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

ngeunit1

California

4.23/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

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

S - Aroma is a full of citrus and tropical hops with some grapefruit, orange, and lemon, with pine hops and some caramel and lightly bready malts.

T - Starts off with citrus and tropical hops with grapefruit and orange flavors with some lemon peel, bitterness, and some sweet caramel malt. Through the middle, some pine hops and more bitterness comes through alongside some more caramel and lightly bready malts. The finish is a mix of tropical hips with a bit of pine, bitterness, lemon peel, and some sweet malts.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. The lemon adds a nice element to the other citrus hops flavors. The balance is good and the hop profile is nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 06:10:06 | More by ngeunit1

Durge

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A clear amber color with a healthy white foam on top and very nice lacing. The aroma suggests a nice lemony-apricot and herbal hop. There’s a bit of grainy malt included. The flavor brings on more lemony hops and herbal hints over more farmhouse grain. I pick up some very subtle clove/spruce and a notable alcohol presence. The body is medium and a bit cloying with tiny bubbles providing a full, tasteful carbonation. A solid brew but a bit too acrid and lacking in grain sweetness that I would prefer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 03:21:04 | More by Durge

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Well it looks like a DIPA. Hazy orange body with a small head. It smells like Two-hearted. Thats the scary part. Powdery malt backbone that sets the tone. Tastes like Two-Hearted. More like a Double Two-Hearted than The Oracle. The citrus hops fade quickly, leaving the malt backbone exposed. I normally wouldnt complain, but its just becomes this unbalanced powdery sweet thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 01:17:12 | More by VncentLIFE

GPHarris

Alabama

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a - poured a three-fingers thick creamy, tan head into a snifter that left great lacing and sheeting until about 1/3 of the beer was left and it was gone. body was a bright and lively amber.
s - lemons, grass with a hint of sweetness.
t - juicy, lemons, spicy with a hint of sweetness. also a little boozy.
m - creamy and coating.
o - interesting take on a DIPA. enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 14:04:27 | More by GPHarris

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a one finger off-white head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Almost clear amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Light grapefruit nose and flavor is sweet grapefruit and caramel. High ABV is hidden. Decent imperial IPA. Pricey at $14.00 for a 750ml bottle from Tully's Beer and Wine Wells, Me.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 22:29:30 | More by jdhilt

thedoubler55

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Dogfish Tulip glass.

A - A nice hazy orange color, barely able to see through it. A good amount of head at the top(off white), not to much lacing on this one.

S - Lots of citrus notes and lemon up front, a nice amount of hops in the nose.

T - A bit boozy up front with notes of caramel, and lots of lemon I noticed throughout, a very odd taste.

M - Medium bodied with a nice amount of carbonation, slick.

D - Was not to fond of this brew, not what I was expecting from Dogfish, easy drinker though.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 18:37:43 | More by thedoubler55

JayQue

Virginia

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

I purchased this one in fall 2011 Freshness date 2011 102 2 and didn't drink it until today, March 28 2012. Not quite the hop bomb I was expecting, but I let it sit awhile as well. Poured into a pint glass from a 750 ml bottle. Pours a hazy gold/somewhat orangy color with a small white head that fades fast. Nose is not much, some citrus hops, but pretty mild.

Taste is more robust. Citrus hops, heavy on the lemon, some caramel malts (with the hops winning out s far as dominance) and a touch of alcohol. It is bitter, but well mannered with a touch of alcohol burn.

Mouthfeel is rich and crisp. The alcohol adds a little zest and is not a detriment.

All in all a pretty good DIPA, but I probably should have drank it last fall to get the full flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 22:41:08 | More by JayQue

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.48/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter beer glass. Bottled January 2011, served March 24, 2012.

Appearance: Pours a semi-cloudy amber, slightly off-white head came off roughly 1/4" off the body.

Smell: Light barley/yeast, nothing significant that you will not miss.

