Birra Etrusca - Dogfish Head Brewery

tectactoe

Michigan

3.44/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep copper color, maybe some shade of amber. Light, ruby-red notes show up as the light passes through the translucent body. The foamy white head lasts for a few minutes, but then retains as a ring around the glass for the largest portion of the beer. The aroma is very unique - zesty and vibrant; fruity, somewhat tart, berries, wheat, grains, crispy, musky hops. Spices are abundant as well; ginger, coriander, pepper... I know none of these things are listed on the beer, but I really am picking up some ginger. Perhaps from the hodge-podge of stuff thrown into this one?

The flavor is fruit like the aroma leads you to believe; honey-coated cherries, strawberry, pomegranate, raspberries. Unfortunately, there is a bit of an off-flavored, medicinal twang that's coming out and gets stronger as the beer gets warmer. Similar to crushed vitamins, they leave a weird, residual, chalky feeling and taste on the palate. Luckily, however, there are so many other, random flavors going on, that this weird flavor doesn't completely kill the vibe. Tartness shows up about halfway through as it eventually turns into a bitter sweetness. Hop flavors are very slightly floral, but mostly ashy, musty, and dry. Some more ginger and spices in the flavor, but once again, undetectable as to exactly what they are. I don't taste any hazelnut like the label says, but the big wheat backbone is definitely there. This beer reminds me of a weird attempt at a fruity, American-made tripel or BSPA. Carbonated to the brim with a medium body.

I honestly can't decide if I like this beer or not. Some sips were okay. Others were very mediocre. It's definitely unique, and overall - it wasn't bad. It just bounces around the walls a little bit too much. Not really worth the price in my opinion, either.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 18:13:57 | More by tectactoe

ajtorres311

Florida

3/5  rDev -19.6%

05-22-2013 14:51:33 | More by ajtorres311

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +13.9%

05-22-2013 14:03:04 | More by Slatetank

jmccraney

Washington

4/5  rDev +7.2%

05-21-2013 04:35:09 | More by jmccraney

hphilip456

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

05-21-2013 03:14:45 | More by hphilip456

Kreko7

California

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

05-20-2013 21:26:01 | More by Kreko7

HarryStamperRoughNeck

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +34%

05-20-2013 20:10:27 | More by HarryStamperRoughNeck

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.2%

05-19-2013 03:26:33 | More by Phillyz

beernads

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -26.3%

05-18-2013 07:01:35 | More by beernads

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled in late 2012. Pours slightly hazy orange copper color with a 1 finger foamy light khaki head with poor retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap. Minimal glass lacing and a ton of streaming carbonation that keeps the lace cap going. Aromas of apple, pear, raisin, banana, pomegranate, pepper, clove, bubblegum, honey, candi sugar, wheat, bread, floral, herbal, and earthy yeast spiciness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruitiness with malt and spicy yeast esters. Taste of apple, pear, raisin, banana, pomegranate, pepper, clove, bubblegum, wheat, bread, honey, candi sugar, floral, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of light and dark fruits, clove, pepper, bubblegum, honey, floral, herbal, wheat, and earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity flavors with malt and yeast esters; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a slick, lightly syrupy, and moderately crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent excellent ancient ale collaboration. All around nice balance and complexity of malt, fruitiness, and spicy ester flavors; and very smooth to sip on. Really enjoyed this one, as expected.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:21:45 | More by superspak

dan027

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.2%

05-17-2013 02:16:44 | More by dan027

Dcunicelli

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -33%

05-16-2013 21:46:55 | More by Dcunicelli

Zimm

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

05-15-2013 17:41:27 | More by Zimm

Partridge

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

05-14-2013 13:46:19 | More by Partridge

vrbulldog22

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

05-13-2013 18:47:02 | More by vrbulldog22

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -19.6%

05-10-2013 22:57:48 | More by mikeburd1128

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.6%

05-10-2013 17:17:26 | More by twenty5

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

22 ounce bottle - $10.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy, burnt umber-hued body with a very thin, very brief, white head.

Smell: This is your big shot, Etruscans. Tangy, cutting fruit notes with a noted perfumy, redolent floral quality, also some aromatic, savory wood and a fair amount of spice and alcohol. It smells like decorative, small-sized soaps you're not supposed to use in a guest bathroom. Or a candle with a non-specific moniker like "Autumnal Evenings" or "Sargassum's Interlude."

Taste: The tangy, lightly sourish fruitiness is foremost for me, of the added pomegranates and raisins. Honeyish sweetness, but, it's quite short-lived as some joining nutty, spicy, floral tones begin bumbling around the flavor like drunk perverts on a dance floor. Warming, tangy, spiced finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: These droll historical renditions peak my interest every time and always make for a ripping good time. Chateau Jiahu was mighty fun. Didn’t we have one hell of a time with Midas Touch? I know, deep down, a bottle of Theobroma would be the jewel in any serious beer drinker's cellar. Now,

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 18:23:38 | More by ChainGangGuy

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

1.75/5  rDev -53.1%

05-08-2013 02:58:27 | More by tommyguz

dalepryor

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

05-07-2013 21:11:17 | More by dalepryor

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Big Bottled Birra Etrusca Bronze, a ruby brown tinted glowing clear body builds up a nice egg shell white foam head as I pour into my Tripel Karmeliet chalice, fine layered thin streaks of lacing settle to the sides. Aroma has an upfront tart raisin character with pomegranate, nutty earthy tones with a sweet floral honey aspect to it. Pretty awesome historical beers brought back to life with Dogfish Head, Baladin, and Birra del Borgo. It smells like pomegranate honey infused jam on a thick crusted artisan bread, hints of spice are flowing as well. Flavor is upfront sweet and malty with extra sugar additions adding to the flow of sweetness, no real bittering hops that are mentioned on the label, so I'm guessing the earthiness from the Myrrh and Gentian root added to the mix of help balance this one out. Sweet and tart qualities arise from the juicy plump raisin to the tart pomegranates. Definitely a vinous wine like quality even the way the warmth of the 8.5% alcohol hits the gut and the palate, very complex and interesting beer that actually works together quite nicely. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied lighter carbonation than expected working toward the advantage of a pretty drinkable beer. Overall impression is that I like it and I'm glad that the three brewers with the help of a biomolecular archaeologist can put something like this back together from actual ingredients found before vino arrived in Italia.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 17:12:45 | More by WVbeergeek

cvm4

Mississippi

3.49/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a medium amber with an eggshell head.

S - Nutty, grainy, funky and dark sweet fruits.

T - Honey, raisins/pomegranate and slightly sour. There's a herbal & spice element throughout.

M - Medium bodied and somewhat high carbonation. Somewhat cloying.

O - I love the tartness in it, but the overdone spices & slight cloying aspect to this beer is over the top.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:33:26 | More by cvm4

jxc5

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.2%

04-28-2013 19:48:12 | More by jxc5

Jae9979

New York

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

04-27-2013 01:10:29 | More by Jae9979

TwoForty

Florida

5/5  rDev +34%

04-25-2013 00:57:20 | More by TwoForty