Burton Baton - Dogfish Head Brewery

Ego

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$25 for a growldog of this over at joe canals this week...
I have had bottles of this in the past, never caught it on tap @ the brewpb in rehoboth or in dover.. so thanks for sending it north !

eyes...
sort of cloudy glowing orange, crazy lacing (this one speaks of your exploits with it's spun web of hop yarn), about 1 finger of head initially that quiets down pretty quickly but never totally dissapears, ever the one straggler and some of a carbo-bubble makes a break for the top, a nice looking brew

nose...
I was expecting more hops...but I get more subtle notes from the oak like vanilla, very subdued overall, totally belies the big ABV looking to kick my ass, some hop citric notes.. but very tame

taste etc...
that old ale staleness is there, and I mean that in a good way, there is this sort of flavor that is like aged cheese, or aged anything... it tastes not new.. I love being technical... hah,
anyhoo, this drinks very smooth but yet does not totally hide the fact that the ABV is kickin', this drinks sort of like a barleywine light... but an american barleywine like say Bigfoot with a really nice hop kick, the bitter helps hide the punch but yet there is still some dark boozy notes in there. the feel is medium to heavy but not gut bomb inducingly heavy, this drinks way too easy for what it is.. but yet it screams every note of what it is.. damn!

verdict?
a masterful concoction, it has flavor, substance and kick. I remember trying this when it was first made years ago... boy have they really honed this recipe.

Serving type: growler

03-17-2013 05:49:23 | More by Ego

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- A light brown appearance, about a finger of off white head at the top and lacing that sticks to the glass the whole time.

S-Smells of strong hops, a nice grapefruit presence, slight smell of brown sugar and bananas.

T-Taste is exceptional, loved the taste of this DIPA, taste of grapefruit up front, bits of honey, and strong hops throughout the bitterness is perfect on this brew.

M-Smooth mouthfeel, just a bit of carbonation, perfect balance.

O-Great brew, I loved this brew all around, very pleasant and perfect. Dogfish does it again. Thank you!

Serving type: growler

10-09-2011 21:47:22 | More by thedoubler55

rootbeerman

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: pours copper orange with a light brown to tan head that leave a nice lace on the glass.
S: malty first then grapefruit and a little orange hops.
T: nice east coast ipa, with a smooth sweetness, a light vanilla woody-ness. Hops are not overpowering yet obviously there, a nice blend between grapefruit, pine and floral.
M: smooth, a little bit coating. Carbonation is enough to be smooth yet maintain the head till the end.
O: great brew, hides its abv too well, never knew it was a blend of an old ale and an ipa till I looked at the DFH website.

Growlee from wholefoods short pump

Serving type: growler

05-13-2011 00:32:21 | More by rootbeerman

seedsofchaos

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a four-pack of Burton Baton at the end of Summer and decided to age a few bottles to see how things change on this IIPA. A 2010 bottle drank on February 12th, 2011.

Poured aggressively into a brandy snifter and, lo and behold, a beautiful looking beer. It pours a sort of rich copper orange with hints of honey and ruby. A fluffy eggshell white head graces the top but settles quickly enough leaving behind a viscous lacing. Dogfish Head definitely can make a beer into a work of art. Appearance alone, this is a thing of true beauty. Malt heavy in the nose followed by floral hops. The malt centric aroma is what I've come to expect even from the hoppiest DFH offerings. In the nose there is also a delicious kind of hop candy that focuses on citrus hops. As the beer warms, a bit of cooked vegetables come through... A first in a DFH beer for me. Definitely strange... Cooked cabbage... DMS?

Immediately sweet and doughy on first taste. Not cloying. Hop candy is echoed in the taste but comes out a bit on the medicinal side with an aspirin-like feel on my tongue. Bitterness plays in with this. Sweet and syrupy overall.

This is not how I remembered Burton Baton but, again, I was trying to age a few bottles to see how it fared. When fresh, malts tend to be bordering barleywine territory with tons of hops on top. The hops have definitely mellowed out but the malts still haven't quite found their place like in an aged barleywine. Time will tell but with about 6 months on this batch, it's not faring the way I expected at all. Decent but nothing great.

Serving type: growler

02-12-2011 22:26:43 | More by seedsofchaos

oi_scout_jessie

California

3.49/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: This poured a slightly red, almost orange, color. It had a 1 finger thick, off-white head, which disappeared quickly. The lacing was very thin, but it stuck around.

Smell: I could only smell a slight hoppyness, but definitely not as much as I expected it to be; At least not when I compare it to other Double IPA’s. I also sensed a heavy alcohol smell. Which is not a big surprise, this beer does have a 10% ABV.

