Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head Brewery

ferrouswolf

Delaware

4.68/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Kept in the very back of my refrigerator for awhile. I figured I'd open one and see how it was. Bottled on 6/22/12.

Appearance: Deep opaque black/brown with a hesitant brown head that quickly dissipates to a ring around the edge. Some lacing. As you turn the glass you can kind of see that it's really really dark brown.

Smell: Coffee, ripe banana, caramel, chocolate, vanilla. Definitely very rich. Have this one with dessert-- perhaps bananas foster with a cup of coffee?

Taste: Chocolaty and bitter caramel up front with a deep coffee middle and a dry, cocoa-nib finish that really sticks around. Warming alcohol slips up the back of your throat into your nose, but it is well restrained. Each sip is a new experience; sometimes a coffee bean flavor comes through, other times the vanilla or the banana flavors work their way to the top. This is a beer to sip slowly, perhaps with a good book or a nice fire.

Mouthfeel: a little bit thinner than I would have expected for such a heavy beer, but the carbonation is just right.

Overall: this is a very unique beer, and should not be confused with other brown ales, American, English or otherwise. Perhaps this is really a porter? The combination of malt, fermentation and hops makes for a very good beer that must be tried to be understood. It is hard to know where one component ends and another begins, the mark of a well-balanced beer. I would suggest sharing (or recapping) the bottle, since you'll want to sip this one slowly.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:29:22 | More by ferrouswolf

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Super dark, deep brown that you can't see through. Frothy, creamy, light brown head. Great lace and a small ring of retention.

S: Big aromas of wood, vanilla, booze, cherries. Could have been better.

T: Whoa. Sweet, boozy, woody, and creamy like a port. Very complex. The booze is strong but adds to the beauty and craziness of this beer. Flavors of boozy cherries, dark chocolate, charred and fresh wood, earth, roasted malt. Dark and sweet fruits. Big time. I'd say it's a sipper because of the ABV% but it's a pleasure to drink. And too easy to put down. A malty, woody, and boozy brute.

M: Very smooth but also very boozy. The malt and wood flavors are great.

O: For a Brown Ale? Awesome. As a beer overall? Equally awesome and impressive.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 21:31:41 | More by Gatch

Huffs

New York

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sam Adams glass, was black in color with no light visible through the liquid. Aroma was heavily of malty with chocolate, earthy notes. Taste was roasted malt and chocolate, sweet and spicy. Mouthfeel was full bodied, like a stout (reminded me of some sweeter English stouts). Aftertaste was sweet and lingering, seemed to leave a tingling sensation. Good Stuff,

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:00:37 | More by Huffs

AmitC

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 06/21/2012. So it is a six month old 12 oz bottle.

Pours a very dark brown thick liquid. Coal black inside the glass. Less than half finger thick shining brown colored head that fades very fast. Not much lacing. In fact very less stickiness. Sits calm without a head. Opaque.

Aroma: Some what mild over all aroma. Dark roasted malts, slight caramel. No wood or alcohol smell.

Flavor : Heavy roasted malts, coffee, vanilla and caramel. Boozy in taste. Dry finish. Very slight wood if there is any. No palo santo effect seen so far, may be vanilla is due to that.

Mouth feel :Thick and full bodied. No apparent astringency except for some alcohol. Very warm. Low to moderate carbonation.

I like this and definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 18:10:04 | More by AmitC

guess98224

Delaware

1.35/5  rDev -67.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I think we saved this beer too long. This was a 2008 bottle. Despite the ABV the beer was totally skunked. Last year, this was still a great beer. Did not continue to age well. Very disappointing. I wish we had reviewed this earlier, because this was truly a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 04:09:46 | More by guess98224

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very dark brown/black color with almost no head and light lacing. Almost looks like a stout.

S: Smells of fermented fruit, wood, vanilla, roasted malts, and caramel. Very inviting smell, much like a Strong Ale.

