Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Archives – A Night With The Hops

A Varied Collection

Sep 022010

The credit for the beer news this week goes to a handful of people. I had stories passed to me by The Wife, Seattle Jeff, MomJovi, and Erin my Midwestern Beer Correspondent. Since they did the hard part, all I really had to do was sit back and read through it all. It turned out to be a pretty varied collection of articles.

Much to get to . . .

Knowing that I cannot sing even a little bit or play anything, I am glad to find out that there is help out there for me to play a little tune while kicking back with a beer.
As a general piece of advice I would recommend that if you are charged with keeping track of something worth upwards of a million dollars, maybe you should take the night off from hitting the bar. Sure a beer or two is acceptable, but do yourself a favor by not starting a tab.
I had to pass along that advice before linking to this story telling you that drinking could help you live longer. That may trump my recommendation, but doing what is necessary to track of the valuables is still a good idea.
I like the idea of having a guide like this to assist my decision making and directions when travelling to other states. My hunch is that it would not take as long to put together a version of this for Florida.
In the spirit of at least somewhat cancelling out the possibility of drinking beer lengthening your lifespan, I present you with a deep fried version. Who knew that a liquid could be fried like that?
You all know that I am a sucker for lists and this one hits on a perfect combination (for me) of beer and travel. I will have the push pins in the map moments after I complete writing this post.
I defy you to not watch a video of an animal drinking (and enjoying) a few beers. There is also a bonus of a bad joke at the end.
To close the week, an article that highlights some reverse engineering of sorts via Dogfish Head’s musically inspired Bitches Brew. There is a pretty good chance that I won’t get to try this one, so I like to read reactions from the folks who do get to.

DFH Bitches Brew (via http://www.npr.org/)

Cheers!

After Taking Time Off

Beer News, Breweries No Responses »

Aug 052010

After taking last Thursday off from passing along beer news to celebrate the anniversary of this site, it is time to get back at it. I might even throw in a few more stories than usual as The Wife and Seattle Jeff (my Pacific Northwest Beer Correspondent) gave me a bunch along the way and I feel a little bad for not providing a venue to showcase that information last week.

Here we go . . .

Staring off easy I will give a few links that are not as much news as they are interesting uses for beer cans. This first group seems pretty reasonable for an individual to drink enough beer to create while I am hoping that this guy did not have to drink all of the Bud necessary for his sculpture.
I suppose plans for brewery expansion change when people catch on to how great your beer is and fortunately this Colorado brewery is being responsible about the whole process while adding capacity very fast. Even bars in Colorado are adjusting to keep up with the growing desire for craft beer.
Apparently we now know what the new television craze is going to be after all of those damn cake and cupcake shows fade away. After the announcement of Sam Calagione’s show in June, it seems that other networks are jumping in with beer shows as well. I am just sorry I missed my shot at being one of the hosts.
Surely this acquisition will only further the already heated discussion of what this means as far as the true definition of craft beer. I know they all have to do what they have to do, but I hope that the merger bug does not infect the entire craft beer community going forward.
Knowing that Dogfish Head used this method to create one of their brews, it is interesting to see playing with hot rocks catch on a bit.
As one of my favorite beer styles that is not actually a recognized style, the Black IPA is certainly gaining momentum everywhere. More and more breweries are coming out with examples and the article gives some very good options of brews to try if you haven’t yet tried one.
Lastly is a shout out to a great brewery here in (nearby) Tampa. I just hope they don’t get too popular right away as it is already difficult to get your hands on their brews sometimes. Fortunately there is always going straight to the source as an option for me.

20100802 03dcabeew 500 After Taking Time Off

West End Tavern in Boulder (via http://www.dailycamera.com)

Cheers!

The Assembly of News

Beer News, Breweries No Responses »

Jul 222010

Where last week the assembly of the beer news was nearly perfect, I actually had to do some work this time. The Wife and my official Midwestern Beer Correspondent Erin gave their contributions this week, but Seattle Jeff did not make the deadline. The good thing for him is that I don’t exactly have anyone else lined up to be my Pacific Northwest Beer Correspondent, so he is still at the top of the list of candidates.

For this week . . .

