The Dogfather - Laughing Dog Brewing

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #52 (May 2011):

Blackness almost intimidates ... almost. Light brown, tiny-bubbled lacing is quite the sight as it creeps down the glass. Sweet aroma with a big notes of burnt sugar, coffee, warming alcohol and dark chocolate ... nearly cordial like. Thick, nearly syrupy full body pulls a smoothness along. Very sweet with a hefty but mellow kick of booze. Roasted character smacks of Stout, and saves ale from being completely smothered by sweetness; charcoal and espresso come to mind. Charred currants and elderberries come from the fruity alcohol, but all is still surrounded by char. For its size, it’s still quite drinkable, a sipper ... a sleeper that awakens when it hits cellar temperature as the complexities unfold.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 14:30:07 | More by BeerAdvocate

RichardMNixon

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-13-2013 15:35:05 | More by RichardMNixon

Zimm

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

05-13-2013 00:23:01 | More by Zimm

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-04-2013 23:29:55 | More by Kelp

KevinGordon

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

04-29-2013 03:06:56 | More by KevinGordon

zac16125

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle into a snifter

Thanks to my girlfriend (who always checks BA ratings before buying me beers) for picking this one for me. She doesnt read my BA reviews (or at least I do think so), but Ill give credit where credit is due anyways!

A: Pours an opaque jet black with 1 fingers width of dense mocha colored head. Pretty good retention. Leaves a moderate amount of lacing.

S: Sweet dark fruits are the first aroma I notice with cherry, plum and fig. This is followed by a big roasted aroma. I also get heavy cream, hints of oak and vanilla from the barrel, char, mild booze and the subtlest hint of bourbon. Really excellent actually.

T: Roasted malts and a metallic taste are the first flavors I get. Dark fruits and booze come out next. I also get heavy cream, subtle bourbon notes, char, oak, some non-distinctive bitterness on the finish, and a well integrated booze when it warms. The palate profile has a lot of really good characters, with good complexity and multiple flavor layers, but there is also something I find somewhat off putting. I think its the combination of a huge heavy cream/ lactose character mixed with the intermittent metallic flavor. I would guess this is brewed with lactose added, like certain milk stout. I also really wish the bourbon barrel characters were more prominent.

M/D: A very nice smoothness, carbonation on the low end which is appropriate, . Booze is certainly noted, no hiding the ABV here, but in my opinion its well integrated and actually cuts the lactose sweetness nicely. Drinkability is average.

O: Overall, this was good but not great. There were things I really liked about it, but also things that I found to be off putting. Im glad I tried it, but its probably not one I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 01:26:35 | More by zac16125

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

03-19-2013 11:47:27 | More by grahamboudreaux

beergorrilla

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%

03-17-2013 17:06:29 | More by beergorrilla

jlindsey

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

03-17-2013 03:29:09 | More by jlindsey

Peg2009

Maryland

5/5  rDev +30.2%

03-17-2013 01:03:30 | More by Peg2009

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.2%

03-12-2013 01:31:21 | More by DaPan

TimoP

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

03-11-2013 22:34:44 | More by TimoP

KTien

New York

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

03-10-2013 01:28:50 | More by KTien

firstlighthiker

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

03-06-2013 02:32:15 | More by firstlighthiker

djrn2

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

02-24-2013 01:22:33 | More by djrn2

ScubaSteve00

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

02-19-2013 21:01:26 | More by ScubaSteve00

Thedrizzle

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

02-16-2013 00:21:10 | More by Thedrizzle

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -74%

02-14-2013 23:25:01 | More by bigfnjoe

jordanmckell

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-10-2013 22:20:36 | More by jordanmckell

jheezee

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

02-04-2013 16:21:25 | More by jheezee

calcnerd

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

02-02-2013 01:18:42 | More by calcnerd

Hawksfan79

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Glass: Stout/Porter glass (Chalice)

Appearance: Black with a thick rocky mocha colored head. good lacing.

Smell: Ginger, alcohol, with a little hint of Belgian yeast aroma.

Taste: Strong Mocha latte flavor that is present due to the combination of coffee and chocolate syrup flavors that just dominate the initial taste of the beer. A slight bit of bourbon that fades into a strong lingering coffee finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick full bodied, alcohol warming, and a gritty grainy texture.

Fantastic thoroughly enjoyable stout, complex and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 19:35:54 | More by Hawksfan79

fivetime

Idaho

4/5  rDev +4.2%

01-22-2013 01:10:08 | More by fivetime

taigor

New York

4/5  rDev +4.2%

01-18-2013 13:40:13 | More by taigor

cyrushire

Florida

1.75/5  rDev -54.4%

01-13-2013 06:31:46 | More by cyrushire