Miles Davis' Bitches Brew - Dogfish Head Brewery

Arinthos

New York

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

A - Pours out black , with a two finger mocha head. The head fades off quickly and leaves some spotty lacing.

S - malt and smokiness i can also smell the seetness of honey.

T - Wow what a suprise it looks like a stout but the first thing that comes to the taste buds is honey and malt it reminds me almost of mead ( because of the honey ) the abv is misleading as its 9% but the alcohol is really not present at all.

M - Smooth is all I can say very drinkable.

D - overall a extremely enjoyable beer I would put this easily in my top 5 but that is my taste. not a everyday beer but maybe for the holidays or a wedding etc. Dogfish head has def outdone themselves on this one kudos.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 22:18:35 | More by Arinthos

ckollias

Maryland

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

Enjoyed this 22oz bomber out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a gorgeous pitch black hue with a thick, dark brown, frothy 2-finger head that lasts forever leaving a partial trail down the glass and ends in a wispy lace.

S: Toasted malts and chocolate aromas fill the nose. Slighlty sweet backbone with hints of caramel, cocoa powder and caramel.

T: Dark rich ale with a generous sweetness with a roasted malt bitterness. Strong chocolate and coffee overtones, with a nice malt background. Slightly hoppy and very smooth.

M: Very strong and boozy. Heavy body and medium-heavy carbonation

O: This is by far the best beer I’ve ever had. Nice and dark, great flavor and aroma, and nicely balanced. I’m a big fan of this brew! I’ve been waited to try this forever and it was well worth the wait!!!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 01:22:24 | More by ckollias

Edwaka01

New York

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

Poured from 750ml into snifter.

A - African midnight motor oil black-hole. Chocolate milk/iron clay deposit brown-red 1 finger head, dissipates slowly leaving thin lacy layer on top.

S - Typical dark roasty malts. Chocolate, coffee bitterness, but with a late finish of sweet raw honey.

T - Same as the taste, but the imperial stoutness and the honeyness blend together more rather than one following the other. Very smooth.

M - Full - not overly heavy. Smooth - but with a tinge of alcohol. Perfect.

O - My only 5 so far. I need more of this. Tried it once at a tasting, and was super impressed, but I only got a lil bit. This 750 is going down easy and I wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 02:48:16 | More by Edwaka01

Remydakine

Florida

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

Out of over 3,000 plus beers this is in my top 10. Have had it dozens of times and both batches. Great robust not too chocolatly front, with a sweet malt N honey mid, and a perfect roast creamy finish. For a beer that has so much going on in variety of malts, hops, and honey, you think it you would over powering or off center....but its smooth and perfect(meaning I would change a thing).

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 06:40:46 | More by Remydakine

DonovanMiske

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

Appearance: Deep dark and muddy thick. The tan head has great fantastic retention which is better than most in the similar category. Lasting, creamy, huge.
Aroma: Classic expectations from the style, roasted coffee, sweet caramel, dark chocolate, blah blah blah. What’s interesting is that you get heavy smoke and the honey is so thick it reminds me of a block of fresh honeycomb. The alcohol is masked by the heavy chocolate.
Flavor: This full bodied brew is deep and complicated. Though creamy it is delicate and though flat it is complicated. I get innumerable roots and heavily intertwined flavors of gesho root (which reminds me ginseng and rutabaga). There are very intense interludes of dark flowers, purple fruit, and raisin followed by a crescendo of pleasant brown sugar & dry spice (never thought I would say that ever).
Overall: This beer is just about perfect. It has a long finish, moderate sweetness, a completely muted acidity, light tannic character and an overall amazing experience. This beer has been in the cellar for a year now it simple got better.
Where should it be placed: This beer is perfect for your cellar, to be drank independently and I would definitely recommend it for a beer list (though it’s extremely seasonal).

Read more – beers to find, restaurant advice, etc…
https://sites.google.com/site/donovanscottmiske/

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 18:23:15 | More by DonovanMiske

notchucknorris

California

4.97/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Purchased at Beverages 4 Less

A: Impossibly dark in color. Almost as dark as The Abyss (but not quite). Impressive.

S: A lot of honey with some coffee and molasses. I picked up a deep earthy smell in this that I loved.

T: Unbelievable. A little milk chocolate sweetness, then some coffee, dark chocolate, a wonderful earthiness and some roasted malt. Leaves a velvety coating in your mouth that makes you never want to drink another beer in your life. One of the best beers I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 18:42:34 | More by notchucknorris

mfunk9786

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The best Dogfish Head brew yet. I really hope this isn't just a one-off, as they should Midas Touch/Palo Santo Marron it and put it into the regular rotation despite it being a special brew.

