Dig - New Belgium Brewing

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear light amber/golden color with a decent finger of near white head, solid lacing, ok retention.

S - Floral, some nice lemon and other zesty fruits, a pretty distinct sweet malty caramel backbone and some spice.

T - Very good actually, I'm enjoying it more now than I did the previous few times I have had it. Sweet and malty, spicy, nice abundance of grassy hops notes. Nice zesty/citrusy notes as well. Very pleasant aftertaste

M - Medium bodied, appropriately carbonated. Not super light nor hoppy, but rather drinkable nonetheless.

O - A very nicely balanced brew, lots of grassy hops, lemon type flavors, sweet malt, and spice. Thumbs up

Serving type: growler

03-13-2012 01:49:51 | More by MacQ32

BucBasil

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the 12 oz bottle into a perfect pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep reddish orange, almost brown. Really rusty, but clear throughout. Super dark for a pale ale (even though i know pale doesn't necessarily refer to the overall color). Head is 2 fingers thick, off white, and sticks around for a while.

S: Lots of hops, as advertised, though more subtle than expected. Fruity hops and some classic floral and grapefruit up front. There is a slight malt tying everything together to provide some balance.

T: Very hoppy and messy, but in a good way. The hops unfold like ppeling layers off an onion, at first floral, then very in your face citrus peel and sour or unripe fruit. There is a slight bready malt in the background, then covered up by grapefruit and more floral. Huge hop profile but not overwhelming. The tastes are really hard to pick out individually, and it ends up just being a hoppy character on your palate that is indeed very spring.

Overall, this beer is solid, not quite an IPA but still having a nice hop profile. Could be a bit fresher. Not quite balanced enough and, as I said before seems a bit messy and directionless. Almost went for too much here, but not bad. Very drinkable and good for everyday drinking or with friends. An alright seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:16:23 | More by BucBasil

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

New Belgium Dig Pale Ale has a thick, creamy, white head and a clear, bubbly, amber appearance, with nice lacing left behind. The aroma is of citrus, hop oil, sugar, and white bread. Taste is of those, with some pleasant and mild bitterness. Mouthfeel is watery and slick, and New Belgium Dig finishes semi-dry, refreshing, and quite drinkable. Overall, this one is very nice, and I score it fairly high.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 15:01:43 | More by RonaldTheriot

RuEXP1

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Poured from 12 oz. bottle into standard pint. Pours a nice amber color with a small amount of tan/beige head. Head dissipated quickly, ~ 30 sec. Light amount of carbonation. Decent amount of striation on the glass.

S - Not an overwhelmingly strong smell to this beer. Faint earthy smells, citrus and hops.

T - Similar follow through on taste from the smell. Earthy/piney forefront. hops and citrus linger throughout. Not overly bitter, but still has that IPA feel.

M - Pretty standard here. Nice bite from the carbonation. medium-lite body to it.

O - This is a nice beer, it is very pleasurable to drink. I don't think it really brings anything 'new' to the plate. That being said I would buy it again since it is a solid beer for a good price.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 02:57:19 | More by RuEXP1

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.76/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. What I assume to be the “best by” is printed on the label: “16JUN13.”

Appearance: Poured into a tulip glass. While pouring I said to myself, “That’s pretty fucking dark for a pale ale.” The color is bronze, or maybe copper, with an amber tint. Two fingers of dense foam dissipated unevenly to leave trails of foam on the glass, a billowy ring, and a spotted lacing.

Smell: Earthy/grassy hops dominate, which is fitting. I am a little surprised, though, since the citrus is hyped by New Belgium. The citrus and tropical fruit are there, but one needs to “dig” to get to them. Faint scents of mango and peach are tinged with lemon zest, lime, grapefruit, and light pine. As the beer warms, though, the tropical fruit does become more prominent, and becomes sweet in that sticky, lip-smacking way. Yesterday I tried it in a pint glass and today I switched to a tulip. The tulip tempers the earthy/grassy characters and allows the citrus and tropical fruit to shine through a little more.

Taste: Earthy, much like the smell, and somewhat metallic. However, the earthiness eventually gives way to nice balance that is neither too sweet nor too bitter. The malts emerge, but the zest and tropical fruit are still present. Sweet caramel, toffee, mango, lemon, lime, grapefruit, and pine. Despite not being overly bitter, it offers a nice bite throughout the pint.

Drinkability: This is definitely not as zesty or citrusy as I expected. The earthy and grassy hops dominate, which imparts a completely different character — though it is fitting. It is still drinkable and decent.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 20:32:49 | More by TheQuietMan22

bnes09

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Transparent bronze color. Bubbly, soda-like off white head recedes to a thin film and adds a few lace blotches.

Smoked meats in the aroma, pine and ginger.

Wheat malt in the background. Spicy ginger root and a hint of lemon acidity. Touch of smoked meat. Mildly dry in the finish.

Medium bodied with a sharp, snappy carbonation. Dry feel.