Taste: This beer explodes heavily complex, so much going on hear that it is moving as fast as a Nascar race in your mouth. Citrus skin, feels of lemon grapefruit slightly bitter. Spicy and a notch sweet, but the sweetness is just a touch.

Mouth: Medium carbonation, you know what???...F'n smooth!

Overall: This is grade "A" beer, yes it lacks aroma but who gives a F*¢k. When you think back and ask yourself how often do you get beer this complex you will not find much else out there. Rare I give a 5 for taste it is definitely worth exploring every cent left in your pocket. I don't look any beer up before I start a review and I had all of this in mind when approaching the blog. I hope you have all enjoyed as much as I have. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 06:35:29 | More by BlurryVisi0n

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Review from 6/2011 notes. Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a clear orange amber, nice three finger, long lasting head and massive lacing. Looks nice. Aroma of citrus, piney and aromatic hops, light sweet malt. Medium bodied. Flavor is somewhat muted. Lemon with a solid malt background. Finish is mild hops, a bit more lemon and a somewhat peppery aftertaste. Not as zesty as the aroma suggested, but nicely made and enjoyable to drink. An interesting variation on a IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 21:42:44 | More by LiquidAmber

kojevergas

California

2.23/5  rDev -43%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a generic pint glass in me friend's gaff in low altitude Orange, California. Reviewed live.

Served a bit warmer than refrigerator cold. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues were anticipated.

A: Pours a 2.5 finger head of fluffy white foam, light cream, good thickness, and great retention for the ABV. Colour is a dark copper. No visible yeast particles.

Sm: Hops - mainly bittering, light caramelized malts, clean malts, and some cream. A mild strength aroma. Not particularly appealing either.

T: Hops - floral more than bittering. Very pleasant fruit esters - I assume passion fruit but lemon comes through. Certainly pleasantly citrusy. Light caramelized malt alongside clean bright malts. The hop bitterness is well disguised. Rings artificial, even a bit syrupy. Not particularly well balanced. Built decently. Very simple compared to how the label describes it.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with not enough coarseness to bring out the flavours. Inadequately carbonated. Doesn't complement the flavours hardly at all.

Dr: Hides its ABV really well. Drinkable but boring and simple. I wouldn't get it again. Not at all worth the price. Another gimmick from Dogfish Head. The taste is quite artificial.

High D+

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 03:17:35 | More by kojevergas

Murrhey

Montana

2.7/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured in a pint glass from a 1 pint 9.4 oz bottle. Reviewed live.

A- Two finger white head with a very long retention. Clear orangeish color with brilliant clarity. Some spotty lacing.

S- Floral hops with sweetness. Warm but very subtle.

T- Hoppy and hides the booze well. Some alcoholic tastes.

M- Very thin mouthfeel. Surprisingly not dry finish.

O- Meh. Not a fan of this DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 03:13:50 | More by Murrhey

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Pours a light fizzy head, hazy golden color.

Nose earthy candy bittering hops, like 90 min, sweet candy syrupy fruit, grassy lemon zest, hint of booze.

Taste semi sweet, golden almost syrupy malts, juicy fruit hops, bit of booze, caramel, candy sugar, bitterness is good, grassy earthy candy hops light citrus candy, orange.

mouth is a bit fuller bodied, good carb, hint of booze.

Overall pretty good, like a 90 min IPA with less malty flavors and a bit kicked up on the hops. Pretty nice, but not sure if it's worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 04:39:56 | More by jlindros

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes on 12/18/11:
Bottle code: 2011 102 2; Poured in a snifter.
Queued up Robert Johnson's "Hellhound On My Trail" among other songs to set the mood.