A: Pours beautifully, the black stream from the bottle is unbelievably smooth and thick-looking, and it sits with a proud mocha head in the glass just daring you to drink it.

S: Smells sweet with definite chocolate and smoke. Sort of mysterious, in that it smells much more candy-like than your average RIS.

T: The taste is just incredible. Sweetness from the honey first, followed by smooth dark chocolate with a bitter finish from the hops, anise character, and the gesho root. It has an earthy character that I've never experienced before in any beer, ever. One of a kind.

M: Extremely smooth and thick with a dry finish. Feels lovely and luscious in the mouth, like the melted chocolate in a waterfall on a wedding reception buffet line.

D: I drank this uncomfortably quickly, and am a little ashamed that between my fiance and I, we finished the 750ml bottle during dinner and now have none in our fridge anymore. I need to rush out tomorrow to get a couple more bottles, because this one is going to go fast and has quite the buzz surrounding it.

Attention Dogfish Head: Just because this beer is out to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Miles Davis' album doesn't mean you should just abandon it now that you've brewed it. It's the perfect imperial stout to have in your lineup and you'd be denying everyone of a lot of beer enjoyment if you give up on it now. One of the best stouts in the world - an instant classic.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 02:19:30 | More by mfunk9786

beergoot

Colorado

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Opaque blackness capped with a thick, chunky light brown head. A very heady roasted, burnt grain, nut, and bread quality to the smell. The taste envelops you in dark goodness: rich, smooth, velvety tastes coat and please the tongue. Roasted grains; bittersweet chocolate, a honey-smoothness (maybe an effect of the gesho?). Very much comes across like a German chocolate cake or a rich, creamy dark fudge.

One of the best beers I've come across. I will track down another bottle or two and keep 'em for some (as yet undetermined) special occasion. A stunning beer...

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 00:13:45 | More by beergoot

bierguru

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - up there with the darkest of dark chocolate color lace keeps fairly well looks like a typical russian imperial stout

S - im guessing that the first smell i get that i cant pin point is the gesho very interesting very odd but not in a bad way you also get a slight roast coffee smell

T - awesome!!!! flavors pop more as well as change as the beer warms up Ive never had gesho before but im thinking there is a strong taste of it as well as honey and as it warms up the gesho fades and a flavor of cuban coffee takes over

M - smooth cuban coffee like

D - i would literally drink this all day its that good

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 04:01:36 | More by bierguru

albertjr21

New York

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Into a small red wine glass, this sits the darkest shade of brown, characteristic to the style, and could be called black. There is a well sustained dark beige head that resembles that of a chocolate milk color.

S: Wondrous aroma of dark chocolate, sweet malt and roasted nut. A very alluring blend that shines through.

M/T: Opens up with a sweet, creamy and just lightly sour feel into a smooth, sweet and earthy dark roasted malt center. A pleasant smokey noted cocoa bean aftertaste. A complex multi-level feel throughout in general.

D: Paired fairly well with rotisserie chicken but I'd love to try this again with a good basic hamburger or even a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Great session ability for a Russian Imperial!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 18:27:26 | More by albertjr21

NWer

Washington

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

What a way to start out Thanksgiving! Been saving this one for the right occasion and that is now.
Pulled from the beer fridge yesterday and allowed to rise to pantry temperature - about 55 degrees. Served in a brandy snifter.
Aroma fills the glass. Smooth for a RIS. Must be the honey.
Mouthfeel is pleasantly sweet. Not at all too much so. Just a great experience.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 20:27:04 | More by NWer

dborginis

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bitches brew.  Thick pour into a brandy snifter, very black.  Cocoa powder colored puff of head.  Smells of rich toasty malts and a bit of booze.  Listening to Pharoah's Dance, track 1 of the Bitches Brew album.  Used to be really into this era/style of jazz, but missed this one.  Great beer, great album...thanks Dogfish!

With every sip, the beer clings to the glass for a good minute.  Thick!  The richness of the roasted malts hits first and hits hard.  A tasty bitterness arts in the mouth, and coats the mouth and lingers.  A sweetness linger as well.  Earthy taste and caramel are a bit more subtle.  Carbonation is perfect.  

Top notch imperial stout, and maybe the most drinkable.  Given that Dogfish's other bottled imperial stout, and other beers tend to be on the extreme side of abv, the 9% abv was appreciated.  Had it on tap on release day and it was excellent as well! Will have to get a few more if I can!!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 03:00:19 | More by dborginis

davednyc

New York

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is one of the finest that I've had recently. This beer poured the darkest brown imaginable. Hints of chocolate and coffee pervade both the smell and the taste.