Solid pale ale. Darker than most examples of the style. Tasty and drinkable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 02:49:54 | More by bnes09

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.06/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured this APA from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Poured a clear pale amber color, produced an average white head, average retention and it left an average amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma consisted of fresh baked bread, citric lemon, white pepper and pears. Medium bodied, very smooth, there was a foundation of malted grain, balanced well with white pepper, herbal hops. Overall, decent session beer- average attempt at the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 21:21:30 | More by GossageBrewery

Reidrover

Oregon

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

12 oz from a six pack bought at MIssion Street Walmart in Salem Oregon. $6.97 Pours darker than the usual APA ..amber with a large thick and frothy creme coloured head. Nice light fruity,papaya,lime hop aromas.Some caramel malts. Taste again is caramel malt, but also a rather intense pipe tobacco/cigar ash taste, again some papaya but also plum pit...bitterness lingers than drops off strange but OK. Good palate..not thick but well rounded. Nice unusual APA.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 17:04:05 | More by Reidrover

rlee1390

Indiana

3.81/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Clear amber, not much carbonation and one finger head.

S-Caramel, malt, grass, dirt, some lemon and hops rounding it out.

T-Starts with caramel and grass and slight lemon. Not much bitterness. Lemon lingers though.

M-Lighter slight hop presence, mild carbonation.

O-I really like Sorachi Ace hops, the lemon flavors they impart if nice and this a good example.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 21:14:58 | More by rlee1390

TheMarkE

California

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Nice amber shade with good head and good lacing.

Smell: Malty, slightly floral.

Taste: Biscuity malts, lemon, and pepper.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with a dry, refreshing finish. Mild peppery aftertaste.

The Verdict: Good beer. This seasonal is just right for a warm spring day, especially after a long hike. Well balanced between malts and hops, and between sweet and bitter.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:40:34 | More by TheMarkE

kshizzle101

Washington

3.38/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A - clear amber in color with a 2 inch white head with decent hold

S - malty, roasted grains, hops are slightly hidden, yeast, getting a floral or possibly lemony scent as well

T - grainy malty backbone with some forward hops. slight lemony aftertaste

M - light bodied, a little watery for my liking

Overall - Pretty average beer. Not a ton of flavor and slightly watery

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 22:13:06 | More by kshizzle101

Ryan011235

Ohio

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

Poured into a Delirium snifter on 3/22/13

02Jun13

Autumnal, burnt amber and orange colors with a two finger, rocky head. Retention is thinner and soapy with comparably sudsy lace.

Grassy hop aroma with accents or pine and orange marmalade. Dusty biscuit and bread notes. Overtones of peach cobbler; more cobbler than peach. Moderate bitterness with a grassy, orange pith penchant and floral suggestions. There is solid bread presence; more so than the aroma. The feel is rather resinous for a pale ale. Medium body with ample carbonation.

It get a little more citric as it warms. Dig is a pretty decent little beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:24:14 | More by Ryan011235

Nixonbrew

California

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle dated 26-may freshness date. Poured into a pint glass.

A - pours a nice copper color. Darker than other pale ales. Inch thick head that lingers.

S - Malty smell, little in way of hops. Biscuit aroma. Kind of disappointing when expecting a hoppy delight based on the description on the bottle.

T - smooth and balanced. Hop bitterness with good malt flavor and body. Not much hop flavor. They describe lemon, grass, passion fruit, melon but i detect none of these things to any great amount. Tried 3 bottles on different days at different times but all yield the same.

O - pretty tastey and easy to drink but is more like an american amber than a pale ale. Was looking forward to the nelson sauvin hops because i purchased a few oz and wanted to see their flavor and aroma profile. But in this beer i only detect hop bitterness and little else. I have no problem drinking this but would rather buy a 12 pack of alaskan amber for less money and drink that.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:15:48 | More by Nixonbrew

Alextricity

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a Samuel Adams "Perfect Pint" glass.

Appearance: A clear pale, brown color. Head goes away pretty quickly, and the lacing's pretty patchy. Nothing too special.

Smell: A lot like Fat Tire, if you've had that, but with traces of citrus added. Has that "dirty malt" aroma that I get in Fat Tire, but I've only gotten this sort of smell from New Belgium. Maybe it's their yeast?

Taste/feel: Again, a lot like Fat Tire, I think... but better. It seems a bit more balanced, and has a nice bit of hoppiness in it. Has that malty sweetness, and that dirty aroma comes through in the taste though. "Dig" is an appropriate name, because it does taste somewhat like dirt.

Pretty refreshing. Really does remind me of a somewhat lighter version of Fat Tire, with a bit more hops... more drinkable/sessionable than Fat Tire, in my opinion. A good beer in its own right, but pretty average, to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:26:23 | More by Alextricity

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 5/19/2013. Pours crystal clear golden orange color with a nice 2 finger dense and fluffy white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of lemon, mango, peach, pineapple, orange zest, grapefruit, light pine, floral, caramel, light honey, and bread. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of hop notes with good malt balance. Taste of lemon, peach, orange zest, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, pine, floral, light caramel, bread, and light honey. Light citrus bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, tropical fruit, pine, floral, light caramel, bread, and light honey on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of hop notes; with a solid malt balance that still showcases hop flavor; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly creamy and fairly crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice pale ale. Damn nice complexity and balance of hop flavor with good malt balance; and extremely smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 04:17:20 | More by superspak

spoony

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 355 ml bottle (best by May 26, 2013) into a globe glass.

