Dogfish Head Punkin Pumpkin Ale

Dogfish Head Punkin Pumpkin Ale.

7 % ABV. Dogfish Head Brewing, Milton, DE. 

Friends of the Nib, may I present to you the first entry of a pumpkin beer in nearly four years. It's true, I just don't care about them. I don't mind them, but I never go out of my way for one. And today, I revisit  a beer I first had in 2003, and probably haven't had since. I'm just going to go ahead and share those old notes and see how they compare with drinking it today...

(Keep in mind that in 2003 the style had not yet lost it's luster for me. )

Appearance: solid, opaque rustic brown color, good and chunky 1/2" creamy head.

Aroma: divine! That's my immediate thought, for after just sampling other pumpkin-themed beers, this seems to be the one that's getting it right. The spices that are overflowing and dominant in others are clearly more interested in sharing the spotlight here, it's richer, fuller, creamy, complex.

Taste: again, just right. They hit the nail on the head here, choosing a full-bodied brown ale as the base, so you get the cinnamon and allspice, the pumpkin, and in this case, the brown sugar, but there's still a significant beer underneath, and in this case, a much sturdier, tastier, creamier brown ale than most. A most welcome flood of flavors, smooth, but substantial, thoroughly filling the mouth and washing it with warm, sweet, pumpkinny goodness. Soft, tasty finish. I enjoyed every last drop. Leave it to DfH to craft the best pumpkin ale I've yet to taste!

I got this in a trade, way back, eighteen years ago. I edited out some of the exclamation points. It's spicy, warm, and perfect for the season. So, I stick with my gushing review of long ago, and urge one and all to include this one in your pumpkinny celebrations. 

I gave this a 4.32 on BeerAdvocate, a full 9.4 % above the average. Well, I liked it, what can I say? 

A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with.

Dogfish Head / Rodenbach Vibrant P'Ocean

Dogfish Head / Rodenbach Vibrant P'Ocean. 

4.7 %, 12 IBU. Dogfish Head Brewing, Milton, DE, collaboration with Rodenbach, Belgium. 

Clear, bright crimson coloring, slim and slightly pinkish head. 

In the nose: Rosy, tart, fruity. Funky, fresh, sour.

In the mouth: Starts out with intense pucker, incredible tart. Cherries and berries, and plenty of oak. Very pleasant sour ale, but lacks the complexity of the regular Rodenbach. Definitely drinkable. Decidedly tasty. Sparkles on the palate. Yeah, pretty nice. Pretty nice, indeed. Good Belgian/American collaboration sour ale and you can drink it. 

Vibrant P’Ocean is a complex, ruby-colored ale with tart, dry flavors of jammy berries and floral lemon. To create this trans-oceanic potion, we carefully combined two unique base beers – one developed by Rodenbach and the other by our brewers here in Milton.

Dogfish Head American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA

Dogfish Head American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA.
7% ABV. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE.

Another Grateful Dead beer. This one is no longer a granola pale ale, but ties in with the only beer anyone wants anymore, the hazy IPA. Even Deadheads are into them, now. So, let's drink one.

Hazy (naturally), bright golden tone, slim white head.

In the nose: Citrusy hop notes hit first, fresh and lively. Tangerine and orange, with a splash of lemon. Just lovely.

In the mouth: Juicy, juicy stuff. Splash of fruity hop flavors on the palate, ending on a dry note. Medium bodied, refreshing and delightfully drinkable.

It's a good hazy ripple IPA, and you can drink it. Here's some more about it:

It’s been a long strange trip, and we’re not about to stop now. After six years and four releases of American Beauty, we’re back with an encore … only this time you haven’t heard the melody.

Together with the Grateful Dead, we’re proud to introduce our latest collaborative iteration – American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA.

Inspired by the Grateful Dead’s beloved “American Beauty” album, American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA is an unfiltered India Pale Ale brewed with spelt – an ancient heirloom grain that contributes earthy notes and a natural haze – that’s then dosed with a special yeast variety to accentuate hop aromatics.

