Miles Davis' Bitches Brew - Dogfish Head Brewery

Jonada

New Jersey

4.19/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage. Served in a snifter

Appearance: Pours jet black with 2 fingers of a dark tan, almost brown head. Body is completely opaque.

Smell: Roasted malt, cocoa, light smoke, toffee, molasses.

Taste: Dark chocolate, roasted malt, raisins, honey, earth, light caramel/toffee sweetness, and some slight smokiness. Finish and aftertaste is a nice balance of honey sweetness and roasted coffee bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, high/medium carbonation. Booze is hidden well.

Overall: One of my favorite offerings from Dogfish head. The base beer is solid and the addition of the honey beer really adds to it and helps set it apart from some of the other great imperial stouts out there. Definitely worth picking up a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 03:42:32 | More by Jonada

Auraan

Arizona

4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured a gorgeous deep black with a thin tan head. Looks quite nice. Scents of black coffee, roast malt and some alcohol. Standard for the style. Flavor begins with dark chocolate and black coffee, moving into those same flavors with a bit of added sweetness and ending with all those flavors plus roast malt and an aftertaste that combines roast malt and black coffee. Mouthfeel is thick and heavy bodied with decently high carbonation for the style. Also a sort of woody, drying quality, most likely due to the gesho root. It's a very good imperial stout, but it's not quite the odd take on the style I expected from Dogfish Head. Very good, but very normal, which doesn't mean it's bad. It's an experiment that worked, if it only did produce normal results. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 07:29:36 | More by Auraan

messyhair42

Colorado

4.54/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011 batch, poured into a Boulevard snifter

Pours with three fingers of ridiculously dark brown head that fades into a rim on the interior surface of the glass. no light passes through

Smells amazing, Toffee, roasted malts, lots of chocolate, and a faint smell similar to wood cleaner, though I wouldn't call it a fault, just an very faint character that adds complexity, like the volatile aromas escaping around a campfire

It tastes wonderful, the balance of sweet, roasty and bitter is spot on. as it warms up the roast malt character becomes dominant. finish is dark chocolate and mild smoke

I think it could be slightly more viscous. carbonation is great, lots of small bubbles.

A great beer, I seek this out every time it's released. This is almost 2 years old, I was unsure how this beer would age but it's a definite candidate for aging.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 05:32:59 | More by messyhair42

roundthewaygirls

Virginia

4.59/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

on tap at DFH alehouse in falls church. poured into a 10 oz snifter.

A: black motor oil. exquisite lacing. no head, coffee colored foam around the edges.

S: chocolate, cocoa. coffee. roasted malts. vanilla, molasses sweetness.

T: dark chocolate, coffee. roasted notes, smoke. honey finish. great balance between the sweet and roasty. boozy when it warms.

M: full bodied. smooth going down. slightly dry from the roasted malts, but also sticky sweet.

O: excellent stout. i specifically like the depth of the chocolate flavor. i've had this many times, and plan to seek it out again. would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2013 03:54:35 | More by roundthewaygirls

ToddT

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L- Black liquid with a wisp of a tan head, that leaves no lace on the glass.

S- Strong notes of coffee, caramel, chocolate, a bit of tobacco, and a note of booze.

T- Coffee, and chocolate, raisins, caramel, toffee, molasses, and a bit of alcohol heat. This is one complex beer. The finish is dry with a lingering final note of semisweet chocolate and honey.

M- Thick and heavy with almost no carbonation, there is a nice creamy and silky feel to this one.

O- Truly an outstanding effort, but be careful the 9.0% ABV is well hidden and sneaks up on you.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 02:13:47 | More by ToddT

BeerNotes

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark, dark brown. Opaque. Thin khaki head. Little to no lacing.

S: Raisins. Fig. Smoked malt. Tobacco. Honey.

T: Deep. Dark. Roasty. Smoky. A bit sweet, but really complex. Nice earthy notes.

M: Moderate body. More porter than stout. Coats the tongue. Properly carbed.

O: It’s a really great beer; no doubt about it. Masterfully crafted. Definitely lives up to the hype. It’s tough to drink a lot of, though. Bitches Brew is an assault on the senses. But the warmer it gets, the more the honey comes through, both in flavor and mouthfeel. And I have to be honest, I’m not entirely sure what a gesho root is, or what, exactly, it adds to the beer. I’ll assume most of the earthiness and the hints of bitter are from the gesho. Whatever it’s from, it complements the honey nicely, and adds loads of depth to the imperial stout base.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 18:08:41 | More by BeerNotes

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Jet black with a finger of mocha head. Super thick. Very nice looking stout.

S - Lots of chocolate and dark malts. Some caramel and honey add to the sweet smell. A bit of booziness.