Fortunately Ken Kan Kook picked up the slack this week and passed along something quite interesting to me. Since we did not make it to Naked City Brewery & Taphouse (it was on the large list of to dos) on our recent trip to Seattle, I have to ask Jeff to go sample for me and report back.
Here we go again. First there was a leak and then there was official word. Now I do drink a fair amount of higher gravity brews, but if I want something with that much punch I will go buy a nice bottle of something for a hell of a lot less money. I also like to keep my taxidermy and my beer separate.
Now we are talking! Unlike the beer summit about a year ago, President Obama went with some hometown Goose Island as part of the exchange after The World Cup draw between the United States and England.
This was one of those headlines that I could not resist. Via this article you can read back if you choose to or even go off to this interview. I must admit that I would be curious to taste this new creation if only because the original PBR is my bowling beer of choice.
How could I not post a story about how beer lovers (like myself) are a good example of how to turn around a struggling economy? I will continue to do my part!
This Dogfish Head creation (or recreation) has been around for quite a few years now, but this article does a nice job of explaining how it came to be.

Beer from this? (viahttp://www.npr.org/)

Gan bei!

Max's Taphouse

Beer Reviews, Travel 2 Responses »

Mar 292010

So when I decided to tag along on a trip to Baltimore that The Wife was taking to attend a conference, my immediate efforts were to see what my beer options would be. Now that was not only because I love my beer, but also since it was the first weekend of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament and I don’t miss that for any reason. Any sort of vacation or long weekend should not deprive me of two of my favorite things!

The pink elephant will always draw you in.

So after doing a brief internet search, I came up with what I thought would be a few good options and Max’s Taphouse was on that short list. At that point it was just one of a handful of choices. Then I was reading through December’s issue of Beeradvocate Magazine and saw Max’s was on their list of the 25 “Top Places to Have a Pint.” OK, so that narrowed the list a bit further. Then I decided to ask who ever could hear me out in the world of Twitter where I could get some good beer and watch college basketball in Baltimore. When the immediate answer of Max’s came back it sealed the deal for my beer drinking location of choice for that trip.

That was all before I looked on the map to see that Max’s Taphouse was only a short walk away from the hotel we would be staying at! Sometimes things just work out in your favor.

Some of the view from my seat.

The Wife and I quickly pulled up a barstool directly in front of the tap handles for the cask beer offerings on our initial visit. The first choice for me was a (cask) Troegs Nugget Nectar and The Wife went with a Silly Pink Killer (Brasserie de Silly). Bob was fantastic behind the bar and we felt at home even more when a patron asked if the free Miller Lite that was being offered “came with a straw like the rest of the water.” Somewhere in my laughter at that question I briefly felt sorry for the Miller Lite girl that was pushing the freebies that afternoon. Not the best crowd for that product, but just the type of beer drinking people I wanted to be around.

Thus began my obsession with the environment and selection at my fingertips (80 or so draft offerings and hundreds of bottled option) as I would visit Max’s each of the first three days of our stay in Baltimore. I would say that is a bad thing, but I enjoyed every moment of it!

A peek at the draft list.

To save my computer from the potential drool that would come with a beer-by-beer recap (from Gubna to Dugana to Gemeni and on), I will go with mostly pictures from here on out. Enjoy . . .

OB Gubna in front, then Avery Dugana, and Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot in back

Emelisse Winter and Olivers Bishop Breakfast

Just part of the set up that I would like at home.

Avery Collaboration (I think)

Part of what the bar sees (and I think a Dogfish Head Aprihop)

Do yourself a favor and visit Max’s Taphouse if are in Baltimore. Sit yourself at the bar, introduce yourself to Bob, and get yourself a good draft beer. All will be well from there!

Dogfish Head - Burton Baton

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Dec 042009

There are many more Dogfish brews for me to review, but this will be the last one for a while since I got to quite a few during “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month” and it is time to share reviews for other beers. I do have another few breweries in mind for dedicated months on this site, but they can wait until at least January.

Their website says that this one is a blend of oak-aged English strong ale and Dogfish’s very popular 90 Minute IPA, which I somehow did not fit into the evaluations for the month. I think this is a great blend of the two styles, which again gave me a beer that was different than anything I can remember trying previously. The Wife didn’t make it past the first sip, but that only meant that there was more for me to enjoy!

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Burton Baton

Style: Imperial IPA (oak-aged)

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in an oversized wine glass. $3.49 for 12oz.

Aroma: Smooth, slightly citrus hop aroma. A slight hint of vanilla with a little bit of earthy/woody nose in back.

Appearance: Medium amber with some orange tint. Slight, cream color head with moderate retention and a heavy(ish) trail. Quite clear with a few bubbles rising.

