Midas Touch - Dogfish Head Brewery

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - This elixir has a clear, amber kissed, golden body...the head was small, thin, and fizzy...it didn't stick around very long...not much lacing

S - This is a little better...the nose has notes of honey, pale malts, some yeast, apples, and grapes

T - There is a lot of sweet honey in this beer...the grapes make it taste like wine while the honey throws in a mead like quality...the apples provide a little tartness...the pale malts and yeast keep it tasting like a beer, even though it's just for a brief moment

M - Light bodied...smooth, refreshing, no alcohol, sweet finish

D - Interesting...I was expecting a beer but this is Dogfish Head we're talking about...this elixir was almost cider or mead like...if I wanted a beer I wouldn't go to this but if I wanted something different and wine like I'd go for this

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-23-2010 13:28:29 | More by thain709

Roman5150

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

bottle into pint glass, paired with steak

appearance: pale yellow/light amber, foamy white head 2 fingers thick, active carbonation

smell: heavy notes of grape, saffron, very odd and unique smelling beer. smells very sweet, with sort of a biscuity malty scent coming out of the bottle.

taste: grape heavy, has some characteristics of red wine, very dry, sweet, a rollercoast of unique flavors. It's very hard to describe, it's almost like a Belgian Strong Ale (tremens/duvel/la chouffe) mixed with a red wine, with elements and the feel of champagne. Goes very VERY well with anything off the grill, I had mixed vegetables and steak.

mouthfeel: high carbonation, medium feel, not too light but certainly not heavy

overall: Probably THE most unique brew i've had, not sure what to think as it's so far out there compared to anything I had, but it was very pleasant and I really enjoyed it. If you like odd and strange beers, this one's for you. Not my favorite DFH, but a very good beer and I love how they're not afraid to try something new. GOes really well with grilled steak, if you like red wine and beer, you will probably find something in this that you will like. Hats off to Sam Caligione.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 06:26:14 | More by Roman5150

vkv822

Oregon

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz : Teku

Clear golden with a foamy, white head.

The honey and grapes really come through in the nose. Not unpleasant at all, but fairly unusual for a beer.

Still lots of honey and vinous notes, but also with a hearty, caramel, bready, malt background.

Medium body, average foamy carbonation.

A very interesting beer, the nose had me both intrigued and a bit apprehensive. The taste reminded me a bit of an English barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 08:30:27 | More by vkv822

chinchill

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A - clear, with some bubbles that rise very slowly, as if the beer was highly viscous. The small off-white head soon reduces to a ring.

S: only a little like like wine; more like mead,and more yet like beer, with some bready and vague spice aromas.

T: The flavor was stronger and way weirder that the aroma. {When drinking this and writing up my review, I vaguely recalled that this was based on an ancient recipe, but didn't know any of the details). Too boozy. Has some weird flavor components that are hard to identify and seem to include exotic fruit(s) and spices.

M: Medium+ carbonation. Light body.

O: an interesting 'beer' that I would try again, but out of curiosity rather than a strong desire to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 23:48:38 | More by chinchill

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - poured clear with a modest head that wasn't well retained

S - not much to go on there. smell was faint. not hoppy, not malty and thankfully not skunky

T - Decent but not up to the Dogfish standards. I didn't pick up on the fruity flavors I had read about

M - Just about right. not overcarbonated

O - decent but I would not buy again

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 22:12:16 | More by Segelstrom

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Honey color. Lip of head that doesn't lace. Pretty clear. I like the color.

Honey, herbal aromas, white grapes, treacle, sugars, and yeast powder. Chalky nose, but super sweet. I think the saffron addition did something to the aroma, adding herbaceous notes, but it's not as easily identifiable... and my mother's Spanish.

Floral saffron and honey, but it's drying out all of a sudden. Not sugary anymore. White wine notes from the Muscat. Not the usual raisin-y dessert wine note. Maybe a semi-dry sherry. Malts aren't as thin as they were in the nose, but they certainly aren't representing themselves with any oomph. No hops, really. Every note is from an additive. I'm missing that base grain cereal note. It's decent, but mainly because it's weird.

