Namaste - Dogfish Head Brewery

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served to me on tap.
A. Milky-opaque straw yellow. Tons of foamy head that refused to die back.
S. Heavily raunchy - The first impression is wet funky and musty barnyard hay that some farmer has thrown handfuls of lemongrass into as an odor-eater. The second impression reveals the coriander power chord over citrus base and bizarre ammonia-family smells as from a good limburger cheese or leaking out of the corners of your closed diaper disposal basket. Overall, smells like a properly disgusting runny-gooey fancy cheese on top of a pale wheat malt and lemon foundation. Luckily, I enjoy that sort of thing.
T. The coriander makes me think of middle eastern food, the lemongrass brings to mind Thai cold dishes. Just like most of the fancy runny cheeses I have tried, what smells terrible on the nose is muted or completely absent on the palate. The raunchy odors don't have a taste equivalent at all. In fact the taste is remarkably light and floral. Lemony fresh. Although, if one lets it sit in the mouth for too long, there becomes a faint aftertaste of boiled carrots. How odd.
M. It is really super effervescent for me. Almost too bubbly, distractingly so. Not a "chewy" beer but rather sessionable.

The closest thing I have smelled to the strange funk of this beer has only been present in some Saisons and that one time I tried Lindemans Faro. As the type of person who seeks out the strange and unusual freak beers, I heartily endorse this oddity. :)

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2011 20:52:13 | More by WastingFreetime

dirtylou

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap, malt house

from notes

appearance: served in an unmarked chalice, blurry yellow body, pulpy white crest

smell: fresh cut flowers, lemon zest, perfumey, corriander, lavender

taste: a pretty decent witbier, though a little underwhelming. lemon zest, corriander, floral, orange peel. worth trying, but would never feel the need to buy a 750ml

mouthfeel: light, refreshing

overall: nice wit, lemongrass plays well

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2011 20:56:23 | More by dirtylou

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/27/2011 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light yellow color, large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains Belgian yeast, lemon, honey, spice and light malts.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of lemon, spices and honey. Then bready flavors of Belgian yeast and a hearty malt character come in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a nice lighter but flavorful beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2011 14:48:18 | More by TheManiacalOne

tbrown4

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finished my afternoon at the Rehoboth brew pub with a pint of this.

A - Cloudy light orange/yellow, big fluffy white head, sticky thin lacing

S - Mild citrus and spice notes, creamy hint

T - Sharp and crisp lemony citrus, coriander spice with a creamy chewyness. Finishes very clean.

M - medium to light

O - Excellent representation of the style. Does not push the envelope at all but completely nails the style. This is a very good and easy to drink beer. I will keep this one on hand for my friends that always order those mass produced and artificial tasting witbiers

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2011 10:47:45 | More by tbrown4

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Papago. Well hazed body with a meringue head. Patchy lace. Nose is quite spicy, with notes of white pepper and coriander. Flavor is zesty with orange peel and spicy with coriander. Herbal, tea-like notes come through, especially in the finish. Body is medium for style, pretty light overall. Carbonation leaves the mouthfeel slick and the finish dry. Very drinkable and nice for those warm days. Good for style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 00:54:58 | More by BretSikkink

glid02

Georgia

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours a hazy lemon-yellow color with a 1.5-finger white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of light malts with bright light citrus flavors and moderate amounts of spices - coriander with hints of deeper and indistinct spices. Also present are light amounts of floral and slightly herbal hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth light malt flavors with small amounts of white pepper kick things off and are joined quickly heavier spices, including coriander as in the aroma. Midway through the sip light citrus flavors take over, carrying through to a crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass quickly and could have another.

Overall I was a fan of this beer however it's not quite clean enough to take a place in the upper tier. Still, an easy-drinking beer that will be great for warmer months.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2011 02:01:57 | More by glid02

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

tap

Pours light, slightly hazy lemon gold with a thin white head with good retention.

Smells of lemon zest and coriander.

Tastes light and lemony with some coriander and other spiced notes.

Thinner mouth with slight tingle of carbonation throughout.

Good tasty wit with lots of good characteristics and some uniqueness in the flavor profile. Would have again. Very refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2011 00:14:33 | More by Cylinsier

Mosley1212

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(From notes made over spring break)

Had this one on tap at Brick Store Pub in Decatur, GA. Served in an accompanying DFH Signature Glass.

A--Poured a bright glowing color with a light, thin white head that dissipated rather quickly.

S--Sweet lemongrass, orange peel, corriander, lemons, pretty much exactly what I want a witbier to smell like.

