Squall IPA - Dogfish Head Brewery

confer

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A- Dark honey color, with a yellow head

S- A very enticing mix of piney hops and alcohol. The smell is very good.

T- Tastes like it smells, The pine hops start it off and then it turns into to much of of an alcohol taste. I got a little coffee in the finish, not sure where that came from.

MO- The bottle conditioning adds to the creamy feel. For me this is tough to drink. I really wanted to like it but I won't be going for this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 01:59:04 | More by confer

younger35

Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received this brew as an extra from Gibby. Dogfish head is hit or miss for me but I've heard pretty good things about this. Drank from my Port Brewing pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a hazy orange reddish with a pretty decent half finger bright white head. Fairly creamy cap and lush collar is maintained the whole beer with some spotty lacing.
Smell- Fairly malty with a nice steady sweetness that's oozing with red licorice and rock candy. The hops aren't necessarily the focal point of the nose but they are a plenty. The 60/90 min influence is immediately noticeable although this has a bit more earthiness than either of those. Also this was dry hopped almost 5 months ago... I'm guessing a lot of that hoppy goodness in the nose has disappeared.
Taste- Very rich with a strong caramel maltiness and a subtle smack of alcohol. So malty and balanced but not necessarily what I was looking for. The hops meld with the malt to create that same sort of candy effect I got on the nose. A herbally candy cane sweetness and red licorice combine creating a piney sort of spiciness. The alcohol is hidden rather well but does add a nice warmness.
Mouthfeel- Fairly big brew with a creamy rich mouthfeel and light smooth carbonation.
Drinkability- Overall not too shabby. I think a slight bit of oxidation has set in but nothing that's detrimental to the beer. A very earthy beer that is slightly sweet but tasty none the less. Thanks Jeff!!

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2009 22:00:08 | More by younger35

hardy008

Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Amber color with very little head and poor retention. I understand this beer is supposed to be this way, but it still is not as visually appealing as most DIPAs. Smells of oranges, grapefruit, and caramel malt. Not a very strong aroma.

The taste has grapefruit, oranges, and caramel malt. A nice flavor, which would have been better with more carbonation. I know the beer is supposed to be this way, but I still think it could have been improved upon. A little too sweet for me.

Low carbonation, medium to full bodied, sweet, somewhat syrupy, and the alcohol is fairly well hidden. Overall a pretty good beer, but too sweet, and not enough carbonation in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 03:21:25 | More by hardy008

celticfutblclub

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750 poured into a pint glass.

A - nice hazy amber color with thin lacy head that doesn't go anywhere looks pretty good.

S - citrus and hops were the two things i noticed here. smell seemed good but not spectacular.

T - again citrus and hops are the noticeable things here with alcohol in there hitting the back of the tongue but not being overpowering.

M - dry hopped taste here that leaves you thirst but this is a sipping beer. super low carbonation that doesnt necessarily detract from the beer more so than it was surprising.

O - pretty good brew but nothing particularly amazing in my book. pretty cheap bottle as far as dogfish bombers go so i wasn't too disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 03:29:18 | More by celticfutblclub

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.38/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

750ml bottle - $7.99 at Olde Crabapple Bottle Shoppe in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Bottled in 2011.

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed, orange-copper body with a bubbly head that, regardless of a vigorous pour, can't get much loft and doesn't hang around for long.

Smell: Sweetish touch of toasted barley grains, layers of varied citrus fruit wedges, honeysuckle, and some fresh honeydew and cantaloupe dusted with spice with a bit of underlying resin.

Taste: Meanders through light grains, faint bread, and some sweetness, then, it's pineapple, fresh melon cubes, and sips of both tangerine and white grapefruit juices. A few drops of resin and soap, a leisurely splash of warming alcohol. Spicy, citrusy, and boozy on the finish with some lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Minutely oily on the palate.

Overall: A bit flat and a bit alcohol-forward a bit not to my liking.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 15:32:21 | More by ChainGangGuy

trbergman

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle poured into a tulip.

A - Aggressive pour yields an inch of rocky white head atop a copper body. Plenty of lacing.

S - Not very enticing on the nose. Sweet caramel and toffee malts with harsh hop aroma of grapefruit pith and cat pee. (Ah: a visit to the DFH website confirms the use of Simcoe hops.)

T/M - Well-balanced IPA with lush, juicy malt backbone and an assertive bitterness that arrives in the middle and lasts through a long finish. Plenty of fine carbonation with a smooth and creamy body.

D - Sweet malt and hop bitterness can't hide the 9% abv. I wouldn't go out of my way to find this, but it's worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 03:02:42 | More by trbergman

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up this 750 ML bottle on an excursion into Hoosier country and enjoyed it while grilling dinner a few weeks back. Trying to get caught up on typing up all my reviews from my notes...

