinous, syrupy, citrusy, herbal, and moderately bitter hops and a nice flourish of wasabi. The wasabi is more flavorful and less angry than a usual encounter with wasabi, as the chemical burn character is diminished. Underneath, a big rich almost burnt caramel malt body balances everything nicely. Mild spicy alcohol throughout. All of the elements mesh rather well. Green and herbal hops, a hint of wasabi, and sticky toffee pudding malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a drying finish. Heat from the wasabi and booze throughout.

Drinkability: Drinks about as expected given the alcohol content and imperial tag.

Verdict: Rosabi is really a syrupy and resinous IPA or mild Double IPA with an interesting touch of wasabi. To be honest, I was hoping for a bit more aggressive/crazy wasabi attack here.

Grade: B+ (3.8 out of 5 stars)

Review by Christopher Hunt

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 75 Minute IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 75
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into pint glass

One of the core offerings from Dogfish Head is their "Minute" series of IPAs. Consisting of an IPA (60 Minute IPA), a Double IPA (90 Minute IPA), and a monster that could be described as a Triple IPA (120 Minute IPA), it's a pretty full lineup. However, there's a sweet spot right between 60 and 90 occupied by this beer, 75 Minute IPA. Available for a long time at the brewpub, 75 Minute is now an occasional bottled release.

Rather than just straight blend, to add something new to the mix it's bottled conditioned, deriving it's naturally carbonation from maple syrup, That seems like a pretty slick way to do it.

Here's How Dogfish Head describe the resulting brew:

The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub.

60 and 90 were both good to me, so let's see what happens when you split the difference and throw in a dash of Canadia, shall we?

Appearance: A hazy orange-bronze body capped by about three fingers of dense off-white head with excellent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Juicy and leafy hops over sweet brown sugar caramel malt. Simple but enticing.

Taste: Up front, a wave of herbal, green, piney, and bitter hops. Underneath, an assertive caramel malt backbone with lots of syrupy brown sugar around the edges. The booze is well-hidden. Everything is balanced perfectly and it all straddles the line between a bold IPA and mild Double IPA pretty nicely. Leafy bitter hops and chocolatey malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Hints of warmth from the booze.

Drinkability: Drinks much faster than the big alcohol content would suggest, so be careful.

Verdict: I'm a fan of the other "minute IPAs" Dogfish puts out, but I have to say 75 is my new favorite. It's straightforward, very drinkable, balanced perfectly, full of great flavors, and has plenty of character. It might not be the biggest or most unique beer on the planet, but I just simply can't find a fault here. I wish this was available in packs right between 60 Minute and 90 Minute, I'd be buying a lot.

Grade: A+ (4.7 out of 5 stars)

Review by Christopher Hunt

Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Olde School Barleywine
Style: American Barleywine | ABV: 15.0% | IBUs: 85
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Inspired by a tidbit in a cellarman's manual Sam found, Old School Barleywine is a big, gnarly American Barleywine fortified with figs and dates. The manual outlined adding those fruits if the casks were flat to get the yeast going again to re-carbonate things. Seems like as good as a jumping off point for a beer as any.

At 13-16% ABV (15% this time around), it's one of the strongest Barleywines available. Dogfish Head recommend aging the beer, which is unsurprising given the style and alcohol content. I plan on doing just that.

When I first started getting into Dogfish Head, this was one of the forbidden fruits that didn't make it here to Texas that I wanted most. While most of them finally showed up, Old School took forever. Last fall, it finally showed up much to my delight, and I scooped up enough for the cellar. Now, hopefully World Wide Stout will be next.

Here's How Dogfish Head describe the big hitter:

Bold, yet smooth! Fermented with dates and figs, this bone-crushing barleywine has a unique flavor.

Let's crack it and go old school, shall we?

Appearance: A hazy, orange-brown body capped by a finger of cream-colored head that fades to a ring in average time, leaving thick patchy lacing on the way down. Impressive head given the alcohol content.

Aroma: Heaps of sticky toffee pudding malt, leafy hops, and plenty of spicy booze. As it warms, the boozes takes over.

Taste: A mix of leafy, moderately bitter hops and rum-soaked dark fruit (raisins & dates) over a big, brooding sticky toffee pudding malt backbone. The booze is present throughout, adding plenty of spice and a bit of fusel character; feels more like ten percent. All of the elements here are big and bold, but everything ends up pretty balanced in the end. Husky rich caramel malt, faded hops, and a touch of booze in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and chewy with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Plenty of heat from the booze throughout.