T - Excellent. Tons of chocolate, dark malts, and honey. Hints of pepper, coffee, and roasty malts with a bitter/boozy finish. A lot going on with this one.

M - Thick and rich. Medium carbonation. This is a full bodied stout that goes down very smooth.

This is an excellent imperial stout with a complex blend of flavors. It had been a want for a while and I'm not disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:49:47 | More by RoninTK3

JK4Stout

Virginia

4.21/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Very thick and lingering beer. leaves a little residue around the glass. Maybe from the honey mixed with this gorgeous dark stout.

S: A nice malty freshness...hard to believe a beer I aged for over a year smells fresh, but promise I'm not full of crap.

T: Wow! The end is like spot on imperial stout, but the initial flavor is where this blending shows through. A very nice switch to formally end my winter dependance on hops.

M: Heavy and perfect!

O: I put off buying this for a while...not sure why. Then after I did I kept cellaring and cellaring for longer than I intended...but at the end of our epic jounrey together I can safely say that Bitches Brew is one of my very favorite things by Dogfishhead...and it certainly is a shining example of what DFH is all about!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 23:38:03 | More by JK4Stout

outdoor7or24

Georgia

3.66/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml poured into sniffer glass, bottle purchased 5 months ago, review 3-10-2013.
A: pours a dark black, cocoa colored thin foam head that quickly fades to the perimeter, no notable lacing, a little carbonation
S: chocolate, molasses, hops, sight honey aroma, roasted malt, hot spice, boozy
M: medium, buttery feel, slight carbonation
T: chocolate, molasses, roasted malt, hop, pepper, chiles, boozy, bitterness, back to a hot spice finish. I'd agree with mothman comment about the cinnamon taste and bitter finish.
O: this beer is spicy RIS, and limited on the honey, and I'm not sure what the gesho root is supposed to taste like. I'd buy another bottle to age, but would not seek out.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:46:00 | More by outdoor7or24

gabedivision

New York

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750ml bottle to a snifter glass

A- Pours completely jet black, with a 1/4 inch tight bubbled dark brown/coco head that thins out with some visible legs on the sides of the glass

S- Milk chocolate up front, molasses, brown sugar, dark chocolate, roasted bean notes, slight coffee, just big coca on the nose all over this thing, almost like dry chocolate quik powder.

T- Lots of sugar up front, a touch of carbonation opens the taste buds up to a sweet chocolate blast, bold sweetness everywhere, with touches of coffee, roasted malts, and finishes huge with dark chocolate, nice and sweet and bitter. A little bit of alcohol heat on the end just to tame down that bitterness.

M- Full bodied, slighty fizzy medium carbonation, nice sipping beer that finishes dry.

O- Very sweet, chocolate foward ImpStout, very enjoyable, lots of chocolate and lots of sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 03:23:17 | More by gabedivision

Odysseyalien

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I don't know why but the only Dogfish Head brew that I really like so far is the 120 and I've tried a number of them. I went into this one with an open mind but just couldn't finish the glass I had poured. For the calories and alcohol, there are tastier options out there for this style of beer. I poured the rest down the sink.

Maybe this just isn't my style but that's a tough call considering of the half dozen or more Dogfish Head beers I've tried, I only like the 120.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:40:39 | More by Odysseyalien

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in about a one-finger, dark mocha colored head. Overtime the head dissipated to a collar and left a pretty good lacing. The beer poured very syrupy, and it was a deep rich mahogany and absolutely opaque.

S: The aroma was dark unsweetened chocolate, honey, toasted barley, prunes and currants, and just a bit of sweet malt, too. It was a very complex aroma.

T: The taste began with a dark roasted malt and honey sweetness and then a mild earthy and peaty bitterness joined in that was just enough to provide a little balance and take the edge off the sweetness. Underneath these main flavors there were also hints of prunes, currants, toasted barley, and unsweetened chocolate.

M: The body was heavy, smooth and full. And, there was only a small amount of carbonation.

O: This was a winner. There was plenty of hype around this beer. For me, it really measured up. This one really hits the “wow” category. For fans of sweeter beers this one goes way beyond a “must try.” What really makes this beer different is how the gesho’s mild earthy and peat-like bitterness fit very well with the sweet malt and honey. The gesho does only enough to keep the sweetness from going over the top, but still allows all of the flavors come through bright and clear.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 08:45:11 | More by Mertzy81

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

On tap at Tavern on Liverty in PA...
Bitches Brew is midnight-black in color, with a thin tan ring topping it off. Some points are being deducted here, due to the size of the head and its minimal lacing on the glass. With the aroma, on one hand I am getting nice, roasted malts, and on the other, an intriguing presence similar to bittersweet apple cider. Very interesting... After one sip, the taste confirmed this, but the bitterness in that cider aspect was intensified compared to the aroma, and it was more like apple cider vinegar. Not at all unpleasant, though. Some vanilla bean and a very dark clover honey, or molasses flavors are in there as well. The mouth feel was very full, and the finish ended sweetly. A uniquely Dogfish Head style creation - definitely a 'must try' if you are a fan. Don't hesitate to order if you are a general stout fan either!