T: Sweet and woody, with a hint of coffee. Vanilla, roasted malts, and caramel round out the flavors. Hides the alcohol well. Very well done!!

M: Full bodied with some carbonation.

O: I really like this beer. It's extremely flavorful, well balanced, and full of alcohol. I will definitely be buying it again!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 22:53:58 | More by nUgZ

tut2528

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to sleuthdog for this one... bottled on 7/14/2010

A: pours like a black hole with absolutely no light penetration whatsoever. there was almost zero head formation, and what did form was most likely due to forced carbonation. there is a very thin lace that hugs the glass.

S: a blast of alcohol soaked figs and raisins, with an immense backbone of caramel, wood, and vanilla. very well balanced.

T: intense sugary sweetness of caramel, vanilla, dark fruits such as figs, raisins, possibly a slight plum. alcohol is still very much present, but it sits nice with the beer. the Palo Santo wood pushes the palate to another level and prevents the beer from being too sweet. as the beer warms i begin to pick up on some smokey, tobacco, and leather notes.

M: full bodied, and leaves a slight alcohol burn on the lips and a woody character on the palate in the after taste.

O: honestly, the immense sweetness reminds me of GI BCS. But unlike, BCS, it is not as well balanced (and it lacks the bourbon aspect). The heat is felt as it warms the lips and the stomach. Its a great brew. The Palo Santo wood is an interesting twist, but I honestly don't if its appealing or not.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 02:57:49 | More by tut2528

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.48/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fills the snifter with a black body and light brown head. Reminiscent of a stout.

The smell is just wonderful. The wood really imparts itself into the beer. There is vanilla, the unique palo santo woodiness, and also a toasted coconut. Loads of malt lend itself to a raisin and fig dark fruit quality and dark bread. It is also quite sweet with caramel and molasses. Very inviting. No hint of the 12% harbored inside this brew.

Big dark fruit and woody characteristics abound here. Warmed up there is a touch of alcohol but for the most part it is hidden in this mass of vanilla, wood, raisins, syrupy sweetness, roast, and licorice.

The beer just glides down the gullet. It is thick and oily and all around smooth. The mild carbonation lends itself wonderfully to the feel. It lingers on the palette and dries it out leaving a nice woody aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 19:40:20 | More by MattSweatshirt

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review taken from notes - September 2012

12 oz brown bottle poured into a beer snifter glass(12oz). Neat Dogfish Head label that's pure quality as always.

A - Darkest of brown. Nearly the look of a RIS except for the splashes of ruby red highlights seeping through. Expresso brown head quickly dissipates to a small ring of lace producing minimum stick.

S - Dark Fruit and Smoked wood character. Vanilla, chocolate, and a small whiff of molasses. Some crisp fruity alcohol esters in the backbone.

T - Caramel up front with Notes of wood and vanilla. Dark fruits and a Toasted bread. Bitter chocolate and mild coffee offer some bitterness to balance the sweet front. A smokey wood and toasted finish with hits of alcohol that linger nicely.

M - full bodied and very complex in the mouth. Alcohol has some warming to it, but its still a nice feeling brew. It's not thick, but it's not thin either. It's a good feel overall.

O - this is an interesting brown from DFH. The first bottle I opened took some getting used to, but the next was a excellent experience. For me most of DFH is a bit overrated, but this is a brew that is done very well. I think this will be fantastic after it sits awhile in the cellar which I'll review again. In terms of American brown ale this is one of the best and has a bit of everything for the snob who appreciates complexity and a unique high abv brew. I still prefer the Indian brown ale personally but this is another excellent brown from Dogfish.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 20:17:19 | More by BradtheGreat7

LeRose

Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Instant "must have". Nice brown/red color, funky little beige head. Very roasty without the overly burnt notes. Dark cherry/plum/woodsy aroma maybe a touch of vanilla. Carried through in the taste with maybe even a pleasant hint of prune and other dark fruits. Thought it quite earthy. Creamy, a bit thick and sticky, not highly carbonated. Smoky/oaky/woods flavor. Great drinking beer, exceptionally smooth, nice sweetness, flavors very well melded and balanced. The ABV does sneak up - I didn’t find it obvious that this is a 12% beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 14:49:54 | More by LeRose

Beer_Runner

4.48/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 11/21/11 and aged about one year before opening.