Drinkability: Considering the massive alcohol content here, this actually drinks a little faster than expected; though still a solid sipper.

Verdict: Olde School is every bit the big bastard of an American Barleywine I was hoping for; it has a few well-defined, intense flavors that balance each other out. Anxious to see how it ages.

Grade: A- (4.2 out of 5 stars)

Review by Christopher Hunt

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 120 Minute IPA
Style: American Double India Pale Ale | ABV: ~18.0% | IBUs: 120
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Now here's a beer I've been waiting to try for quite a while now. It's not that I haven't been able to procure any (in fact, I was able to squirrel away a bottle when I was but a poor intern in '08), it's just that every time that I bought some, I didn't end up reviewing it. Though I loved the other beers in Dogfish's Minute series, I just never got around to it. Perhaps I was afraid.

After all, this is a big bastard of a beer. As the name implies, it's boiled for a full two hours with continuous hopping form high-alpha hops. As if that wasn't enough, it's then dry-hopped daily in the fermented for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops.

The result is a hop-monster with 120 IBUs and 15-20% ABV. Barleywine? Triple IPA? Bastard child beer liquor? You could make a good case for each.

Unlike most DIPAs, Dogfish encourage aging of the product, as it's hearty enough to positively evolve over time. I certainly have a nice collection in the cellar.

But, the time has come to finally jump in and review this beast. Wish me luck.

Appearance: A golden-orange body capped by half a finger of cream-colored head that fades in average time, leaving patchy lacing.

Aroma: Somewhat muted (almost aged) dank, piney, leafy, and citrusy hops over heaps of sticky toffee pudding malt. Plenty of spicy booze all around.

Taste: Up front, citrusy, green, dank, resinous, sappy, and bitter hops take charge. There’s a lot of peppery booze here to be sure, but it never gets to be too much. Underneath, enough caramelized malt to ground everything. It’s big, full of character, but not muddled. Leafy hops, grainy malt, and lots of spicy booze in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with smooth medium-low carbonation and a dry finish. Plenty of heat and oiliness from the booze throughout.

Drinkability: Obviously, with the bonkers alcohol content, this is a beer firmly in sipper territory. However, that said, it still manages to drink a little faster than expected.

Verdict: 120 Minute is just as extreme as billed, but it’s not just extreme for extreme’s sake; it’s a damn good (and thoroughly interesting) beer. Not just a Double IPA, this is on another planet and an experience worth having. Looking forward to finally breaking into the aged ones in my cellar to see how it evolves.

Grade: A

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Palo Santo Marron
Style: American Brown Ale | ABV: 12.0% | IBUs: 50
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

There exists deep in the Paraguayan forests, a wood known as palo santo, or "holy wood." It's exceptionally strong, tough, and dense, with an interesting resinous character. When Sam and the gang at Dogfish heard about this stuff, they knew they had to brew up a beer to use with it.

They came up with an incredibly high-gravity brown ale strong enough to stand up to the wood. According to a video distributed with the first packs of Palo Santo Marron, the ingredient list is as follows. Chocolate, Crystal, and Black malt along with a dash of wheat create the backbone. As for hops, we're looking at Warrior, Glacier, and Palisade varieties. Everything is brought to life with a Scottish Ale yeast strain.

To imbue the resulting beer with the palo santo goodness, Dogfish crafted a massive tank built of the wood to ferment it in. This tank sits next to two other oak tanks of the same size. Clocking in at 10,000 gallons each, these tanks are the biggest wood brewing vessels built in America since Prohibition.

I've filed it under the American Brown Ale category, but as big and bad as this baby is, you could make a case for it being an American Strong Ale or even an American Imperial Brown Ale (kidding!).

Here's how Dogfish describe the finished product:

An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented Brown Ale. [H]ighly roasty and malty [with] caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this ale.

It's a little off-topic, but this bottle cap is one of best looking I've ever seen. So, there's that. Anyway, let's pry off that beautiful cap and dive in, shall we?

Appearance: A thick, inky black body that only lets a trace amount of red-hued light escape. It’s capped by a finger of rich tan head that leaves a few patches of lacing. Far from brown, this looks more like an Imperial Stout than a Brown Ale.

Aroma: Boozy, woody and malty; this is complex and inviting.

