Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head Brewery

OutlawJoseyWales

Georgia

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

i havent had this kind of spiritual beer experience since i first tried the rochefort 10...

O how sublime and wonderful...i was moaning...i was whimpering and crying at every sip...this beer...

was SO complex....i got aromas of wood, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, coffee, raspberries, bananas...

every sip was smooth the mouthfeel was outrageous....for a 12% beer....dear god...dogfishhead is amazingly creative. thank god that this beer was made. i was tempted to prance around naked while sipping this beer, my mind was in another dimension.

this is tied with the rochy 10, and the westy 12 as my favorite beer ever. an absolutely timeless creation by the always forward thinking dogfish head brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 03:24:26 | More by OutlawJoseyWales

gonzo46and2

Florida

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Got this bottle at Dunderbaks in the University Mall in Tampa.

Pours a deep and dark black with no light permeating whatsoever. A dark mahogany head sits atop like a thin crown.

The smell is loaded with malt and wood. There's mostly chocolate and molasses.

Taste is very sweet and chocolaty

Mouthfeel is thick and creamy.

Drinkability is very high. This tasted great and went down very smooth.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 03:45:23 | More by gonzo46and2

eyefeelgood

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Almost opaque in color.

You can smell the wooden casks its aged in.

Flavor and feel were superior to any beer not named Rochefort 10 or Chimay Grand Reserve that I've had this year.

I doubt that I'll give very many 5's (especially to domestics) but I wish there was a higher score available for this.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2008 15:49:31 | More by eyefeelgood

Avagadro

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Reviewed: 1-16-2009

Bottle:
12% ABV
Bottled On: 7-24-2008

A: Pours deep brown (borderline black) with a light brown head. I'm shocked by the head retention of this beer. I've never seen a 12% ale that could produce such a head. It sits opaque in the pint glass.

S: This beer is impressively aromatic. Roast barley, toast, caramel, vanilla, and many more flavors come through in this amazingly complex bouquet.

T: Amazing. Deep maltiness in the front, followed by chocolate, smoke, and what I beleive is the Palo Santo wood. The flavors come at you in waves.

M: Very full body with a chewy character.

D: Amust have for any extreme beer fan. Though the gravity is high, the alcohol doesn't interfere with the deliciousness of this brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2009 03:34:53 | More by Avagadro

adamette

Ohio

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Winking Lizard in Mentor, Ohio. Special keg tapped at 11 am today. I made a special trip to WL specifically for this beer and decided that it would be the only beer that I had tonight. Served in a clean, clear tulip glass. $6.00 on tap, probably a 10 oz. tulip.

A 1 cm almond brown head which dissipated within about a minute. Great lace left in the glass after repeated sips. Body allows absolutely no light to get through. This looks like an imperial stout to me but as they say, DFH beers defy categorization.

S Thin chocolate, dark dark malt but very sweet. Not a strong smell to me but that is appropriate to the style (be it Brown Ale or Stout).

T Chocolate, coffee sweet elixir with a kick of alcohol near the end. Simply divine. This is why I advocate for beer. Really complex with tastes of chocolate covered dark fruits, maybe some strawberries, some coffee and even some black licorice.

M Maybe the best feature. So damn smooth with a great syrupy stickiness that lingers far into the aftertaste. Some carbonation but it is subtle. Simply a great mouthfeel.

D Cannot be improved upon. This is one beer that I could drink many of despite its high ABV but I wanted to try more and more of them.

Notes: My first perfect score, a 5.0 all around and easily my favorite DFH beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2009 01:13:07 | More by adamette

LiveOakMarket

Texas

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Live Oak Market. Wow is all I can say about this one. Have been reading about it for a few years and wanted, no, needed to taste it. It was everything I wished it could be. Good ABV. Good IBU. Taste was thick with a bourbon hint to it. The high ABV made for that. So very smooth and has a few similarities to the Life and Limb.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 04:21:35 | More by LiveOakMarket

mempath

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

poured slowly then vigorously....HUGE head that takes forever to settle. interesting splotchy lacing, but even more interesting cola-like bubbles underneath on the side YET the top maintains that buck(whole)wheat pancake batter look full of nano-bubbles. this stuff is one of those dark matter brews thats sucks in all light and reveal only, when held to high noon, post-blizzard snow bright sun, a subliminal red tinge...for all that, yes, an exceptional LOOK to begin with.

