Namaste - Dogfish Head Brewery

Richardberg

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - poured into a chilled goblet. Bright straw-yellow, moderate layer of dense fizz around the rim, no lacing.

S - wheat, lemon zest, coriander, grass

T - pretty standard witbier flavor. Nothing to write home about, or worthy of the nifty dogfish artwork & exotic name on the bomber, either, TBH.

M - light body, not much fizz, decently oily for a 5% beer though

D - nice well made wit. Guess I was expecting something more...hoping, even, since wits are not really my thing...but in retrospect it's a pleasant, easy-drinking example of what craft brewing is all about, with no real flaws.

Now where did I put that triple imperial?

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 02:09:31 | More by Richardberg

thebrood1987

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Smells exactly like how I would think Lemongrass smells... it also has that orange and witbier type smell to it. It also has a nice straw like hazy appearance with some sediment in it as the rest of the bottle is poured into the glass. The taste is awesome with that lemon taste and that smooth orange taste that gets bitter at the end of the sip. The bitterness is different than you'd find in most beers because of the orange taste melding together with the lemon taste. The bitterness is like licking the inside skin of an orange I like it. Also has a nice dry wheat backing to finish everything off. Excellent beer... and I was surprised to see the low alcohol content on the bottle making the drinkability awesome. Great summer beer that I hope they keep making. Not to mention I love the name Namaste because its a spiritual word meaning soul. Great name and a great beer especially for a witbier. The best witbier I've tasted hands down!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 22:26:18 | More by thebrood1987

Daktyls

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a nice golden amber with a bit of haze to it. Immediately after the pour you can see a steady stream of bubbles rising to the top which slows as the beer sits. Poured a nice foamy head about 1 finger high which slowly dissipates leaving a nice lacing on the side of the glass

S: Lemongrass and slight citrus is definitely apparent in the first whiff. Some coriander is present along with a distinct witbier wheatiness.

T: Distinctly wheaty followed by tastes of lemon, citrus and an herbal taste that lingers for a while before being replaced by a pleasant citrus-y aftertaste.

M: A nice light bodied beer with a light amount of carbonation that suites the style, and this beer specifically, quite well.

D: Very drinkable, while it isn't one of my most favorite beers, I would probably have another if the other beers available were less desirable.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 21:48:16 | More by Daktyls

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured in to a pint glass

A: This beer pours a hazy straw color yellow with a two finger of bone white head. Head retains nicely, fading to a film that retains throughout and leaves some spots of swirl lacing.

S: Nose is very heavy on wheat at the forefront, orange, and lemon grass.

T: Taste starts with a big dose of lemon grass mingled with flavoring of orange peel. Wheat and yeast take over the middle. Finish has the lemon grass flavoring with perhaps a hint of grapefruit moving in again with a peppery, coriander finish.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, creamy mouth feel that stays coated on the tongue.

D: Goes down easily, nicely balanced, mild kick, nice representation of style. I really enjoy this beer - a little too heavy for summer drinking but on a nice early autumn night, this is really refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 01:32:25 | More by Jayli

mdfb79

New York

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 09/18/10 notes.

a - Pours a murky, bright golden color with one finger of fluffy white head and low carbonation evident.

s - Smells of orange, lemon, citrus fruit, wheat, and spices.

t - Tastes of lemon, wheat, spices, orange peel, and light fruity malts.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

d - A pretty good witbier. Lots of oranges and lemon in the smell and taste. Would definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 00:34:36 | More by mdfb79

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I guess this is one of their MANY summer seasonals. I split this one with my wife:

A: Very light, almost peach colored, cloudy, with about a 1 inch head. Very appropriate for the style.

S: Coriander first, then lemon, orange, and with a hint of pepper. I also detected a very faint grassy sort of aroma.

T: Earthy with a capital "E!" This really didn't even taste like an alcoholic beverage at all, and all of the blended ingredients really work! The coriander really keeps the citrus in check and keeps it from being too "hot."

M: Bubbly, champagne-like, and with a very frothy lacing. Also, the head never subsided throughout the entire session.

D: I really admire the understated nature of this brew. Lots of ingredients are listed, and on the first taste, I was initially let down. After a few more sips, study, and contemplation, the brewers' intention started to hit me in a revelatory way. A great summer Witbier.

My wife hated it of course....just like she does most beer. Oh well....

