Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head Brewery

thebrood1987

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I get that creamy caramel dark roasted fruity smell I guess from the hops and palo santo wood? plus some earthy wood and vanilla in the back. This is exactly how the brewery describes it. The taste is very thick and creamy with that Scottish ale caramel quality to it with that dark roasted malt and then ending with a subtle vanilla that mixes in with the chocolate type tastes and with the oak sharp wood taste. It also has a bit of hop that mixes in with the wood taste as well.

There are so many flavors in this beer it will never get boring. You also get some alcohol burn as well. Make sure you let it warm a bit to get all the flavors and settle the alcohol burn which isn't bad at all. It reminds me of their Indian Brown ale in the sense that if you ever had it you will recognize some qualities of that in this one...except this is way stronger and potent. That woody aftertaste is so good and mixes in with the thick mouthfeel perfectly.

I'm surprised that I can actually taste some hops in there as well especially when it states that it's a malt beverage. Don't let anyone tell you this beer doesn't have hops in it... they say it in their Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron documentary video on youtube that they use Glacier, Palisades and another hop that I can't remember. Wood in beer especially with the caramel rich dark malts is a perfect pair. Really, this beer is the most unique tasting beer I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 01:12:59 | More by thebrood1987

jkane101

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-19-2013 02:36:39 | More by jkane101

TXhomebrewer

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-19-2013 01:22:17 | More by TXhomebrewer

jakeox

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-19-2013 00:55:27 | More by jakeox

iCabaLLero

Georgia

5/5  rDev +19.3%

05-18-2013 21:01:35 | More by iCabaLLero

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-18-2013 20:46:49 | More by Photekut

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -4.5%

05-18-2013 04:10:06 | More by megamass

Honus1

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%

05-18-2013 02:51:03 | More by Honus1

themantis13

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

05-17-2013 20:47:34 | More by themantis13

Jsmick

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

05-17-2013 03:47:14 | More by Jsmick

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-17-2013 03:25:06 | More by ElizabethEleanor

mverity

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-16-2013 21:27:50 | More by mverity

abex44

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-16-2013 20:51:06 | More by abex44

Jazzpha

District of Columbia

4.44/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on: 9/18/2012

Pour: Medium-slow, indistinguishable from a porter or stout. Most robust brown ale I’ve ever seen, by far. Half-finger of dark tan head fades fast, almost no carbination rising. Very, very few bubbles.

Aroma: Sweet, Old Rasputin-esque malt, quickly joined by the wood scent of the Palo Santo wood. A note of char as well, one of the most pronounced I’ve smelled.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Some beers make a smooth entrance, easing open your tastebuds before unfolding the rest of their flavors. This is not one of those beers. This thing gatecrashes your mouth and charges in full speed ahead, before assaulting your tastebuds like Old Rasputin’s crazy drunk uncle. Big, big bitter coffee notes, and dark chocolate. Bracing, powerful flavors all the way through. No sweetness to help you recover; this beer gives no quarter and I love it. Still, ridiculously smooth for 12%-- a lot smoother than the last time I remember having a bottle from this same 4-pack. Alcohol burn is limited to a slight tingle in the nostrils on the finish, like slightly mild horseradish. Malty goodness persists throughout the entire sip, and the mouthfeel is as big and chewy as an imperial stout, easily. The wood flavor borders on smoky at the very end of the finish, but in a way that smoothes out the taste in preparation for the next sip. This beer is a monster, and makes no apologies about that whatsoever. Either you roll with it or get rolled over, but I love this stuff.

Overall: This beer is awesome, definitely not sessionable, and best enjoyed savored over a decent period of time. Beastly in the most literal of senses. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 20:42:52 | More by Jazzpha

tviz33

New York

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle in to a Duvel tulip.

A- Pours a motor oil body with a quarter inch of brown head that settles to a small cap.

S- Really rich, sweet smell. Molasses, vanilla, toffee, chocolate, hops, wood, and definitely some alcohol.

T- Very sweet, but not overly so. This is a little boozy, but a nice woody character compliments the alcohol along with toffee and some dark fruits. I'm a fan.

M- Medium feel, which is thinner than I expected. Creamy and tingly.

O- I really enjoyed this brew. This one is a sipper at 12%, but it's quite easy to suck right down. I would love to get my hands on a 4 pack of the stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 18:28:52 | More by tviz33

ChanChan

California

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: This is darker than a great number of imperial stouts!!

Aroma: The aroma in this beer reminds me of an aged Mephistopheles, perhaps the Palo Santo has a lot to do with that!

Taste: Very good taste of dark fruits, vanilla and a good amount of wood character!

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied.

Overall: This beer is fantastic, its pricey but if one has the patience to age this beer!!I really like it!!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 06:12:07 | More by ChanChan

William85

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-15-2013 23:27:21 | More by William85

maxcoinage

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

05-15-2013 19:44:02 | More by maxcoinage

LaChupacabra

California

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%

05-15-2013 03:47:44 | More by LaChupacabra

Hugonaut13

Illinois

3/5  rDev -28.4%

05-14-2013 13:44:01 | More by Hugonaut13

deadliest

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-14-2013 03:31:42 | More by deadliest

Chiefmanynames

California

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-14-2013 02:34:16 | More by Chiefmanynames

vrbulldog22

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.5%

05-13-2013 18:47:55 | More by vrbulldog22

The_Revisionist

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -4.5%

05-13-2013 09:58:32 | More by The_Revisionist

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-13-2013 05:14:17 | More by Bonko_the_sane