Namaste - Dogfish Head Brewery

IvoryFoxhole

Virginia

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

25 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

A) moderate power results in 3 finger head, fades slowly leaving some lacing and a little cap. Beer is a pale golden, somewhat cloudy.

S) Picking up some of the key witbier scent - some orange, some coriander, and it wouldn't be Dogfish Head if they didn't throw a curveball with some lemongrass.

T) First taste is the wheat, then the citrus flavors, which the lemongrass seems to win a bit. Very little bitterness, as with most witbiers the hops don't seem to play.

M) Thin and pretty carbonated, a refreshing summer beer. A little bit of a dry finish, but not too much.

O) A nice summer beer - I like slightly bolder flavors, but that's not what a witbier is about and this plays nicely to the style, with the classic Dogfish Head friskiness.

Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 23:14:32 | More by IvoryFoxhole

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

"Namaste, the word kinds sorta means the spirit in me recognizes and celebrates the spirit in you. Namaste the beer kinda sorta means white ale as in wheat and coriander but also means dried orange slices and lemongrass. A refreshing summer thing. Namaste."

Glug, glug, glug goes the beer out of the bottle and into the glass.

Light apricot, pale peach appearance, bountiful head on it, billowy snow drift holding fast atop, bubbly, lace leaving. Mostly clear, with small particles at the bottom, some twisting around throughout the glass. Is this typical of this one, or do I have an older bottle?

Aroma: ah! Zesty, airy, uplifting, sweet, and slightly tart, with the coriander very vivid, and the orange just a little behind. Lemongrass, I don't have a handle on, though I've had my share of Town Hall's various lemongrass brews. I lean into the glass further and plunge my nose straight in …lightly fruity and spicy, and very pretty.

Taste: soft on the palate, with a distinct grassiness. Light bodied, with a constant delivery of light fruit and spice. Slides down and back with minimal effort.

Soft, breezy, and beautiful. Mmmmm. Nice. Namaste.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 09:45:59 | More by feloniousmonk

StoutHunter

Michigan

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

I picked up a bottle of Dogfish Head's Namaste a couple days ago for $9.89 at The Lager Mill. I was looking for a new Witbier to try with some family members who like the style, so lets see how it goes. 2012 vintage. Poured from a brown 750ml bottle into a tulip.

A- The label looks nice and it's pretty eye catching, it poured a nice hazy straw color that took on a slight gold color when held to the light and it had three fingers worth of white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left come nice rings of lacing. This was a very nice looking Witbier,.

S- The aroma starts off with a little bit of grainy wheat that doesn't smell that sweet and is followed by a nice earthy and grassy aroma. Next comes citrus aromas like oranges and lemons with the lemons seeming to stick out the most with a lemongrass like aroma and there was also a really slight banana aroma. Towards the end comes the spices which are mainly clove but there was also some peppery, herbal and coriander like aromas. I liked the aroma of this beer, it was nice and pretty complex.

T- The taste seems to be pretty similar to the aroma and it starts of with some slightly sweet malted wheat flavors followed by some bread like flavors that quickly give way to a good amount of citrus flavors like lemon rind, orange zest, lemon grass, and a very slight bit of banana. After that comes a slight earthy and grassy flavors that's followed by a good amount of spice that aren't overpowering and impart all those nice spices that I picked up in the aroma. There's hardly any bitterness on the finish, with some nice citrus, wheat, and spices on the aftertaste. I liked the flavor of this beer, it was good and it had some nice complexity to it.

M- Very smooth, crisp, refreshing, on the light side of being medium bodied with a higher amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was good and the slightly higher carbonation worked well with this beer, it was pretty refreshing.

Overall I liked this beer and I thought that it was a good and true example of the style, it pretty much had everything that I look for in the style so I wasn't left wanting more, everyone I shared it with liked it. This beer had great drinkability, it was really smooth and refreshing, I could see myself having no problem drinking the whole bottle, a great choice for a warm summer afternoon. What I liked most about this beer was how true to style and complex it was, it wasn't overdone by any means and it had great balance. What I liked least about this beer is that Dogfish Head doesn't put this in 12oz bottles, it seems like the perfect beer for that format, almost $10 dollars for 750ml of a 5% Witbier isn't a great deal. I don't think I would buy this beer again, maybe for a special occasion, but for the price I couldn't justify buying it often. All in all I was impressed with this beer, I was expecting something a little odd and different with this beer, instead I just got a really good tasting Witbier and that's just what I needed, good work guys, this is one solid and good tasting Witbier.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 03:54:07 | More by StoutHunter

mooseo

Pennsylvania

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

750ml bottle poured into tulip. 2012.

A - Light hazy golden yellow with a large creamy head.

S - Very earthy and grassy with lemon, herbal spice, and oranges.

T - Subtle but pleasant flavor of sweet bready malt, lemon citrus, orange peel, and Belgian yeast. Slight hints of clove, coriander, and pepper.

M - Extremely light bodied, crisp, and refreshing. Silky with lots of carbonation.