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 01:43:55 | More by Chaney

hdofu

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a pretty good witbier, that being said appearance and smell aside this beer is nothing extrordinary. The beer pours cloudy gold with a thin off white head. The beer smells intensely of itrus praticularly orange and lemon. The taste is strong of the fruits and coriander, with a wheaty finish. Hals light carbonation, and given the brewer overall it seems light. A perfect sipper for the summer though

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 00:17:29 | More by hdofu

drabmuh

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my DFH signature glass. Beer is yellow and hazy white with a soft thick head of tiny bubbles that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate and steady. It looks great.

Citrusy and bright in the nose. Smells good. Almost hoppy,

Beer is creamy and medium bodied overall. Its nice and clean, bright and citrusy, both my wife and I completely enjoyed this beer. Very excellent.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 01:14:01 | More by drabmuh

mzrebiec

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured a super murky yellowish/light orange. Head was about a half inch and disipates into a thin layer ontop of the beer. The nose is minimal with hints of earthy hay and some lemony scents as well. The beers flavor is well balanced with a good bit of citrus, coriander, and a light belgian yeast spicyness. Medium body that is quite drinkable. not what I expected from DFH, but not a bad beer. Might get another bottle to enjoy some other summer day.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 22:00:55 | More by mzrebiec

larryi86

Delaware

4.47/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter

A- A hazy yellow with and one finger white head.

S- The yeast really stands out right away, with hints of orange peels and lemongrass.

T- Well balanced, hints of the yeast and spices, almost reminds me of a Saison, nice malt backbone, and a refreshing, slightly tart orange orange finish.

M- Light body that fits the taste, smooth, crisp, and refreshing.

D- Very easy to drink whole bottle in one sitting, maybe even 2 or 3, and great for summer. A very nice surprise from DFH being only 5% ABV, since I feel that most of the beers under 6% are not as good as their stronger beers. I would love to see this made more often, maybe even replace Festina Pêche as the summer seasonal. I will be heading back to the liquor store tomorrow to stock up as much as I can.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 00:12:55 | More by larryi86

claspada

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a nice golden color, a bit hazy with a white head that did not last long at all; not a lot of lacing either. Very off for the style but typical of Dogfish Head beers.

The aroma on this beer is great, however, you know it is a Belgian White. The yeast, orange peel, and lemongrass are all pretty evident and are combined superbly.

Taste follows the nose, which is great. There is a nice mix of orange and lemon along with some yeast/wheat. It has a perfect sweetness to it.

Adequate carbonation. Was easy to drink and very refreshing, a great summer beer. Will have to go back and pick up another bottle or two before they run out.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2010 19:54:45 | More by claspada

kels

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +18%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours beautifully. It is a great shade of toasted straw, quite cloudy, with a decently visible amount of carbonation. The initial white foamy head fades from 3 lofty fingers to a well-retained 1 1/2-finger skim. Loads of lace pillows against the sides of the glass.

Smell has great cracked, toasted grain presence and a hint of tart citrus. Not much more, but not much more needed.

Very tasty and refreshing witbier. The grains, spices and hops are blended together in the nicest balance. The grain is deliciously toasty with the slightest heartiness to it. The orange provides both sweetness and bitterness and the lemongrass adds a bit of delicate earthiness. The feel is both bright and refreshing while at the same time being creamy and mouthfilling. Finish is clean and dry with just a bit of sediment laying on the tongue.

Absolutely delicious and highly drinkable beer. Great for any season, but especially perfect now.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 23:39:30 | More by kels

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a Brewer's Art chalice.

Pours a hazed pale golden color with a nice long lasting white head and little lacing. Aroma is very mild, slightly tangy and citrusy with some lemon and fresh cut grass. Flavor starts off initially extremely tangy, exacerbated by overly active carbonation. Middle of the body has some more typical wit characteristics before a strong peppery and lemon grass finish. Mouthfeel is fluffy and medium thick, initially dominated by over active carbonation which distracts from whatever is going on with the flavors. The finish is a little more spicy and peppery than I like and doesn't seem well integrated with the rest of the flavors. A nice, refreshing beer, but not particularly well balanced or pleasing; this is a definite pass for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 19:57:32 | More by yourefragile

geryeb624

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a pint glass.

A- Pours a foggy straw yellow color with bubbly white head, about 2-3 fingers worth.

S- Coriander and spicy Belgian yeast aromas dominate the nose, with some bright fruitiness in the background.