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2013 17:54:10 | More by Neorebel

watsonmd

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle, stamped 2012A 10 20
Poured in to snifter

A: Dark, black, nice dark brown head that dissipated into a thin lacy rim.

S: typical stout notes of coffee, cocoa/chocolate.

T: Simple, not overpowering. Slight bitterness to it not found in most Imperial Stouts.

M: Too thin for my preference. Combining the thinness, bitterness, and lively carbonation, was to "bright" for what I was expecting.

O: Not a bad beer, but in comparison to the other IS/RIS I have had of late, this was not a top tier performer. May pick up another and give it a year, but I don't; have high hopes for it. I know I must be wrong, since the rest of the BA and the Bros have it at 94/95.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 16:03:36 | More by watsonmd

vic21234

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml poured into a snifter. Bottled on date says 2010 2B, this is from the first release.

A- Pours black with a nice looking half fingers worth of dark khaki/ light brown head that fades slowly and forms some froth along the sides of the glass.

S- Notes of chocolate and coffee dominate the aroma, nothing more really no note here.

T- The smell carries over into the taste. Notes of chocolate and dark fruits seem to be most prevalent in the taste. A mild hop bittering comes forth in the back of the taste. No honey notes at all for me.

M- Thick, chewy, nice carbonation for a stout. A good beer to sip.

This is a nice stout for sure, and still holding strong after 2.5 years of aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 23:50:30 | More by vic21234

Cee-Poe

Wisconsin

4.64/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottled Feb 2012, 750ml

A-- Beer pours a rich brown/black with a finger of head that recedes into a nice lace after a short time

S-- Roasted malts do not show any acrid qualities on the nose and present themselves in a very rounded manner. In other words, it smells like semi-sweet chocolate chips.

T-- No astringent qualities for this beer. In all, it tastes very much like flour-less chocolate cake.

M-- Although slightly thin, the beer lingers on the pallet quite nicely.

O-- I wish I would have gotten more of these 750s. It is one of the finest stouts (imperial or otherwise) I've ever had. My drinking buddy would agree with my assessment.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 03:52:34 | More by Cee-Poe

keithmurray

Louisiana

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Bottled on 2012A, which I take to mean bottled in january of 2012

Appearance - Dark brown with a mocha colored head, lacing sticks to the glass

Smell - roasted coffee bean, dark chocolate, hint of honey

Taste - dark chocolate, coffee, toffee, mocha, honey lingers after all of the other guests have left

Mouthfeel - solid body on this, the body lets you know you are drinking something hearty, medium level of carbonation, smooth on the way down, flavors are balanced

Overall - I wasn't sure if this was going to live up to the hype, but this doesn't disappoint. As a fan of Miles Davis, I am glad that something associated with his name lives up to the standard. Recommended stout

Price Point - $8.99/25.4oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 21:47:49 | More by keithmurray

arizcards

Arizona

3.96/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Picked up a 750 ml bottle at Total Wine in mid-December for $11.99. Bottle stamp indicates 2012B - not sure what that means.

Beer poured black as night with a pretty good head on the initial pour but disapated quickly.

Nose is mocha and dark cocoa.

Taste is similar to the nose, dark roasted malts dominate with a nice accent from the mocha and dark cocoa, Hops are light resulting in a slightly sweet brew.

Mouthfeel is pretty smooth but the body is lighter than hoped..

Overall this is a tasty solid brew, nothing spectacular but certainly enjoyable. Given the price tag i doubt i will purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:59:55 | More by arizcards

Brewster40

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle says bottled on 2012A 18-19

A - Dark, dark, dark, with a dense 1/4 inch deep brown head after a medium pour. A 200 lumen flashlight would not penetrate the width of a founders snifter. The head drops to a lingering froth that does not go away.

S - slightly sweet and pleasant, but overall not as bold as the appearance would suggest.

T - Malty, and sweeter then I was expecting. Not sweet, but sweeter. Coffee and chocolate and toffee all blend together so that none are prominent. Balanced.

M - Medium bodied. Leaves a nice coating on the tongue that (thankfully) does not go away.