Color is an orangey copper-- a little pale. Brilliantly clear with a nice white head, thick lacing, and great retention. This is the first glass from the bottle though, so the sediments are probably settled to the bottom.

The first thing I smelled was a peppery yeast bite which seems out of place. After another try, the sweet caramel malts and citrusy hop notes come around. That peppery/yeasty bite comes through on the taste too, which, again, seems out of place to me. The finish is nice and dry with a good solid lingering bitterness. Overall--- this is pretty good, but for the same price I'd rather have a 4 pack of 90 minute.

Feel is good. Oily but not consumingly thick. Doesn't feel very prickly or like there is a ton of carbonation, but it still works. I would like a bit more carbonation, but otherwise the feel is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 03:28:15 | More by AleWatcher

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had this one at The Drafting Room, 8/22.

A-Pours a clear copper with very little head or lacing.

S-Caramel malt, light on the hops, some boozy, gin-like notes.

T-Sweet malt, again with the boozy heat, little hop presence, lots of alcohol warmth.

M-Light to medium bodied, rather undercarbonated.

D-Rather disappointing, not bad but would not seek it out.

HV

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 14:56:44 | More by sholland119

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.45/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

"It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls."

--Bruce Barton

Ferric oxide orange with no hint of haziness so far. Since this ale is bottle-conditioned, the yeast should be entering the glass on the next pour. A barely audible escape of CO2 on crown cracking was not a good sign. A high-altitude pour has produced a smallish slice of sun-bleached sand colored foam that is more bubbly than dense.

The aroma is appropriately Double IPA-like, with less pungent hoppiness than expected. Perhaps the shortage of bubbles is the culprit. If blinded, I would have guessed one or more of the C-hops (orange and grapefruit), but beyond that it would've been hard to say. This brew is dry-hopped? Really?

Maybe it's the bottle-conditioning (actually, the lack thereof), but Squall IPA is not as good as 90 Minute IPA... and 90 Minute is far from my favorite version of the style. Although the mouthfeel takes the biggest hit, the flavor profile takes its lumps as well.

First of all, the alcohol isn't buried as well as it ought to be. Squall has a slight solvent-like vibe that shouldn't be present in a Dogfish Head brew. The malt tastes like sugar cookies drizzled with caramel and the hops are still candided citrus peel-like. Nearly six months in the bottle must have tamed the lupulins to some extent. At least it tastes like it has.

The body/mouthfeel seems smaller than it is thanks to a serious lack of carbonation. The beer isn't flat, but it's in the vicinity. Sorry, but this has to count as a bottle-conditioning failure. Only my penchant for calmer than normal beer keeps the mouthfeel score from falling another notch.

Depending on my mood, American IPA or DIPA is my favorite style of beer. Thus, I tend to give most versions a fair amount of leeway when it comes to scoring. Squall isn't a perfect storm, though. Far from it. It was a good idea Sam, but you didn't quite pull it off this time.

*originally reviewed 10-04-2009. Thanks a million to dyan for a masterful job of retrieval.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2009 13:27:26 | More by BuckeyeNation

petacutlasaurus

Maryland

3.45/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Hadn't had this one in something over a year, decided to pick it up and remind myself what it was all about. Well, once again, it didn't leave much of an impression. It wasn't bad at all, but, after reading that it was a type of 90 minute IPA, I couldn't help but compare it to DFH's 90 minute. I don't think Squall's as good. But it does have some interesting characteristics.

Comparing the two, Squall has less body, but also less filtration, which makes for an interesting combination, especially considering the amount of carbonation. A really interesting texture with fruity/citrus notes and a clear grasp of the alcohol. A little astringent. Enjoyed the beer, but probably won't again, at least until next year.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 01:40:31 | More by petacutlasaurus

davey101

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2010 A. 750ml into a DFH signature glass.

A - Cloudy dark-gold body with a small white head. Some decent lacing and edging.

S - Piney hops, sweet malts, and some spicy fruit characteristics. Fairly subdued and light.

T - Rich piney hops and sweet caramel malts. The hops have definitely faded with aging, however there are still some notes to be found. Just the slightest bit of bitterness in the finish. Fairly flat and boring though. Medium sticky mouth feel and light carbonation.

O - This beer may just be in an awkward stage, where a hoppy IPA makes that strange transition to a malt heavy barley wine style beer. At its current age its just average. Still enjoyable, but it was just so much better fresh.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 22:30:16 | More by davey101

vrazionale

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle at refrigerator temperature poured into a snifter. Bottle reads: "Bottled On: 04/16/09"

A - Reddish-golden body with a full gold-tinted head tat starts soft but builds up quickly with a fairly aggressive pour. The head rolls in clumps along the sides of the glass as I swirl it.