Flavor: Moderate hop flavor (some grapefruit-like character) with a nice background of caramel/slightly toasted maltiness. Some bitterness and well balanced overall.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with moderate carbonation. Very smooth and slightly creamy with an even hint of warmth in back.

Overall Impressions: Really incredible aroma (my initial impression) with the flavor falling right in line. The oak aging did not over power either. A very pleasant beer with a great combination of aromas and flavors.

Grade: A- (maybe higher)

Point of entry

Dogfish Head - Burton Baton

A closer look

Dogfish Head - Midas Touch

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Dec 012009

“Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month” has officially leaked into December with this evaluation and will do so even more with another to come this Friday. It was not intentional, but I was left with a few of the more interesting beers for this week, including this one based on an ancient Turkish recipe discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Being brewed without hops gives this one a very unique flavor profile (that The Wife enjoyed a lot) and is certainly worth a try if you have the opportunity.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Midas Touch

Style: Spice/Herb Beer

ABV: 9.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a white wine glass. $3.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Sweet aroma of grapes (prominent). Clean and crisp sauvignon blanc/riesling-like nose.

Appearance: Golden color with strong orange tint (honey-like, probably influenced by the saffron). Slight, off-white head that quickly dissipates with no trail and very slight legs. Very clear with a few bubbles rising.

Flavor: Moderate grape flavor on a background of light maltiness and a slight bit of honey sweetness. Some dryness at the finish that stays on the palate a bit.

Mouthfeel: Light body and pretty high carbonation with some bite (champagne-like). Smooth and crisp with a slight warmth at finish (enough to let you know it is 9%).

Overall Impressions: Drinks like a light bodied beer, but with a lot of flavor. Seemingly a direct midpoint between beer and champagne. Very pleased to have tried and quite different than anything I have tasted to date (that I can recall).

Grade: B+

Point of entry

Dogfish Head - Midas Touch

Making Sah'tea

Beer News 2 Responses »

Nov 282009

Since November is coming to an end I was looking for some interesting Dogfish content to close out “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month.” Realizing that I have yet to get my hands on some Sah’tea and will not be reviewing it right away, it seemed a good idea to showcase it a little bit. It has been mentioned on this site before in an article linked last month.

I knew the special method they used to add unique character to this beer, but it was great to see it in action. If I can get my hands on some sauna rocks maybe I will give this a try at home!

Dogfish Head - Black & Blue

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Nov 272009

Prior to Thanksgiving dinner I was asked (by Jim) when I would be running out of Dogfish beers to review. The answer is that I will be trickling “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month” into December since I have a few more to evaluate for next week. Not that there are no more for me to review (there are many), but that is how many I have left in the house.

Maybe it was that question that put the thought in my head, but when The Wife suggested wine after we returned home I suggested the Black & Blue as an option. It turned out to be an appropriate substitution and a good end to the day.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Black & Blue (refers to use of black raspberry and blueberry purees)

Style: Fruit Beer (based on Belgian Golden Ale)

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge (51 degrees +/-) and served in an oversized wine glass. $11.69 for 1pt. 9.6oz.

Aroma: Full malty sweetness and a prominent fruit nose (raspberry with an apple-like tartness/acidity).

Appearance: Medium brown color with slight red tone (coppery orange when held to light). Slight cream color head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving some trail (legs). Clear with very slight haze (possibly chill).

Flavor: Even berry/fruit flavor (blueberry) on a light malty, sweet background. Some sourness/acidity towards finish.

Mouthfeel: Light body with high, champagne-like carbonation. Smooth, but quite crisp at finish. Some warmth on back of tongue/throat.

Overall Impressions: Drinks like a crisp, dry(ish) champagne. Aroma suggested a bit more punch than what flavor was. Really came close to what I expected from the label description. The Wife didn’t love the first sip, but enjoyed it thereafter (disconnect with aroma).

Grade: B

The point of entry

Dogfish Head - Black & Blue

Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Nov 242009

Unfortunately most of the fall seasonal beers are long off the shelves before Thanksgiving comes around as the winter beers seem to come out earlier and earlier every year. This one is consistently at the top of the list for me when it is released each year and I held onto a few (along with some other pumpkin beers) to enjoy in November. The Wife even used a Punkin Ale to make (some very good) bread with earlier this month. Be sure to put this on your shopping list for autumn next year.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Punkin Ale

Style: Vegetable Beer (based on American Brown Ale)

ABV: 7.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass. $8.99 for a 4-pack.

Aroma: Pumpkin pie-like spices (definitely nutmeg and some allspice). Full malty sweetness and seems like a real pumpkin aroma is there (in back).