Taste: I’ve never heard of Palo Santo wood before, but from what I can tell it has a similar effect on beer that more plebeian woods do, that is to say it lends the brew vanilla and “woody” notes. There’s also plenty of character coming from the alcohol, but despite the massive percentage, it never dominates the flavor profile. While this is far from a traditional Brown Ale, I can see this family resemblance. I suppose you could call the beer underlying all of the fireworks a Brown Ale on steroids, or in the parlance of our time, an “Imperial Brown.” The aftertaste is a brilliant mix of oaky and boozy notes.

Mouthfeel: A somewhat syrupy, full body with decent carbonation and some good burn coming from the alcohol.

Drinkability: Solidly in sipper territory thanks to the profile and alcohol content, this is a beer that demands your attention.

Verdict: I had high hopes for this beer, and they certainly didn’t go unfulfilled. Palo Santo Marron is a big, bad brew with plenty of complexity and personality coming from the wood and booze. A twelve percent Brown Ale aged on exotic Paraguayan wood is the kind of madness we’ve come to expect from Dogfish, and the result is just as good too. I can’t wait to see how this ages in the cellar.

Grade: A

Dogfish Head Immort Ale Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Immort Ale
Style: American Strong Ale | ABV: 11.0% | IBUs: 50
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

It's always exciting to see a new Dogfish Head beer show up on shelves in Houston, so when I saw Immort Ale for the first time a while back I picked up a few packs despite the high price tag.

First brewed in 1995, Immort Ale is released each spring. It's built with English and Belgian yeast yeast strains, peat-smoked barley, juniper berries, vanilla, and maple syrup from Sam Calagione's family farm then aged in oak tanks at the brewery.

I've seen this called a Barleywine, but I don't quite agree with that. I think it fits better in the catch-all American Strong Ale category, so that's where it's going.

Here's how Dogfish describe the finished product:

Vast in character, luscious & complex. The sweet and earthy flavors meld magnificently in the Immort Ale. But, be warned the abv is 11%, so after 1 or 2 you may start feeling immortal (even though we promise you won't be).

A big Dogfish brew with a witty name is almost always a good thing, so let's get started.

Appearance: A dark and murky red-brown body capped by a little less than a finger of off-white head that recedes rather slowly but leaves little lacing.

Aroma: A rather complex combination of smoke, oak, vanilla, and dark fruit over a rich malt base. As you'd expect with a beer that weighs in at eleven percent alcohol, there is plenty of booze around the edges.

Taste: Just as complex as the nose suggests. Oak, smoke, and peat on top of a rich malt backbone. There's lots of assertive alcohol throughout, but it never seems out of place. Oaky malt and a good amount of alcohol in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: The body is a little fuller than medium and is accompanied by adequate carbonation. There's some definite warmth in the cheeks and throat from the substantial alcohol content.

Drinkability: Unsurprisingly, given the big flavor profile and eleven percent alcohol content, this is quite the sipper.

Verdict: Once again, Dogfish Head have pushed the boundaries and come up with something special. Immort Ale really is a complex and unique brew, but also probably one of those "love it or hate it" beers. Luckily for me, I love it.

Grade: A

Dogfish Head Red & White Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Red & White
Style: Witbier | ABV: 10.0% | IBUs: 35
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into tulip glass

Originally brewed back in 2007, Dogfish Head's Red & White is a Witbier with a decidedly Dogfish twist. While most Wits are easy drinking summer-favorites, this is a big 10% ABV monster. My last encounter with big Witbiers, Samuel Adams Imperial White, left me scratching my head a little, I'm ready to give the concept another shot.

Red & White takes a "wine meets beer" approach, and is fermented with Pinot Noir juice. Once fermentation is complete, one fraction is aged in Oregon Pinot Noir barrels, while another is aged on oak staves. The two oaked portions are then blended back into the bulk and the beer is ready for bottling. Dogfish describe the resulting product as "successfully marry[ing] a Belgian-style white beer with the robust complexity of a bold red wine."

Color me intrigued. Let's get to it.

Appearance: A slightly hazy, pumpkin-colored body with plenty of sediment in solution. Up top, two fingers of creamy, off-white head that endures well and leaves decent lacing.

Aroma: Spices (mostly coriander), orange peel, and some booze (not nearly as much as you'd expect given the double-digit alcohol rating). Unfortunately, it's all just a little on the thin side.