A - Two inch slightly off-white billowy head with really nice retention; Semi-hazy appearance with a deep, dark burnt orange/amber color; Not too much lacing left behind

S - Nice aroma of wet grapefruit and orange citrusy hops with a good showing of floral notes as well; In addition, notes of sweet candy apple, caramel, lightly toasted bread, and lemon peel come forward

T - Remarkably moderate bitterness for a brew with 100 IBU, which shows itself throughout the taste and into the finish; Although the centennial hops are strong in the smell, they mostly take a backseat in the taste with the strongest showing in the very beginning; The lemon peel steps forward more here, but is more sugary sweet rather than puckering; Lemon fades in the finish with subtle tones of toasted bread and grains; No taste of alcohol here whatsoever

M - Small amounts of carbonation; A notch or two above medium bodied; Smooth mouthfeel with a pretty dry and warming finish

O - This is a very nice beer all around, from the lovely burnt orange/amber color, to the inviting, complex aroma and the equally complex and tasty flavor. This beer is truly unique and not your typical DIPA, but I have come to expect this level of creativity from Dogfish Head. My only critique would be to have the hop flavors step forward a bit more, but even so, I would jump at the chance to try this brew again the next time I come across it.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 18:20:39 | More by TechTriumph

MEsoJD

California

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

[poured into a large generic chalice glass]

I: When I hear Doghouse mentioned, I instantly think hit and miss. This is my sentiment, from my experience with dogfish. These days, I either like or dislike a brew from them. While I was looking for some "Moylans Hopsickle" to satisfy my craving for aggressive hops, I ran into this brew from Dogfish that seems interesting enough. Let's hope, we have a winner here.

B: [10.00% 1 Pint 9.4 fl. oz.] I really like the look of this bottle. Very intriguing art work, and a dedication to a great blues artist. Back story, ingredients (Centennial hops and lemon peel/flesh), bottle date (Oct. 2011) included. I'm willing to make room for this bottle, if I'm satisfied.

A: Dark orange transparent body, resembling a liquor that has little head (extremely fast dissipation), and light lacing.

S: Smells of lemon citrus (more lemon than citrus, if that makes sense), and pine.

T: Lemon throughout, spicy/toasty/biscuity presence, hops are masked, and sweet malt on finish.

M: Slick/oily body, medium bodied, medium carbonation, and apparent unobtrusive alcohol(though it's still a 10% brew so be careful).

O: I think this one of the better dog fish beers I've encountered. I didn't get those crazy hops throughout, but that's ok. Very much enjoyed this brew. I recommend one to try this at least once. Cheers!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:22:21 | More by MEsoJD

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a chalice)

A- This beer pours a crystal clear deep copper color with a strong slow carbonation of microbubbles. There is a bubbly off-white head that is thick and last a good bit.

S- The limey green hops and herbal hop aromas were pretty clean and soft.

T- The lime green biter hops have some cinnamon spice and iced tea character. The perfumed sweetness with some dry caramel malt finish the beer with some sweetness and a slightly pungent bitterness. The fruity notes in the finish are soon overpowered by the growing hop bitterness that dominates the full beer, and lingers after each sip.

M- The medium mouthfeel has no real alcohol heat and a gentle fizz in the finish.

O- For a 100 IBU IPA at 10%ABV this is a light and it is mostly the bitterness that I get, not much character or interest otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 21:04:17 | More by rhoadsrage

Pahn

New York

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into Duvel tulip. Kept refrigerated since the beer's release.

Appearance: Free pour yields a 1 inch frothy offwhite head that dissipates slowly leaving a couple tight rings of lacing. Pours a hazy gold and leaves a few short lasting lacing streaks.

Smell: At first, Centennial hops with some peach and pear highlights. Bit of malt and citrus underneath. Centennials disappear quickly, replaced by some nice flowery aromas. The light fruity pastry and perfumy smells are pleasant, but where did the hops go?

After the first minute or so in the glass, one would be unable to tell what style of beer this is just by smelling--not a good sign for a DIPA. Still, smells good.

