Birra Etrusca - Dogfish Head Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bronze coloured body, no head. Honey smooth, raisiny. FInish is way too banana yeasty. Not super drinkable, glad it was shared out. Honey overruled the hazelnut. On the sweet side.
Thanks, Jon. Middiling mouthfeel, honey booss smoothness. Like a herbal tea with carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:45:56 | More by northyorksammy

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

UCLABrewN84

California

3.64/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Story Tavern in Burbank, CA.

Pours a hazy honey orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, fruit, spice, and herb aromas. Taste is much the same with slightly sour fruit and herbal flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with some interesting aromas and flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 04:19:43 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.09/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dogfish Heads' curriosity has gotten the best of them again. With all the can't-help-themselves attitude, they find creative juices in Italy. Resurrecting ancient ale flavor with the help of Del Borgo an Baladin breweries, a very wine-freindly taste emerges from the ashes.

Bright gold in color, the beer shares tawny copper highlights with peps of amber in its body. A slim stark-white foam tops the beer and reluctantly endures half the session before sucumbing to the honey and herbs underneath.

Highly floral aromas seem vibrant with a bouquet that spans rose pedals, honeysuckle, perfume, fruity, and herbal. Backed with a supple sweet note of honey and grape, the beer takes on mead-like proportions- at least to the nose.

Honey sweetness falls on the mouth with a thin fruity/floral interplay. As the sweetness fades, the fruit and potpourri note remain, reigning in periphreal notes of pepper spice, oak, wine must, and grapes. Rye-like flavors add a peppery earthen zip that evokes impressions of oak-aged chardonnay and sweet riesling. The beer's overall appealing taste is as much of wine as it is of beer.

Medium-light on the palate, the beer is big on flavor but is rather well attenuated, allowing its early creaminess and honey weight to exit early, favoring a florl, spicy finish. Wood-like tannins give the beer as much balance as hops or alcohol.

Etrusca reminds me of Midas' Touch, but with more complex dryness, herbal, mead-like touches. Its heavy wine tilt creates a lot of allure, but also becomes challenging to the taste buds.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 02:46:12 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Birra Etrusca by Dogfish Head in collaboration with Birra del Borgo and Baladin
25.4 oz. bottle, no apparent freshness date

The first thing this beer reminded me of was how much I miss the TV show "Brew Masters" on the Discovery Channel. Damn you, A-B!!!

Imagine this episode: Sam and Dr. Pat meet in Milton (scenes of fermentation vessels), and the Museum of Archeology at Penn (pan across an Egyptian sarcophagus) to discuss their next beer adventure. Dr. Pat grabs his Indiana Jones hat and whip, and they hop a plane to Italy (plane takes off / lands). After a few scenes of their silhouettes as they climb the hills of Tuscany, they start to dig in front of some ruins and find some broken clay pots. They meet up with the boys from Baladin and Borgo, have a few laughs and talk about beer, and then settle down to a huge Italian dinner made by a 104 year old mother who doesn't speak any English (cue pictures of Sam dancing with her at the end of the night, and some of the guests looking a little loopy from too much beer). Return to the U.S., talk about the historic significance of myrrh, brew the beer, show more tanks and bottling - and it's a wrap!

On to the beer... it's bronze in color with a reddish cast beneath a full head of fluffy white. The aroma expresses sweetish, dark caramel accented malt with an undercurrent of spice and a waft of earthiness. It's not bold, but neither is it bland, and the flavor goes the same way - you might expect it to be over-done, but it's actually a very accessible beer. The list of ingredients is as follows: honey, hazelnut flour, heirloom wheat, myrrh, gentian root, raisins, pomegranate juice, and pomegranates (why pomegranates are listed twice I don't know but I'm guessing it has to do with labeling guidelines). The honey is certainly clear, it almost comes through more than the malt. And the raisins are easy to find as well. Right there you've got a pretty good beer as it is, but then you also get a note of the pomegranate in the finish which lends it a light touch of complexity. What about the other ingredients? Well they're there, I just don't recognize them, and I'm guessing neither will you. It's not like we're adding gentian root to our salads, or dusting our morning omelets with myrrh. Both are bitter substances, and given the lack of hop aromas or flavors, I'm guessing that these were what was used to balance the beer in ancient times.

So how to rate this beer? It can only be done hedonistically as it doesn't follow any known style guidelines? Forgetting price, or any other side-factor or variable, and focusing simply on the beer itself, would you drink it again? And how much would you want to drink it again?