Taste: The same orange peel and spice notes with some new grapey notes added into the mix. All of this is over a sweet, slightly wheat-like malt backbone. With the barrel-aging promised on the label, I was hoping to pick up some good oak notes, but I'm just not finding it. Perhaps that's because this is a sweeter beer. As for the alcohol, it's much more present in the mouth than in the nose and adds a lot of complexity without being too overpowering. The aftertaste is boozy and grapey.

Mouthfeel: Nicely thick and sticky with moderate carbonation. The alcohol dries it all out in the end and leaves some definite burn.

Drinkability: Very close to sipper territory, especially given the alcohol content.

Verdict: On paper, Red & White is a brilliant idea and would seem to yield something imminently unique and exotic; however, it's just not that special in the glass. This would work well as a beer to share with friends during dessert, just don't be expecting the most complex beer on the planet.

Grade: B+

Dogfish Head Burton Baton Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Burton Baton
Style: American Double India Pale Ale | ABV: 10.0% | IBUs: 70
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Originally brewed for the late Michael Jackson's Rare Beer Club back in 2004 as a tribute to America and England, Burton Baton is a 50/50 mix of Dogfish's 90 Minute IPA and an oak-aged English Strong Ale. That new Strong Ale thread is a potent and hoppy brew utilizing both American and English yeasts and a four month aging in French oak.

The end result is essentially an American Double IPA with some added complexity gained during aging and a particularly rich malt backbone. Here's how Dogfish describe Burton Baton "Citrus notes from Northwestern hops meld with vanilla notes from the oak [along with] brandied fruitcake and raisiney [tones]."

It all sounds interesting to me, so let's get going.

Appearance: A slightly hazy, rich orange body with one finger of off-white head that sticks around a good while and leaves patchy lacing.

Aroma: Lots of bright, citrusy hops throughout, with a sweet caramel base poking through. There are also lots of tropical fruity, spicy, and woody notes to be found (though some of that woodiness may be due to the power of suggestion). Definite notes of alcohol, but not quite as many as you'd expect from a double digit ABV beer.

Taste: An even more complex proposition in the flavor profile. While there are plenty of hops here, but this is hardly what I'd call a hop-bomb. The hops are citrusy, spicy, earthy, and taste almost candied. As for the generous malt backbone, it's sticky sweet caramel all the way. I can detect some nice oakiness towards the end, but it's not all that powerful. Ten percent beers are usually very happy to let you know how potent they are, but in this case the punch is hidden rather well. Overall, this is very balanced for a Double IPA, with the hops evenly matched with the rich flavors from the malt and alcohol. The aftertaste is citrusy, oaky, and slightly boozy.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and smooth with mild carbonation. Dries in the finish nicely.

Drinkability: Ten percent alcohol content and 70 IBUs may not be a recipe for a thirst-quencher, but this is rather drinkable considering.

Verdict: I went in expecting something interesting and satisfying, and that's exactly what I ended up with. While this isn't a big hop-bomb (neither is their 90 Minute), Dogfish Head have crafted a tasty and complex brew here. I'm curious to see exactly how it ages.

Grade: A

Dogfish Head Fort Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Fort
Style: Fruit Beer | ABV: 18.0% | IBUs: 49
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into tulip glass

Dogfish Head is known for experimental high-alcohol beers, and Fort is a terrific example of their special brand of madness. Brewed to a strength of 18 percent alcohol, it would have been the strongest beer on the planet just a few years ago. Though there are a handful of stronger brews out there, Fort is the strongest fruit beer on the planet according to Dogfish.

Fort is raspberry-focused and brewed with a "ridiculous amount" of pureed raspberries. That's not just marketing gibberish—the brewers add about 20 pounds of raspberries per barrel during fermentation. Fruit beers are typically lighter fare, but this is anything but. The name is an appropriate reference to the beer's staying power, as it can age for quite a while.

While I bought one bottle to age, this one is fated to be drunk fresh—so let's pop it open and try to make it to the bottom, shall we?

Appearance: To be honest, I was really expecting this to be a deep shade of red. In fact, it's a hazy, deep reddish-pumpkin body with a decent off-white head that recedes rapidly and leaves only minimal lacing (with this level of alcohol, retention and lacing is virtually out of the question).

Aroma: Sweet, berry-like, boozy, and at times almost vinegary. Complex and unique—what on earth is this going to taste like?