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass produced about one finger of dark khaki head that dissipated to a collar after a few minutes and left some okay lacing and the glass emptied. The brew is a moonless-midnight black.

S: The aroma is a pleasant blend of vanilla, wood, smoke, toasted grain, and some sweet malt.

T: The taste begins with a big shot of sweet malt and vanilla. Very quickly some toasted grain, wood, and just a bit of booziness come along and balance the sweetness. And, to add even more complexity there are also some hints of dark dried fruit.

M: The body is heavy, full, and smooth; and, it is just a bit sticky. There is only a small amount of carbonation, which seems to fit this beer just right.

O: This is a great beer; and, it is available year-round. This beer is a style onto itself. It has the sweetness of a barleywine, combined with the complexity of black ale. The malt sweetness and the vanilla come very close to becoming cloying, but just in time the toasted grain, wood, a smooth booziness, and a few hints of dark dried fruit join in to add balance and complexity. Fans of sweeter beers should put this n their “must try” list. DFH really nailed it with this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 00:24:53 | More by Beer_Runner

whendeathsleeps

Indiana

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Black as night, looks very much like an imperial stout. Very thin tan head, decent lacing for a beer with this high of an abv (12%).

S- Black cherry comes to mind first, ripe plums, sweet, woody.

T- Dark fruits galore, an almost Belgian ale taste, vanilla, woody, toffee.

M- Medium bodied, low carbonation, SMOOTH. Nice alcohol warming, not overbearing, but it let's you know you are drinking a big beer.

O- An awesome beer that I think all craft beer fans should try in their lives. Great to sip on a nice chilly night. I want more.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 01:54:13 | More by whendeathsleeps

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into tulip.

A - Dark black with a tightly packed khaki head.

S - A noticeably complex and interesting aroma. Roasted malt, caramel, oak, wood, with hints of chocolate and vanilla.

T - Rich and bold taste with chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruit, and caramel being the most prevalent. The wood and vanilla is on the backend, accompanied by light coffee and bourbon notes. Good balance.

M - Full bodied, smooth and creamy. Medium carbonation, slight warming alcohol.

O - This beer is incredible. There's so much going on flavor-wise, yet it's so easy to drink and the high ABV is almost nonexistent. No doubt this is the best brown ale I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 03:18:49 | More by mooseo

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

Danny1217

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Cigar City snifter

Dark brown. Very dark. Thick and viscous looking. One finer of mocha head that dissipates and leaves a thin whisp of foam on top. Nice sticky lacing. Looks more like an imperial stout than a brown ale. I can tell just from looking at it that this is going to be a big beer.
Caramel, vanilla, some slight coffee, dark fruits on the nose. Nice.
Tastes of caramel, nuts, and vanilla. Nice balance of sweetness and bitterness. Very warming alcohol presence, but still pretty smooth. Full body and light carbonation. Really does well at balancing everything while still being a crazy, unique beer.

One of my new favorites from DFH. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 21:57:41 | More by Danny1217

brihenry

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2009, poured in Westmalle chalice. Very dark brown with thin brownish head. Nose has vanilla up front, dark fruity smell. Taste has a lot going on - dark, almost burnt cherry taste, a bit of spiciness to the clear wood character, then moves to a more subtle bready, toasty, very faint nuttiness, and finishing with a hint of caramel sweetness. There's a noticeable alcohol, but it is warming not harsh. The feel is creamy, but thinner, not as viscose as a big beer would be fresh, with weak carbonation.