Taste: This had a dark and thick taste to it. I definitely tasted the oak in it. That’s probably what gives it such a heavy taste. Just like the smell, it had a slight bitterness from the hops, but nothing too crazy. This also had a boozey taste to it, due to the high alcohol content.

Mouthfeel: This was definitely a full-bodied brew. It left a nice fizzy sensation on my tongue.

Overall: Where can I start with this beer? Well, it was definitely not what I expected. When I saw that this was an Imperial IPA, I was expecting a higher hop smell/taste to it. But I can only assume that the oak affected this. (just an assumption) But I have to be honest, the more I drank it, the more I enjoyed it. After I got over the fact that it wasn’t as hoppy as expected, I actually really enjoyed this. Another plus to this beer was that it left a good aftertaste in my mouth. It left me wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 05:34:53 | More by oi_scout_jessie

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.79/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a red/amber with about one full finger of slightly off-white head. The foam lingers for a minute or so, leaving a bubbly ring along the edges of the glass.

S: The nose is bitter hops, malt, alcohol, and mild vanilla. It smells almost exactly like I would have imagined it to. 90min IPA aged on oak.

T: The beer starts out with sweet malt, and mild oak. The hops join the party a bit after, but the mixing flavors remind me a bit of pine-sol. The flavors aren't bad, it's just a bit off putting. The alcohol is pretty well hidden, but I can still taste it after the beer is gone.

M: Full bodied beer. This thing is sticky, a bit boozy and drying, and pine-sol-y.

O: Not my favorite thing in the world. But... It's not the worst either. If you like 90min or 120min, then give this beer a shot. If you don't care for those beers, then skip this one. I don't see myself buying this again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 13:37:54 | More by trxxpaxxs

kojevergas

California

3.28/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

It self identifies as a blend of an imperial IPA and an old ale. I'm reviewing it as such (not as merely an imperial IPA as is currently the listed style for this beer). Picked this up in a SoCal beer store earlier tonight as it's a known classic. Granted, I'm not usually big on Dogfish Head beers, but of their beers that I do like, 120 Minute stands out - so I have high hopes seeing as this is also a high ABV imperial IPA. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with iconic label and standard red branded pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. 10% ABV confirmed. Bottled 03/04/13.

Served cold, straight from the fridge - I erred on the side of imperial IPA serving temperature rather than old ale serving temperature, but if it seems to warrant some warming, I'll let it. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours an impressive six finger head of light khaki-beige colour head, nice thickness, decent cream, okay frothiness, and damn good (~8+ minute) retention for the high ABV. Not real soft looking, but it's fluffy. Quite impressed with the retention. Body colour is a vibrant clear translucent copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looking spot-on for an imperial IPA, and the head retention is a highlight. No overt flaws are noticeable. Lacing is uneven, inconsistent, thin, and weak. If you told me this was half Old Ale, I doubt I'd believe you.

Sm: Sugary. Brown sugar. Wood - less a refined oak wood and more just your run-of-the-mill barrel. Perhaps more of a cedar aroma? Some spicy kick too. Light floral hop character and some buried citrus. Red/amber malts. Some red fruit - perhaps stone fruit or cherry; it's quite concealed. The flower notes come through more and more as I sniff this one out; it's hard to distinguish the floral hops from the actual flowery notes I'm getting. Very intriguing, but rather restrained for the purported complexity. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable, interestingly. It certainly doesn't fit neatly into either of the constituent styles, but it's got my attention. I'd call it a good aroma all around; I just wish it were deeper and more evocative. Below average in strength.

T: Interesting. Tannin-heavy woody notes up front. Malty woody sweetness. Some unrefined sugars - mixing with those tannins. Hop character is floral, and surprisingly restrained coming from the imperial IPA side of things. Malts definitely win the war against hops here. Some deep biscuit/toffee notes from the old ale side come off murky against the pale malt sweetness of the IPA side. Amber malts seem to edge out others for slight dominance. I do notice some alcohol, but it's decently hidden for 10%. Oak? Vanilla? No such luck on either account. The wood is of a more generic barrel or cedar character. I expected more complexity than it provides. Far more subtlety too. No yeast character comes through. Not at all acidic or harsh. Low on the esters. Balance is decent; it's not a mess but it never comes off cohesive or seamless. A slight spicy character does emerge as it warms. Not finding the stonefruit/cherry I got on the aroma. Not citrusy, nectary, oily, or piney. In fact, it's pretty disappointing in terms of hop character. Vague brown sugar. Maybe some blood orange when I look for it?

