Midas Touch - Dogfish Head Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Winey aroma, lace, hoppy plumb white grape content. Alcohol drying that cleas the palate. Meadiness. If I want fruit wine, I will have that. If I want mead, I will obtain that. Apple taste on finish. I guess unique with some dinner. OK, had it. Thanks JoeyC.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2005 02:58:07 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Everything King Midas touched turned to... a saffron colored liquid with a vigorous amount of carbonation? I don't mind a bit that Golden Exilir isn't a golden elixir because this color works just fine. The pale orange crown is cracklingly fizzy to start, then settles down and maintains a one finger thickness for a respectable amount of time. It isn't sticky, though, and very little lace ends up on the glass.

The nose, while different, is neither aromatic nor interesting. I can easily appreciate the white grapes and the honey, but not the saffron. It would help if had any idea what saffron smells like. I really expected more complexity from this brew. Perhaps it'll be present on the palate.

Midas Touch is one of those beers that doesn't impress me right out of the gate, yet has the potential to do so over the course of the bottle. Like the nose, there isn't much depth. This is a vast oversimplication, but DFHMTGE reminds me of a maibock: sweetish blond malt coupled with a lack of accessory flavors.

Sure, the dessert wine fruity sweetness of the Muscat grapes is present, as is the somewhat subtle honey flavor provided by the... uh... honey, but it doesn't tantalize my taste buds with tremendousness and make me impatient to take another sip. I'm sure the saffron added color. I'm not so sure it added flavor. Time to visit the spice rack.

The mouthfeel is the best part about this beer. It's full and lush and viscous without being overly thick or sticky. The initially boisterous bubbles have now settled down and are barely noticed in the mouth.

I love the story behind the inspiration for Midas Touch Golden Elixir. It's just too bad that it isn't better beer. Dogfish Head continues to be an interesting craft brewery that thinks and brews outside the box. With a few notable exceptions, however, the end product doesn't match the hype.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2006 16:53:01 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a clear light amber, no head, no lace. There was a touch of bubble streams coming up from the bottom of the glass, but not much. Overall I thought it could have looked a little more lively. The smell was a dead ringer for a white wine. Very sweet grapes and alcohol were all over this one. Hints of honey and grain as it warmed, but really looks and smells like wine. The taste, well lets just say, is this a beer? Don't get me wrong, its not all bad, I just really think this has all the earmarks of a glass of wine. Heavily carbonated white grape taste hits you from the start, as it warmed maybe some honey in there, grainy bread flavors and a touch of alchol, which is not suprising given 9%abv. It has a very light, and lively feel and consistency. Very easy to drink, again though it really felt like a wine. I guess its the style. I will be trying it again though, as it did not really leave any bad inpression.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2007 00:52:51 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour is a clear dark golden color with a thin white head.

S: Intensely sweet like corn syrup and honey. The grapes provide additional sweetness that probably isn't really necessary. Floral and slightly spicy provide some opposition to the intense sugary character.

T: Lots of sweet white grape flavor, apple juice, corn syrup and honey. There is actually a bit of caramel/malt character on the palate, too. A light floral note and just a hint of spice.

M: The body is medium with a low to moderate level of carbonation.

D: Despite the intense sweetness, it didn't become cloying or overbearing, which is sort of rare for a Dogfish Head beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 02:01:13 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Very hazy with an orange color. Decent lacing.

S: Just like it says on the bottle--honey, grapes, and saffron. Some other, undetectable spiciness as well.

T: The honey and saffron are definitely there, and the groups are a little more underneath. The taste isn't at all bad, thought it's very unusual.

M: Light-to-medium bottle with decent carbonation.

D: This is where the strange taste fits in. Good tasting beer all around, but it's one you don't want to have more than a single bottle of.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 22:00:16 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.98/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear, bright orange body with a thin, off-white head.

Smell: Sweet-smelling aroma of honey and spice. Fifteen dollar chardonnay wine and flower petals. Oh, and more honey.

Taste: Mild, sweet maltiness gets trumped by even more sugary honey sweetness. A good measure of white grape juice flavor. Pinch of spice. Finish is alcoholic and somewhat drying.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Sticky, syrupy mouthfeel.

Drinkability: The epic saga behind this beer is far, far more interesting than the beer itself.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2007 00:41:55 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear honey colored body with a modest head that declines to a ringlet and leaves the ocasional archipelago of lace

Smell: Unusual variety of smells - saffron stands out, followed by the muscat grapes and fermented honey; rather vinous and somewhat fusel

Taste: Starts with flavors of honey, pears and muscat grapes but definitely not sweet; after the swallow, spicy tones of saffron and allspice kick in, with increasing waves of layered bitterness on the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied but the mouth feels more like wine that beer

Drinkability: Very unusual concoction, but I rather enjoyed it; not something to drink in quantity, but I am saving the rest of the bottle to complement tonight's curried roast pork with mango salsa

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2006 23:18:36 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a light orange color with no head and no lacing.

S - Smells like wine. Somewhat like mead, but the honey is more subdued and there is a grape smell present.

