Robert Johnson's Hellhound On My Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.94/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a lightly hazed golden-orange colored brew with a one finger white head. The head persists fairly well fading over time to leave a good level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is very citrusy with lots of grapefruit and orange peel. Along with these more bitter citrus smells are notes of some light caramel sweetness as well as hints of bready malts, some candied like sugar aromas, as well as a little bit of an herbal hop smell.

Taste – The taste begins slightly sweeter with caramel and a sugared orange peel taste. While it starts sweeter there is certainly a presence of some nice grapefruit and herbal hop flavors upfront. As the taste advances the sugar dries some while some malt flavors of biscuit and a bit of a bready taste come to the tongue. All the while the bitter hoppiness of the brew gets stronger with an alcohol taste working its way onto the tongue. More grapefruit and lemon hop with a nice dose of an herbal hop taste mix with the malt and caramel to in the end leave a moderately citrus, bitter, but somewhat smoother taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew was on the medium to slightly lower side in terms of thickness for a brew of 10 % abv with a carbonation level that was just above normal. The two characteristics of the brew gave it a more crisp feel and helped make very drinkable.

Overall – A smoother and rather easy drinking hopped brew with nice transitions between a sweetness upfront to a nice citrus hop base mixed with a little bit of boozy flavors and a decent malt backbone in the end. Quite tasty and rather easy drinking even at 10 % abv.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 00:48:37 | More by Darkmagus82

WesWes

New York

4.16/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy amber color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a sweet pale and crystal malt scent along with a light bready character. The hop aroma is well pronounced and provides piney hop presence. The lemon zest is faint at best, but does add some extra complexity. The taste is good as well. It has a smooth, malty flavor that's sweet up front and finishes warm and bread-like. It's hoppy, but more balanced than anything else. The lemon flavor shows up in the finish and plays well off the hops. The mouthfeel is fine. It's a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This a terrific beer and an excellent tribute to Robert Johnson. I'm not sure he would like it, but I do.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 20:04:56 | More by WesWes

crudalerealtygro

Rhode Island

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A- Pours a hazy golden color bordering on light amber, with a 2 finger white head, steady lacing and a good amount of visible carbonation

S-Lemon is detectable as well as a slight grapefruit and possibly mango? Also a bready/ malty scent

T- The alcohol is noted both in front and in back. Again, maltiness comes through more than you'd expect. Grapefruit plays out over any lemon in my opinion. The bitterness and high alcohol content is noted more than anything, to its detriment

M-Carbonation abounds. Dry, slightly bitter and heavy on the alcohol

O- A bit dissapointing based on Dogfishhead's description. A quality pour but not something I would actively seek out.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 21:05:23 | More by crudalerealtygro

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into DFH ale glass

A- Was poured pretty roughly into the glass giving it a huge dense three finger off white head. Leaves nice lacing as it slowly recedes back to the beer. The body is burnt orange with a nice haziness to it.

S-Citrus forward beer for sure. You pick up the lemon but definitely get mango and grapefruit as the overall nose character. Cane sugar is in there as well. Malts are minimal masked by the huge citrus aroma.

T-Malty up front with the rest of the palate being dosed with the hops. Has a nice balance throughout but finishes heavily bitter with the alcohol lingering in the aftertaste. Grapefruit and lemon are the main characters. The malt bill does a nice job to counteract the hops and definitely get those cara malts adding a whole grain bread crust taste.

M-A chewy medium bodied brew. Low on the carbonation which might be good for this beer with such a high IBU.

O-Very enjoyable beer overall. The alcohol comes in at the finish which does not leave the most pleasant aftertaste. Other than that a great beer that I am happy I tried and will pick up again.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:17:22 | More by mikem0487

JaredM

New York

3.35/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: Orange/tangerine look and hazy. Very little carbonation and a bit less of a finger of off white/eggshell head. Great look.

S: Citrus & orange peel forward and getting a bit of the lemon in there too that Dogfish emphasized. Hoppy but not overly hoppy on the smell. Picking up some sweetness from the malts. As it warms up the lemons are becoming more pronounced. Lemon peel.

T: Wow not what I was expecting at all. The hops take a back seat to the malts in this case. This does not taste like it smells at all. I can taste (and feel) all 10.0% of this beer and for me it detracts from the beer. Very malty and lacking in hops. Some bitterness at the end.

M: Medium bodied, good mouthfeel.