Interestingly enough, in the world of beer, wine, and liquor there's not much that reminds me of this as much as Dogfish Head's "Midas Touch" (which is, of course, the first beer that they did with Dr. Pat). There may be some beers that come close, and perhaps there's a bit of a dry red wine to it, but nothing springs to mind. And I liked the "Midas Touch", but I think I like "Birra Etrusca" better. It's lighter in body, less sweet, and softer in character. The alcohol is not as apparent, and overall, it's a much more rounded and polished beer. I thought it looked good, it smelled good, it tasted good, and it was nice in the mouth with the body of a rich wine. I'd very much like to enjoy it again. And I also think it would be a very interesting beer to pair against food.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 15:10:55 | More by NeroFiddled

drabmuh

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

At the time of this review, this is #31 on the "Top Beers - Herbed / Spiced Beer" list on beeradvocate.com. A pathetic list populated with mediocre and undrinkable "beers" such as this one. Served in an Dogfish Head signature glass...it happens. Not a repeat, it was interesting at first but these "ancient" ales are all vinous and sweet without much depth or character, and at best are guesses of what the product tasted like. How about you brew the beer with the appropriate technology as well, then you may have something.

Beer is clear and reddish ruby in color, nice off white head, low retention.

Aroma is sweet, almost cherry, a little peppery.

Beer is vinous and sweet with a woody / pencil shaving aftertaste that is a pretty off putting. I won't have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 18:48:25 | More by drabmuh

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This poured out as a clear looking brownish copper color (Bronze). The beer his a fizzy white head on top that leaves a moderate amount of lacing and some scattered retention on top. The sample I was given at the brewery was mis-labeled. We were told it was this beer but it was actually Theobroma. While at the Brewpub I ordered it again just to make sure and I was right that the guys giving the tour had the list mixed up. So anyway, the beer gives off some spicy herbal notes on the nose along with some sweetness from the honey and malt. The taste of the beer has an interesting mix of flavors ranging from moderate sweet herbal notes to some dry spices in the finish. The mouthfeel was pretty typical for what DfH puts out, it's lighter bodied and drinkable with a subtle carbonation to it. Overall it's a pretty good brew, not my favorite of the Ancient Ales but still not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2012 18:26:15 | More by Knapp85

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

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a two finger white head that vanishes leaving no lace. Crystal clear amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Honey and gentian root nose. Flavor has a lot going on - at least honey, gentian root - reminds me of juniper, higher ABV is hidden. Pricey as usual for DFH at $14.00 for a 750ml bottle from Tully's Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 23:27:15 | More by jdhilt

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a Lodgson goblet. Crystal clear bronzed amber color with a small white head, fizzy but well-retaining, minimal lacing. Herbal aroma, somewhat fruity, actually reminded me a lot of Pez, but in a pleasant way. Taste was a bit grainy, toasty, nutty, with caramel malts and a touch of honey sweetness, bittering pomegranate essence, herbal hops. Kind of similar to Chateau Jiahu, I thought. medium body, fairly dry and woody, lighter carbonation, generally drinkable, but I was definitely glad to have a few people to split the bomber with. The recipe is interesting, and I give general overall points for originality and effort, but unfortunately I don't think this really brings anything new to the table.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 20:30:03 | More by Rifugium

Brad007

Vermont

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful copper color with a thin-head into my glass. I'm not sure what to think of the color but reading the description puzzles me a bit. Time to smell.

A bit funky and fruity with a strong apple and pomegranate essence in the nose. Very similar to the aroma of a wine.

Light, crisp and dry with a wine-like finish. Grape skin comes to mind as a texture. Perhaps a bit of nuttiness too.

Again, mouthfeel finishes fairly dry and leaves nothing but a pleasant reminder of grape.

Very interesting take on an ancient recipe. I give them kudos for once again going against the grain and creating something unique.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:25:13 | More by Brad007

mactrail

California

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

Very attractive brew that is exactly the color of a dark Scotch single malt. Modest head but plenty of carbonation on the tongue. Herbal nose with wintergreen and a hint of Vick's VapoRub.

Somewhat sweet, but not sugary. Such a carnival of flavors it's hard to pick them out. Winey with a touch of bubble gum. A hint of muscat wine along with something mysterious, which may be the myrrh. The gentian root provides the biterness, but it's not overdone. Dark raisiny flavor with the intense aromatics. So much better than the pie spice kind of flavors in the usual horrible pumpkin and inept holiday beers.

Truly strange but quite sippable. It grows on you, and the bitterness comes to be more intriguing than the usual hops. From the 750 ml bottle bought at Whole Foods in San Francisco.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 08:42:16 | More by mactrail

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Initially a 3 finger head which dissipated rapidly with little lacing on a clear copper body. Aroma is dominated by pomegranate with grape, red apple and some generic spice. Flavor also has a lot of similar flavors with pomegranate again dominating with red apple and grapes also again noted. Additional notes include pine resin, honey and herbs. Medium body, fairly oily on the palate and moderate carbonation. Initially this one seemed complex but eventually it became more like a tart fruit juice. Certainly drinkable, almost too sweet. As with the other ancient ales, this one is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 02:13:05 | More by kylehay2004

smakawhat

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into an official Dogfish Head Ale glass.