Mf: Smooth and wet. Thick and full-bodied; you won't be quaffing this one. Pretty good presence on the palate. Slight overcarbonation, but it isn't biting, harsh, or sharp. Not as soft as it could be. Sticky. Creaminess is about right for what they're after. Suits the flavour profile in a general sense. Clean and approachable, but not ideal.

Dr: One of the more interesting Dogfish Head beers I've had, to be sure. But I hoped for better. It does hide its ABV pretty well, but I wouldn't say the drinkability here is high. I wouldn't want more than one in a given night. It has none of the characteristics I want from either of the constituent styles, and it doesn't balance them particularly well, but it's still strangely likable. I'd have it again, preferably on-draught. The execution could be so much better, though. I like the concept of the beer, but I think it can be done better. I do applaud the experimentation, and I'm not disappointed by it.

Low B-

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 05:15:57 | More by kojevergas

Roman5150

Michigan

4.49/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Bottle into tulip, dated Jan 31st

Appearance: cloudy unfiltered orange/amber with short white head

Smell: lots of smokiness oak character, earthy hops, subtle dark fruitiness

Taste: follows the nose, heavy oak character followed by resinous earthy hops, prominent malt backbone is almost sweet. Not super hoppy for a dips, aging gave it a more malty earthy character.

Mouthfeel: not much carbonation, very full, thick beer.

Overall: probably my favorite dogfish head, this is one of the better oak aged beers I've had. Alcohol is pleasantly disguised and the complexity of the flavors Is almost mind blowing. Not your typical dip, do not pass this over.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 05:03:50 | More by Roman5150

MarriedAtGI

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottled on 06/08/12. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 14 oz snifter.

Appearance: Orangish amber color, cloudy and opaque. I would have preferred more clarity from this beer. Quarter inch of white head dissipates fairly quickly. Good lacing, especially after I swirled the snifter to pull out more aroma.

Aroma: Vanilla, orange zest, sourdough bread. Compelling - once I smell this, I can't wait to drink it.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation and medium body. Perfectly suitable to the style.

Taste: Oak tannins combine with the orange and sourdough from the nose. The oak aging is distinctly noticeable and enjoyable, not overpowering. A very pleasant sweetness blends perfectly with subtle tartness and bitterness. No puckering and no astringency. Just a hint of alcohol heat.

Overall: Excellent balance of sweet, tart, and bitter with delicious complexity from the oak aging. One of my absolute favorite beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:11:36 | More by MarriedAtGI

Murrhey

Montana

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz standard pressure-cap bottle into a conic pint glass in high elevation Libby, Mont. Purchased from Belmont Station in Portland, Ore. for $4.67. Reviewed live.

A- One-finger white head, lasts about a minute. Some delicate lacing. Reddish-amber color with medium clarity. Not a bad looking beer. Very pleased.

S- Semi-sour. Oak, cherries, northwest hops, pine. That wood-aged, mellow aroma is quite nice.

T- Amazingly smooth. Alcohol content is wonderfully well hidden. A slight hint of scotch. The mellowness of the English Ale and the hoppiness of the IPA is blended expertly. I am a huge fan of this flavor. Hoppy, mallow-y, scotch. Yum.

M- Medium bodied, slightly alcoholic feel. Perhaps the lowest point of the beer.

O- This beer actually exceeded my expectations. I am very impressed, which is something Dogfish Head usually doesn't do for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:29:39 | More by Murrhey

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.96/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gorgeous copper to bright amber coloring with shady light tones at the edge. Bright white bubbly yet solid head.

The scent is strangely calm, with hints of malt and tea leaves. Distant fruitiness towards the back the Pale Ale elements are stronger yet subdued.

Smooth maltiness in the body, the taste is sweet and dry. Very little complexity or taste outside of malts, I got no taste from the barrel. Despite the lack of diversity it is still a very tasty ale with high ABV and no hint of alcohol on the tongue.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 23:00:59 | More by KYGunner

ryan0585

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This beer is comparable to the 120 minute IPA in terms of taste and complexity. In my opinion, this is their best year-round brew. Sits between the 90 minute and 120 minute, and for the value is fantastic. Potent, sweet, and hoppy, this may be the perfect balance, especially for those who think the 90 minute is too hoppy, and the 120 minute too sweet.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2013 00:48:02 | More by ryan0585

lighthabit

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

late, so just notes for myself -

clear copper/amber color
not much head (?) but lacing all 'round, good job
taste is very solid ipa territory, could use maybe a teeny tad more citrus; a subtle bit of oak mellows the hops in a respectful, refined manner (in comparison, sn's torpedo hits a lot harder on the bitter). alcohol hidden quite well, drinks like it's half its actual abv.
mouthfeel a bit thin, but not bad. carbonation spot on. a bit pricey imho, but a well done ipa.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 06:55:10 | More by lighthabit

AmitC

Indiana

4.51/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very powerful and strong brew. Poured form a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Bottled on 12/11/12. So about 4 months old.