The result is a psychedelic 7.0% ABV ale that’s bursting with notes of tropical fruit and juicy citrus, while the style callout lovingly references the fan-favorite track “Ripple.”

Dogfish Head Super Eight Super Gose

Dogfish Head Super Eight Super Gose. 5.3 % ABV.
Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE.

Slim white head, bright crimson color, slightly hazy.

In the nose: Bright, fresh, & fruity. Very berry. Which ones? Can't saw for sure. Rasp-, black-, straw-? Maybe Mango, guava, some super fruits, knowing these guys. I'm going to the rare thing, for me, and peek ahead.

Huh. I'm glad I read that. A collaboration with Kodak. SuperEIGHT, like the film. Wacky. With eight ingredients:  "prickly pear, mango, boysenberry, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry, kiwi juices, toasted quinoa and an ample addition of red Hawaiian sea salt! Okay, so technically that's nine, but it 'gose' without say that there's going to be salt. "

Okay, let's drink: Tart, salty, juicy, then dry, almost all at once. Quite an experience, this. Let's try it again. Lift glass to lip, then sip: There it is again, all those tasty fruits, the tartness, the salt and then ending dry. Light bodied, swift finish, and easy drinking.

Yeah, I like it. Good stuff, guys.

This sessionable super gose is brewed with eight heroic ingredients: prickly pear, mango, boysenberry, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry, kiwi juices, toasted quinoa and an ample addition of red Hawaiian sea salt! Okay, so technically that's nine, but it 'gose' without say that there's going to be salt. These unique ingredients give this beer a vibrant red color, with delicious flavors of berries and watermelon, along with a tart - yet refreshing - finish.

But that’s not all … it also effectively develops Kodak’s Super 8 film. From the can to the stop bath, there’s a whole lot of science and alternative processing that takes place to bring the imagery to life. And it’s so totally worth it.

Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty Lo-Cal IPA

Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty Lo-Cal IPA. 4 % ABV. 30 IBU.
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE.

Clear, bright golden color, slim ivory head.

In the nose: Big citric aromatics, pine. lemon & lime, grapefruit.

In the mouth: Small bitterness at the front, soft malt body. Just enough flavor to make it worthwhile, but not enough hop bitterness to call it an IPA. Or, maybe I'm wrong. About being enough flavor? Maybe...

Soft, supple, easily consumable. Is it merely a session IPA, or is it truly a groundbreaking lo-calorie IPA? I can't decide, but I'm close to calling it boring. Clearly, it's not for me. Maybe others will enjoy it's low-key, low-cal, low-everything nature.

A lo-cal IPA that is slight in cals and carbs with mighty hop flavor! Slightly Mighty has all the flavor and tropical aromas of a world class IPA, but with only 95 calories, 3.6g carbs, 1g protein and 0g fat. Brewed with locally-grown barley, and a touch of monk fruit that delivers body and complexity but adds zero calories or carbs, Slightly Mighty is light-bodied and offers a lingering balanced sweetness. 

Dogfish Head The Perfect Disguise Double IPA

Dogfish Head The Perfect Disguise Double IPA. 8% Alc. by Vol. 70 IBU.
Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE.

Clear, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: Popping with tropical notes and citrus, too. Clean and cool.

In the mouth: A flood of flavors, a blast of bitter and fruit. Starts fruity, ends dry. Crisp, smooth, with plenty of bitter. I went into this forgetting what I knew, with only the label art as my guide. Hops lurking inside a jolly German? Now, I sneak peek and I remember, it's the double IPA with kolsch yeast, right? Yeah, and it's working. Getting some stone fruit, some tropical, and plenty of bitterness.

I'm liking this a lot. Dogfish is at it again, and my cap is off to them for continuing to innovate.

