Raison D'Être - Dogfish Head Brewery

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.68/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A hissing pour and light copper brown this had a pleasant slightly medicinal malty nose. Soothing mouthfeel though this and the taste in general could do with more depth and development. The head though thin is persistent and leaves many rings of lacing.
Raison d'etre? Yep, I can see this has purpose. It's not bad at all. It just needs some inspiration.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 08:00:28 | More by Zimbo

jbarletto

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

05-18-2013 21:05:40 | More by jbarletto

reitzbrewing

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +22.6%

05-18-2013 17:11:18 | More by reitzbrewing

megamass

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

05-18-2013 04:11:29 | More by megamass

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

4/5  rDev +9%

05-18-2013 02:59:24 | More by SmellsofMahagony

Honus1

Ohio

3/5  rDev -18.3%

05-18-2013 02:51:27 | More by Honus1

purppy

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

05-18-2013 01:03:55 | More by purppy

sodensp

Virginia

3/5  rDev -18.3%

05-17-2013 06:01:25 | More by sodensp

Jsmick

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

05-17-2013 05:04:32 | More by Jsmick

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%

05-17-2013 03:25:56 | More by ElizabethEleanor

Kunstman

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a New Glarus proprietary tasting glass. Bottled 7/20/2012.

A: Brown with copper hues, no haze. One finger tan head, no lacing. Let's say 18 degrees SRM.

S: Sweet molasses, brown sugar, dark fruit - mostly raisons. Grape, maybe? For 8% ABV no alcohol detected.

T: Dark fruit, brown sugar, prune/raisin. Sweet and malty with no hops detected - in true fashion for this style.

M: Full, thick body. Not as much carbonation as I am used to with this the few examples I have had in this style. However, I enjoy the lack of ‘over carbonation'.

O: An excellent beer. I haven't had a bad Belgian Strong Dark yet, and this one is arguably my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 02:51:41 | More by Kunstman

Roman5150

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

bottle into snifter

appearance: dark brown with a ruby red hue, slight half finger white head

smell: heavy raisins, plums, dark fruits, licorice, anise, subtle roasted malt, bready notes, caramel

taste: dark fruits, plums, sort of like a watered down trappist with raisin notes. malt backbone is very sweet, not much hoppiness

mouthfeel: high carbonation with a full body

overall: A great offering from Dogfish Head, while it's hard to classify most of their beers, I would say this is their take on a trappist ale with a slight raisin touch. Very well balanced and I would buy this again in a heartbeat, if you like trappist beers, belgian strong ales, or trippels (and quads) you can find some common ground here. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:39:33 | More by Roman5150

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.04/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From notes

Appearance: It has a nice hazy orangy/amber color to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves next to no lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of sweet dark fruit (raisins), brown sugar, some roasted malts and some yeast.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some dark fruit, roasted malts, mild chocolate, brown sugar and Belgian Candi sugar.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 22:55:40 | More by SebD

aLenwell

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

05-13-2013 23:23:43 | More by aLenwell

jkball01

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%

05-13-2013 16:29:04 | More by jkball01

Greggggggg

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +36.2%

05-13-2013 16:14:19 | More by Greggggggg

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-13-2013 05:14:39 | More by Bonko_the_sane

jokulhaps

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

05-13-2013 02:38:35 | More by jokulhaps

MLKincer

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +22.6%

05-13-2013 02:01:57 | More by MLKincer

seydou

South Africa

3.3/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured out of the bottle. Very little head that dissipated quickly and an uninspiring semi-see through caramel color. Smells really faintly fruity and beery.

Taste is immediately quite strong and very complex. Starts sweet, a clear taste of alcohol. Extremely bright and refuses to be ignored. Tartness appears partways through the taste. Not bad, but also not great. Almost a beer better to be sampled than a whole bottle had.

Very, very bubbly on the tongue. In a good way.

Overall, a beer that definitely stands out yet somehow remains pretty average for me. I probably wouldn't buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:00:47 | More by seydou

GFD400

New York

4/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 22:44:03 | More by GFD400

ShanShantheRocket

New York

4/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 20:37:20 | More by ShanShantheRocket

Noonan425

Ohio

4/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 02:01:40 | More by Noonan425

sevenarts

New York

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

05-11-2013 22:32:31 | More by sevenarts

fredmugs

Indiana

4/5  rDev +9%

05-11-2013 15:02:27 | More by fredmugs