O: As a guitar player I was excited for this beer but was disappointed. From their description, the look, and the smell it was presented as a West Coast IPA. I was expecting way more presence from the hops especially considering its 100 IBUs. The 10.0% alcohol on this is real noticeable but maybe they wanted it this way ("Hellhound" theme?). I applaud DF for their experimentation but I'm not sure that this came out as well as some of us would have hoped.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 01:17:46 | More by JaredM

brentk56

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color with a rocky head two fingers tall; splotchy lacing leaves a hellhound of a trail for my ale

Smell: The Centennial hops provide great aromatics here, with a lemon twist; citrus hop dominant, with lemon pith, though there is quite a bit of sugary malt underneath

Taste: Despite the very appealing aromatics, the malts jut forward in the taste profile, bringing a sugary base that is followed by the hoppy bitterness in the mid-palate; the hops are lemony and minty with the lemons adding an extra boost to the bitterness; after the swallow, the 100 IBUs linger though the sweetness does compete

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation; some warmth in the gullet

Overall: I wish there weren't quite so much malt flavor in this and, in addition, a blend of hops might have been a better idea than 100% Centennial; still, this is a decent enough DIPA and I am enjoying the Robert Johnson tunes that I am listening to while I am contemplating the brew

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 18:55:15 | More by brentk56

SlothB77

Virginia

4.09/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

25.4 oz bomber into glass

A: Light copper, orange. Two fingers of cumulonimbus clouds. Soapy.

S: Lemony, orange and sour. Candied fruit.

T: Lemon and orange, sour. Candied fruit and honey. Thick and syrupy. Very pleasant bitter, hoppy finish.

M: Medium-heavy bodied, medium carbonation, medium-high acidity.

O: A very drinkable sour.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-28-2013 23:13:00 | More by SlothB77

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

750mL bottle into tulip. bottled Jan. 2011. kept in cellaring conditions past 2 years. *disclaimer, I bought two of these bottles when Hellhound first came out. I found it too hot and messy fresh, hence me putting one away.

A: hazed. a bright orange/bronze hue. head is slightly off-white and bubbly. retention is good with a thick lace left behind.

S: unfortunately the aroma is a bit oxidized. a minor bit of alcohol heat. sweet. biscuits and a minor caramel.

T: while this brew has mellowed a bit, it is still moderately big. oxidation is there. caramel and a slight lemon tartness. sweet more than bitter at this point. lingering malt flavor.

M: moderate, border lining smooth, carb, medium body in my opinion.

D: and the verdict is...neither. fresh is a bit too raw, aged is a bit to beat up. this brewery makes much better hoppy brews. pass.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 04:26:22 | More by Jimmys

cvm4

Mississippi

3.6/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours a light amber with a golden hue and has a two finger eggshell head.

S - Sweet orange juice with a lemon drop kick. Light malts, hops & breadiness on the back side.

T - Really nondescript at first with just light malts & honey but that develops into a good amount of hop bite with lemon & bitterness in the end.

M - Medium high carbonation, not a heavy body or cloying. Body is almost too light for the style & abv.

O - Well done overall and not overly malted like how I find most DFH beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:08:29 | More by cvm4

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.79/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a cloudy and very dark golden orange color with tangerine edges and a one finger off-white head that quickly settles into a thin ring.  Minimal spotty lacing left behind.

Earthy, floral hop aroma with lots of resinous pine countered by sweet citrus and a strong malt backbone.  Grassy and dank notes follows by lemon juice and  citrus peel.  Carmael malt backbone with some toffee and biscuit character.   Malts are too strong for my liking, overpowering the citrus and hop notes.

Medium bodied and fuller than expected with tight carbonation and a dry, earthy hop presence that provides prominent bitterness which lingers over the citrus notes and caramel malt backbone into a dry finish.  Dank, earthy notes followed by lemon juice, citrus peel orange and grapefruit.  Although there is some citrus sweetness, there's  not enough for my taste.  Really dry and bitter and the malts are too strog for me as well.  Lots of caramel sweetness, nut and toffee.  Abv is very well masked but I'm not a big fan of this combination of flavors.  Some peppery spice as well, maybe coriander or clove but this is very one dimensional and boring.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 02:04:14 | More by corby112

NiceTaps

New Jersey

3.94/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into my Alchemist IPA glass.

A- Slightly hazy copper--orange color with a flufy off-white head. Thare are plenty of bubbles and nice rings of lace.

S- A malty-sweet booze blast with a lemony herbal kick.

T- Citrus hops, boozey malt, lemony.

M- Lots of body, thick and chewy. Booze, hops, lemony citrus finish.

O- How can I go wrong with a brew that honors The great Robert Johnson ( not to mention Blind Lemon Jefferson)? Well, except for the signature DFH booziness, I can't !!! I would not sell my soul for this, but I'd recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:43:36 | More by NiceTaps

ONUMello

Ohio

3.91/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into a tulip
A: Pours a deep orange color with a solid two-finger head that slowly settles and a fair amount of carbonation
S: Very citrusy, a combination of lemon, orange and grapefruit. Herbal under the citrus, and bready under the herbs. Layered.
T: Herbal, with some citrus tones and bread again. Balanced, decent but not impressing me
M: Medium-bodied, crisp, balanced
O: Not over-the-top in any way, just a bold, balanced beer. Given the label I expected a bit more citrus which really only showed itself in a big way on the nose. Solid overall but nothing groundbreaking

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 22:10:26 | More by ONUMello

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours medium orange with a certain visceral thickness that shows a swirl of bubbles. Nice off white head, some lacing.