On the surface, The Perfect Disguise looks like a straightforward Kölsch with a crisp Kölsch yeast and traditional German malts and hops … but things aren’t always what they seem. With a quick sniff and a slight sip, you’re greeted by a creamy mouthfeel and full body thanks to the addition of a unique German chit malt - the first hint that this beer may be somewhat different.

Hiding deeper behind that German disguise is the double dry-hopping of an American Double IPA, with nearly 4 lbs. of German and American hops per barrel. It brings tropical flavors of citrus, tangerine, mango, gooseberries and peach.

Dogfish Head and the Grateful Dead present American Beauty Pale Ale

Dogfish Head and the Grateful Dead present American Beauty Pale Ale. 6.5 % ABV. 50 IBU. Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE.

Dogfish Head is at it again with the music-themed beers, and this time it's a band that I've never really been into, not even a little. I remember one night at the Harriet Brewing taproom (RIP), a Dead cover band was playing, and some groovers asked me "do you like the Dead?" as I stood in an utterly un-grooving manner. Not really, I told them, and they looked at me as if a giant eggplant has suddenly bloomed on the top of my head. Yeah, well, how many Horace Silver albums do you have, you filthy hippies?

On with the beer:

Clear, bright amber hue, sizable ivory head, looking good.

In the nose: Clean, lightly hoppy. perfectly okay.

In the mouth: Fruity, earthy, gritty hop presence on the palate. Smooth stuff, quenchable, refreshing. Medium body, long hoppy finish. Ends on a dry note, with flavor everlasting. It's a good pale ale, and you can drink it. There ain't nothing wrong with that.

I forgot that they added granola to the beer (of course), but it doesn't really stand out, but, rather, blends in with the malt very well. Adds a particular grainy, roast/toasty character, and the honey smooths it out.

But, speaking of the Grateful Dead, I once had a co-worker who teased me for playing so much jazz at work. I told her that I'm tired of everyone picking on jazz, because jazz never hurt anyone, and the only bad thing jazz ever did was inspire the Grateful Dead. Boy, she did not like that.


American Beauty, a pale ale inspired by the Grateful Dead, captures the spirit of the band's 30 years of touring and recording. Dogfish Head and the Dead both built their followings by connecting directly with beer lovers and music lovers, so when we first started this collaboration (back in 2013), we asked those loyal fans to help drive the recipe.

After receiving more than 1,500 ingredient suggestions, granola was tops. It was the main course in millions of parking lot meals and is a sweet and toasty complement to the barley, succulent wildflower honey and all-American hops.

ABV:
6.5
IBU:
50
RELEASE:
Year Round
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE:
2013
STYLE:
Pale Ale
ENJOY

FOOD PAIRING
Thai, jambalaya, frites
EXPERIENCE

COLOR
Golden/orange amber
AROMA
Subtle fruity notes of marzipan/almond/cherries, citrus hops, orange, honey and malt
FLAVOR
Sweet lingering honey with citrus accompanied with fruity notes of almond
MOUTHFEEL

Warming and thin, lingering sweet and bitter

Dogfish Head Liquid Truth Serum India Pale Ale.

Dogfish Head Liquid Truth Serum India Pale Ale. 7% Alc. by Vol.  65 IBU. "An IPA brewed with ALL the hops! 1: whole leaf, 2: liquefied, 3: pelletized , 4: powdered." Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware.

Hazy, flashy yellow coloring, large and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: soft and flowery hop presence, splashes of citrus and pen. Lemon and grapefruit.

In the mouth: Big, bitter hop bite beats the drum up front. Just a little bit juicy, ending nice and dry. Tasty stuff, delightfully bitter, a good o' drinking' IPA. Medium bodied. Highly likable, for hopheads like me.

All the hops at play in this one. Well, all the types. I can't see where they tell us which ones. I'm not worried about that, doesn't matter, they all come together for a crisp, brisk, zesty package. Good IPA and I'm drinking it!

You can handle the truth!