Appearance: Medium brown color with copper tint. Slight cream color head with good retention and no trail. Mostly clear with some haze.

Flavor: Medium maltiness with slight toasted and caramel notes. Very slight hint of pumpkin spice flavors. Extremely low hop flavor and bitterness with a hint of dryness at the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with fairly high carbonation (has slight bite). Smooth with a very slight warmth.

Overall Impressions: Good beer for those who don’t like pumpkin beers (or think that they don’t). Great balance of pumpkin aroma and maltiness in flavor. Nice beer for the season . . . at the top of pumpkin beers for me (pending further research). Maybe slightly high alcohol for style (4.3-6.2% for Brown Ale).

Grade: A-

The entry point

Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale

Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout

Beer Reviews 3 Responses »

Nov 202009

Since I started the week with a Dogfish Stout, it seemed appropriate to finish the week with one as well. World Wide Stout is more expensive (per volume) than any other Dogfish beers I have tried but, as I have said before, consider what you would pay for a drink at a bar or pub. Actually, I didn’t realize what the cost was until after I walked out with the receipt, but it turned out to be worth the investment. With it having limited availability, I am glad I took the opportunity to give it a try when I had the chance.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: World Wide Stout

Style: Russian Imperial Stout (Double?)

ABV: 18.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge, allowed to warm a bit and served in an oversized wine glass (snifter-like). $8.49 for 12oz.

Aroma: Full roasted maltiness with undertones of chocolate and dark fruit sweetness (currant-like). Big alcohol aroma that has a barleywine/port-like nose.

Appearance: Appears black, though dark brown at the edges when held to light. Slight, light coffee color head that dissipates quickly and leaves a trail (has “legs”). Opaque, but clear at edge when held to light.

Flavor: Intensely strong flavor of roasted grains with a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Has a dark fruit/grapey character (port-like). Slight bitterness and dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and creamy (almost chewy in a way). Fairly high carbonation that leaves a slight sharpness. Prominent, but smooth warmth.

Overall Impressions: Really complex flavors. Great for an evening where you were only having one beer (would probably be great with a cigar). The alcohol flavors might be too prominent for some (high for style, 8%-12%). Very happy to be able to try.

Grade: A

Perhaps a warning?

Some for me, some for The Wife

Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout

Dogfish Head - Chicory Stout

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Nov 172009

As the weather gets a bit cooler (I use cooler instead of cold since I am in Florida), a good stout becomes an even more enjoyable option when looking for a beer to sit down with. I cannot say for sure that stout is my favorite style, but it would likely be in the conversation. Starting as one of their earliest beer recipes (see video below), they have certainly refined it over the years into being a very good one that I enjoyed quite a lot.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Chicory Stout

Style: American Stout

ABV: 5.2%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge for a short time (not cold) and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Prominent roasted malt aroma with a hint of coffee (almost chocolatey).

Appearance: Black in color (dark, dark, brown when held up to light). One finger light brown head with moderate retention leaving a light trail. Opaque, but clear with bubbles visible when held to light.

Flavor: Medium (to high) roasted malt flavor and light bitterness. Nice notes of coffee with no burnt flavors and almost chocolate-like sweetness. Very slight dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Full(ish) body and medium-high carbonation with very slight bite. Quite smooth with some creaminess.

Overall Impressions: Very nice, smooth drinking stout. Probably would not be nearly as enjoyable if it was ice cold. Good mix and balance of subtle flavors.

Grade: B+ (solid)

The entry point

Dogfish Head - Chicory Stout

Dogfish Head - Immort Ale

Beer Reviews 1 Response »

Nov 132009

It is very exciting to read the label of a beer and really not know exactly what to expect when you drink it. Ending up with flavors that you have never experienced before is even better. I don’t always end up loving the beer, but I am never regretful for having tried it. The Wife thought the aroma of this one was fantastic but put her sample down immediately after one sip, comparing it to a flavor of burnt plastic. My review is much more favorable. That is just another example of how two people who enjoy beer can have extremely different opinions on the same brew.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Immort Ale

Style: Strong Ale (American but with Belgian yeast?)

ABV: 11.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge, allowed to warm and served in an oversized wine glass (snifter-like). $3.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Malty sweetness with dark fruit (prunes/currants) aromas. Smoky earthiness (woody notes from barrel aging).

Appearance: Coppery brown color (maple syrup-like). Slight cream/light tan color head with moderate retention leaving some trail. Clear with many tiny bubbles visible.