T- Crisp, clean witbier flavor. Spicy and fruity with a wheaty twang at the end. Very little bitterness, with spice and fruit dominating the flavor profile.

M- Smooth and creamy. Not overly carbonated, and rather rich on the tongue.

D- Off the charts, very refreshing wheat beer.

I must say given its status as a Dogfish Head specialty beer I was expecting something a bit more outrageous, but was pleasantly surprised to find a nice, refreshing, balanced witbier. Good for the summer months, though maybe not worth the $9 a bottle. Wouldn't mind seeing this in 6-packs in the future though.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 01:01:47 | More by geryeb624

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I split a large bottle at Little Ortino's in Schwencksville, PA. The beer poured a hazy light gold with a soft white head. The mix of subtle spice dominates the flavor (not in a bad way) while there's a smooth Belgian wheat background. The individual spices don't stand out so much as just melt together from the orange peel, to the coriander, then lemongrass. All in all a tasty beer, near the top of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 02:29:49 | More by tempest

rwinzing

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed from a 750 ml bomber. Poured into tulip style glass

A - Nice straw color, Bright white head held onto the glass nice lacing

S - Smelled of citrus very pleasant aroma

T - very mild hint of the lemongrass but not overpowering, no after taste. Citrus not as strong as in the smell

M - Very nice light mouthfeel what I would expect from the style

D - Very drinkable, summer brew while sitting on the deck with friends

Overall a beer I would drink again. Not what I expect from DFH who are known for their big brews. Nice summer brew to be enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 23:54:38 | More by rwinzing

AleWatcher

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Got this from 2DogBrew-- Thanks Russ! You are a shining example of how to be a good Ba, friend, and person in general. I drank this in my DFH snifter that was part of a birthday present box from Russ (would you expect any less?)

Reviewed from notes:

Pours a tangy looking yellow/golden. I know it is odd to describe a color as "tangy," but when you pour this beer into a glass, you will know just what I mean. It is nice and cloudy-- like a sorbet almost. 2 finger bone-white head with decent retention and surprisingly good lace. I do expect good things from most of DFH efforts, and so far, they are spot on!

Smell is lemony sweetness... a slight grassy note hiding in there among the wheat, coriander, and orange peels. Some grainy note that I can't quite place.

Following the nose, the taste starts out sweet and finishes on that drier, spice note with a myriad of citrus notes in between. Oranges and lemons mostly. Nice and refreshing.

Body is a little thick to me. Isn't bad in any way, just thicker than normal. Carbonation is really nice, and drinkability really high.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 04:47:51 | More by AleWatcher

deapokid

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The low price and interesting artwork inspired me to pick up this new wheat beer from Dogfish Head.

Liquid is vibrantly carbonated with a hazy orange color and rather heavy foam/lacing. It's an exact replication of the Belgian standard and, I must say, my first impression is a good one.

Cornucopia of aromas is rather appealing. There's heavy floral spicing, banana esthers, ground pepper, sweet cream and a doughy wheat aroma. Despite the strength and variety of smells, nothing is overpowering or artificial.

Flavor profile makes the sweetness of clementine and tangerine the focus. The star of the show is backed by pepper, cardamom, milk and a nice bright sweetness to accompany the slight dryness at the end. It's staggering how well all of these flavors work together.

Mouth is very smooth and the sweet burst at the end coats the entire tongue and sticks around to level out the dryness. This combination of sweet and dry makes for a crisp conclusion.

All in all, this is a refreshing and superbly drinkable witbier, displaying the strong qualities of the style, while adding in a few new twists of its own. Boy, I hope this turns into regular release, because it's certainly one of DFH's best.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2010 19:00:56 | More by deapokid

dasenebler

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very light, cloudy orange with a decent, foamy head.

Aroma is full of spices like clove and corainder and also yeasty, bready notes.

This is a very spicy Wit. The coriander and clove notes are very pronounced. The lemongrass is actually quite pleasant and comes through more on the mid-palate/finish. As the beer opens up, fruity and citrusy flavors become apparent, most likely due to the use of dried orange in the recipe. There is a nice bready flavor that underpins the beer and adds to the body, which is light, but creamy and well-carbonated.