MYTH: IBUs (hop bitterness) can only be achieved in the boil. TRUTH: Uh-uh!

The truth is, Dogfish Head has been doing innovative things in the world of hopping since we opened in the mid-90s. From our continual hopping method found in our 60 Minute, 90 Minute and 120 Minute IPAs to our latest innovation of post-boil hop additions found in our Liquid Truth Serum!

Our unique process involving pelletized, powdered, leaf and liquefied hops makes for a blissfully inefficient IPA that's truthfully hoppy without being deceptively bitter. You'll find the perfect match of citrusy and tropical notes, making for a zesty finish ... honest.

Dogfish Head Mixed Media Vino-esque Ale brewed with grape must

Dogfish Head Mixed Media Vino-esque Ale brewed with grape must. 7.5% Alc. by Vol.

Clear, golden-hued, slim white head.

In the nose: Lightly tart, slightly sweet, fruity. Quite pleasant. Very musty.

In the mouth: Light bodied, delicate, with high fruit. Just the right amount of sweetness and the correct dose of vinosity. (I may have made that up.)

Sweet turns to dry on the palate. Grape and melon notes abound. Rounds out nicely. Light hops, minimal malt. Tasty treat, this one. I can dig it.


The closest an ale can legally be to wine! With 51% of the fermentable sugars coming from grain and 49% coming from grapes, Mixed Media is a complex saison-esque ale brewed with a distinct Belgian yeast strain. Using a late-harvest Viognier grape must from our friends at Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Washington, you'll find notes of white grape and melon in the aroma, and greeted with a spicy white wine body in every sip.

As our newest spin in the beer-wine world, Mixed Media appeals to both the Pinot Gris and beer drinker alike with a crisp, dry and tart ale that will leave you 'puckering' for more.

Dogfish Head Festina Peche Neo-Berliner Style

Dogfish Head Festina Peche Neo-Berliner Weisse Style. Tart summer session sour. 4.5 % alc. by vol. 8 IBU. Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE.

A refreshing neo-BerlinerWeisse fermented with honest-to-goodness peaches to (get this!) 4.5% abv! Because extreme beers don't have to be extremely boozy! Available in 4-pack and draft during the sweaty months

Clear, light peach-toned appearance, slim white head.

In the nose: Sweetness and fruit are first, then along comes sour. Very promising.

In the mouth: Pucker kicks it off, with lush peach flavors coming in after. Tart. refreshing, light in body.  Nicely balanced, not too anything, just right. Not a trace of bitterness, and not too sweet. Crisp and tasty. I'm enjoying this, and you know what? I do recommend it.

I wonder what I said about it 10 years ago? This was posted on BeerAdvocate in February of 2008:

"In a spiffy Belgian tulip-type glass...

Hazed faint peach/pear appearance, nice, if slim slab of white foam above.

Effervescence at large in aroma, light fruit, again, peach and pear, ...pilsner-like...slightly sweet, slightly dry.

Taste: sour, puckering, spritzy, ...citric, tart, then dry...like pear champagne. Light bodied, light finish, too...and the flavor's not doing it for me.

Boy, I've been meaning to try this for a long time, grabbed a bottlle in Wisconsin that was foul, and now this time...not crazy about this. It's probably as good as it should be, but, clearly, it's not pushing my buttons.

It's actually growing on me as I finish it. Would make a nice
dessert brew. Sparkling, dry, and a little fruity. Good. Not great."

A different take, to be sure. Did the beer change or did I? Maybe both. I've certainly learned to appreciate it more.

And here's what the brewery wants to tell you:

A refreshing neo-Berliner Weisse, Festina Peche is available in 4-packs and on draft during the sweaty months.

Sadly, there are only a few breweries left in Berlin still brewing the Berliner Weisse style, which is characterized by its intense tartness (some say sour). There were once over 70 breweries in Berlin alone making this beer!