aging in giant wood barrels better reveal an interesting nose...and it does. sure, a deep woodiness is infused, but what is revealed is an orchestrated, cacaphonic display of sweet dark chocolate, dried dark (brandied) fruit and an overall floralness i just can't identify (yet).

taste....now that's a mouthful in every sense of the word. this is a liquid meal. all those notes in the nose are translated very well to the taste. woodiness, smokey chocolate dried raspberries...a bit of tanginess, maybe hops, but nothing asserts individually. it's a concerted effort and this is an extreme brown. a piece of art. oh yeah, this is 12% abv....but like everything else in this, it's blended in so you simply FEEL, SENSE it...not taste it. perfection.

drinkable? a brew like this challenges that notion of what makes something 'drinkable'....do you mean QUANTITATIVE? i would be scared to session this beyond two in one sitting....unless done before a fire or fire pit over an 8 hour period...with food. but QUALITATIVELY speaking, this is an incredibly drinkable brew that urges you gently to savor it, make it a SESSION UNTO ITSELF. one bottle is a session...if you do it right. wow.

now for what this is, it is perfection. totally. technically. subjectively. but as far as art and craft brews at DFH, i still prefer the Midas Touch. which might have gotten a 'lower' score from me, but i simply prefer the primal grape-iness of it. i reviewed this before from memory, the draft version, at the DFH brewery. this bottled version 'seems' more intense, more articulated. more 'perfect'

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

p.s. as i stated in my review for the draft version, the brewery's 'sample-meister' gave me a sample of this mixed with the 90 minute IPA....again, i recommend trying this....it somewhat wakes things up by mellowing the ABV factor, but hopping it up a bit. TOO RECOMMENDED...

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 16:14:46 | More by mempath

Frothboss

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pours a beautiful dark rich brown/black color with a brown head about an inch high that slowly falls with carbonation bubbles fighting through. Cant see through it looks black in the glass but poured deep dark brown.

S - Alcohol, rich deep smells of sweet and sour. Earthy tones, vanilla, caramel...difficult to pinpoint scent, very complex.

T - Sweet up front, earthy half way through and a little sour on the back end. Caramel, coffee, chocolate a light smokey flavor with hints of flowery grassy background.

M - Very thick and rich. full bodied. Cant take to much of a drink but find myself taking sips instead.

D - Fantastically one of my favorite beers thru and thru. This is a rich complex very creative beer infused with many different complex flavors and smells. The alcohol content is 12% that complements the rich complexity of this brew. A masterpiece...just wish it didnt cost so much o.O

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 01:11:41 | More by Frothboss

Seven

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Very dark, look's more like an Imperial Stout.
Smell's like Chocolate, Carmel and Vanilla.
Very sweet, Chocolate, Carmel, Vanilla and dark fruit.
Its a sipper, very thick, not to carbonated.
I would say this is probabley one of the best Beer's I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 01:15:35 | More by Seven

Ted437

Pennsylvania

4.98/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is off the charts! and by far the best 'new' beer I've had in the past many months. Almost a dessert beer, this smooth and creamy beer doesn't give away it's high alcohol content via flavour. Smooth and creamy with a caramel-malty character.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 17:46:10 | More by Ted437

circus_cat

Virginia

4.98/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Completely black, even when held to the light. Starts off with about a finger of mocha-colored soapy head (I used a tulip glass). Dissipates pretty quickly, leaving some, but not much, lacing on the way down.

S: First thing I noticed was coffee, followed by dark fruits and berries. Has a dark chocolate smell to it. Y'all, this beer smells incredible. After a second smell, I'm realllly noticing the dark chocolate.

T: WOW. Really, really good. I got dark fruits up front (and a little booze, but hey it's a 12% ABV beer) followed by toffee, malts, and a coffee/dark chocolate after taste. This is one of the most complex beers I've had.

M: Full-bodied and smooth. You get a little burning booze on the tongue but not much. Very drinkable. Dangerously drinkable.

O: This beer lives up to the hype. Awesome.