O - I respect dogfish head for their creativity and some classic, really awesome brews. Occasionally some of their stuff leaves me expecting more. This brew was not one of them. I will buy it again and hang on to it to try it with some age.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:35:08 | More by Brewster40

Cubatobaco

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A wonderful beer, limited in its release. Dark traits accompany this stout, but the flavors shine through remarkably. Roasted coffee beans, malt, toffee, and dark chocolate weigh heavily on the palate. Acidic, with a finish that lasts for 45+ seconds, the refreshing quality of this beer is one to long for. RH 95 (2012 release)

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:59:58 | More by Cubatobaco

KingSlayer

Mexico

3.58/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

bomber bottle poured into a snifter.
poured a jet black untranslucent liquid, 3 fingers dark tan dense persistent head, medium lacing but doesnt cling at all to the glass wall.
nose isnt impressive, and honestly expected a lot more, aromas composed mainly of alcohol, coffee, dark fruits, vainilla and a weird unknown faint scent to me, guess its the gesha root.
the foam tastes a blood like metallic, the brew itself again its not impressive, i expected a lot more intense & complex flavors. tastes a bit like bittersweet coffee, vainilla, faint chocolate undertones, and again the unknown licorish like (gesha?) flavor. alcohol is definitely present, aftertaste is a bit like coffee flavored milk chocolate.
medium to full body, decent carbonation.
overall a watered imperial stout, at least for my taste. nose, palate and body left me unimpressed, came with high expectations and they were definitely not met. its an OK brew, but nothing special. I still enjoyed sipping it though. way too overpriced in my region.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 08:15:16 | More by KingSlayer

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2012 bottling poured into a Dogfish Head snifter. The pour is a nice opaque black with a proper 2 fingers of well-sustained khaki head with minimal lacing. Very earthy nose. Some dry hop notes like an Irish-style stout, but some nice dark chocolate notes as well.

Medium to full body. Feel is firm, but this style demands firmer. Faint bitterness meets nice roasty notes and some malty sweetness up front. I'm not sure what kind of flavor the gesho root contributes, but I think it's the ginger-licorice-molasses note. I definitely think I pick up the honey about 3/4 of the way across the palate. It joins seamlessly with the other flavors. Finish is very tasty and there is a slight hint of booziness. A very drinkable beer.

The flavor is good for a stout, but not necessarily one in this price range. It kind of reminds me of Green Flash Double Stout (which is also good), only more spicy and porter-like. Is it over-priced? A bit, but I think the distinct flavor and the lovely art on the bottle is worth an extra smacker or two. I think it's a delicious beer that I wish was a little sweeter and a little creamier on the palate. Definitely suggested.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:10:25 | More by deadonhisfeet

Immortale25

Florida

4.46/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter. No readable freshness date.

A- Pours an ominously opaque black color with a 3/4 inch dark brown head that retains a bit before popping away to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a mostly full sheet of surface foam. Solid ring of jagged lacing.

S- Dark roast but with a sweet and creamy aspect. Notes of milk chocolate and a bit of coffee. Also slightly nutty. Alcohol fume is caught in the very back.

T- Smooth delivery of dark chocolate, vanilla and a subtle but powerful roastiness. Alcohol is very well subdued. Plenty of sweetness from the honey is a plus.

M- Chewy, creamy and robust. Medium carbonation gives the feel a bit more tightness and snap to balance the viscosity.

O- I almost forgot just how amazing this beer is. Dogfish may have their duds, but this certainly isn't one of them. Highly quaffable, and thus dangerous due to the high ABV like many of DFH's brews.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 01:42:45 | More by Immortale25

Braber

Illinois

3.64/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

(aged 2 years)

A: Very black/opaque with a thin mocha colored head. Poured straight into bottom of glass.

S: Getting variations of all dark fruits....figs, raisin, plum. A bit of molasses rounds out the nose along with subtle spices and wine like characters.

T: Nice roasty and chocolaty flavors start out like most stouts do. Flavor follow similarly to the nose with fig, raisin, and plum characters but the honey eventually takes over. The honey offers great complexity and mild tartness with chardonnay qualities amidst all of the wonderful flavors of a stout.

M: Medium/Full mouthfeel with sufficient carbonation. Finishes dry.

O: One of the more complex and fun beers I've tried in a long time. Not sure I'd replace this with all imperial stouts but this beer will definitely liven up your palate and offer some tastes that are unique to the beer world.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 17:54:17 | More by Braber

nsh221

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep, dark brown, coating the glass. Small tan to light brown head and excellent lacing

S: Super rich and sweet malts. A little chocolate and alcohol. Also some mysterious floral aromas.

T: Smooth, rich roasted malt. More chocolate - at moments sweet and then more smokey. I get tiny bits of coffee, anise and other classic big stout flavors.

M: Mouth-coating but not sticky. It really allows you to get all the flavors in every sip, but not to linger overly long. Smooth and well moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:30:56 | More by nsh221