A Golden amber color. Very clear. Transparent. Excellent about three fingers thick off white colored head with very good retention. Awesome lacing on the sides. Very sticky. Some bubbles.

Aroma is strong. Fills the nose as soon as the cap is popped open. Strong malts, bready and caramel. Very nice hops - ground and earthy. Slight booze and lots of warmth is apparent as well.

Taste is full of powerful bitter hops upfront that register their presence pretty quickly. Give an impression of Barleywine due to a strong presence of balancing malts. Malts, still are not able to out perform hops. Display very strongly as booze and warmth. Bitterness is ground and earth like. No citrus. Palate wrecking for sure.

Mouth feel is medium to slightly full Slight resin and oily feel. Moderate carbonation. Boozy and high ABV beer. I like the boldness. Borders very heavily towards being a Barleywine ale and in a blind taste I will certainly rate it as one.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:05:42 | More by AmitC

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: a dark reddish orange, with an off white to tan head that lingers. neither really clear or completely opaque

Smell: strong hops with some graininess and barrel qualities

Taste: hops with strong malty backbone. this iipa-ness gives way to some vanilla and oaky notes. pretty cool concept and tasty beer

Mouthfeel: comes in nice and creamy, very old ale-esque. ends up with some lingering bitterness

Overall: this is a cool concept and executed very nicely.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 22:45:02 | More by SportsandJorts

rdilauro

Connecticut

3.94/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I really didnt know what to expect from this one. It poured more towards a copper or red ale with a substantial white head. The boquet was pleasant, almost as if you were in a barn that had many different vegetables and spices drying. I could not pick out one particular aroma, but all together it was different but very nice.

The first sip was big and round I was so interested in this. An IPA, definitely not high in terms of IBU bitterness but the impact of the oak comes through. It produced a very soft well balanced taste. The finish was just as nice. Everything about this beer was enjoyable. I could not
find anything I did not like about it. It did confuse me as to the actual 'style' I didnt see an IPA, well at least one that has all the characteristics of IPAs. I did get some citrus notes. Not big enough for a barley wine. I guess this is what is meant as an Imperial IPA

On the other hand, the style is not in my current wants/likes. I am very happy that I did have the opportunity to taste this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:35:05 | More by rdilauro

jmendels

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I bought this beer with a slew of other IPAs, including some other Dogfish Head brews. I didn't know what to expect from it, as I hadn't read up on it. Yet, my taste buds were blown away after the first sip. There are so many flavors in this one and you can taste each of the beer styles that comprise its legacy. The smooth toffee flavors of the English Ale rest well alongside the floral notes of the IPA. The mouthfeel is smooth, almost silky, with a semi-sweet after taste that lingers ever so slightly. This beer is incredible, showing respect to the styles that give it its context and balancing them well. If you like imperial ales or IPAs, try this. This beer is beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 02:52:25 | More by jmendels

Big_V

Maryland

3.59/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Not sure if I got a bad bottle or what. Purchased from Total Wine Corridor who usually is up on freshness. Not much carbonation, very little if any head. Golden brown in color. Woody, toffee aroma. Way too boozy for me, which is the first thing I noticed. Hard to go down for me but got a little better. Hardly taste anything behind the alcohol. Maybe not my DIPA but, based on all the good reviews I will try it again.

Ok, so it WAS a bad bottle. I knew something had to be wrong with that first one. Bought another single on 4/29. Not too much difference in smell and appearance, but the taste is totally different now. Not boozy like the first one. A good beer, but I won't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 13:43:49 | More by Big_V

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A handsome brew sporting an orange amber hue and very clear. The head is pretty small but dense leaving lots of lacing on the glass. Gentile carbonation with small bubble cascading upwards.
The aroma is very hoppy with gapefruit being most pronounced. Malts and oak I can't find in there.
I,m not really a DIPA guy but this one tastes pretty good. It's not a bitter bomber like most seem to be. There is a good hop taste with lingering betterness and a sweeter caramel malt taste that tones down both the hops and alcohol which is pretty apparent too.
A well made wll balanced beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 13:46:36 | More by micromaniac129

dar482

New York

4.61/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A nice copper color with a two finger head.

There’s grapefruit and an oak woodiness, with a sweet roasted maltiness in the aroma.