Taste: Wow! Intense as hell! There is no question whatsoever that the alcohol content here is almost off the charts, it's in the forefront from the beginning to the end and almost spicy in its intensity. Once the booze-shock subsides, you find a lot of complexity underneath. There's lots of fruit, including berries, banana and pineapple. As for malt, the backbone is relatively light and basically stays the hell out of the way. The aftertaste is very boozy with some hints of berry.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, slick, and nicely velvety. There's enough carbonation here to make it more drinkable than a liqueur. Lots of boozy burn for the tongue, the cheeks, and the throat. Dry as hell.

Drinkability: This one is going to take some time... I'd much prefer a regular 12 oz. bottle over this monster.

Verdict: This is a thoroughly unique beer - and because of this, it's hard to rate. Style is pretty much out the window here, so there's nothing much as far as guidelines go. Looks like we're in uncharted territory here folks... This big bastard of a beer tends to blur the lines between an ultra-strong beer and a weaker liqueur. It's mad as hell, but I like it. The only thing I can offer as far as a comparison goes is an Imperial Imperial Framboise. I can't wait to see how this ages.

Grade: B+

Note: While this review is being published in December, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh this past April.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Midas Touch
Style: Historical Recreation | ABV: 9.0% | IBUs: 12
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

When I first heard about Midas Touch, it was such a cool concept for a beer that it instantly shot up to the top of my "most wanted" list. Essentially, the mad scientists at Dogfish Head, along with with molecular archaeologist Patrick McGovern, recreated the oldest-known fermented beverage in the world by reverse engineering traces of a drink left on 2700 year old Turkish drinking vessels. These weren't just any ancient drinking vessels though, they were allegedly found in the tomb of King Midas.

The resulting brew was quite the crossover; part beer, part wine, and part mead. Included in the ingredient list are honey, white Muscat grapes, and saffron in addition to the four traditional elements of beer (grain, hops, yeast, and water). The brewery describes Midas Touch as a "smooth, sweet, yet dry ale that will please the Chardonnay or beer drinker alike." Reception was so good that Dogfish have gone on to create two more "historical recreations," Theobroma and Chateau Jiahu.

So, bringing an ancient drink back to life may just be the greatest idea for a beer ever, but does it work in the real world? Let's fill a drinking vessel and find out.

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden-amber body with less than a finger of bubbly, off-white head that burns out pretty quickly and leaves little lacing.

Aroma: A fruity, floral, perfumy, spicy, and sweet mix. Very unique.

Taste: Crisp and dry with lots of grape, making it almost wine-like at times. Underneath there's a light malt backbone with mild accents of honey shining through to ground it all. There's something vaguely chocolaty towards the finish, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Alcohol is there, but masked rather effectively. The aftertaste is grapey and mildly malty. My wife described it as replacing "all the bad things about wine with all the good things about beer." Your mileage may vary.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with fine carbonation and a dry finish. Some alcohol burn in the mouth, but not too much.

Drinkability: The only thing really holding it back is the alcohol content; a quaffable ancient brew.

Verdict: To be perfectly honest, I liked this beer before I ever opened a bottle; the concept of time travel in a bottle is pure brilliance. Now that I've finally got my hands on some tasted it, I'm delighted to find that the beer itself is actually complex and quite enjoyable.

Grade: A

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 90 Minute IPA
Style: American Double India Pale Ale | ABV: 9.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

A while back I reviewed Dogfish Head's best selling beer, their 60 Minute IPA, and gave it an "A" rating. So hopes are high for the next beer from the "Minute" series, 90 Minute IPA, which actually falls into the category of Double IPA. The 90 in the name refers to the fact that hops are added to the wort continuously for 90 minutes during the boil and that the beer clocks in at 90 IBUs and 9.0% ABV.

This was Dogfish's first continuously hopped beer and the one initially brewed using Sam's vibrating football game hopping rig (you can read more about the rig in the review for 60 Minute). The football game is gone now, and Dogfish use a contraption called "Sir-Hops-A-Lot" to keep the hops flowing throughout the boil. Once the beer is conditioning another device called "Me So Hoppy" is used to dry hop the beer.

But that's not the last gadget involved! Some lucky people are able to order their 90 Minute "Randallized," where the beer from the tap is run through a organoleptic hop transducer module (a.k.a. filter) named "Randall the Enamel Animal" that is filled with whole hop cones. The "Enamel" in the name comes from the idea that the beer that flows out is hoppy enough to make you feel that the enamel has been stripped from your teeth. Dogfish sure love their inventions, eh? You can always count on Sam and the rest of the crew to come up with something new.