I had to do a double-take concerning the 9.0% ABV, since this has such a smooth taste. I believe that this is a limited edition, so I'm already planning on running back to the distributor to lay my hands on a few more bottles.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 00:31:59 | More by davednyc

grubas

New York

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

At first it appeared a bit too viscious and sticky for me, as I tend to not like dark beers. The gesho made a clear presence and what I would call a fantastic aftertaste. Several hops lovers did not enjoy this beer, and I would not recommend it to them.

It has a very coffee/chocolaty taste, and was a very heavy beer, but the alcohol was pretty much completely hidden.

I found it very drinkable, and as a fan of Miles Davis found the funkiness of the mouth taste, which was a bit short, but would have been overpowering had it lasted too long, to be fantastic.

I would consider this to be one of my favourite beers ever, as it was complex, subtle, smooth, and mostly fitting of it's name sake. Although a beer that would fit "Pharoah's Dance" would be a bit too much in my opinion.

Also, considering that I have been awaiting a "Bitches Brew" beer, this was not only something I wanted, but a very pleasant and good beer to take the name.

My only complaint would be that the syrupy appearance of the beer was mildly disconcerting at first, but that faded after tasting it.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

12-21-2010 05:39:35 | More by grubas

wikk3d

Connecticut

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My first review on my phone since my laptop died so bare with me.

Appearance: Very dark body pours with a very thin brown head that fades quickly. Not see through.

Aroma: Chocolate, very prevalent, hint of honey. Very strong bitter smell.

Taste: Very strong cocoa flavor, bitter but not overpowering. There's some sweetness that comes through at the end. Vert heavy.

Mouth: Again, this is an extremely heavy beer so the taste lasts for quite some time. It's not bitter to the point that it's unbearable.

Drinkability: I'm glad I got ahold of this beer. It's not too filling, it's just the right amount of chocolate character, and an entire bottle is easily drinkable in one sitting. I'd definitely recommend picking one up.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

01-26-2011 01:37:00 | More by wikk3d

jdb8507

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am normally not a coffee/stout drinker. I do not drink coffee, although I enjoy the smell.

However, if I had to choose a beer to drink for the rest of my life, this would be in my top 3. It has a great flavor, strong, but not overwhelming. It has a coffee nose, a mead body, and a coffee finish. As you drink it, it gets sweeter, but not in a bad way.

I highly enjoyed it, and braved a blizzard to drive over an hour just to try this. If you get the chance to even get a sip, do it.

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

02-01-2011 00:08:28 | More by jdb8507

01001111

California

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Dark chocolate or espresso; a warm, opaque, earthy brown.

S: Burnt cacao nibs with a slight bitter edge.

T: Black coffee, soil, a slight sweetness and bitter vegetation.

M: Velvety and smooth but not as full bodied as the dark appearance indicates.

O: An amazing dark beer with a wonderfully complex flavor. Far more restrained and drinkable than a typical Imperial Stout. A worthwhile tribute to a great album.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

04-01-2012 18:18:56 | More by 01001111

MikeT77

New York

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

This was a Magnum of the August 2010 release poured into 2 of the DFH signature snifter type glasses. I bought this in early August 2010, before the Brewmasters tv show was announced. Glad I bought it when I did, as I went to the DFH Brewpub & Brewery a week laster and they had none for sale. I love all their products, so I had to buy this one.

A: A very dark black-ish color expected of a brew that is 3 parts imperial stout. A think head quickly dissipated into a thin line of tan bubbles.

S: The first smell that comes across is the boozy alcohol aroma, which then leads to a chocolately, coffee smell.

T: Taste is definitely not as strong of alcohol as I had expected, given the smell. A nice, strong coffee/chocolate roasted flavor that reminded me of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. A nice finish that left a delicious roasty taste in my mouth. Very little alcohol aftertaste.

M: Velvety smooth, not too carbonated, but just enough. A nice, roasty flavor rolling across the tongue.

D: Very easy to drink (and easy to overdo it!), as it's smooth and easy on the alcohol taste, surprising for an 9% ABV RIS brew. Very delicious for a cold night!

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

11-28-2010 17:00:09 | More by MikeT77

MVotter

New York

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

A - The Dogfish Head, Bitches Brew RIS pours into a chalice a deep, dark coffee color. The head is tan, about an inch thick.

S - Licorice, coffee, maple sugar, malts.