O - One of the most sessionable witbiers I've had. Taste is subtle and delicate but enjoyable. Just a touch of Belgian yeast. Decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 02:50:08 | More by mooseo

buschbeer

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1 pint 9.4oz bottle
Served in a pilsner glass

A - The body is a hazy straw color. Three fingers of white head leave some decent lacing down the side of the glass.

S - I get citrus on the nose, lemons and oranges.

T - The taste seems to have more of a lemon influence. I get some sourness the more I drink.

M - Medium with a lot of carbonation.

O - I would not say this is my favorite of this style and would not buy a bottle of this again. It's not bad. I just don't think it's worth the dough.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 17:49:16 | More by buschbeer

brotherloco

California

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle. Bottled in 2012. Served in a tulip.

Pours a hazy pale honey-gold with a finger of bright white foam. Settles to a thin pillowy covering. Some nice lacing left in the glass.

Aroma of slightly-sour fruit, lemony citrus, peppery spices. Seems right for a wit style.

Flavor begins with the slight sourness that was picked up in the nose. Followed by some citrus acidity. Finishes with some lemon citrus and bitterness. Overall a very light flavor.

Fairly light bodied with medium, slightly-spritzy carbonation. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 21:10:34 | More by brotherloco

obrike

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a murky dull yellow in my pint glass...decent head that did not last...but pretty agressive lacing. Kinda liked the "yeastie boys" floating around.

Getting alot of typical witbier scents...but nothing out of the ordinary...clove, some banana, peppery spices and a bit of lemon. Wanted more out of this one...

Taste follows...did not pack the punch i wanted. Some lemony freshness and coriander spices, but again, did not bowl me over.

I did like the uber carbonation in this one...pretty refreshing on a hot Texas night. It's quite possible that this style just doesn't do it for me. Similar to a hefe, but felt just a bit off overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 02:09:23 | More by obrike

BeerFan95

New York

2.55/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

750ml bottle

A- Started off with a nice slightly hazy but mostly clear golden color. It gradually got hazier as I disturbed the yeast at the bottom. Ultimately it finished with a mostly cloudy body. It had a white head but it faded away quickly.

S- Mostly a lemongrass note. There was some nice wheat notes and a slight corriander presence at the end. Nice, but soft aromas

T- Somewhat two-dimensional I could get a good sense of the lemongrass and a decent pop from the coriander, but not much else. Wheat notes were very mild and the orange seemed almost non-existent.

M-Smooth and easy to drink. Liked the level of carbonation in it. Overall though it was very light.

O. Nice it had some interesting flavors to it. All of them were a little too mild and not much really stuck with me.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 01:05:18 | More by BeerFan95

kylehay2004

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at the brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, DE

A: thin head on a hazy bright straw colored body. Nice lacing.

S: fruit and very very clean smelling. Wheat and light herbal notes as well.

T: flavor is excellent with wheats, pale malts, lemongrass, ginger and lightly sweet lemon notes in the finish.

M: medium smooth body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: for a style that is usually bland and boring this one stands out as one of the best.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 16:44:14 | More by kylehay2004

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

So, having a coupon for bombers and 750mL bottles at Total Wine led me to this release from Dogfish Head. I don't find the Witbier style to fit my tastes very often, but when I'm in the mood, a good one can be quite nice. My general problem is that they feel too light or the orange and coriander flavors often found in the style don't make it very refreshing. The description for Namaste noted that it was a very refreshing beer, and Dogfish Head is a name I can trust, so I went for it.

It was crisp and light, but unlike some Witbiers, the spices weren't overwhelming. Unfortunately, beyond that it seemed to be a typical Witbier with nothing in particular standing out. Perhaps it's a bit above average though, as I did find it more drinkable than a few I've had recently. I wouldn't pay the usual 8 dollars for a 750mL of this ever, but it wasn't wasted money especially with that coupon.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 05:48:18 | More by TheRealBigC

DavidST

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a goblet, can't read the bottled date. This pours a slightly hazy straw light color with a short lived white head. The smells are of corriander, orange and spices. The feel is medium to light. The taste is okay a little orange and ripe orange bitterness, some lemon grass, pretty light flavors for dogfish head, not their best.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 03:56:08 | More by DavidST

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
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

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 2012 C. Pours very hazy golden amber color with a nice 1-2 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass, with a fair amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big lemon, orange peel, clove, pepper, herbal, coriander, wheat, earth, grass, and yeast spiciness. Very nice and well balanced aromas with good complexity. Very pleasant and enjoyable. Taste of lemon, orange zest, clove, grass, pepper, coriander, wheat, earth, and yeast spices. Light wheat tang on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon, coriander, wheat, clove, pepper, grass, earth, and yeast spices on the finish for a short bit. Fairly dry on the finish as expected. Nice flavor balance and complexity; with a nice level of flavors. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a slightly slick, crisp, and prickly mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with pretty much zero warming noticed at all. Overall this is simply just an excellent witbier. Great flavor balance and complexity; and extremely smooth and crisp to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 06:20:58 | More by superspak

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.2%
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

TX-Badger

Texas

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

An offering from Dogfish Head Brewery, a 750mL bottle poured into a pint/nonic glass.