T--Follows the nose, but not as well as I thought it would. The beer has a classic witbier flavor. The sweetness of the orange peel comes through. The back of the tongue has a slight bitterness that was a little unpleasant, but not something I would let deter me.

M--Light, crisp, and refreshing. This beer felt really good on the tongue.

O--This is a great offering from Sam and the guys at Dogfish. I could imagine sitting out on the beach this summer drinking these all day. One of the best witbiers out there.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2011 18:31:31 | More by Mosley1212

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at MiKro Beer Bar in Hamden, Conn.

A: Cloudy, pale, golden yellow with a thin, creamy head of white foam. Left very nice lacing and carbonation was barely visible amongst the clouded haze.

S: Lemongrass, white pepper, coriander, orange peel and flowers. A very light, pleasing citrus and spice aroma.

T: Light, fruity and floral malt and citrus notes brush the palate at first, imparting hints of toasted bread, tangerine and lemon pepper. Slightly milky and lactic sweetness blends with tart and spicy flavors to build to a mildly bitter and acidic, light, peppery finish.

M: Light-medium bodied mouthfeel with some chewy proteins, yeast and lactic enzymes, but slightly tart and acidic on the palate.

D: A very nicely crafted and highly drinkable witbier from DFH; perfect for the impending warmth of early spring. I'd love to pair it with a lemon-broiled monkfish or light, nutty cheese.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2011 21:04:13 | More by Gambrinus1184

Durge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at the Fairfax brewpub in Virginia this witbier shows a cloudy light yellow color with a nice white cover and good lacing. It reveals a bready light citrus lemon smell that includes a slight peppery quality. The flavor offers a classic white ale theme that includes a light banana-lemon subtle idea over sodabread and oak. It is medium light bodied with a slightly aqueous feel over firm carbonation. Very drinkable like most of this variety and a better than average version.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2011 05:55:01 | More by Durge

jmfc8237

Delaware

4.58/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a dfh 12 oz fluted bass glass. Golden straw color with plenty of carbonation and cloudyness. Lovely lemongrass and coriander aroma with a smooth frothy head. Medium head retention with minimal lacing. Taste backed the nose as a lemony wheat malt cascaded with floral hops balance this one nicely. Wonderful velvety mouthfeel and drinkability was a bit nicer as the beer warmed a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2011 21:02:24 | More by jmfc8237

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Wexford Ale House

A: Pours a hazy gold and orangish color. A thick white foam head with some spotty lacing.

S: A decent amount of wheat, clove, coriander and citrus.

T: The citrus flavor is more prevelant in the taste than in the smell. Blends nicely with the wheat and spices.

M: Clean and crisp taste on the palate.

D: This is an easy to drink Witbier, perfect for the hot summers.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2010 11:04:25 | More by IronCitySteve

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this for the first time at the DFH Brewery's post-tour beer tasting.

A - Golden color, slightly hazy which I attribute to the style. Little to no head.

S - Nice citrusy smell, mix of orange and lemon with a slight clove/spicy smell.

T - Very nice taste of citrus and spicyness. Nothing is too overpowering.

M - Very light on the tongue. Being a DFH fan, this is the "smoothest" mouthfeel of any of their beers I've tried. Usually their beers are pretty aggressive which is more of my style.

D - Great drinkability. Super light, easily could down a bunch of these due to the low ABV (5%) and the overall lightness of the style. I bought a bottle after tasting since my fiance (who isn't a real beer drinker let alone a hoppy IPA DFH drinker) really loved this beer. An overall good beer for its style....Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2010 18:45:00 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Al's of Hampden -served chilled in a tulip.

A - A sunny golden yellow like lemonade w/ slight hazy appearance and thick inch of bone white cap. The beading is tiny and lacing is think and clings in a ring

S - The smell is better than I imagined w/ floral, tropical and citrus elments represented. There is a light herbal-lemongrass aroma which compliments the yeast and also a mild mango/passionfruit scent is there w/ slight pepper tinge

M - The feel is very lively in a good way w/ high carbonation and spritzy effect on the palate w/ mild citrus tang and mild yeasty spice tinges w/ very dry finish which refreshes the palate w/ each sip

T - I was please with the flavor -a taste that is light and tropical w/ slight tinge of lemongrass and herbal complement to the yeast flavor. The wit has a nice light citrus sweetness and subtle dry spice element w/ mild toasted malt flavor. The beer blends all the flavors in a way that is better combined than each individual flavor on its own. I enjoyed the citrus rind flavor combined with the dry finish

D -A beer I consider to be pure refreshment- I was surprised by this but happy w/ how good it was. I could enjoy this for hours and it is clean and refreshing w/out sacrificing flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2010 14:09:18 | More by Slatetank

lstokes

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap in Rehoboth. I'm not usually a big Wit person but this was a fruity and mellow take on the style.