Medium carbonation. Implied spiciness is rather invigorating. The body is a glazed medium. There's some headiness that swells long after the sip.

Midas Touch is a beer that I'll always misunderstand. But, the truth of it is that it's a decent beer that I just can't seem to really like all that much. But, I now know (after revisiting) that it's much more enjoyable since the last time I had one... about three years ago.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 15:07:04 | More by thecheapies

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into teku glass. Clear light orange/yellow with a fizzy single-finger white head that dissipated quickly. As it poured, it smelled like a white wine/champagne. In the glass however it smells different; yeasty, but with a hint of grape and sweetness. Taste-wise, it has a similar profile to the others in the ancient ale series, especially the Sah'tea. Smooth and yeasty, sweetness predominates. Spice notes come in towards the end, along with a little warming alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium but slick, a bit fizzy. I was expecting something more wine-like, such as the Noble Rot, but this was still an interesting beer. Not sure if I'd pick it up again, but always worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:10:41 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

Misanthropy_Sipping

Nebraska

3.24/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Last bottle from a four pack. Time for a review...

Pours a deep gold... I don't want to make any bad references but just think... "deep golden fluid".

Anyway, has a small white head that dissipates and a small patch of bubbles than seem to continually rest on the top.

The smell is pretty interesting, I kind of like it in an odd way. The muscat grape smell comes through pretty nice when swirled. Smells musky... has a nice dry white wine scent. A bit floral. There is a hint of honey. And also an odd smell of booze and malt, a similar scent of malt that one might catch from a general malt liquor.

The taste is not to bad. It's awkward and slightly intriguing. The honey takes to the front with a bit of the muscat, and bobbles its way along through the malty sweetness that is bait sticky. There is a slight floral thing that comes through. You get a bit of the saffron swirled in. It's definitely winey as it warms up and has a mild twang with the booze on the end. The muskiness is there pretty good at the end as well.
Nothing really pops though, it's not incredibly striking. It's interesting. That is what it has going for it.

The mouthfeel is fairly light. Sticky... which fits with the rest of the beer.

I guess the one thing that throws me is this malt liquor-ish taste going on. I think it is due to the melding of malt and the grapes and booze mainly. I like the history involved with the beer, the thought behind it. But it's not something I will be dying to have or go back and get anytime soon. I more or less bought this for the take on history. It's a conversation beer maybe for mixed crowds of people who do and don't know a lot about beer. Worth the try. Just not for my palate I guess.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 05:38:29 | More by Misanthropy_Sipping

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.99/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a mostly clear straw color. The head is a one finger white shade. It's texture isn't particularly appealing, and the rest of the brew isn't particularly attractive, either.

S: Let's see, on the nose we have honey, grape, grains, mild diacetyl, and an herbal component. Not all of it comes together successfully - in a way, the aroma smacks of a white wine meeting a malt liquor by way of a car crash. Interesting if nothing else.

T: Sweeter than the nose indicated. An initial quality of honey and grape sweetness is the first flavor noted, slightly drying out to a grainy midtaste and finish. Saffron notes mildly augment things throughout. The whole "malt liquor-cum-white wine via car crash" descriptor I threw out before suits the flavor profile perfectly; it's a combination that sounds horrid, but the end result is only rather blah.

M: A bit heavy on the tongue, aided by its initial sweetness. It becomes very dry past the midtaste, and actually very easy to drink. Carbonation is mostly covered up by the syrupy qualities.

O: Why the disparity between the smell/taste and overall scores? This is a simple example of a brew greater than the sum of its parts. My initial opinion of the aroma and flavor profile isn't particularly positive - and yet, the whole thing kind of works after several sips. I'm not sure if it's because the dry finish gives it great drinkability for 9% or what not, but it ends up being pretty decent. I can see wine drinkers enjoying this a lot.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 01:47:32 | More by ThisWangsChung

RenownedHack

Kentucky

3.71/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

I picked this up in a 12 oz. bottle, bottled on 4/23/12. Poured into a large wine glass.