In addition to fermentation with an ale yeast, Berliner Weisse is traditionally fermented with lactic cultures to produce its acidic (or green apple-like) character. Served as an apertif or summertime quencher, Festina is delicately hopped and has a pale straw color. To soften the intense sourness, Berliner Weisse is traditionally served with a dash of essence of woodruff or raspberry syrup.

In Festina Peche, since the natural peach sugars are eaten by the yeast, the fruit complexity is woven into both the aroma and the taste of the beer so there is no need to doctor it with woodruff or raspberry syrup. Just open and enjoy!

Dogfish Head Wood-aged Bitches Brew

Dogfish Head Wood-aged Bitches Brew. Stout brewed with honey. 9.5% Alc. by Vol. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE.

Full-on ebony, dark and dense, slim brown head.

In the nose: toasty, roasty, rich, coconut, slightly sweet, some chocolate, hickory. Nice. Very nice.

In the mouth: Great balance. Just enough bitter, just enough sweet. richness upon richness. Altogether tasty. Very mellow, very fine. I think I need to change my aural environment....

ah, yes. Much better with Miles in the background. Or fore, whichever. And very cool to see Mati Klarwein's art on the label again.

Hey, you know what? Listening to Miles is one thing,
 but you should check out the words, as sung by Eddie Jefferson. Right here....And over there...

So Cool. Then I switch to Spanish Key, and even more it chugs along in a funky, fusion way....

This is so nice. So good. So groovy.

A big roasty, oak-aged stout brewed in concert with a Palo-aged African Tej with Zambezi Honey

Much like Jazz fusion, which blends different musical styles, our Wood-Aged Bitches Brew is a fusion of three threads of Imperial stout aged on oak and one thread of Tej - a native African honey beer - aged on Palo.

The result is a roasty brew chock full of aromas of vanilla, licorice and chocolate, while you’ll find notes of sweet roast coffee with every sip. It’s slightly dry in the mouthfeel with a mild bitterness that make it the perfect sipper.

Dogfish Head founder & CEO Sam Calagione says Wood-Aged Bitches Brew is best when “sipped cool, not cold, from a snifter or red wine glass while listening to the Bitches Brew album.” We like the sound of that.

Dogfish Head / The Flaming Lips Dragons & Yum Yums

Dogfish Head / The Flaming Lips Dragons & Yum Yums.  Pale Ale brewed with dragonfruit, and yumberry. Passionfruit, pear, and black carrot juices. Brewed and bottled by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE. 6.5% ABV, 25 IBU.

Clear, pinkish hued, with solid ivory head. Weird and good.

In the nose: Lightly sweet and fruity. Very berry. What other berries? I can't say for sure. (I'm drinking this

In the mouth: Slight tart, big fruity. Dragonfruit? I love Dragonfruit! I don't go out of my way for it, but if it's there, I'm drinking it. Or eating it. Plenty of dragonfruit, and who knows what else pounds the palate on every sip.

Light body, smooth, easy drinking, lots of fruit....tasty and tart.

I haven't any familiarity with the music of The Flaming Lips, and can only imagine what their song about dragons and yum yums can possibly sound like. Maybe it's out there somewhere, or do I have to wait for Record Store Day?

An explosion of fruit in every sip, Dragons & YumYums is an intensely tropical - yet subtlety bitter - pale ale brewed with a combination of dragonfruit, yumberry, passionfruit, pear juice and black carrot juice. Clocking in at 6.5% ABV and 25 IBU, Dragons & YumYums is a first-of-its-kind beer and vinyl collaboration with American rock icons, The Flaming Lips. 

A sensory enveloping experience at the intersection of creative beer paired with creative music, the energy of this union inspired Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne to use ingredients from the beer - dragonfruit and yumberries - as characters in two original songs, The Story of Yum Yum and Dragon and Pouring Beer in Your Ear … making this the first beer with its own theme song!