Taste: Burnt-biscuit-y malt up front, with some sugar and citrus leading to a hot alcohol finish. Next sip is lemony up front (along with the toasted malt), with some vague hop flavor in the middle. Decent bitterness, but still gives an overall sweet impression (if this really is 100 IBUs, it's a tutorial in how IBUs don't translate into perceived bitterness).

Interesting lemon and fruit up front, but in all the flavor is rather muddled. You might hear someone (e.g. me) talk about a beer having "clean flavor," by which we mean both that the flavor is restrained enough to not be over the top, but also very distinct and identifiable. For example, fresh NEBCO Gold Stock Ale tastes just like the pale malt and German hops used to create it; it's a great balance of its ingredients, cleanly presented in the finished product.

Hellhound On My Ale has the opposite of "clean flavor". There's stuff going on here, but it's profoundly muddled and indistinct. At first, this makes for confusing drinking. Eventually, the flavor sort of morphs into that lovely, estery, deeply alcoholic and perfume-like flavor of 90 minute and Squall IPA--enjoyable, but done better in both of those beers than in this one.

Mouthfeel: Full side of medium bodied. Creamy feel for a DIPA; good carbonation. Should be dryer; feels underattenuated and too sweet. Hot from alcohol. Pleasant bitterness, but a bit overwhelmed by sweetness. Really good elements mixed with sub par.

Overall: While the lack of hop flavor is disappointing, and the advertised lemon isn't making things any more interesting, the beer is ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Even despite its flaws, I have a soft spot for that good-vodka-like flowery complexity of these malty Dogfish Head DIPAs. I would drink Squall or (fresh) 90 Minute literally any time if I could choose between this beer and those, but I did enjoy this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 07:21:06 | More by Pahn

Mantooth

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a Terrapin Brewery pint glass.

A: Crystal clear amber, no haze and a monster sea foam head with light lacing.

S: Citrus, lemon, grass, spices.

T: Odd - booze, malt, hops and loads of lemon.

M: Heavily carbonated & a little oily.

O: I'm not sure what this one is supposed to be all about. It's boozy & full of lemon and an odd group of spices. I'm glad I picked up a bottle but I certainly won't be looking to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 17:33:57 | More by Mantooth

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -32.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Poured a dark amber color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of citrus and hops with weird unrefined grainy notes that are not too pleasant. Taste is a weird mix with off-balance notes of citrus and bitter hops with unrefined notes of grain and the actual lemon notes don’t really bring any additional refinement to this beer. Body is quite full with medium carbonation and no apparent alcohol. This appears to be another one of Dogfish head experiment where they don’t know where to stop.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 18:39:08 | More by Phyl21ca

jsulko

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ML poured into a tulip glass

Golden color with a strong off white head that lingers.

Smell is lemon and spices with malt and hops in the background

Taste is malty with a lemon punch. Hops are present in the bitterness more than the taste.

An interesting brew, one I should have probably had fresher but the lemon seemed to overpower what was probably a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 03:21:07 | More by jsulko

Hophead717

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 24 oz bottle, split with a friend, and poured into DFH Signature Glasses.

A: A dark straw/light golden-brown color with a 1.5 finger head.

S: Lemon upfront with very sweet malt also strongly noticeable. Some citrus notes from the hops as well.

T: Lemon zest leads off, with a strong malt base. Light hops (probably faded by now) are present and are assisted by the citrus-presence from the lemon. Finish is slightly bitter and citrusy.

M: Heavily carbonated and slightly thin.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 07:04:16 | More by Hophead717

SHODriver

California

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a golden orange with a dense and abundant white head
S: Very citrusy with some lemon. A slight twinge of pine, a bit of spicy hop character and a wisp of sweetness on the nose
T: Definite lemon character along with some oily hop flavor, some toasted malt and caramel sweetness. oily hop residue coats the palate and the throat on the way down and dissipates quickly, a little bit of lemon zest on the finish as well
M: Full bodied with slightly prickly carbonation, a little slick on the palate but not bad
O: a nice twist on the style that is delightfully drinkable but the lemon tastes like it might get a bit cloying and overdone toward the tail end of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 05:29:06 | More by SHODriver

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into a Dogfish Head Signature glass.