Well, my bottle of 90 Minute may not be "Randallized," but I'm sure it's still pretty damn good, so let's pop it open.

Appearance: Somewhat hazy rich pumpkin body. A finger and a half of off-white head that leaves good lacing.

Aroma: As you might expect, it smells a lot like 60 Minute with the volume cranked up even further. Hoppy as hell, but backed up with lots of caramel malt and alcohol. The hop profile is of Cascadey grapefruit and pine. Very appetizing.

Taste: Still lots of grassy, earthy, ctirusy and piney hops, but there's a lot more malt in the taste. The sweet caramel malt backbone is very much up to the task of maintaining balance, not an easy feat when there is so much hoppiness. Pleasantly assertive alcohol throughout and a lovely bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and sticky with good carbonation. You can really feel the booze in your throat. Dries in the finish.

Drinkability: It's a sipper for sure, more due to the alcohol content than the flavor profile. Just about average for the style.

Verdict: Compared to most Double IPAs, 90 Minute has a lot more malt than usual, making it much more of a balanced proposition than most. While not my favorite Double IPA, 90 Minute is still very much a standout beer.

Grade: A-

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Raison D'Etre
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale | ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: 25
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Way back when I was a tenderfoot first starting my journey into the world of craft beer, I logged many an hour standing in the beer aisle staring blankly at six-pack after six-pack after six-pack. Knowing hardly anything about beer at the time, all I had to go on was packaging and descriptions.

One of the first beers to pique my interest enough to bring it home with me was Dogfish Head's Raison D'Etre. The bottle reads: "A deep mahogany ale brewed with Belgian beet sugars, green raisins, and a sense of purpose." How could I resist that? It was quite a shock to my innocent palate when I got it home, but I knew that I liked it.

Here's how the great Michael Jackson described the beer:

I could not resist the pun in a beer called Raison d'Etre, based on a brown ale. This contains green raisins and dark candy sugar, and has a primary fermentation with an English ale yeast and a secondary with a Belgian culture. It starts winey, with suggestions of sweet oloroso sherry, developing spicy grain notes in the middle, then finishes with a soft, almondy dryness.

So now that countless new beers have passed over my palate, how will Raison stack up?

Appearance: The body is a rich dark brown, very nearly black outside of direct light, with reddish-brown highlights. On top, a two-finger caramel head that leaves decent lacing. This is a beautiful presentation.

Aroma: Slightly sweet and smoky deep-roasted malt dominates. It's accompanied by whiffs of dark fruit and a nice kick of booze in the back.

Taste: Roasty, smoky, and nutty malt with dark fruit and dark chocolate notes throughout. It's balanced with a good helping of bitterness in the end. Assertive alcohol compliments everything. The aftertaste is intense and roasty.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with moderately-low carbonation. You can certainly feel the alcohol in your throat a bit. A nice dry finish.

Drinkability: With a good dose of alcohol and a complex profile, this is in the fast part of sipper territory.

Verdict: Another solid and unique offering from Dogfish Head, Raison D'Etre has a complex flavor profile with a hell of a lot going on in just one glass. This is a great beer to sip in the evening and ponder over.

Grade: A-

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 60 Minute IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

60 Minute IPA is Dogfish Head's flagship, and best-selling, beer. As it's name suggests, hops are added to the wort continuously for 60 minutes during the boil. When he set out to brew a proper India Pale Ale, founder Sam Calagione was unhappy with the results of the traditional method of adding bittering hops early in the boil and finishing hops at the very end. He decided that to get the balance he was striving for, he would have to continuously add hops during the entire boil.

His first attempt at this was to rig a vibrating football game covered with hop pellets above the brewing kettle during the boil. While it worked for that one batch, it wouldn't last, so "Sir-Hops-Alot" (a more "industrial" version) was born, and is used to this day. Dogfish Head also brews 75 (available at their brewpub), 90 and 120 minute versions of IPA this way, obviously all with more exposure to hops. Another neat thing about this series of beers is that the number in the name corresponds not only to the amount of time hops are added to the boil, but the ABV and IBU (International Bittering Units), as well. So, 60 Minute is 6.0% ABV and measures in at 60 IBUs.