With dragonfruit and yumberry as the main elements, Wayne transformed them into storyful lyrics in the song like, “Yum Yum and Dragon went out for a drive, but Yum Yum doesn’t have any eyes….Yum Yum and Dragon, they’re happy they’re friends…”

The psychedelic influence of the label artwork, designed by Marq Spusta as part of Dogfish Head’s Off-Centered Art Series, was influenced by the legacy of the Flaming Lips and the culinary components in Dragons & YumYums shown through radiating lines, movement of fire, dancing lips, rainbows and bold pink colors.

Dogfish Head Oak Aged Siracusa Nera

Dogfish Head Oak-aged Siracusa Nera. 10% ABV. 60 IBU. Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware.

Solid Blackness, rich brown head, gets slimmer as we go.

In the nose: char, bourbon barrels, anise, molasses, deep dark chocolate.

In the mouth: Big sweetness, well tempered. So smooth, yet robust, big-boned, boisterous and bodacious. What's in this? "A Russian Imperial Stout with Syrah grape must added and aged in oak."
Well, there you go. Some vanilla, toast, coconut, and then the wine comes through. Mmmm, yes.
Full bodied, full flavored. I like it. It is good.

Combining a roasty Imperial Stout with a jammy Syrah wine, this beer is bold and complex. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate and anise from a blend of roasted malts meld with flavors of plums, cherries and stewed fruits from Syrah grape must in this jet black stout. Aged on American oak to add some light toasty vanilla to the mix.

Dogfish Head Pennsylvania Tuxedo Pale Ale

Dogfish and Woolwich present Pennsylvania Tuxedo. A pale ale brewed with Pennsylvania spruce tips. 8.5% all. by vol. Brewed and bottled by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE.

Lightly hazed, amber/golden hue, small off-white head.

In the nose: floral, citrus hop notes, bread-y malt background. Nice enough.

In the mouth: Those spruce tips come on strong at the front. Big pine and citrus attack on the palate. Spicy and spruce. Nice. Medium bodied, easy-drinking, just enough hops, adequate malt, everything works on all levels.

Good spruce, hoppy, sweet and malty pale ale and you can drink it.

A spruce-infused pale ale, Pennsylvania Tuxedo pays homage to the flannel-suited hunters and gatherers who dwell deep in the backcountry of north-central PA.

Brewed in collaboration with family-run outdoor clothing company Woolrich, Pennsylvania Tuxedo is a sessionable concoction with a grassy citrus kick complemented by the resinous conifer notes of fresh green spruce tips. We went into the forests of north-central Pennsylvania and Georgetown, Del., to pick these fresh tips ourselves.

A dry yet doughy malt backbone lets the hops and spruce shine while still balancing out the bitterness, making this one an easy sipper.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head Brewery of Delaware.

I love these guys, and I'm so glad they're back in our market. I buy them in the stores when I know it's a beer that hasn't appeared here on the nib, yet. And if I get a new one in kegs at Acadia, I tend not to take notes from on tap at the pub. So, no Beer For Breakfast or Siracusa Nera, until I find bottles. And then, we got a keg of 120 minute IPA. I don't remember even asking for it, it just showed up. That's always nice, when you are found deserving. And so, 120 Minute IPA. Tapped last Sunday, and going so fast, that I had to take a pic, and not take notes, for I'd reviewed it from a bottle way back in ....November, 2003? Almost 14 years ago? Yes, for DFH had been here, and departed, and I traded for bottles back then.