Update: I tried a second bottle the day after and this time noted some additional nuttiness. it's possibly that I missed it because of the lower temperature I had it at the first time. This is just an awesome, complex beer. I think I'm going to age the other two and see how they taste several months from now.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 20:55:08 | More by circus_cat

goethean

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark copper. Strong sandalwood aroma. A very big, sweet, very malty, soft-textured barleywine --- not a brown ale. No discernible hops, but highly complex nonetheless, with maltiness, wood, and alcohol co-mingling. A bit of roasted malt towards the end. Dangerously quaffable. I wonder how they got this beer to be so malty --- decoction mash?

As I continue to drink it, I'm impressed by its substantial body. But it's got no hard malt bite to it. Just a big soft body...okay, that sounds funny.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2008 23:15:01 | More by goethean

BeerManDan

California

4.97/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

WOW! This Brown Ale is by far the best Brown Ale I've ever tasted.

Poured an very dark, thick brown, on the verge of Black. With very little tan foam and no lace retention.

The smell of roasted malts and smokey wood the evident in this pleasant smelling aroma.

The taste of thick roasted malts, smokey oak, vanilla and a hint of coffee was a very pleasant surprise on the flavor. You know that there is a high alcohol content, but, it blended in with the flavor and the balance of all the components in this Brown Ale is just perfect! I will have to buy more of this bottle of gold ale!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 18:41:19 | More by BeerManDan

prg1976

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: pretty much black, or dark, dark brown. Very little head dissipates quickly with very slight lacing.

S: Woody, caramel, a little bit of alcohol.

T: Creamy, toasted caramel, some fruitiness....maybe raisins, plums?

M: Super smooth, not much carbonation.

Overall: very nice, the 12% can catch up to you quick. Very good beer, drink it slow and let it warm a bit it gets even better.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 01:31:49 | More by prg1976

dogger6253

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark, completely opaque. Sort of a coffee brown color with a little ring of mocha head on top.

The nose is strong with dark fruit and a molasses-y malt. A tinge of alcohol in the background alongside a lingering smokiness.

Flavor is a real winner. There is a lot of complexity, several pleasant flavors all dancing together. Very earthy, sweetened by tastes of cherries, plums, vanilla and brown sugar. Each flavor holds a bit of smokiness over the top of it. A little bit of tobacco and bourbon in the backdrop ties everything back together in the finish.

A very rich, creamy feel in this beer. The lack of carbonation lets the heavier flavors shine a little more to me. There is a nice warmth in each sip without the usual booziness that comes with that which is surprising considering the alcohol content. This feels like a real home run to me, strongly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 03:08:29 | More by dogger6253

wilkowski

Maryland

4.95/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured a 12oz bottle into a Dogfish Head Snifter straight down the middle. Serving temperature: 54F.

A: Deep auburn, opaque body. Thin beige cappuccino-like head which leaves a very light lacing as the minutes go by. This is a brew to savor.

S: One of a kind. Vanilla, Caramel, and other specific woody notes. Touch of bready yeast. Having been to the brewery and smelled a plank of their palo santo, it's clear that the unique qualities of this tree are what come across in the nose. Delightful.

T: Vanilla, caramel, chocolate, coffee, big brown ale malt, milk on the palate. The finish is lingering and equally complex.

M: Ideal. Light, smooth, and creamy. Absolutely hides the 12% abv.

D: Dangerous. This is one of my favorite beers of any style.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 23:30:43 | More by wilkowski

LuthersLager

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Yum & Wow!

At 12% you aren't going to throw many of these back on a Friday night. But if you need a good sipping beer after dinner, especially with dessert, this beer is an exceptional choice.

There is a warm alcohol sense in the forefront, much like drinking dark rum. The vanilla and caramel scents and tastes are evident, though I wouldn't say they are distinguishable. Rather than vanilla and caramel I would say vanilla/caramel.

I drank in a tulip glass which I think helped the scent before drinking.

Do yourself a favor and savor one.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 02:31:38 | More by LuthersLager

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer pours a dark brown color. The head is a half inch of tan foam that recedes very slowly leaving good lacing. The aroma is of perfumey wood, caramel, toffee, and more perfume. This is a very appealing aroma, and I can't really see how it could possibly be made better. The taste is a little maltier than the aroma, but there is still a large and pleasing perfume presence. There is a significant alcohol presence in both the taste and aftertaste. The finish is all wood, and perfume. Again, like the aroma this I can't find anything here to improve upon. The mouthfeel is full bodied with light carbonation fitting this style, and a velvety texture. Overall, this is a great beer. It is utterly and completely unique. Not only is it an extreme beer in that it is twice the strength as other brown ales, it is an extreme beer in that it is aged in Palo Santo wood. I think the later is what makes this beer so enjoyable. I would love to sip away at this on a frequent basis. Very good work Dogfish Head.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2009 18:58:01 | More by KarlHungus

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle in a Duvel tulip

A-pours bllack with thin head, its actually a joy to look at!