It's pale straw colored, not as hazy or golden as it should be, and the nose is also something of a disappointment, as it's a weak clove and not much else. It picks up citrus flavors (the dried orange is prominent and delicious) and a tangy wheat background in the taste, without really delivering on the spice until the finish, and then it's coriander, not so much cloves. Very light, low-carbonation body--I wasn't in love with this beer, but it's a good refreshing Wit and I'm glad I was able to try it while it was still out.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

09-03-2010 04:13:14 | More by lstokes

drseamus

New York

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap at the Gaithersburg alehouse.

A: Cloudy pale straw colored body, no head. Served in a sniffer.

S: Pretty tight nose. Light spice.

T: Pretty light by any standard which is extremely light by DFH standards. Kind of like a good version of a macro wheat.

M: Very wheaty. Low carbonation.

D: Disappointing for DFH. Decent by other standards.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

08-28-2010 01:34:09 | More by drseamus

therica

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Dogfish Head, Gaithersburg MD.

A real over-the-top version of a Witbier to the max, great.

A= densely cloudy light yellow, little head but slightly more than many Witbier's.

S= bountiful whiffs, Belgian-style malts very evident, the typical coriander, orange, tangerine, lemongrass, spices all nicely balanced and inviting. Slight hay notes.

T= thicker than many good Witbier's, pretty much like the scent indicates, rich Belgian-style malts, coriander, orange, tangerine, lemongrass, spices and a touch of clove, all nicely balanced and enjoyable. Refreshing like a good Witbier should be, and yet full-flavored enough to excite most beer-fanatics and make it noteable above many popular Witbier's.

M= plenty to savor.

D= session if you were in the mood, great with the fried seafood and pizza we were enjoying, and worthy of simply sitting and sipping one to explore with great satisfaction.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

07-10-2010 17:02:27 | More by therica

pwoody11

Delaware

4.53/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Enjoyed at the DFH Brewpub in Rehoboth.

This beer was a nice cloudy and hazy golden color with an equally nice white head with good retention.

Taste was wonderful. Best wit I've had. Very true to style with light coriander and orange going on. Nice crisp beer which is another addition to the great list of session beers I have tried as of late. Looking forward to having it again tonight, especially now that I know proceeds re for a good cause.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

03-13-2010 13:06:54 | More by pwoody11

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's during their DFH Baltimore Beer Week event.

The beer pours a pale gold color with decent head retention and minimal lacing. Don't get a whole lot on the nose, just some light clove and coriander. Flavors replicate the nose with some light sweetness and noticeable wheatiness. Mouthfeel is very light and the beer is fairly refreshing on the palate. Not surprisingly, alcohol is very well disguised, making for decent drinkability.

A nice enough beer, though I wish it had a bit more flavor. Really nothing to get excited about and probably something I would not bother to order again.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

10-17-2009 15:02:54 | More by johnmichaelsen

jgasparine

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Important note: This beer was a collaboration between DFH and Birra del Borgo. A portion of the proceeds go to help 3 Fonteinen brewery, which recently suffered a catastrophic loss. It warms my heart to hear other breweries taking the time and initiative to help a comrade in trouble! Read more about it here: http://www.dogfish.com/community/blogfish/members/sam/namaste.htm

A- Poured from the tap with a thin foamy white head, which quickly receded to edge lacing. The body was a VERY pale yellow (slightly hazy too) with lots of visible carbonation. Not as opaque as I would expect.

S- Nice dry crackerlike nose with prominent corriander notes. There are some restrained aromas of yeast, orange peel and stale hops in there as well... smells like a classic Belgian Wit!

T- Tastes like classic Belgian Wit too... a perfect replicate of the nose. Finish is long and dry with corriander. Side note: I actually was expecting some sort of DFH "twist" in here, but there is none... it simply tastes like a good honest effort to brew true-to-style.

M- Thin body. Thinner than expected. I suppose this was foreshadowed by the extra-pale appearance. The carbonation, however, was just the right amount to compliment everything else going-on here.

D- Goes down very easy... and the lower ABV makes this quite sessionable. Perfect lawnmower beer!

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

10-17-2009 13:45:54 | More by jgasparine