So, instead of writing new notes on this beer from on tap at Acadia, I quick took a photo of the one I had this evening, and will share with you my notes from a bottle from back then, and I believe they are better than what I could scribbled down while sitting on a bar stool:

120 Minute IPA. 

Gorgeous bright ruby red color, very sizable, bubblingly creamy head...
Aroma...massive, intense, huge, towering, flowering, flowing over in the air, in the senses, in the soul, ...big, fat fruit, grapefruit, peach, apricot, mango, more...and not too bitter, surprisingly pleasant...
...and, to taste...Oh, my goo'niss! Ah, ah, ah!!!
INCREDIBLE occurence on the palate, prodigious, amazing, and highly flavorful...floods and gushes, uplifts, elevates, urges pleasure at the very instance lip meets cup and ale enters body...full-bodied to say the least, with a long, tantalizing finish, and additional candyish notes that linger on and on...
An IPA that lays me low, knocks me down a notch, and leaves me no recourse but to bow down and let it wash over...every subsequent taste provides further onslaughts of flavor...oh, yum, yummy, McYum-Yums...
During consumption of this ale, I had no idea of the ABV, for it's been carelessly omitted from the label...20%!?!?! ...hot damn!
Sticky, fruity, gummy, sweet, this surely transcends the boundaries of the India Pale Ale, and feels closer to a barleywine, or even a mead or brackett...but whatever the Hell it is, I love it!

Yeah, I think that one covers it. The current version is labeled as 16.5% ABV, not the 20% I talked of above, but who's to quibble. It's incredible, and it's dangerous. Don't ask, I just don't want to talk about it.....

Dogfish Head Romantic Chemistry IPA

Dogfish Head Romantic Chemistry IPA. 7.2% alc., by vol. 40 IBU. An India Pale Ale brewed with mango, apricots, and ginger.

Clear, golden/amber hue, solid, lasting head of creamy foam.

In the nose: soft bitterness, big fruit. Plenty of tropical, some citrus. I'm urged on drink...

In the mouth: Plenty of hop bitterness at flavor at the start, floods the palate, then on comes the fruit. Never too sweet, and not too bitter, or, I should say, just bitter enough. Hopheads like me won't be disappointed, others, maybe. Yum. Flat-out brilliant balance in this one. Just right on every aspect. Medium bodied, with a great texture and never-quitting fruit flavor mingling with the hops.

As is my usual style, I bought a 6-pack, drank five with ease but little attention, and then waited far too long to crack this one open with my fingers flying on the keyboards. I may have to return to this one, a new favorite. Go drink it, Bitter Ones.

Dogfish Head has been brewing off-centered ales for off-centered people since 1995, with inspiration from every facet of life - the spice cabinet, music, even art.

What you have here is a serious India Pale Ale shacking up and hunkering down with mango and apricots. At the same time! Romantic Chemistry is brewed with an intermingling of mangos, apricots and ginger, and then dry-hopped with three varieties of hops to deliver a tropical fruit aroma and a hop-forward finish.

It’s fruity, it’s hoppy, it’s tasty!

Dogfish Head SeaQuench Session Sour

Dogfish Head SeaQuench Session Sour. Three parts German-style beer: kolsch, Berliner Weisse, and gose, "blissfully brewed with lime juice, lime peel, black limes, & sea salt."

Here's one I could have written about when I had a few kegs on at Acadia, but I've already established that I'm not too fond of taking notes at work. It was an enormously popular, and we'll bring it back soon. When we drop a beer like this, it's not, as people like to say, "getting rid of it." It's a rotation, folks, we move to something else. Also, the affordability of the pints of this one made some of the more expensive sour ales on tap fall from favor. It hadn't occurred to me that choices were being made not on the nature or the quality of the sour ales available, but on the affordability. Well, duh, why spend $10+ dollars on a 12 ounce pour when you can get a pint of $6 or $7. When all you want is the sour. I guess.

I got a can as a sample from a Sample Man who did not know that we were already on our second keg of the stuff. Fine, I'll use it to review, and so I crack the can and take the notes and away we go....

Alc. by Vol. 4.9% ........

Lightly hazed, bright yellow, slim white head.

In the nose: funky, wild, spicy. Tart. Vegetal, fruity. Lotta lime.

In the mouth: Starts tart and very refreshing. Lime flavors take command, and there's nothing going on butt the tart and the sour.  Bright and citrusy. And the salt, tons of salt. Lightish bodied, low bitterness, lean malt body. And oh, so refreshingly sour.