This a very quaffable Wit packed with flavor. The spice might be a bit too much, but in the end, I enjoyed this beer. It's very honorable for DFH to sell this beer as a benefit to Drie Fonteinen.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2010 01:58:38 | More by dasenebler

billab914

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into my Southern Tier tulip. Poured a pale and cloudy straw yellowish color. It almost had the color of a pineapple juice or other tropical type drink. It started with a bright white frothy head filling about one inch of the glass. The head faded a bit but left some good lacing as it did.

The aroma shows off a strong lemony citrus flavor. The coriander and lemon grass both come through in the citrus flavors. Wheat and a bit of bready yeast round out the flavors in the nose. Very nice and refreshing aroma to it.

The taste not surprisingly is very citrus forward. Lemon and coriander both are present. Like the nose the wheat and yeast come through as well. Citrus is definitely the featured flavor.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side and carbonation is high. Drinkability is good, especially on this hot day. Very light and refreshing with some great citrus flavors. Very enjoyable beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2010 22:34:59 | More by billab914

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

I missed this guy at the brewpub, but apparently fate intervened to give me a second chance. It pours a cloudy pale straw topped by about two fingers of white sudsy foam. The nose comprises wheat, pepper, coriander, lemon peel, clove, rice cakes, banana, cardamom, and the slightest possible touch of funk (and I use funk in its loosest form). The taste leans heavily on the citrus and wheat, leaving the spicier notes languishing in the fetal position. Actually, to properly describe the situation, the pepper's on Prozac, so it's still dancing about in the finish, as though all of its problems were really gone (how sad, really...). The body is light, with a light carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Overall, a very nice wit. 'Nuff said, baby.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 04:23:49 | More by TMoney2591

zoso1967

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Namaste pours a beautiful, slightly cloudy straw yellow with ample carbonation that produces a soft white head full of tiny bubbles. The head stays around forever and leaves some goopy lace on the sides of the glass. The aroma is sweet with notes of honey, lemon zest, orange, wheat, bready yeast and a touch of white pepper. The flavor is very refined and very tasty with a very sweet, yet also slightly tart wheat malt background. It is lemony and spicy with hints of white pepper and coriander and is very refreshing. It is well balanced and all of the flavors play off of each other very well. For being a fairly sweet beer, it is impressive how thirst quenching it is. It has a fairly light and creamy mouthfeel that has a tart and refreshing finish. Very drinkable and a beer that I am glad came in a large bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 22:04:47 | More by zoso1967

MikeB20

Delaware

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

P: 750ml bottle into a DFH signature glass.

A: A really nice hazy gold color with a huge white head that you have to let settle before pouring the remainder of the glass. The head is really impressive, this is a fun one to pour as it gets reactions from those watching. The lacing is also nice and it sticks around.

S: Lots of wheat with a bit of a citrus finish. The Belgian yeast is also easy to pick up but not as pronounced as most true Belgian styles. A bit of spice as well, in the realm of clove.

T: Some spiciness up front, finishes bitter. Lots of citrus in this one, the lemon taste from the lemongrass adds a really nice refreshing quality to the oveall taste.

M: Light with lots of carbonation.

D: Very drinkable, very refreshing and a fun take on the traditional Witbier. I could easily keep drinking this beer on a nice summer afternoon. A little more citrus to this one than you'd be used to if you were into Wit's. I like it quite a bit but it won't dethrone some of the more faithful styles for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 19:49:54 | More by MikeB20

dahlen22

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I have enjoyed many of what we call summer wheat styles of ale. And while these ales are refreshing, they do lack the ABV that I really look for in a beer. That being said, here is what I think.

Look and aroma were decent. Cloudy yellow with a little bit of head.

The taste is refreshing with lemongrass and the other spices listed on the label.

Overall, easy drinking and better than other commercial domestic summer wheat style ales. It is one of those beers you can drink all night, but not a beer you would drink every night.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2010 20:50:28 | More by dahlen22

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a hazy light golden yellow with a half finger of head that maintains for the entire drink.

Smell: Well I got a good whiff of this as it went up my nose while smelling (that's a first). Strong aroma of coriander, orange, tangerine, lemongrass and some spice.

Taste: Heavy traditional wit flavors of orange, coriander, lemongrass, with a nice mix of funky earth flavors in there. Very tasty brew.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with a semi dry finish.

Drinkability: A very different style from Dogfish. I have a bottle that I want to age a little, but it was enjoyable and I would have again if the opportunity arose.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2010 01:04:44 | More by Axic10