Namaste - Dogfish Head Brewery

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ba Review #192
Served On: 07/22/2012
Glassware: Pint Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Had this on tap last night at the DFH Brewing & Eats - Rehoboth.

Scored this one for free as the server brought be the wrong beer (ordered Theobrama). I'm always up for a free beer!

Look: Had a clear yellow appearance - almost like lemonade. The head was a thin white film. Lacing was sporadic. Carbonation bubbles were minimal.

Smell: A typical Witbier aroma. Peppery coriander, clove, some faint banana. Nothing special was in the nose.

Taste: Again, very typical to the style. The coriander hit first with hints of sweet banana making up the middle. The finish was a long lasting mango or kiwi that faded into a clean aftertaste.

This was a textbook Witbier in my opinion. I would say that Flying Dog's Woody Creek is probably a good comparison here. I've had others that were very similar, but the level of quality is probably what sets this beer apart from the others (plus it was fresh from the brewpub).

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2012 13:05:33 | More by CraftBeerTastic

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

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

On tap at Momos tallahassee, fl.
Poured into pint glass a golden hazey straw with thick head. Pumped to see this on tap.
Smells of wheaty malts and bright citrus.
Taste is great. Citrus malts/wheat and an indian spice...cardamom maybe? Its subtle but very nice balance.
Overall a great whit. Refreshing and tastey without being heavy. Again, awesome job!

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2012 23:06:27 | More by DrinkSlurm

UCLABrewN84

California

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach, CA.

Pours a slightly murky light yellow with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, yeast, and some slight spice aromas. Taste is much the same with a very mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is light, refreshing, and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2012 02:40:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Gaithersburg Alehouse. Served in a snifter.

Appearance: Cloudy hazy golden yellow. No head on top but plenty of lacing noted on the glass as I drank it down.

Smell: Surprisingly not any smell at all. With a good swirl I could just barely make out something, but it was so faint I really couldn’t say what it was.

Taste: Lemony, hint of spices (I’m guessing the coriander) and a good wheat/wit twang. Some piney hops in there towards the end as it warmed up, but not overpowering. Tasty.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, cleanses the palate and typical for a wit.

Overall/Drinkability: Okay. Nicely spiced for a Wit but not the most drinkable wit I’ve ever had. Went well with crab cakes and I would have loved a larger glass, but I would have stopped at one. Lack of aroma disappointing though.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 01:18:06 | More by damndirtyape

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy gold with a compact, clinging white head.

S: Aromas of lemongrass, coriander, and orange peel are strong on the nose. Already, this smells extremely assertive and flavorful compared to most witbiers.

T: Notes of cream, vanilla, coriander, lemongrass, orange peel, and wheat toast gently wash across the palate. The finish is sharp and grainy with wheat, spice, and cream notes.

M: Very light in body, dry, and quite smooth. Carbonation is relatively unobtrusive. On-tap, this feels a bit watery.

O: This is a pretty solid and unique Belgian-style witbier that is likely better from the bottle than the tap. Had this not been so watery, I would have had no trouble giving it a much higher review.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2012 13:47:10 | More by mrfrancis

alexkeil

New York

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've never been disappointed with a DFH beer, and I'm not here, but I don't have much to talk up about this beer either. It is a witbier, its made to style, its refreshing; however, I've come to expect a lot from DFH. I guess I was a little let down that it was just a witbier, there wasn't that layered complexity or interesting ingredient that shined through. Maybe I'm being too hard, it is beer and its very drinkable.

Poured a nice sunny hazy gold with a fizzy white head. There was fair head retention with lasting lacing around the glass. The aroma had lemongrass, citrus and yeast. The flavor was similar to aroma with lemon and yeast, some malt sweetness that complimented the creamy mouthfeel and slight alcohol presence.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 01:02:49 | More by alexkeil

hopking311

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

pours light, hazey gold.. very thin head.. moderate lace.

smells crisp, earthy.

Carbonated well, light body

taste the coriander immediately.. wheaty, earthy

overall.. drinkable when Im in the mood for a light beer.. just not my favorite style.. but good session

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 02:55:31 | More by hopking311

Phelps

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a shaker pint at Flanny's.

Slightly hazed lemonade-yellow. One finger of off-white foam becomes a thick top layer after a minute. Sticky walls of lace.

Bright, pithy aroma. Lots of lemon peel and coriander with some crackers. Nicely floral, with roses and lavender. Maybe even some lilac?

Lemon again in the flavor, blended with tons of coriander. The clean cracker finish is nicely drying. Flash of floral and dried citrus before swallow.

Light, massaging carbonation and a soft fizziness. Light on the palate, as it should be.

Namaste might be the best American-made wit. It’s more citrusy than your average wit, adding to its refreshment and complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 06:33:50 | More by Phelps

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled March 2011
This beer arrives from the tap with a one finger thick, pale, white head (that even leaves some nice lacing on the sides of my glass) that sits on top of a lightly hazed, pale straw-gold colored beer. The aroma smells of watered down orange juice, musty malt, bright slightly earthy coriander (that largely escapes the more herbaceous / earthy notes that coriander can sometimes have). There is quite a bit of pale malt character that contributes an earthy grain and clean cracker like malt character. As my nose gets used to it, I am noticing a fair amount of clove-like phenolics in the finish.

Dry tasting up front, though there is a hint of malt sweetness in the middle and the finish is very dry with some accentuating notes from a carbonic bite, dry citrus zest, pale grain cracker notes and a touch of hop bitterness. Also lingering in the finish is a supporting, slightly grassy, earthy coriander spiciness as well as a touch of fermentation phenolics that provides touches of clove. The coriander all of a sudden got quite distinct with a lemon like character that it can often have; this plays a huge role in the flavor profile in the end, as it warms up even more it becomes even more like coriander taking on that sort of grassy note that coriander has. This is nicely light bodied and refreshing, and it has just enough body to not be watery or overly light.

A pretty nice example of a Wit, the coriander character is actually pretty aggressive, but somehow I am enjoying its presence in this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 22:44:36 | More by Gueuzedude

GeorgieBoy

South Carolina

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

May 2011

The color of morning dew with sunlight reflecting upon it. Nearly transparent but for all the carbonation. Frothy head off the pour with pockets of air despite a seemingly tight bubble formation. Fun to watch collapse.

Smell holds a particular yeastiness that reminds me of a barnyard or wet straw even. Almost like a spectacular mold. Saison-like.

Cut clove in that signature belgian yeast manner makes up the taste. It is spicy up front then flashes to coriander in the back of your mouth. Lemongrass next with a lemon & grapefruit aftertaste.

Balance of spice & sweet makes for a very thirst quenching beverage with an even mouthfeel. With no trace of alcohol & a lack of hop the coriander is featured as it's swallowed before a faint mold creeps into the nasal cavity.

Perfect beer for an afternoon on the porch, taking shelter in the shade. Wish I had purchased 2 growlers instead of 1...

Serving type: growler

07-06-2011 16:26:22 | More by GeorgieBoy

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