Nice herbal hop aroma, with some toasted malt.

Bitter and hoppy up front, with more bitter than actual hop. Green-leaf bitterness, brown bread crust, some citric notes, a little acid, some alcohol, though it is well hidden. Finishes bitter and a bit malty.

Medium bodied. Some chew to it.

Aggressive beer with a good transitional range of flavors. Big bottle at 10% will take its toll on you. Glad I tried it; wish I shared it.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 05:40:06 | More by OtherShoe2

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

-Ale brewed with lemons.

A: Rustic bengal tiger orange colored body shows a strong demeanor and pitch of carbonation within. Cream tinted head has a frumpy, cottage cheese like texture and a strong hold at 2 fingers high. Broken ring lacing with low coverage appeal is its calling card.

S: Bright centennial hops are first detected upon uncapping. Grapefruity and lemon tones are there with some crystal malts and oranges.

T: Piney hops and crystal mlats mix with some grapefruit on the opening taste. Dry lemons, with some dominate grassy tones with a moderately strong hop appeal. Dryn on the close, toasted munich and lemon grains with a well hidden alcohol mask. The hops are truely left to shine here.

M: Good vibes of carbonation, malty, dry and toasted feel. Medium body grassy fade.

O: Nicely hopped, nicely balanced and easy to down. Hoppy, toasty grains and grapefruit. Drinks very easy for 10%abv and the hops are appreciable but not overwhelming for said ibus.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 00:24:21 | More by beerthulhu

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

on tap at the brewpub

Pours a lemon golden color with a sugar white head.

Scent of piney grapefruit hops and citrus.

The flavor is honey sweet, but not cloyingly so, with fruity elements like grapes and lemon. The hops are strong and fruity as well.

Medium body with a tingly carbonation on the tongue.

A really solid strong IPA, great taste, goes down easy. DFH always does a good job with this style. Would definitely have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2013 00:16:52 | More by Cylinsier

DrewBest

Massachusetts

4.51/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Big bottle. Shared by a friend who had been hanging onto it for a month or more. Worth the wait!

Poured into DFH tulip glasses. Dark orangey-red; small but firm head of foam on top. Aroma is hop-heavy but very inviting and not overwhelming; the lemon mentioned on the label is noticeable and pleasant.

Taste is surprisingly balanced for a 10% beer. More than other Imperial IPA's I've had recently, this is easy-drinking. The malt balances the gargantuan hops AND the alcohol. If not for the heavy mouthfeel, one might forget about the 100 IBU's and the 10% ABV.

Overall-- balance is impressive: aroma, malt sweetness, hop bitterness and hop finish are in the right proportions.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 14:42:42 | More by DrewBest

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.29/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750ml bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a large foamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick but spotty lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains a lot of fruity citrusness, floral hops and caramelized malts.

T: The taste starts with a strong burst of grassy hops bitterness that quickly fades into a strong fruity citrus sweetness. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy and provides a good balance. There is a mild alcohol sting. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly hoppy.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, strong kick, very good representation of style, this is a very good 2IPA to drink for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:06:17 | More by TheManiacalOne

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.69/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

750ml bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a hazy golden color with a two finger head and excellent lacing.

S: Tons of floral and citrus hops, bready malts, and a hint of lemon zest.

T: Yum!!! Plenty of hops, a nice malt background, and a hint of lemon. Well done!!

M: Medium bodied with decent carbonation.

O: This is a very nice Double IPA from Dogfish Head. I enjoyed it more than most beers I've had recently. I will definitely be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:17:49 | More by nUgZ

BenLikesBeer

California

4.21/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

That lovely golden elixir up there is Dogfish Head's Hellhound, a liquid homage to the legendary blues musician Robert Johnson, and its one of the tastiest, and most interesting, beers I've had recently. The label advertises that it is "brewed with lemons" a somewhat concerning label that beckons thoughts of lemon shandies and cloyingly sweet "summer beers," that you shove a lemon wedge onto, but fortunately that's not even remotely the case.

The head pours thick and the body is ever so slightly cloudy. It's remarkably creamy and swirls in nice layers as you drink. The lemony goodness comes from both lemon zest and centennial hops, a notably citrusy hop and star of the show, as it's the only variety of hop in there. Even better, the lemon here is hardly a gimmick; it is instead a wonderful accent - and while its role is certainly pivotal, it's content to remain in the background of the act, waiting quietly behind the careful balance of mighty malt and hop heft (of which there are a significant amount - the bottle informs you that it hits over 100 IBU in the brewery).