T - Surprise! Tastes like wine too. The honey and grape taste definitely are dominant. The barley and saffron are very faint.

M - The beer is very carbonated. It almost drinks like a soda in this regard. Maybe it was just this bottle? Leaves a wine like coating in the mouth.

D - I am glad I tried this one. The back story about its ancient roots is pretty cool. However, I wouldn't get this one again. The whole time I was drinking it all I could think of was how wine like this seems to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 06:02:51 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Beerandblues2: Poured a golden bright yellow color ale with a big thick foamy head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet malt (probably due to the honey) is interesting and quite intriguing. Taste is very sweet with a champagne like feel with lots of fine bubbles. While this beer was quite sweet I never thought it was exceedingly so. The presence of Muscat grapes were well balance with the malt and the honey. I’m not sure I really pick-up any saffron but this beer was very good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2007 19:26:02 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It's quite a neat drink-thing. It's somewhat mead-like, but more like a braggot with the carbonation and dainty head. Aromas are right on a chardonay with honey and sweet spices. Tastes also chardonay like with more sweetness, corriander, allspice, and some others that I can't describe. High alcohol boarders on phenolic. Quite perfumy and sweetly tart throughout. A well formed experiment. I like it, though only on occasions.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2005 13:10:55 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Wow this is something different,pours a nice hazy copper/orange color with real nice sticky head that stays for quite awhile,a pretty sweet aroma of honey with a slightly tart tinge to it.Taste is pretty sweet to begin with a litle spiciness lingers.A pretty complex beer,very well made.Dogfish Head likes to try different things and for the most part are sucessfull.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2003 18:28:22 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This is only available in 750 ml bottles. It pours a clear, gently sparkling, deep orange-ish amber body with a creamy yellowish head that drops shortly but keeps a decent collar and leaves some minor spotty lace. Sweet, and almost candyish grapes (like Concord grapes) sweep across the nostrils accompanied by a distinct honey-ish character. It's very mead-like with some alcohol and a slightly herbal note. The aroma is interesting; not really welcoming, but not off-putting either. The full body is enhanced by a fine and moderate carbonation that caresses the tongue. The flavor is most reminiscent of a mead, but also like a fortified wine; and it even has some sherryish notes. There's not much beer character to it, but I think the malt component helps to add to the body; and also softens the alcohol component. Definitely interesting, althought I view it as more of a wine or mead than beer. The high alcohol helps to keep the sweetness from becoming cloying, but it had its drawbacks - most importantly a lacquer-like quality. Still, fairly well done for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2003 21:08:53 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a DFH Alehouse snifter.

Pours a golden honey amber with a small bit of white foamy head that doesn't lace too much at all. The smell is overwhelmingly in fsvor of honey and white grapes, though not overly sweet. A modicum of floweriness also comes through, but only as background radiation. The taste follows, with the honey and grapes once again taking a preeminent role, and just as in the smell the sweetness is nicely toned down. The flowers from the smell are replaced by an equally mild bit of hoppy bitterness, creating a nicely balanced flavor. The body is nicely moderate and very smooth, lending this brew a high level of drinkability, though the ABV may try to say otherwise.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2010 18:27:50 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A recreated ancient ale, using such offbeat ingredients as white muscat grapes, and saffron. Pours a big, bone white head, gorgeous amber/orange color, soft, sweet aroma. Lovely texture! It just rolls off your lips and floods your mouth with pleasure. Warm, glowing, the grapes are evident, and, soon enough, the honey comes shining through. Perfect for summertime picnics, of around the fireplace. Fresh, sparkling, very mead-like...I've never had a honey beer quite like this. There is no beer like this, that's for sure.
Great stuff, and reminds me of the best Belgians I've enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2002 21:29:22 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer poured a hazy gold color with almost no head. This did not impress me at all. The aroma was horrible. It smelt cidery. The taste was also bad. It tasted syrupy. There seems to be little complexity. It boasts a 9%abv.. The mouthfeel was lacking. This is a full bodied beer. No very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2003 01:27:37 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer poured into a tulip. Beer is dark yellow and has some haze from a bunch of tiny floaties in it. Forms a big white head at first but it falls away quickly leaving almost nothing behind.

Aroma is mostly sweet like honey with mild spices. Overall its rather weak.

Beer is medium bodied with little in the front palate but some OK sweetness at the back. Finishes with a mild bitterness that is OK. Overall the beer is pretty drinkable but its not my favorite beer from DFH. Its worth the novelty but its just OK.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 01:18:39 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours an orange-amber color with a white head. The aroma is a mix of biscuit malt, flowers, honey, grapes and a little bit of alcohol. The flavor is mainly grapes and flowers, with some honey, biscuit malt and alcohol mixed in. As the beer warms, I start to get a little more caramel malt and spices, although the spices are hard to identify. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 05:37:55 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, bubbly, golden/orange color with a small, white, foamy head that left some minimal lacing.

S - It smelled of honey and barley. It also had some sweet fruity aromas, too.

T - It was spicy, but not a hoppy spice. The honey was fairly dominant with some sweet caramel flavors.