S-honestly to me, it smelled like bourbon, with out the alcohol note. also smelled almost "burnt". it actually a very inviting combination, in fact, i sniffed it for awhile before even taking a taste, and through out the experience, i continued to smell it constantly, it put a smile on my face every time.

T-The taste is very woody, the alcohol is noticed but welcomed in this one. there is a mocha/abbey aftertaste to it. best brown ale i've come across.

M-medium carbonation

D-alcohol hits quickly but the taste stays during the entire experience. definitely not a session brown ale.

I found myself drinking this one slowly, not because of the high ABV, but because i simply did not want the beer to end!!

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 17:38:59 | More by AdamBear

HoopTime

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Very dark, opague, mahogany .

Smell: vanilla, oak

Taste: Malty, caramel, hints of vanilla.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, with a mild "burn" like mild irish whiskey

Drinkability: Strong (12% abv) but not overwhelming. Excellent "sipping' beer, but unless paired with hearty food, 2 pints might be the limit

Serving type: on tap (Al's Pizza of Hampden)

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2010 02:05:36 | More by HoopTime

robertmarsh

North Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Overall probably one of the top 3 beers I've ever had. Has the initial appearance of imperial stout. The aroma is fantastic with the aged wood really standing out along with hints of vanilla. The taste picks up right where the aroma leaves off with the warm malty flavor with a high alcohol kick. At 12% you've gotta be careful with this one as it can be very easy to have one too many. By far the best beer in the Dogfish portfolio.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2011 22:06:27 | More by robertmarsh

agaloco9

California

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Really thick out of the bottle, pours almost jet black. If I didn't know better, I would've taken it for a stout. Light brown, creamy head dissipates really quickly. Alcohol legs there.

S: A lot going on in the nose. Cocoa powdery/sweet chocolate comes off initially, followed by the alcohol bite. Some roasted characters to finish it off.

T: Deep, dark flavors in this brew. Getting initial sweetness, molasses. Roasted caramel followed by a woody, smoky flavor. At the end you get the welcoming alcohol warmth.

M: Very smooth and deceptively drinkable at 12% abv.

Serving Type: Bottle (bottled on 1/6/11)

Overall: Really good brew. This is the first imperial brown I've tried, so I was hesitant to give this a 5, but with every sip I was reassured. A sipper for sure. Pretty cool to read about what Sam did in order to get this out to us, efforts alone make this worth while.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 02:09:23 | More by agaloco9

scootny

New York

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Is this the best brown ale in America? If not it's close. Huge head that flowers into an billowing light brown cascade of foam. Lots of lace and sticky bits. It fades into a dark brown liquid that is not shy about the alcohol and integrates it well. Hefty malt body massages the nose with coffee and dark chocolate as well. Cherries and oaken vanilla. Taste is thick and lush. A bar of mocha that features oaken notes of cherry and vanilla. Smooth and malty with a sophisticated bittering that gives an light and Velvety feel with a big OG that drinks superbly.Superb overall. Luscious, thick, and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 05:13:45 | More by scootny

audiocheck

New Jersey

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I'm diggin' this beer!

It poured with minimum head. Very dark brown to black. I would not call this a brown ale. It is more a double-bock than anything else. My impression is It's huge on malt and low on hops.

The taste is sweet with a bit of alcohol bitterness. The strength is hidden well at 12%. I've been very impressed with Dogfish Head beers, but this has become my favorite.

If you like IPA's or Guinness, this is not your beer! On the other hand, if you like Celebrator, give this a shot, You will love it!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2008 03:40:48 | More by audiocheck

pinballwhizard

California

4.88/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this for the first time last weekend at Naja's on the Redondo Beach pier. It was probably the best "new" beer I have had in a long time.

Smooth, creamy and IMO probably the best brown ale produced in the US. If you're in the area and it's still on tap, stop by and get a glass.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2008 08:40:05 | More by pinballwhizard