A: Light foamy head, dissipating quickly. Gorgeous lacing remains throughout. Rich amber color, catching the light quite nicely. This is an attractive beer, I must say.

S: The aroma is certainly fruity. Barley is evident, some sweetness, and an underlying earthiness just beneath the more dominant elements. When I say dominant, however, I do not mean that any of these are knocking you off your feet or assaulting your senses; it's kind of laid back and balanced, but not to the overall detriment of the nose. It doesn't feel weak or lacking, but it's not especially assertive.

T: There's a great deal of sweetness to the taste, as expected from the smell - possibly even more, however. Honey sweet, and grape are the dominant tastes, and that's a little too sweet for my tastes. There is a nice, slightly grainy finish, but the honey taste overstays its welcome a bit, lingering on the palate a bit too long.

M: Crisp would be the first word that comes to mind describing this. This is very drinkable, easy to throw back, but with a lingering slightly syrupy feel as the honey sticks around.

O: This isn't a bad brew by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't imagine actively seeking it out beyond just a single bottle in the future, just for something a little different. The sweetness I find a bit overwhelming - I've never had much of a sweet tooth - but I could see a lot of people really getting down with this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 05:54:31 | More by RenownedHack

mfnmbvp

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, with bottled on date reading 04/23/2012, so this beer is approaching it's first birthday. If this beer proves unfruitful, I might have to pick up a fresher bottle and see what the difference is. Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Fairly aggressive pour yields about a quarter inch of rapidly dissolving white fizzy head. Body color is light gold, almost a pilsner color with a good amount of sediment floating around. Looks pretty nice, indeed.

S - Smell is of barley, yeast, honey, and some must. Almost a faint brettanomyces smell coming out of this one, also. Not a very powerful smelling beer.

T - Bleh. Sweet, smooth honey-like taste gives way to the malted barley. Definitely has something of a pilsner like taste to it. Aftertaste is comprised of corn & grain, with a bit of alcohol heat and a hint of champagne-like sweetness from the white muscat grapes. In a way, it tastes like a thick heavy malt liquor.

M - Feel is clean, a bit sticky, some alcohol warmth hanging out. A dry, wine-like finish.

Overall, one of the worst beers I have had from Dogfish Head, if not the worst. There are some nice, subtle wine-like characteristics to this beer, but it falls flat in it's attempt. Too much malted barley taste, for my liking, and not enough honey and grapes. Pleasant warming 9.00% abv isn't enough to save this attempt. I appreciate what they're trying to do with their ancient ales, but this is not one I will be trying again any time soon.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch ---3/5.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:11:03 | More by mfnmbvp

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Clear Deep golden color with 1 finger white foamy head that fades to a film. Lots of tight lacing that drops back to the glass pretty quickly. Lots of light fruits in the nose. Grapes, maybe some figs. Slight floral aroma. Maltiness and fruit up front. White grapes dominate. Some caramel. Really sweet. Just a hint of dry finish. Good ammount of carbination. Light mouthfell. Very tasty but maybe a little too sweet. By the end almost feels like a one trick pony.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:50:13 | More by Burkbom23

Alextricity

Michigan

3.34/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

NOTE: I have a cold. Just throwing that out there.

Served on-tap at Terry's Terrace at a pretty pricey $8.50 a pint.

Appearance: Not much to it -- a pretty light color with basically no head -- lacing is almost completely non-existent, though it's what I expected. Meh.

Smell: I don't usually get much on aroma in most beers (especially out of a shaker pint), so it's hard for me to give specifics, but I really just got a lot of herbal grapes without much else.