Flavor: Strong maltiness with molasses-like sweetness. Smooth smokiness (similar to aroma) and a hint of vanilla. Balance to malt (no real hop profile). Additional complexity from barrel aging?

Mouthfeel: Medium (toward full) body with pretty high carbonation (without bite). Slight creaminess with even warmth in back.

Overall Impressions: Interesting, complex flavors. Not something I would have more than one (or two) of. Probably not a beer that I would buy again, but I am very glad to have tried it (just not really a great match for my palate).

Grade: B (ish)

The entry point

Dogfish Head - Immort Ale

The Beginnings

Beer News No Responses »

Nov 122009

Perhaps this video should have started off “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month,” but it seems appropriate now since it is probably of more interest after seeing some of the other content in the last few weeks. I have been reading about the beginnings of the brewery and found it all to be very fascinating, including the implementation of the distillery earlier this decade. Some of their spirits are even inspired by beer recipes, like the Wit Spiced Rhum. That is just another reason to stop by Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats when you are passing through Delaware.

Dogfish Head - Festina Peche

Beer Reviews No Responses »

Nov 102009

Time to review a seasonal from Dogfish that clocks in with a pretty low alcohol content, especially for their brews. If you cannot guess by the name this beer is fermented with peaches, giving it subtle notes of that flavor. It is nice to be able to sample beers from all points in the Dogfish spectrum and this one is much different than those I have tried to this point. I am very glad I gave it a chance, but some beers just don’t suit my palate as much as others.

Check out the video below for more about the creation of this beer.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Festina Peche

Style: Weissbier (neo-BerlinerWeisse per their description)

ABV: 4.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a goblet. $7.99 for a 4-pack.

Aroma: Light aroma overall with light to medium wheat notes (somewhat bready). Very light fruity sweetness.

Appearance: Light gold/straw color. Slight off-white head that quickly dissipates with no trail. Clear with some haze (few tiny bubbles visible).

Flavor: Tart fruitiness up front (prominent) with no noticeable hop character. Slight sweetness with a light wheat character in back. Some dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Light body with high carbonation that gives a champagne-like crispness. Some creaminess (oddly considering other characteristics).

Overall Impressions: Certainly works well for warm weather and is better very cold. Very champagne-like to drink. OK beer, but I have no need to buy it again (simply not my preference).

Grade: C (ish)

Cap close up

Dogfich Head - Festina Peche

Dogfish Head - Palo Santo Marron

Beer Reviews 1 Response »

Nov 062009

If you read the article that was posted about a month ago, you already have a good idea of how this beer came to be. If reading doesn’t sound appealing today (I feel like that a lot), there is a video below that explains the process more specifically for this beer. There are other videos out there if you are interested as well as a lot of information about the Palo Santo tree that was utilized to make the aging vessel for this beer.

This was another beer that I enjoyed quite a lot, but that had much more complexity than I was able to put into words. Definitely give it a try if you have the opportunity.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Palo Santo Marron

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 12.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge, allowed to warm a bit and served in a pint glass (per Dogfish site recommendation). $3.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Light aroma overall (from what I expected). Full, malty nose with some roasty/toasted notes. Sweetness that is caramel or brown sugar-like.

Appearance: Black in color (very, very, very dark brown). One finger, very thick, light coffee color head with great retention that leaves a trail. Opaque, even when held to light.

Flavor: Heavy, malty sweetness with no noticeable hops. Earthy, woodiness near finish that hangs on for a bit. Can tell that wood vessel aging was involved. Some dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate (to high) carbonation. Quite creamy and somewhat smooth. Warmth noticed at the end – back of mouth into the throat.

Overall Impressions: Really a lot going on here (more than I can pick out). It is similar to other barrel aged beers, but very different as well. A very good beer for sitting in front of a fireplace at the end of an evening or enjoying after dinner with a cigar. Would have served it in an oversized wine glass and likely will for the next time. High alcohol for style (4.3%-6.2%), if it actually belongs in this style.

Grade: A- (solid)

Pay attention to the video to see this on paper

Big sample, Little sample

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Dogfish Head - Burton Baton

Dogfish Head - Midas Touch

Making Sah'tea

Dogfish Head - Black & Blue

Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale

Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout

Dogfish Head - Chicory Stout

Dogfish Head - Immort Ale

The Beginnings

Dogfish Head - Festina Peche

Dogfish Head - Palo Santo Marron

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