Overall, this is a complex sweet, woody treat. More complex than I remember it being, but I need to try a fresh one. The spicy wood character is interesting. No hops noticeable, but could be beneath the wood and spicy. Not too sweet. Nicely done. Makes we want to put a few more away for even longer.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 21:46:24 | More by brihenry

pmlondrigan

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this beer several times in my life, just enjoyed it again. What a nice beer. Very deep brown, bordering on black with a great reddish brown color to it. Fair retention throughout. Aroma is warm, with hazelnut, chestnut, and vanilla. A faint amount of caramel comes through. I would say the predominant flavors are nutty, vanilla like, some smoke and bitter chocolate and honey. Alcohol is present for sure especially on the finish. Full bodied to match the full flavor, but finishes well and is nicely attenuated. Again there is alcohol on the finish. Overall this is one of my favorite dogfish head beers, if not favorite. Its a great sipper and an interesting take on a brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 00:51:00 | More by pmlondrigan

noel2977

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hurricane Sandy review... I had cellared this bottle for 2 yrs and brought it up recently and put it into the fridge. Given we could lose power, i wouldn't want this one to go through more temperature change
Poured into an ommegang chalice. Limited to no head - black, reminds me of cola that is almost flat. Bubbling laces finely on the glass.
Aroma is of a subtle but nice blend of coffee with milk, chocolate and dark fruit. Hints of vanilla, not a forward as a fresh brewed PSM.
Taste is wow - complex, for something that was two years in the bottle. I've had PSM fresh... I planned on getting a recently produced bottle to compare, but that dam hurricane changed my plans. Anyways... the taste:malty and chocolatey, which then slides into dark fruit flavors that are subtle (no over plummy/raisiny/pruny-ness) to a slight hop profile. There is some chocolate semi-sweetness that lingers and a coffee with milk flavor on the profile. Much more subtle vanilla tones to this than vs fresh. Interesting, the overall taste of this brew seems much more harmonious, with no alcohol burn or woodiness. Much more coherent than the fresh PSM I recall... I'll let this warm up a bit and see what develops
Mouthfeel - creamy, with carbonation that meets expectations of the appearance.
Overall - dam that storm... b/c this would be a great side by side tasting experience. PSM is an intriguing brew to begin with. I believe this settled down nicely. I'll enjoy it - a memorable storm brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:16:19 | More by noel2977

KKB

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A – Black. Straight black. With a little bit of reddish orange around the edges. It’s gotta be the darkest brown ale that I have ever seen, and is truly blacker than most stouts out there. The head is minimal and is a light cinnamon color. Really a good looking beer.

S – I have just been getting spoiled lately by all these stupidly good smelling beers. This is one of the best, most unique smelling alcoholic concoctions that I have ever had the pleasure of inhaling. I had a chocolate, licorice, caramel, vanilla, woody smell to it that I assume is attributed to the palo santo wood. Just such a phenomenal nose.

T – That is just a dream. Scandalously delicious. Hot diggidy dog, you get vanilla for sure, caramel absolutely, perhaps a caramelized sugar feeling in there as well, pecans! Oh the pecans; chocolate, and cherries. What a symphony. What an adventure. Delightful, supreme, awesome.

M –The mouthfeel, good god the mouthfeel, don’t even get me started. It is unblemished. Medium bodied? Sure. Light carbonation that makes for a silky smooth drinking experience? Of course. The malt in this bad girl make is so that it feels like you’re really drinking something. You know? Really drinking it. Not just mucking about. And it’s good…oh and wonderful warming sensation and all that jazz…but for real, badass, spot on warming goodness. Yahtzee.

O – Yes. So much yes. I don’t know what’s going on with this ridiculous wooden barrel that is larger than any created since the prohibition, I don’t know what Palo Santo wood actually tastes like (but if I’m ever on vacation and a tree gets pointed out to me I’ll be sure to take a nibble) but I do know a glorious beer when I drink one. And ladies and gentleman, you want to know, is this good beer? Well, in response to your question I have a question myself: is the space pope reptilian?

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 03:31:18 | More by KKB

JamesShoemaker

New York

3.95/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle shared with my girlfriend, tulip and snifter.