Taste/feel: Quite a bit like the smell ... but it's not as nice on the taste buds. Truthfully, an odd beer. Like I said, I DO have a minor cold, but I can still taste mostly fine. It just tastes like grape juice with herbs for the most part. That's just not my bag. I don't get much malt tastes specifically, just a lot of the fruitiness and sweetness. It's drinkable for sure, and the alcohol is COMPLETELY unnoticeable, but I don't think I'd try it again. The feel is solid with a nice carbonation, but it's never harsh, so the beer goes down easily.

Midas Touch is a beer I've been interested in trying, so I'm glad to have had it, but it's just too much for me.. I find that it almost drinks like a high ABV wine cooler. Drinkable, yes, worth the price, hell no. Of course, that's just one guy's opinion. If you're a wine drinker, you'd enjoy this one quite a bit. If you're in the mood for a BEER, then order something else.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 02:19:31 | More by Alextricity

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

341ml bottle I acquired for $4.25 in Machias, Maine - three hours from where I live, in NB, Canada. Yes, gotta drive that far to get new beer. Another $4.25 or so for duty, so about $8.50 for one 12oz beer. Better be good!

This beer really is like a cross between wine, beer and mead (which I assume tastes a lot like honey. Pours a golden colour (hence the name) with a nice film of white head that sticks around a while. Sweet smell of flowers (assume saffron), really pleasing. A lot of honey on the palate, some grape juice, a bit of booze on the finish, but the 9% is hidden very well. Smooth.

Really impressed with the beer. I've had some bad experiences with Dogfish Head in the past, but this one really surprised me.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:49:25 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

socon67

New York

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Golden pour with a light white foam head. Tiny chmpagne bubbles of carbonation float to the top. Lacing is in tiny rings.

S - Smells of white grapes, and some earthy spices. This really smells like a wine\beer hybrid. Not sure if I really like it, but it is certianly different. Some belgian yeast strain is noted.

T - Very cloyingly sweet. Sweet fermented grapes and a bit of fruit tartness finishes with a spicy bite at the end. Some honey flavor is felt ont he tongue. Overall this is coming off as a dessert wine.

M - While this is well balanced and smooth for the ABV, the sweetness makes this a beer I'd have at cocktail hour and then move on. Not something you would have a few of.

O - This is the last of the "ancient ales" of DFH that I've tried and it is somewhere in the middle. Worth trying but not the best of the bunch.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 00:34:19 | More by socon67

xShoWTeKx

South Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a beautiful golden color with a very small white head even from straight drop pour.

S: A wonderful grape smell with a very very faint honey back ground.

T: Hand in hand with smell a nice grape/wine taste with a slight honey finish, the alcohol is hidden very well in this also.

M: Light body with great carbonation

O: A very different beer for me but very good, would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 07:39:56 | More by xShoWTeKx

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.71/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a fiery orange-yellow that sits in the glass close to copper in color with a huge army of bubbles racing through the beer constantly to replenish the head. The head sits nicely atop the beer as a creamy off-white color, with the bubbles holding to a size just below medium. The beer’s body is murky and full of chunky particles floating in the glass. It looks like swamp water with algae in it. On the nose, the beer smells raisiny sweet, with some definite candied grape/raisin notes and strong currents of sweet candied wine. I presume the saffron is one of the fruity candied smells I am detecting but I can’t be sure as I have never taken the time to pick out the smell of saffron before… Honey is also very prevalent in the nose, giving it a gooey sweet feel in the nostrils. On the tongue, the beer tastes very sweet with some light acidity and a touch of bitter on the sides of the tongue. The flavor begins as sweet caramelly barley, slowly working its way towards a sweet muscato wine with lovely nuances of mead and very slight bread from the barley. The finish is a medium in length, tingling with sweet wine flavors and a touch of sweet honey. As I drink more of the beer, and it warms in my hands, I also begin to detect a strong earthy sweet bitter spice on the middle of the palate that has some lasting power. The aftertaste rings with the cloying aftereffects of the wine and honey flavors. On the mouth, the beer feels medium thick in body, but the carbonation is quite strong and prickly, actually working to scrub some of the cloying nature of the beer off the tongue before it becomes unpleasant. The mouth is left neutral with a slight sticky sweet astringency to the tongue. Overall, this is an interesting beer. I totally dig everything that the ancient ales project represents and I think it is awesome to try ancient styles of beer/wine/mead-hybrids, but overall this drink is a little too sweet for me. I’m also noticing a little bit of heat from the alcohol in the back of my throat, especially after the beer has passed through. This is an interesting beer that is worthy of a try, but certainly not one you could chug, and not really a return worthy beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 03:17:52 | More by Maxwell