A - this beer has a very cloudy but bright yellow appearance, with a good amount of off-white head at the top.

S - citrus and lemongrass come through very distinctly.

T - on the palate I mainly get citrus (orange and lemon), a hint of hops, and on the finish there is a ginger like taste left.

M - medium-bodied, a little chewy, almost perfect amount of carbonation.

O - a must try if you like limited release/limited availability beer. This beer is light enough in ABV that it is a very good drinking beer at the end of long hot day. Very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 20:45:00 | More by TX-Badger

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a dirty yellow color ale with a large off-white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of coriander and solid wheat malt with just the right amount of lemongrass is very enticing. Taste is a great mix between some coriander and slightly sweet wheat malt with good notes of lemongrass which really works well into the mix. Body is quite full with good carbonation. Really enjoyed this one with great amount of wheat malt and lemongrass bringing something unique to this mix.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 14:09:29 | More by Phyl21ca

notchucknorris

California

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

A: Pours a cloudy light orange color with a nice two finger white head.

S: Lita of wheat and coriander here. Maybe a touch of lemongrass in the background with some orange.

T: A good amount of orange and coriander with a nice light flavor profile. Some ginger and lemongrass as well. Definitely is under carbonated. Just a hint of carbonation would do this beer wonders.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 23:30:01 | More by notchucknorris

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy pale orange amber. Thin fine white head with little lacing. Aroma is sweet, wheaty with a hint of spice. Taste is light wheat, citrus and multiple spices. A distinct floral taste/aroma; almost too much, but works out fine. My first reaction was "whoa, this is different!". Medium bodied. This is a quite original, light wheat beer that is very refreshing. I'm impressed and will get this every time it is released. Great label too. An unusual white particulate residue at the bottom of the glass.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 03:33:31 | More by LiquidAmber

srandycarter

California

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Clear straw, stark white head, lots of cling lace.

S - Light spices and malt.

T - The spices become much more apparent in taste. Coriander and lemongrass are very noticeable. Malt in middle, and spicy finish.

M - Light bodied, good carb, good balance.

D - Not my favorite, but an interesting beer!

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 02:40:46 | More by srandycarter

UCLABrewN84

California

3.88/5  rDev +1%
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

mactrail

California

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

Pleasant but extremely light-bodied Wit-like beer. Pale, hazy grayish golden in color. Modest foam in the glass, and spritzy mouthfeel.

Light flavors with just a touch of orange. Not much evidence of the lemongrass supposed to be in the brew, but that's probably a good thing. More of a seltzer water taste. Light bit of malt sweetness is the best feature-- sort of a watery Hefeweizen flavor.

Overall it's pretty anemic, though inoffensive in flavor. What's offensive is the price of a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 06:34:36 | More by mactrail

Halcyondays

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle,

A: Pours yellow with a medium white head, good lace and head retention.

S: Orange, pastry bread, some herbal character.

T: Good flavour, more spice-oriented than a lot of wits out there. The lemongrass is hard to find.

M: Light-bodied, with a soft creamy carbonation, refreshing.

O: Definitely over-priced for a witbier, but it's good stuff, another good one from Dogfish Head.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 03:13:00 | More by Halcyondays

thydarkprevails

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle to an English pint glass. Hazy blonde with a thick frothy white head that recedes with nice lacing. Aroma is orange peel, lemon, coriander. Flavor is the same. There’s also pepper in the finish. Thin mouthfeel. Nice summer beer..

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 22:24:33 | More by thydarkprevails

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear golden-yellow with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some good lace.

S - Aroma is full of citrus, orange, and lemon, with some lemongrass, wheat, coriander and other spices, and some wheat.

T - Starts off with some light tart lemon zest, alongside some orange and other citrus flavors and some lemongrass. Through the middle, some wheat comes through alongside some Belgian yeast, coriander, and other spices. The finish is a mix of orange, lemongrass, coriander, and wheat.

M - Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, lightly tart and spicy finish.

D - Very drinkable. Very crisp and refreshing as well. Good mix of being light but full of flavor. Really like the lemongrass and orange flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 05:31:47 | More by ngeunit1

yesyouam

New York

3.68/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dogfish Head Namaste is a cloudy, pale yellow beer with small particles in it. It's topped with a fluffy, bubbly head that has great retention and lacing. It has an overpowering lemongrass aroma. There's a little trace of orange peel and a hint of something beer-like-- maybe wheat. It's light bodied and velvety smooth with a clean, dry finish. It's lightly flavored. It's sort of like lemongrass tea meets a Wit. There's not really any bitterness to speak of. It's perhaps a touch sweet. There isn't much aftertaste. I feel like I would enjoy this much more if I was sipping it outside in some hot weather. It's really mellow and incredibly inoffensive.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 14:06:26 | More by yesyouam