T - Actually, it's sweetish malts up front (the beer is brewed with honey) and there's a quick transition to coffee. The back has just a perfect amount of hop tang...wow!

M - Moderate to heavy body, with moderate effervescence.

O - Outstanding. I love this brew. I wish that DFH would celebrate Miles' birthday, or the re-release of his albums, or something, with a re-release of this recipe...at LEAST once a year. One of my fave RIS. Celebrate the "Birth Of Cool" ... celebrate the "Birth Of The Blues" ... celebrate the "Birth Of This Brew!"

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

08-23-2011 06:41:52 | More by MVotter

omnigrits

Texas

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

On tap at the Alamo Drafthouse, year-old keg.

A. Jet black and with one of the darkest brown heads I've seen on a beer. The head subsides quickly but there's plenty of lace.

S. Intense aromas of chocolate, coffee and bitter malts. Some sweet fruitiness. Slightly earthy.

T. All of the above and more. The honey comes out more in the flavour than in the smell. There's a smokiness, almost a smoked meat flavour. Umami in a beer? There's a good amount of (not cloying) sweetness up front but the finish is definitely bitter.

M. Full and creamy.

O. I never got a bottle of this, not even sure if we got them in Texas, but I'm very glad to have been able to taste it twice, a year apart. Without a doubt one of the best stouts I've tasted.

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

10-26-2011 22:10:49 | More by omnigrits

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is a cellared bottle from batch 1.

Pours black with a mocha-colored head that’s not large. Minor lacing.

Poured some of it into a tulip and some of it into a large snifter to see if there was difference in aroma. Not a huge difference, but the snifter provided a fuller aroma. I got chocolate, a lot of hickory, some smoke, and a note of molasses.

The flavor provides some chocolate but not as much as I smelled on the nose. The chocolate is mixed well with hickory and slightly bitter espresso. On the back end there’s more of an earthy woods factor and a touch of honey.

Smooth mouthfeel. Silky, maybe from the honey. Not super heavy. Just right.

One of the better RIS I’ve ever had. I would love to get another.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

12-06-2011 14:04:24 | More by jbertsch

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
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

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

dcx10music

New York

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pitch black with minimal mocha-colored head. I held it up to light and couldn't see through it at all.

S - A very nice roasted chocolate smell. Highly pleasing, but doesn't last as long as I would like it to.

T - Superb. The 9% ABV is invisible amidst the strong coffee and roasted chocolate flavors. The more I drink, the more the honey makes itself present.

M - Thick and creamy, very smooth and easy on the palate - perfect for this style of brew.

D - Goes down just as smooth as the initial mouthfeel. Even at 9% ABV I could drink this all night long.

Notes - As a jazz trumpet player I've been looking forward to this ever since I first heard about it. It was absolutely worth the wait. Bravo to DFH for yet another stellar brew.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

09-09-2010 00:28:02 | More by dcx10music

BruceCoo

New York

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured out of 750ml into wine glass (haven't had the denero to fork out for a snifter).

A= Dark complexion, a brown and practically non-existent head. If you came over ya might have thought i was enjoying a port or something of that nature.

S= Tones of chocolate and subtle coffee notes, not too spicy.

T= Swirls of mead and heavy barley hit your tongue. The chocolate and rich tones mellow everything out to the point of utter smoothness.

M= Chilled to approx 40 F, mellow not much carbonation.

D= Rich and deep, as stated, impressively smooth for a 9.0% ABV beverage.

Bought two, saving the next for a rainy day... Cheers

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

09-23-2010 13:41:54 | More by BruceCoo

thebrood1987

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

It smells very roasted with some sweetness in the background. It almost reminds me of the Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale with the way it smells but this has more sweetness in it. The taste is so smooth and rich its ridiculous. Like I said before it has that taste of the Dogfish Head Indian Brown ale but with less carbonation (if any at all) and less hops. You can tell they not only use the hops but something different to give it that different bitter taste on the back end which would be that gesho root. The honey they use in this doesn't so much give it a honey taste but rounds out the beer by making it smooth, thick and silky in texture. Stouts aren't my very favorite but this to me is the 90 minute IPA of stouts. With that higher alcohol content and richer full body taste. I'm really liking this one and haven't found a limited release or year round release from Dogfish Head that I don't like. I usually wouldn't have many of the flavors and ingredients they use in their beer but whenever I have their crazy recipe beers I always end up liking them because of the blend and the way they use them in the beer. This is strongly recommended to anyone that likes Imperial Stouts or wants a full bodied complex high alcohol content beer.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

09-30-2010 00:02:30 | More by thebrood1987