magictacosinus

California

3.59/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Here's a strange beer for sure. And yet, with my past travels involving dessert wines and mead, perhaps less than I'd think. Poured into a flute glass from a 12oz bottle. No freshness date.

Pours a golden, yellow hazed color complete with decent carbonation and a modest little head. Bubbles glide up this thing (in part, thanks to the flute glass) in a very champagne-like feel. It actually looks a lot like a slightly carbonated dessert wine that has specifically used grapes affected by noble rot. A ring rests at the top as the remaining carbonation settles. The look is slightly cloudy and unfiltered, and while I haven't poured the remaining residue from the bottle into the glass, I have a feeling doing so would highly alter the flavor. More on this later.

Definitely lots of sweetened, dried grape aromas right up front, with a dab of honey and herbal varieties soon following afterwards. Definitely quite astringent, especially for a beer so low on IBUs. Rather than hold any hoppiness (indeed, there's literally no hops here), the herbs blend with the alcohol to create a prickly sensation on the nostrils. There's a slight musty, funky flavor resembling grape peel and wine must that coats the mouth and nose about a minute after sniffing it. Definitely a little bit of honey increases in presence as this warms up, but the grape tartiness is the most overpowering phenolic result here.

At the front of the tongue, this is filled with a pilsen malt, slightly bright yet grainy syrupy flavor. Unlike the aroma, where the grapes were fully at the front, they seem far more muted behind the barley notes. A little bit of honey follows once again (this time more noticeable), and the saffron and previous spices resembling rosemary, basil, and more medicinal characters are very subtle - often resembling a mild spiciness that melds once again with the alcohol. Alcohol is not noticeable. The honey definitely is trying to win this battle here, but I can't tell if it reminds me of honey-like malts, or actual sweet honey. Either way, it IS very sweet as a result, and the feel is kind of sticky, slightly astringent, yet not too overpowering. And while I don't mind sweetened beverages like this, I do think one whole bottle of this might be too much for me, as I'm starting to get a little dizzy with all the sugar going on here. Not sure if it's caused by the high alcohol, the chemical composition of the grapes, or the honey... But it's definitely strong.

Okay, it's definitely a really interesting experimental beer, and the concept behind it is great because it gives you a modern day interpretation of an ancient fermented beverage recipe. Works well as a digéstif, especially after a slightly zesty meal. VERY sweet and slightly astringent though (yet not acidic or dry), so keep that in mind before trying this. Can't give this a super high score for drinkability, although in terms of creativity it definitely gets recognition from me.

Post-script: Pouring the remaining residue in is recommended after all. It gets slightly smoothened out, with a yeasty profile becoming slightly more predominant and reducing any thinness or excessive sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 04:35:11 | More by magictacosinus

TheSixthRing

California

3.59/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a hazy mellow gold color with a white head that might give a thickness of a nickel a run for it's money. This head is quick to dissipate, leaving nothing but a smooth surface behind.

Smell - Aromas are subtle, but notes of grape and honey are most prevalent.

Taste - Follows the nose. Grape and honey character upfront and throughout. Sweet. Subtle spice and breadiness near the finish. Finishes with a bit of heat from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied. Very low in carbonation, gives it a dead, weighty feel. Smooth on the finish.