S - Lots of citrus, pine, and other woodsy notes. Slightly herbal and medicinal. I can smell the malt character of the brew, as well.

T - Again, citrus, pine, and herbs, with a long, sweet finish. Nothing too remarkable here, but I get more malt flavors than I normally like in an IIPA.

M - Slightly sticky mouthfeel, and it feels a bit undercarbonated to me.

D - Not a bad IIPA by any means, but I didn't find it exceptionally interesting. I found the malty flavor to detract from this brew, but if you like IPAs with that sort of flavor profile, then you should give this beer a go.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 03:03:56 | More by vrazionale

iuhophead87

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber 750 into a tulip glass after a long day of work!

A- Pours a hazy amber color with chucks of yeast and sediment from the bottom of the bottle. This was to be expected because of the bottled condition style. It reminds me of many of my homebrews.

S- The aroma is very malty for a DIPA but a hops aroma is obviously there. I can not smell a particular hop aroma but it is both piney and grapefruity at the same time.

T- The beer is rather sweet and thick compared to regular 90 minute. In fact it is rather syrupy and flat. Rather caramelish and doughy for my liking.

MF- Very creamy and not much carbonation.

D- One bottle is plenty for me. I would rather drink the classic 90 minute. However, the price is rather low for a beer of this magnitude. I still do not think I will pick this one up again. In fact, I have some bottle conditioned home brew aging in the basement that is as good as this.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 23:40:18 | More by iuhophead87

charlzm

California

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Consumed June 12th, 2011 from a bottle marked "bottled in 2011 2A".

Pours a deep clear copper into a pint glass. An off-white head one finger thick quickly becomes a sticky crown that gives good sheeting on the sides of the glass.

Aroma is peaches, apricots and some subtle resiny hops.

On the tongue, the flavor begins with the aforementioned fruits. Mid-taste, resiny, piney hops take over. Almost syrupy! The finish is modestly bitter. The aftertaste rolls backwards into the sweet fruits again with a side trip into maple. Some alcohol flavor and a hint of heat. This beer exhibits the "house taste" I always associate with Dogfish Head beers.

Mouthfeel is a little too still to effectively cut the slightly thick and oily character of the texture.

Can't say I'm looking forward to ever having this one again unless it's double-dog FRESH and on draft.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 01:38:45 | More by charlzm

rodney45

New York

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Hazy indian corn burnt auburn. Bubbly cream colored head, that doesnt linger

S: In the nose, i get a medely of citrus hops, malt and ethers, with malt quite often winning the argument.

T:Very malt heavy for an IPA. The hop flavoring isnt as complex as they make it seem. The dry hopping def adds aroma, but its lost in this beer, hidden by a malt that punches you in the face. I get small amounts of grapefruit and granny smith apples.

D: It goes down easy for 9 % abv.

O: Its a default brew from DFH, nothing too impressive. Not a hophead's dream. Good balance

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 10:37:31 | More by rodney45

uwmgdman

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter, this beer pours hazy deep golden/light amber color with a thick, clingy off-white head that retains nicely and leaves copious amounts of lace. The aroma is malty, sweet and grainy, slightly musty, with a lot of floral hops, bits of citrus and pine as well. The flavor is a balance of malt and hops. Upfront, sweet and boozy, followed by pine and citrus hop flavor and medium-high hop bitterness. After the swallow a very sweet, full flavor emerges, not great necessarily and really knocks the drinkability down a fair amount. The carbonation is moderate and body is full. Overall I'm a bit dissapointed, I'm not sure if the bottle was not stored properly at the shop or it is just a very average beer, but the balance is way off, too sweet and too malty, it needs hops (and I enjoy malty/balanced IPAs). There are other specialty options worth trying over this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:49:46 | More by uwmgdman

Beaver13

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle, bottled in 20112A. Pours a slightly hazy golden copper with a medium frothy head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is sweet melon, caramel malts and peppery hops.

The flavor is sweet sugary malts, some melon and some spicy peppery hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and kind of watery.

Overall, an OK DIPA. It's still kind of subdued. Better than the Hellhound though.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 05:39:50 | More by Beaver13

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750 mL bottle poured into a tulip. High expectations for this from regular 90 min and weyerbacher's unfiltered DS.