According to Dogfish Head, the hops varieties that 60 Minute is exposed to consist of Warrior, Amarillo, and "Mystery Hop X." While it sounds like something out of Speed Racer, I'm sure it's something pretty cool if it comes from DFH. The brewery describes the beer as being as a "powerful East Coast I.P.A. with a lot of citrusy hop character" along with "cedar, pine & candied-orange flavors." 60 Minute used to be bottle-conditioned, meaning that there's a secondary fermentation and maturation in the bottle, but all references on both the label and website have been struck. I don't see any reason for the brewer to remove these references unless the beer is no longer bottle-conditioned, which is a real shame.

Appearance: Crystal-clear amber body with a two-finger tall bubbly, white head that slowly fades into a quarter-inch blanket that leaves above average lacing.

Aroma: The second I cracked the bottle open, my porch filled with the smell of hops. On closer inspection, the hops are citrusy (specifically grapefruit and orange peel), piney and ride on top of a caramel backbone. There's also a strange smell, reminiscent of Orange Lucozade in there somewhere.

Taste: Hops are surely the showcase here, and they're bitter, citrusy, and piney. The sweet, biscuity malt character is very much in line with what the hops dish out, allowing for a near-perfect balance. It tastes like there's more alcohol than there really is for some reason. The aftertastes is biased towards the malt and booze, but the bitterness is still there.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and a little creamy with moderately-high carbonation.

Drinkability: With the brewery describing this as "the session beer for beer geeks like us," it better go down the hatch easily. Even with the moderately-high 6% ABV, 60 Minute IPA is certainly the most sessionable offering from DFH head I've tried yet (of course, most of their beers are well over six percent...). The hops are intense, but not to any level that keeps you from ordering another.

Verdict: When compared to the rest of the Dogfish Head stable, 60 Minute is certainly one of the least extreme offerings. But that's the point, DFH mean for 60 Minute IPA to be a balanced, very drinkable, yet still exciting and unique everyday beer. A terrific example of the American India Pale Ale style, and of beer in general. After this, I'm dying to try the four-pack of 90 Minute and single bottle of 120 Minute that await me in my "cellar."

Grade: A

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Punkin Ale
Style: Pumpkin Ale | ABV: 7.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Fall is upon us once again, so I thought it was appropriate to review some seasonal offerings here on PintLog. Instead of starting with one of the cornucopia of Oktoberfest themed beers, I figured I'd start with something a little different. Dogfish Head is one my absolute favorite breweries, they put out some of the most interesting beers on the market. Known for what founder Sam Calagione calls "extreme beer," Dogfish puts out a portfolio of decidedly non-traditional, high alcohol content, high quality brews.

The Fall Dogfish Head seasonal in Punkin Ale, the company's take on (believe it or not) Pumpkin Ale. In true Dogfish Head style, the description/ingredient list on the bottle is nothing if not intriguing: "A full bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg." Based on my experiences with other Dogfish Head offerings, I have some pretty high hopes for this beer. The bottle blurb has me practically drooling, so without further adieu (what exactly is adieu, anyway?) let's pour a bottle.

Appearance: Crystal-clear with a brilliant copper orange hue. A somewhat fizzy finger-width head that fades into decent lacing.

Aroma: Just like a freshly baked pumpkin pie - spicy, lots of pumpkin (obviously), and big doses of sweet brown sugar. It smells exactly how you might imagine while reading over the ingredients. Quite appetizing.

Taste: Brown sugar sweetness and pumpkin up front with a nice spicy nutmeg and cinnamon finish. The beer underneath these flavors is somewhat bitter with sweet and bready malt. You can definitely detect that seven percent booze from time to time, but it's certainly not overpowering. Usually, I'm not a big pumpkin fan, but I really love it in this application. It doesn't really taste like a Brown Ale underneath, more like a malty Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and velvety with a good amount of carbonation. It finishes nicely with the slick feeling you get with higher ABV beers.

Drinkability: Despite the somewhat nontraditional flavor combination and moderately high alcohol content, I'd be more than happy to sit and throw back a four-pack of this over a Fall evening. One of the more sessionable Dogfish Head creations I've tried (for example, it would take quite long night for me to finish a pack of Raison D'Etre).

Verdict: While Pumpkin Ales are nothing new, I knew when I saw the neon orange pack adorned with the shark icon sitting on the shelf, I'd be in for something special. Punkin did not disappoint. Without a doubt, this is the best Pumpkin themed beer I've ever tasted. As I've come to expect from Dogfish, this beer is lavish, complex, and above all, unique. These are the kinds of beers that leave such an indelible impression on me that I can almost summon their taste just by thinking about them. Brilliant.

Grade: A