A gorgeouse red and crystal clear amber, hints of orange (is that BRONZE?!) colors with a giant cauldron of fire carbonation rising in the middle. Head makes an easy three fingers, settles slowly to a simple collar, and a nice puck early on. One great looking beer, the body color is particularly beautiful.

Nose has a good simple sense of honey. Light malts and airy sensations, even some beeswax, hints of fruit apple. Solid, inviting.

Palate hits with a very obvious wine like body. Malt backbone carries some depth, but there is a large apple component to this, but much different from cider, more of an earthy rustic quality. After-finish carries mead like qualities and honey lip smacking coating. Visible carbonation hints at lots of fizzy character but it's not there, this is certainly not seltzery at all, but a light wine like simple depth. There is a good amount of tannic nut and bitterness on the tip of the tongue after the finish. Nice controlled honey sweet profile, and a faint hint of sourness.

Overall this is just a good fun romp, and quite a neat one not unlike Noble Rot. The missing link perhaps between beer and wine? Maybe maybe not, but certainly a lot of fun to be had. Tough to food pair this one though, Sam suggests pasta, but I am just not convinced on that one.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:29:44 | More by smakawhat

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle. Served in a DFH Signature Glass, the beer pours a clear reddish/amber color with about an inch off-white head. Head retention is good, and there's a decent amount of lacing. Aroma is herbal and fruity, the brew smells like pomegranates, grapes, honey, and some peppery spice and herbs. It tastes like grapes/grape skins, honey, pomegranates, herbs, and grainy malt. The fruity taste gets somewhat tart after the brew warms up some. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and a bit slick with good carbonation. I liked this brew, it's certainly worth a try. $11.99 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 23:01:29 | More by bluejacket74

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

ill always like these archeological beers for what they are, but this one was a little strange. apparently predating wine in italy, this beer is a mishmosh of spices and heritage grains that come together in a very unique brew. the pour is fairly clear copper color, maybe a slight redish or purpley tint, with an inch of fading tan foam. the nose is tart, almost sour for a second, with lots of fruit and booze. almost winelike, sort of grapey and tannic. the flavor is also a little fruity. some radically unfamilar malts are in here, not sure what they are, but they are totally new to me. the alcohol is also not covered up to well, and is quite lethal when warm. a funny sort of aftertaste, moderately spiced, but that isnt whats throwing me off. a really hard beer to explain meaningfully because it is one of a kind in so many ways. more fruity than hoppy though, and largely unexplained or accounted for. still, nice medium body and a little flat on the carbonation. glad i dropped the scratch for this beer, as dogfish head always offers something worthwhile, but i have little desire to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 22:18:16 | More by StonedTrippin

champ103

Texas

2.55/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

On tap at Hay Merchant in Houston.

A: Pours a clear amber/red. A one finger white head forms, and fizzles out in a second. Light lace is left behind.
S: The kitchen cabinet. Pepper, other nondescript spice, honey, light fruity flavors. Grainy, sugary, flour, literally powdered flour. No structure, just a mess.
T: Again, a mess. Lets see, black pepper, honey, fruit, corn, sugar, again flour. Like the stuff you cook with. What the hell is this? An aspirin like powdery flavor, I assume more freaking flour...what ever.
M/D: A medium body that is low on the carbonation and thin. Very powdery and chalky. While the alcohol is nowhere to be seen, this is just not something I care to drink.

I am glad I only tried a small snifter, and did not pony up for the ridiculous bomber. An absolute mess, and I have a hard time believing this has any resemblance to any "ancient ale." Just a waist.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2013 02:12:21 | More by champ103

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I love the concept of brewing ancient ales. I am inspired by the innate 'coolness' of the project and the difficulty of finding ingredients and working on the process. However, I also find it very hard to review these experimental beers, mostly because ther is little to compare them to. This beer is a coppery color...very clear, with a quickly disappearing head. Low carbonation. The smel is interesting. Fruit and spice. I didn't pick up an much honey as I expected, but ther is a graininess and a white pepper-like cent. The taste has more fruit than the smell...almost like grape juice. Thinner in body than I thought it would be. Interesting, and drinkable. It's not an everyday beer, though.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 21:46:38 | More by Suds

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Amber-orange with a finger of frothy slightly off-white head. Fades medium.

S - Caramel malts, honey, nuttiness, dark fruits, raisins, pomegranates, Belgian yeast esters, spices, and floral notes.