Frothy, long lasting off-white/khaki head sits on a clear, dark amber body with some streaks and dots of lacing. Pungent, fresh aroma of citrus hops and a strong sweet smell of rubbing alcohol. Taste has strong citrus hops from the nose all throughout and lingering in the finish. Body has strong biscuit-y/caramel presence and finish also has a strong alcohol kick, slightly off putting. Body is a little thin for iipa, though very active carbonation covers up for that a bit. Overall this beer is a little too sweet and boozy for me, something just seems out of line and I prefer the balance of 90 min over this.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 23:40:56 | More by yourefragile

Gmann

New York

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear copper color with a very nice dense egg-shell colored head that slowly settles leaving some chunky lacing. The aroma is of citrusy and resiny hops, candied apricots, and a honey malt. Citrus hops kick off the flavor with some tropical fruit notes, not very intense, this is followed by a significant malt presence. The caramel/honey malt brings a lot of balance to the brew. Moderate body with limp carbonation which gives the brew a smooth feeling but this beer needs some more edge to it. Noticable ABV belly burn. A rather disappointing DIPA, perhaps this is an old bottle but I don't think it is. The hops aren't very strong, the beer seems to be an imperial APA. It is balanced, though the imperial booziness comes through. Needs more hops and more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2009 01:05:37 | More by Gmann

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle into a Brooklyn Snifter

A - this DFH offering pours a dark orange/reddish brown in color, with a huge, light tan, sticky head fed by massive amounts of swift carbonation

S - typical IPA aromas, with the grapefruit characteristic most prominent, piney and floral bringing up the rear, some faint background brown sugar style sweetness

T - of course typical IPA flavors dominate like in the aroma, citrus/grapefruit and pine, these flavors dissolve in the finish into an earthy flavor with distinct dry liquor notes, like vodka or sake

M&D - dry finish, lively on the tongue, medium bodied, with this many IBU's takes a hop lover to enjoy this, not an introductory IPA, or even DIPA, the sake-esque aftertaste hurts a bit, but a nice example of the style

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 23:49:01 | More by sinstaineddemon

cbros

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 22 ounce bomber poured into a mug. This beer reminds me a lot of their 90 min IPA. They look, smell, and taste very similar. This beer pours a dirty amber with no visible head adn little carbonation activity. It smells of a malty sweetness that is followed in the taste as well. There is a somewhat bitter aftertaste but not to ovverpowering. This is a good brew but not something I will be picking up again.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 20:08:12 | More by cbros

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I have so many back reviews but thought I might as well review the beer I’m currently drinking now.

Appearance – A lovely hazy golden amber color is observed while pouring into a generic tulip. About a half finger of head is achieved with a moderate pour that dissipates at a medium pace leaving slight lacing.

Smell – As I somewhat expected, a relatively strong malty precense is noticed at the forefront, which softens to allow fruity citrus notes and slight hops to come through.

Taste – Similar to the nose, but even more sweet. I have always found DFH D/IPA’s to be very malt forward and I was hoping this would be a bit different, but alas, it is not. Lots of sugary malts, slight citrus and hops, but honestly, mainly just a sweet mess.

Mouthfeel – Medium yet it has a water like feel.

Overall – Glad to try it, and have been wanting to. Will I pick it up in the future? No.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 23:15:15 | More by SpdKilz

sdmvd6

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Unfiltered deep orange with about a finger of head that dissipates to a thin layer of white bubbles. Little lacing is left behind.

S - Intense burnt caramel malt with earthy and citrus hops.

T - Sweet malt and leather at the beginning with some citrus hop bitterness toward the end. It finishes with a hint of black pepper and a light alcohol burn.

M - Light to medium body with quite a bit of carbonation. Almost a bit much.

O - This is a pretty good beer from DFH. It could be a bit more hop forward (I know it's bottle conditioned, but it is dry hopped with several varieties, after all). Carbonation could also be a bit toned down and chewiness toned up, as it drinks more like a barleywine. I know there are similarities between the styles, but I just expect a different feel from a DIPA, even if it is bottle conditioned.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 23:01:04 | More by sdmvd6

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle
A: clear, deep amber-copper color with nice creamy head
S: deep malt with spicy hops, medium nose
T: very malty, good hop bite finish but well-balanced with malt, alcohol noticeable
M: very creamy, definite alcohol, slightly cloying
O: overall just below a good beer

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 02:01:21 | More by wisrarebeer

Lukecook

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml Bottle(2009-02) poured into tulip glass

A- Cloudy amber color, fluffy one finger head, reduces quickly, moderate lacing on glass.

S- Light malt, hops, and alchol.

T- Sweet malt up front, followed by citrus and alchol.

m- Creamy, light carbonation

D- Its the first beer in a long time that I haven't wished I purchased more, would drink again if it was shared with me, probably would not purchase myself.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 13:31:42 | More by Lukecook