M - Mouthfeel is soft and somewhat sticky. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This really is unique. Very sweet and yet quite spicy.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 21:31:24 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer poured clear golden yellow in color and has a thin layer of bubbles floating on the surface from a medium amount of carbonation.
S: There are distinct aromas of grapes, honey and saffron in the nose.
T: The overall taste is relatively sweet and the flavors resemble those in the smell.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and slightly syrupy, especially as it warms up.
D: The alcohol is well hidden but the beer is definitely needs to be sipped given the amount of sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 19:25:39 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A friend gave me one of these as a thank for picking up some Stone Ruination on a recent trip. Poured into a mug.

A - Unsurprisingly it's a golden color. Transparent with visible carbonation. Two-fingered head that dissipates quickly to a nice lace.

S - Smells of grapes with spice. Reminds me of some wheat beers, even though this isn't one. It's also somewhat boozy.

T - Starts out with bready roasted barley, finishes with concord grapes. Tastes better than it smells. There's definitely some spice to this one too.

M - A little thinner than I generally like, but otherwise pretty smooth. Not too much carbonation - drinks a little like a mead, which I suppose is appropriate.

D - One and done. It was finish-able, even at 9%, but drinks more as a novelty than as a regular brew.

Kudos to DFH for pushing the envelope but this isn't a direction that I'm interested in.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 04:09:34 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy ruddy orange color and is topped by an off-white head. This beer has a fairly low level of carbonation, and it is surprising how well the head appears. Aromas of acid, grape, wine, musty, sweet, and malt are all in here. It is a bit sweeter in the taste than the aroma suggests. There is no balancing bitterness that one usually finds in a beer, Fruity, but more like fresh grapes than wine. The malt comes through towards the end of each sip but it is in this beer. I cannot say that I am able to pick up any of the delicate honey character, it probably contributes to the sweetness but the other flavors dominate. This beer has a good fresh grape character to it which makes it quite pleasant to drink. There is a soft acidity here (perhaps grape derived), but it is not quite enough to balance out the sweetness. Perhaps there is a bit of stale malt flavors in the finish.

Quite an interesting attempt at resurrecting a bit of history. I am duly impressed by any brewery that is willing to take the risk to brew beers like this on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2004 19:35:04 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.18/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a thin white head that fades very quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of grapes, spice, lemon, honey & barley. The malt character is faint and there’s not trace of hops.

T: The taste is a combination of fruit, spice and alcohol. I’ve seen the comparison made between this beer and champagne and I’d have to agree. There’s some faint caramelized malt in the background and very little hops, if any. I sampled this beer on-tap at Pitcher’s Pub in Cumberland a few weeks ago and remember it being a bit sweeter with a little more malt backbone.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and a little sticky.

D: Flavorful, but not my type of flavor, not filling, doesn’t go down as easy as most beers, I suppose this would be a good transitional beer for a wine-drinker, but to this beer-lover it seems a bit off. The one good thing I can say about it is that it’s certainly unique, such is DFH’s MO.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2006 04:31:19 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

Had gotten this beer for the first time on tap a tthe brewery after the tour. This beer poured out as a crystle clear golden yellow brew with a pretty nice looking head on it. The lacing was minimal but not bad. The smell of this beer had a lot of fresh white grape aromas in the nose, it's very sweet smelling. The taste had the same sweetness on the nose had some very subtle spice flavors throughout. The mouthfeel is medium bodied I think. Overall this beer could be seen as a Braggot or something similar. A spiced ale is fitting as well. I really enjoy this beer, but in small quantity. Very tasty stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 22:47:58 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 03/15/07

Pours an effervescent bronze/honey with 1/2" of pearl colored head. near-zero retention & lacing

S: Apricot, honey & pineapples

T: Sweet honey, dates, pineapples, & some dryness up front. Slight smokeyness & caramel, appleskins as this warms. I start getting grapes/muscadines in the finish, along with warming booze & dryness. Reminds me of a low abv mead in many respects.

MF: Medium-bodied with minimal carbonation & lot of slickness

This would work well as in a dessert course, drinks good, but too far away from my likes to drink more than 2. Does hide the ABV well though

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2007 03:15:24 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.45/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, 9% alc./vol, purchased at Lone Hill Liquors in Glendora, CA,

A: Pours a golden yellow, with a full head at first, but quickly dissipates to a smattering of bubbles, pretty fizzy if you ask me.

S: Full honey scent, wildflowers, rose petals, and white grape juice, a very sweet, almost herbal smell to it.

T: Very tasty and complex with a lot going on. Actually get a wheaty, bready character at first, very grainy. The honey and green grapes come in next giving a flavour reminiscent of fine champagne. The beer ends with a slightly spicy finish, probably from the saffron, with a complex alcohol note.

M: Smooth and crisp, winey, slightly tannic, but has a nice warmness to finish the beer, very calming and enjoyable.

D: A beer that first intrigued me due to the historical aspects of its creation, the beer itself is what's intriguing me now. I just wish that this beer was more easily available here so I could delve into its flavours more regularly.

Update - 5/5/08 - Bought my first 4-pack of this nectar in SoCal, whohoo!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 19:04:52 | More by Halcyondays