Burton Baton - Dogfish Head Brewery

Tupperwolf

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love getting DFH beers just for the fact that I get to use my rounded, heavy-based DFH pint glass properly! Hooray!

I also love the presentation of this particular DFH beer. All of the others have serious YAWN... HO-HUM factor for me. I think, honestly, that it's the neon yellow-green dogfish 'warning label' cap that does it for me. it's so out of place on the earth-toned bottle.

It pours a very clear, very deep oak amber-red, chock full of medium size, very lazy bubbles. The head is two fingers, slightly tan in color, fluffy, and retains well until I've drained it during a few draughts. It leaves behind sticky lacing.

For a 10% DIPA, I expect a lot more hops in the nose - now, I run into a bit of a quandary here, because of these two points: The beer smells amazing. But it doesn't smell hoppy. There are definitely huge notes of influence from the oak aging, a rich woody vanilla creaminess that tones up the medium-roasty malts - there's a big hit of honey in the nose, too, but no bitterness and, really, almost no hops to be found.

Now the taste, on the other hand, is awesome. I mean, really awesome. This is going to be a hard one to describe. Hitting the tongue, there's a really rich, mild sweetness that's kind of a medium blend of honey and caramel, but it's immediately wiped out by the middle, which is the dominating presence of the beer's taste - it's thick, slightly fluffy, with a nutty, earthy, woody flavor - really more of an all around taste sensation than any singular flavors. The finish is slightly dry, with just the tiniest bit of alcohol peeking through, and a slight rosy hop bitterness, but this really isn't what I'd call a DIPA. Not at all. If I called the shots, I'd call this an American Strong Ale.

Mouthfeel - Wow, incredibly thick. Almost 90minute thick and oily, but very easy to drink. It's spiced up with a bit more carbonation than the 90 minute, which really brings out the honey and nutty tones. It really fills the mouth, tightening a taste bud here or there with some alcohol. Swallowing is half-dry, half-lingering stickiness, and the alcohol warms alll the way down.

Okay - this is 10%. Yes, I've mentioned alcohol several times in this review. However, I will go on record as saying this is one of the easiest to drink strong ales I've had in recent memory. Case in point: Double Bastard. Also 10%. That brew is positively evil. It's evil (delicious evil) in a bottle. I had to drink that Bastard very, very slow. This, on the other hand, is a drinker. This is a pussycat all the way down into your belly, where it turns into a monster. I could easily drink a 4-pack of this at a go.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2006 01:24:45 | More by Tupperwolf

March_of_99

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-19-2013 21:06:14 | More by March_of_99

BryceB

Virginia

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-19-2013 17:14:19 | More by BryceB

t_carterb

Georgia

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-19-2013 16:07:41 | More by t_carterb

heavenlyStash

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-19-2013 06:05:10 | More by heavenlyStash

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.46/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, dark orange colored with a large yellow white head that lingers leaving good lacing, clear

S: oak, wood, vanilla, pine hops, citrus, leather, earth, heavy alcohols and esters

T: slightly sweet up front with a nice malty quality, quickly changes to dry oak flavors, wood, vanilla, cherry wood, heavy piney hop finish of a DIPA

M: full bodied, slightly oily, alcohol well hidden, good carbonation

O: this fusion of styles is cleverly obtained by blending two beers instead of sacrificing qualities of one or the other, an intriguing version of a style that sets itself apart from others, barrel aging a DIPA sounds like a bad idea but DFH found a way to make it work well

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 02:43:19 | More by M_C_Hampton

jbar920

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-18-2013 17:41:24 | More by jbar920

TommyLiam

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +12%

06-18-2013 10:40:52 | More by TommyLiam

crytion

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

06-18-2013 08:59:18 | More by crytion

Simpleman77

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-18-2013 07:36:38 | More by Simpleman77

IronCity1822

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-18-2013 02:45:19 | More by IronCity1822

pottergator

New York

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

06-18-2013 02:43:57 | More by pottergator

BColton1

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-18-2013 01:40:37 | More by BColton1

dlcoblen

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +17.9%

06-17-2013 22:18:03 | More by dlcoblen

Rogorama

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-17-2013 14:00:59 | More by Rogorama

spw109

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-17-2013 07:19:36 | More by spw109

BeerRunner

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-17-2013 03:16:02 | More by BeerRunner

jkrug5

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-17-2013 02:19:36 | More by jkrug5

Tonmeister

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle Poured in a tulip shaped glass

A: Dark amber with a thick white head when poured aggressive. The lacing is maintained when tilting the glass.

S: citrusy, hoppy, floral, earthy,

T: Notes of Oak Wood and vanilla with a strong hop presence.

M: moderate carbonation and medium bodied.

O: Overall, this is by far one of my favorites Imperial IPA. It has a nice rich and complex taste blended very well. For a 10% ABV, this is a very smooth beer. Each sip I discover different tastes, and its very, very smooth. I still can't believe its a 10%. IF you see this, BUY IT & TRY IT.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 18:31:47 | More by Tonmeister

nmatch

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-15-2013 19:39:50 | More by nmatch

tgeorgf

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

06-15-2013 01:41:44 | More by tgeorgf

ACB

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-14-2013 22:32:23 | More by ACB

DevinORoark

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-14-2013 05:39:58 | More by DevinORoark

linnymtu

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

06-14-2013 02:38:33 | More by linnymtu

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%

06-13-2013 21:11:23 | More by doremite