A - this beer is a very deep brown, very little head, just a little lacing on the side. Lighter on the periphery, fading into darkness in the middle.

S - can't smell the booze, which is good, because this guy packs a wallop. I can definitely detect the uniqueness in the aging wood here; something deep, meaty, big.

T - wow, a big taste, full of alcohol and syrup, with only a touch of the wood at the very end. I can tell, like WWS, that I'm going to like this a lot more in a year or two.

M - not great. Too reminiscent of other DFH high ABV offerings.

O - I'm excited to age my remaining bottles, but in the meantime I'm pretty disillusioned. I'm actually kind of surprised that this is a regular offering from DFH.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:12:48 | More by JamesShoemaker

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A - Pours a very very dark brown color with a large, brown head which has a medium retention and a good lacing. Relatively surprising! 3/5

S - Strong malt, some alcohol (quite obvious), caramel, dark fruits, chocolate, vanilla, nutty, wooden character and some freshness coming from the hop. 5/5

T - Flavors develop in 3 steps:
1) Malt, some spiciness from the alcohol;
2) Strong liquorice notes with some fruity character;
3) Hop and coffee at the end.
4.5/5

M - Carbonation is spot on. Full body. Obvious notes of alcohol which give a warming feeling. 4/5

O - Definitely an extreme example of the style (could be confused with an Imperial Stout). Off-centered as claims DFH's moto! Excellent drinkability for 12%ABV with a rare complexity of aromas and flavors. I just love this brew! 5/5

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:29:40 | More by duracell

alamere

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - well, it's dark black... like a stout basically... lacking in head and lacing, but at 12% abv I think that's appropriate to be honest

S - Smells of dark chocolate and almost a wine like alcohol thing going on. maybe some fig and dark fruit type of currants going on as well... Not a huge nose on this beer, but what is there smells absolutely fantastic.

T - Beer really doesn't taste much better than this in my opinion... and I've had a LOT of beer to be honest. This is the top of the food chain regarding how a beer taste and how original it is.

M - This beer is smooth, and for the ABV isn't carbed like an IPA.. which I think just adds to the smoothness even more. It's a subtle detail.. but really kind of a perfect choice. Kudos to Dogfish on that

O - This is flat out original, big, alcohol heavy and a super smooth drink. This beer is one of the many reasons to love craft beer. It's 100% original and fantastic... not what I'd want to drink every night by any stretch.. but the perfect sip for a cold and rainy Pacific NW evening!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 06:59:56 | More by alamere

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque super dark brown (almost black really) with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, caramel, vanilla, slight soy sauce, wood, and alcohol. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that has some nice flavors and aromas but it's quite strong and definitely something you have to take your time with.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:21:57 | More by UCLABrewN84

Roose13

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Black, almost like a stout. Chocolate head, about two fingers thick.

S: Chocolate, malty, woody.

T: Dark chocolate, raisin, malt, oak, coffee. It's sweet, but not sickening sweet.

M: Thick, almost syrupy. But it's smooth, which is surprising for a beer that's a bit thick, this sweet and this strong.

Overall: One of the best beers I've had. Not my favorite ABA but it packs a punch and tastes really good. DFH has better offerings, but at a whopping 12% this can work up a nice buzz.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 02:22:55 | More by Roose13

Butzen

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a rich, imperial brown color with a thin, fleeting, dark-khaki head. Nose is of vanilla, dark chocolate, light oak and spiced rum, while the boozy, hard-toffee-like flavor whispers sweet nothings of cappuccino, peat (i.e., Scotch) and bamboo into your mouth. This beer is much bigger than I expected (that's on me), but now the 12 percent ABV makes more sense. And so does Dogfish's assertion on the package that "this beer ages with the best of them" -- all indications point to that statement being true, even if the misplaced comma in that sentence does make me a bit suspicious.

Read the full review at http://vittlesandbrews.blogspot.com/2012/10/cellar-calibration-dogfish-head-palo.html

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 18:22:52 | More by Butzen