But it is remarkably drinkable given its girth, and the levels of sweetness and bitterness (both kept well in check), complete with the sparkling lemon finish, give the beer and almost tea-like quality. Find this one, for now, or for your summer meals. It's worth a bit of searching.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 16:37:08 | More by BenLikesBeer

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.74/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle.

Pours clear copper with an off-white head of a half inch. A partial skim coat for the duration with a few dots of lacing.

Aromatics lead of with pine, grapefruit, and some sweet malt. Earthy bark and caramel follow through.

Piney, resiny hops ride atop chewy malt with hints of grapefruit and earth on the palate.
A mild, slightly coarse bitterness follows through.

Finishes with a lingering bitterness, pine, and malt.

Tasty enough IIPA, but a bit heavy on the malt and lacking hop complexity and the pungent aromatics of a great IIPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:12:44 | More by brewandbbq

Kromes

Georgia

4.06/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A hazy gold color with a fluffy off-white head....soapy bubbles down the sides of the glass.

A very typical dogfish head aroma. Toasted malts and floral, citrus hop.

Sweet toasted malt up front with a nice citrus hop flavor. The beer then takes a great turn and reveals a sweet meyer lemon flavor. It's an almost seamless transition from the citrus hop to the lingering lemon sweetness.

Medium body, a bit oily and syrupy.

This has just turned into one of my favorite Dogfish Head beers. I am a big lemon fan and this beer perfectly balances the lemon with the malt and hop. It is extremely refreshing and drinkable for such a big beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 01:25:03 | More by Kromes

Gobzilla

California

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: poured a bright golden orange in color with yellow highlights and a half finger of head that left some good lacing sticking to the glass.

S: definitely was able to detect some citrus orange fruit upfront in the aroma with grassy earthy hop notes, a good amount of malty sweetness signs of berry fruit and hints of pineapple.

T: had a decent hop profile consisting of grass, citrus, slight bitter and mild pine flavor alongside orange citrus zest with a good bready malty sweet balance and a touch of pineapple fruit.

M: the brew was medium in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a sweet, piney, grassy, mild hoppy, slightly fruity and bitter finish.

O: I thought it was a decent IPA and was worth the try. Honestly its as good as 120 min

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 10:28:11 | More by Gobzilla

Quackershnoc

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: cloudy, hazy, orange color; white head that goes pretty fast
Aroma: hop kick to the face; orange and lemon; a little boozy; a smidge of pine sneaks in there too
Taste: lemon and orange up front with a little hop; moves into some very nice caramel malt with some excellent sugary sweetness; then every flavor suddenly disappears and you get just blasted with hops; aftertaste is dry as a bone and nothing but hops
Mouthfeel: light and a little airy; carbonated very well
Overall Impression: it's just a hop bomb; very drinkable and smooth; nice flavors that move pretty fluidly; a delightful beer that is definitely worth a try

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 04:09:41 | More by Quackershnoc

JG-90

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

750ml into glass

A - Amber/Orange color with a ton of floating sediment in glass (I love the floaters), Poured a large head (I feel like bombers always pour a larger head). Moderatelacing down glass.

S - Hops and citrus and lemon

T - Very hoppy, lemons, and some grapefruit/orange

M - Medium-Heavy body, moderate carbonation, what I want in a DIPA. Tastes more like 7-8% than 10% which I appreciate.

O - I really enjoyed this beer, maybe more lemony than my taste, especially as it warms (but it is a beer brewed with lemons for Robert Johnson's mentor so I have to respect that). As far as the price tag for the bomber- a little expensive for the beer, but would probably buy again, i wish it came in 4 or 6 packs though.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:01:17 | More by JG-90

Jonada

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark orange in color and fairly hazy, with not much light passing through. Poured about 1 finger of off white head that dissipated quickly, leaving a thin coating that stuck around through the whole glass. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Mango and citrus dominate the smell with some slight sweet maltiness as well. Lemons are slightly detectable in the beginning but become more pronounced as the beer warms.

Taste: Follows the nose. Citrus, pineapple, lemons, mango, slight maltiness to balance things out. Lemons are much more present in the taste than in the aroma. Booziness is detectable as it warms, but is very well hidden for a 10% brew.

Mouthfeel: Lower end of medium carbonation, medium bodied. Bitterness is present but not overwhelming.

Overall: Another solid effort by Dogfish Head. Worth picking up and trying at least once. At the price point, there some better options out there though, so that, and fact that it's only sold in 750ml bottles will probably keep this from being a repeat purchase.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:50:42 | More by Jonada