I like it. This is a great one for summer, of course. But, not for me, I need to switch it up for something hoppier, something beer-ier. But, by all means, you go right ahead. Drink it up.

Dogfish Head Flesh & Blood IPA

Dogfish Head Flesh & Blood IPA. 7.5% ABV, 45 IBU. India Pale Ale brewed with lemon flesh and blood orange juice.

Lightly hazed, bright crimson coloring, prodigious, ivory head.

In the nose: Fruity, lightly hoppy, but slightly muted. Pleasant, if soft-spoken.

In the mouth: Boom! Here comes the bitterness, right with the fruit. Nice and tart. Getting the blood orange along with the bitter, and the refreshment is coming along nicely. Great balance of bitter and sweet. Very nice.

Dogfish Head Saison du Buff

At long last, after an absence of so many years, Dogfish Head brewery is back in Minnesota! And here we have the second new-to-me beer I've tried since the return. I've tapped four of their beers at Acadia, but three have them (Midas Touch, 60 Minute IPA, and 90 Minute IPA, have appeared here already). SeaQuench remains for me to review from the tap, and this bottle was dropped off by a kindly Sample Man. Away we go, with Saison du Buff. ( I still haven't picked up any others at the store, but I'll be correcting that error very soon.)

Dogfish Head Saison du Buff. Brewed in collaboration with Stone and Victory. 6.8 % ABV, 40 IBU.

Crystal clear, pale golden color, lush ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: some citrus notes, and plenty of delicate spice. Parsley, sage, rosemary, & thyme. Remember me to one who lived there, she once was a true love of mine.

In the mouth: Soft, spicy, funky, fresh. Light-bodied, long, herbal/spicy finish. Good-drinking, and tasty. Refreshing and delightful. Right on the money for the style, perfectly satisfying.


Good one, Dogfish Head and Stone and Victory. Very nice.

Why is called "Saison du Buff", I wondered? The answer is here:
This beer is collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA) and Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown, PA).

The idea for this beer germinated way back in 2003 when the three guys (Sam from Dogfish, Greg from Stone and Bill from Victory) formed the BUFF alliance (Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor) - a noble endeavor with the goal to highlight the passion and camaraderie of the American craft brew movement.

So, BUFF didn't really do anything (beyond talk a lot of talk) until 2010 when the three brewers finally got together to jointly brew at beer at the Stone Brewery. Saison du BUFF was first brewed at Stone and then replicated at each of the other two breweries - same recipe, same ingredients, three different breweries throughout 2010. The brewers have a repeat performance planned for 2012!

Saison du BUFF is a 6.8% ABV Saison brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. The beer is brewed three times, once at each brewery using the same recipe. The expected release dates for each brew are as follows:

Dogfish Head - 2014, 2017 release

Victory Brewing - 2015 release

Stone Brewing Co.- 2016 release

Dogfish Head Beer To Drink Music To Belgian-style Tripel

Dogfish Head Beer To Drink Music To Belgian-style Tripel, 9% all. by vol. Brewed and bottled by Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware.

Official Beer of Record Store Day. Cool. I will celebrate by listening to Wayne Shorter on a DVD.

Clear, light golden coloring, slim white head.

Aroma pops with stone fruit & some citrus, peppers, other spices, bubblegum, Belgian yeast. Bright, fruity, funky.

In the mouth: flash of fruit, splash of spice, alcohol buzz, and candy floss. Malt and spice are big in this one. Medium-bodied, easy-ish drinking', save for the oncoming alcohol. "A Belgian-style ale brewed with sweet orange peel, green cardamom, peppercorns, and vanilla." Vanilla? I didn't catch that at all. Let's try again. ....Oh sure, I can see that. Mmmm, yeah, how could I miss it?

Nice, interesting take on the Belgian style triple. I like this one just fine.