T - Caramel, honey, dark fruits, raisins, pomegranates, floral notes, Belgian yeast, spices, some resiny flavors, nuttiness, some lemon zest.

M - Medium-plus bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth and a bit syrupy with a sweet, lightly spicy, and lightly floral finish.

D - Very bold and complex but well balanced. Lots of different and interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:12:03 | More by ngeunit1

billab914

Virginia

3.08/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750 ml bottle poured into my Three Floyd's glass. It poured a darker copper color with a thin white lacing scattered across the top of the beer.

Aroma shows a lot of the crisp, tart, apple and grape flavors. It's got a strong herbal presence to it as well with some notes of ginger and peppercorns. The honey becomes more noticeable the more I get into it.

The taste has more of the fruit flavors coming through with apple and grape being the most noticeable. The finish especially leaves a lingering grape juice flavor. The herbal and spice component is a little more reserved in the taste but it still adds some interesting flavors. The honey again becomes more noticeable the more of it I drink.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall, it was a drinkable beer but not one I'd buy again. The grape and apple juice component was interesting and not bad tasting. I thought it actually came together relatively well for all the strange ingredients in it. It felt about as well balanced as it probably could be as well. As interesting and unique as it was, it just wasn't that good overall. Like most Dogfish Ancient Ale experiments, I finished it thinking that wad unique and interesting but I wouldn't want another.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 00:17:21 | More by billab914

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

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a golden amber, moderate froth, quickly gone. Scent brings big floral notes, flowery honey, light herbal quality, some bready yeastyness and spice, sugar and fruit. Taste has a lot going on as well... strong floral, honey, grape notes, moderate sugar, herbal, spice notes, rounded out with a grainy and bready profile. Medium bodied, some prickly carbonation. Overall, impressed with the uniqueness and drinkability of this one, only thing to question is value.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 16:21:11 | More by rfgetz

mdaschaf

Washington

3.34/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Had on tap at DFH. Review from notes.

A: Pours a rather clear ruby/brown color with no real head or lacing.

S: Sugary sweet, lots of honey and raisins. Its rather fruity.

T: Similarly sweet with a big honey flavor going on. There is some grape and raisin that comes in afterwards.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: Kind of what I expected it to be, another ancient ale that I don't really care for.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2013 22:54:36 | More by mdaschaf

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.66/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: 1/4 inch head that fades quickly, high carbonation, light orange-brown in color, clear

Smell: berries, honey, and alcohol

Taste: berries, honey, alcohol, ginger, and other holiday spices

Mouthfeel: medium-light body, sweet with slight bitterness, high carbonation

Overall: Interesting and spicy, but a bit of a disappointment. I think this one would make an excellent Christmas ale, but like many Christmas ales, I prefer them in 12 ounce servings, but whole bombers. I was also hoping for a bit more pomegranate and hazelnut flavors, both of which are hidden behind the spiciness. Glad I tried this, but once is good by me.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 14:18:18 | More by tigg924

prototypic

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Birra Etrusca pours a gold color. It’s crystal clear. Backlighting brightens it up a bit. There is a slight reddish tint to it. It’s subtle. Looks good though. It’s topped with a white head that rises to about a finger or so in height. It’s rather quick to recede. Lacing was non-existent. That’s a bit disappointing. Color looks pretty good though.

The nose is alright. It’s a bit weak and could use more strength. It kicks off with strong earthy and grainy notes. They’re prominent throughout. It smells a lit sweet and sugary. Fruit notes are apparent. Smells like berries, but I assume it’s the pomegranates. It does feature some interesting floral and herbal notes. They’re a decent complement to the other scents, but I wouldn’t say great. Alcohol is there. Not too strong, but it’s there. Not bad. More strength would be better.

The flavor is pretty good. It is earthy and grainy up front. Those flavors resonate throughout each sip. A mix of fruity, floral, and herbal flavors follows. The fruit flavor tastes like berries. It’s not all that strong. That’s a good thing here. It is sweet, a bit sugary. The floral and herbal notes are alright. They add some depth, but don’t taste great. Honey is definitely in the mix and adds a nice flavor. Nice complement to the other flavors. Alcohol is a little noticeable, but blends fairly well. Finishes earthy, sweet, and a little floral.

The body is on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is light and soft for the most part. Feels a bit thin though. Either more body or more carbonation would help. Either way.

Birra Etrusca is nothing short of interesting. In terms of beer, it’s alright. Not bad. I do think the mix of sweet and floral flavors is just okay. More body or bubbles would help too. I’m not particular on which. It’s interesting, worth checking out. It’s another in Dogfish’s growing line of trailblazing beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 03:12:49 | More by prototypic