There’s a kick like a bourbon with a grapefruit bitterness. It has a malty backbone. It’s an amazingly complex beer with a soothing bitter finish. This thing is so freaking well balanced. It’s not a grapefruit bomb, but as a malt head, I love this.

It hides the booziness perfectly. It reminds me almost of a Stone Oaked Bastard or Double Bastard.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 23:54:18 | More by dar482

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into tulip. Pours dark orange with a thick white head that sticks around. Smells sweet and mellow, yet hoppy and floral at the same time. Like sweet citrus fruit blended with the spicier hop aroma. Taste is like the regular 90 minute, but mellowed out; sweetness predominates up front sliding cleanly into a tastefully bitter hop finish. Alcohol is not noticeable at all, which is surprising for 10%. Mouthfeel is smooth and relatively full. Overall a great beer; perfect for IPA lovers who also want a more mellow complex sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:43:02 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

edunaye

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

poured from a 12oz bottle into a dogfish head spiegelau.

appearance- pours a gold bloodorange with a one finger off white golden tint head. leaves a nice thin spotty lacing.

smell- great nose here, sweet oak, light vanilla, nice hop aroma and some booze.

taste- wonderful vanilla and slight oak combo up front, followed by a nice hope bite and a slightly bready malt backbone. there is a slight taste of booze but very subtle. ive had multiple oak and barrel aged ipas but this one far surpasses them all. nice amout of hop bitterness but not over the top, taste lingers just right

mouthfeel- medium body with medium carbonation, slightly oily. great feel

overall- this is my favorite dogfish head brew to date, a well made dipa with very good balance between the vanilla oak and hop bitterness with a good transition. if youre a fan of dipa's this is definetly a great spin on your average imperial, highly recommend1

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:51:28 | More by edunaye

gr0g

New Jersey

4.39/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy amber/gold with about a two-finger head. Good retention and some nice, fairly intricate lacing. Aroma features a very distinct pineapple-like aroma at the forefront. Some definite oak undertone, but they're subtle.

The flavor is hoppy of course, though with a strong malt backbone that's characteristic of an American barleywine. Super-bright with a not-quite puckering bitterness. Lots of light citrus and a light touch of pine. A bit of alcohol in the background, but the oak steps in to soften what might otherwise be too hot. Very smooth texture that's much appreciated.

I'd liken this to a softer, toned down Double Bastard or maybe a drier, hoppier 90 Minute (though admittedly, I've not had it in a while). While somewhat pricey, it's definitely worth a try. One of DFH's best offerings.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 03:47:44 | More by gr0g

scot_chale

Minnesota

4.66/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

bottle poured into a glass on 3/26/13. bottled on 11/12/12.

A- 2 finger of bubbly white head. deep reddish orange body with no apparent signs of carbonation. good lacing. the head disappears to a thin layer.

S- citrus hops with an earthy, herbal overall tone. it smells like a dry hopped, serious business DIPA. quite pungent.

T- all the citrus hops you expect, without being overwhelming. It's got this special way of dancing around the palate and delivering what you want from a double IPA, without being a horrifying experience. it's grassy, herbal, and citrusy. very nice.

M- The body is medium. The carbonation is active. It's semi-dry. It's allows the character of the beer to hang around but doesn't linger beyond pleasant.

O- Awesome! This is the double IPA I'm always looking for. It's a hop bomb that doesn't over stay it's welcome. I'd buy this any day. Fantastic beer by my standard.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:50:26 | More by scot_chale

sketchpunx

New York

4.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tried this at the the recommendation of my local beer store owner. I was not disappointed...

Let me start by saying that I'm not always in love with DFH brews. Some i like better than others, but I'm not huge on the IPA's (90 min in particular). I'm generally more of a West Coast IPA guy who likes his tropical fruit notes and lower malt levels than the alcohol forward thickness of IPA's like the 90 min.

That said, DFH hits it out of the park with this one.

Pours a massive 2 finger head that sticks and slowly turns into a thin film. Real dark copper color.

The smell is a bit subdued. Malty vanilla and oak. not really what i was expecting for an IPA.

Taste. This is where this one kills it. Take the alcohol forward almost metallic taste of 90 min and replace it with smooth oaky goodness. Slightly sweet with vanilla and a light smokiness that remind me more of a good porter or stout than an IPA. Has a nice long dry finish.

The feel is creamy as hell. not a ton of carbonation but just enough.

This is the IPA that DFH was born to brew. Very distinct oaky IPA that stands out from the rest. I'm a west coast IPA guy, but this is a very strong East coast IPA. I'm glad I tried it and will have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 06:49:43 | More by sketchpunx