Overall - It's a unique brew for sure, but one that comes across as too flat. The flavor profile is too simple for a beer with such a dead mouthfeel. Despite this, it's a decent beer, but one I'm not too keen on having again.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 02:51:59 | More by TheSixthRing

Alyssat_

North Carolina

3.26/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

At first I was a little put off by how much it tasted like honey and white wine, but after a bit it was easier to taste the balance between wine flavor and beer flavor. It's quite pleasant. I probably won't by this beer again because I don't care too much for sweet wine or beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 03:12:07 | More by Alyssat_

Yokoono76

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: clear, honey color, 1 finger head, no lacing on the glass.

S: sweet floral, grape jelly, grape bubblegum.

T: strong honey, grainy-barley, warming on the palate.

M: light to medium bodied, light carbonation

O: this is a unique, straight forward beer. I enjoyed the flavor and consistency. I am surprised that it doesn't have a higher rating on this board. However, perhaps that is because of its simplicity. For me, the smell does not translate into the taste, but I really liked that. I will have this one again, for sure!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 05:09:20 | More by Yokoono76

didgeridolphin

Northern Mariana Islands

4.18/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I grab one of these when I want something just a little different. Of course, this is sort of a "hybrid," really, between beer and wine (since it is fermented with muscat grapes). I'll also admit that I probably enjoy this beer much more knowing the attempt to "reconnect with history." However, such illogical aspects of the sensory experience are, in my opinion, just as valid as are others.

I tend to search for the saffron. As I take one taste I'll think "There it is! Nice and subtle!" The next taste will seem much more "grape-like." Also, I do tend to be a bit of a "hop-head" usually, and it's my understanding that there are no hops here -- all the more reason for me to be in awe at this attempt, and this result.

If you start with this beer fairly cold, and sip it with patience, you will find that it will give surprising complexity and variability as it's temperature slowly rises. Some sips you will "find" the spiciness. At the next temperature, not so much.

All in all, a very fun little connection to history (although, of course, tweaked for the modern palate). My best advice for you in tasting this beer is this: Just don't take it too seriously. This is a light, somewhat spicy, and fun connection with a bygone (VERY bygone) era. Enjoy it as such.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 12:14:31 | More by didgeridolphin

BlueRidgeBeerHound

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

this beer is very unique, the story, the taste, the brew, the idea. i really REALLY wanted to love this beer but it just wasnt anything special. I gave the smell a 5 as its not like any beer youll smell anywhere else. I only had one bottle, maybe if i had more i would understand the hoopla. still, gotta give it up for Dogfish, taking american beer in new directions. mad props.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:45:51 | More by BlueRidgeBeerHound

TBoneJones

Texas

3.01/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

So i spy just one single bottle of this remaining within the last 4-pack holder on shelf at the market, and although i recall not liking this at all the one time i tried this several years ago, i figure let me do this once more. Pours a bright golden with a finger-thin saliva-white head. Looks unusually light for what's to be a 9% abv. ale. Lots of small bubbles in here.
Smells faintly wheat- lemon like aroma, herb-like, some honey detectable. Light smells either way. Nothing big.
Heres the taste i recall disliking. Maybe a bit better now that i have broader experience in tasting various styles. I do have in mind the fact that DFH used an ancient recipe in this creation. This just goes down rough for me. Feels ok, but that back-taste is like an earth-heavy yet metallically herbal funk to me.
Overall, while I probably wont grab this again, i couldnt imagine any other brewery putting this together as such.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 19:44:40 | More by TBoneJones

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I've had this one a couple times in the past. I appreciate Sam's effort toward the original with the historical offering.

This beer comes out golden with about two fingers of head. I immediately breathe in the sweetness from this one. It really comes out at you.

As I breathe in more of the aroma: I get the honey, pilsner presence, and the venous quality of the wine. The balance has never really hit the nose on this one (but that isn't the point).

The flavor has a lot of honey and the grapes. You can really taste the grape presence that stands out in this one. It really plays out like a dessert wine more than a beer.

Some people really like this beer. I appreciate it for the significance of making it. I take my hat off to Sam for being a true original.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:38:58 | More by ummswimmin