A - Pours a wonderfully clear, dark amber with a body that is flooded with streams of carbonation. A fluffy and smooth white head quickly caps the beer, maxing at about 2-fingers in height with great retention. The lacing as well is very generous and a mix of large and minuscule bubbles coat the glass.

S - The nose is almost entirely citrus hops, with Centennial hops being the driving force, straight down to even be a little soapy. It's strong at first but noticed it did fall off rather quickly. There is a bit of pine as well and a touch of lemon zest and alcohol.

T - Even before the first sip is completely downed I immediately noticed how much hotter it is that I would've imagined. It definitely doesn't shy away, that's for sure. Additionally, I was surprised at how much the lemon comes through here, as I was expecting it to be completely overshadowed by the hops. Speaking of, they are still here but the citrus stops a little short. It's a tad soapy and bitter in the finish, combined with some alcohol heat and pine.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with high carbonation. This is pretty light for a DIPA of this size which is nice to see, and the carbonation blends the hops and alcohol well. Long finish of lemon, citrus, and bitterness.

D/O - Drinkability is moderate. I can't say I wasn't expecting something a little bit more from this. It's not too bad, but for a special, limited IPA from Dogfish Head, I can't say this is one of my favorites from them

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 22:50:04 | More by nhindian

Stunner97

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- cloudy and murky with amber color thin white lacing, nice bubbles stream,

Smell- nice hoppy nose with slight citrus lemon notes, mostly nice citrus ipa nose

Taste- very beautifully balanced flavor, the lemon seems to really bring out the citrus tones of the hops being used, long finish and really nice balance, i really enjoy the flavor profile of this ipa, beautiful balance and nice finish

Mouthfeel- medium bodied with soft gentle carbonation

Drinkability/overall- highly drinkable with such a beautiful balance a creative beer that I really truely enjoyed, was hoppy but not strongly bitter really like what the lemon did in bring out hop flavor, very nice balance and much enjoyed beer

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 20:53:32 | More by Stunner97

beesy

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a sam adams sensory glass

A - pours a slightly hazy medium orange with a finger and a half light khaki head the diminishes quickly leaving pockets of co2 visible.

S - Hops, some citrus type notes, slighty minty with a very slight note of some caraml malt way in the background.

T - very hop forward with a fairly smooth bitterness. Doesn't seem like the 100 ibus they are claiming. Picking up an unusual flavor on te later palate - maybe some of the lemon coming through. A little boozy, although not hot.

M - a slighty slick, medium bodied beer. Not crisp. A little more body than i prefer in an IPA.

D - somewhat low. Higher ABV and too much body kills this one for me.

Overall, one of the better DFH 750ml bottles out there. I'd like to try this uber fresh on draft some time as I have a feeling my rating would be higher.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 02:10:47 | More by beesy

tlazaroff

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright tropical fruits on the nose! Pineapple, guava, papaya.. very sweet smelling. Also has a hint of booze in the background.

The beer is a gorgeous dark orange color, and perfectly clear with visible carbonation rising to the top due to the etched glassware. The head is a fluffy off-white variety which, to my surprise, sticks around a long long time.

Taste is a HUGE punch of those aforementioned tropical fruits as well as a hint of citrus up front. The mid palate is dominated by a nice fruity, carmelly, toasty, sweetness that lasts through the finish.

Mouthfeel is quite thick, defiantly full bodied, but also finishes somewhat dry. Carbonation is on the low side of the moderate spectrum.

Surprisingly, this beer is super drinkable, and goes down very easily. It doesn't feel like it is 10% ABV at all. Great job overall, delicious IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 03:46:40 | More by tlazaroff