A-This brew pours with one finger of nearly white head. The foam is dense and pillowy and sticks around for a bit. The brew itself is amber in color and mostly clear.

S-The smell is pretty mild with dry, powdery flavors, hints of white and black pepper, biscuit dough, and a light floral note.

T-The taste is similarly uninspiring with very mild pale malts, a touch of pepper spice, some chalky dry biscuit, and a mile dose of spicey, herbal hops.

F-The feel is a touch watery and lighter for the style. Carbonation is low and mild. Quaffable.

O-I was hoping for a little more from this brew. The flavors are kind of timid, especially the hops, which you would think would put on more of a show. Perhaps I am too spoiled by pale ales in the Sierra Nevada style, but even if New Belgium was going for the more subtle, Belgian style pale, they could have giving this a little more flavor firepower.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 00:22:12 | More by spoony

rawfish

California

3.46/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a dark amber, small half inch head with nearly no retention and strings of ugly lace on the glass.

Cereal grains, prevalent with husky and raw grain aroma, touches of honey. Hope provie a light lemon and earthy pine aroma. New Belgium strain yeast in this starts to emit the familiar biscuity aroma as the beer warms.

Cereal grain, and honeyed biscuits. Solid malt foundation for a varied hop profile, earthy and dank lemon, pine and straw. Slight bitterness and drying.

Average body and sessionable. Dries well but with that husky grain aftertaste. Low carbonation.

More of an amber than a pale ale, I thought that the hop profile would be much brighter in both aroma and taste. Underwhelming spring offering, bring back Mighty Arrow please.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 06:14:01 | More by rawfish

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A-pale amber with a thin white head

S-smells like sugary honey Cheerios. Smells tasty! Like a good morning treat.

T-comes in with a good taste of some bitterness and crisp Cheerios. It's a good flavor. Simple. Matching after-taste. Definitely honey and grainy.

M-creamy medium carbonation with a nice creamy finish

O-it's a different APA. It's not hoppy whatsoever. In fact, it reminds me more of a red ale really, or even a red lager. It's tasty though and super easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 03:20:23 | More by AdamBear

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.59/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Purchase a solo at Little Sack Grocery in Rockford.

A - Deep copper / orange with 4 fingers of thick head that leaves lacing and webbing for days.

S - Spices, citrus, pancake mix, dough.

T - Hops, citrus, lemon, sour, not much sweetness for balance.. Also, seems to have a bit of an off taste as the flavors come together.

M - Medium bodied, a bit of a drying finish.

O - Solid and worth a shot, but I probably won't dig this one again as there are just better options in this class.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:06:58 | More by andrewjraab

Tuey13

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This pours a bright copper color with a one and a half finger head that lastst quite a while and leave s some nice sticky lacing on the glass.

Did smells very nice...a little pine and citrus hops scent with a very nice sweet malt smell... also some grassy and lemon zest on the nose as well.

The taste is sweet toasted bread from the malts and a nice lemony flavor that has some nice bitterness form the hops. I thought this was a very flavorful and refreshing beer... perfect for spring. I could enjoy this on a cold day or on a warm day in the sun... perfect for spring.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 00:56:49 | More by Tuey13

matjack85

Illinois

3.86/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

I picked up this single 12oz brown bottle at the Trader Joe's store in Glen Ellyn, IL for $1.50. They let you buy 1 bottle at a time there instead of buying the whole 6 pack, so I like trying new beers from there for that reason. The beer had a best before date of 5/19/13 on it, so it's plenty fresh.

The beer poured a clear copper color with a 1-finger white head that lasted just under a minute and left only a few patches of lacing.

Not a strong smell, but what there is consists of mildly sweet caramel malt, a bit of lemon, and some grassy hops.

Nice balance here between sweet caramel and bitter hops. Neither one is overpowering. The hops give off a slight lemony flavor along with some grapefruit bitterness. The caramel and oale malts are mild, so nothing really stands out here.

Light to medium mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.

Although there's nothing special about this one, there's nothing wrong with it either. It's a very enjoyable, easy to drink APA.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 08:01:39 | More by matjack85

Anker13

District of Columbia

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

2/14/13 New Belgium | Dig | 12 oz Bottle

Appearance- Pale copper in color, white lacy head, translucent

Aroma- Very light on the nose, lemony and grassy, very subtle malt character, slight yeasty earthiness, hay

Mouthfeel- Very smooth, moderate-light co2, not drying or sticky

Taste- Lemon grass and bread, pretty straightforward taste. Upfront citrus yields to a biscuity center.

Residual- Not drying or sticky, but there’s an unexpected alcoholic aftertaste that lingers for a second or 2

Overall- Not my favorite NB, but it's really not too bad. It’s easy drinking and straightforward, the sorachi ace hop offers a different spin on the commonplace pale ale. Everything in this beer is really subtle and refined. It's not the most flavorful beer, but it's refreshing and clean. I’d try it again on draft

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 01:16:44 | More by Anker13

Mitchster

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

$1.79 for a 12oz bottle @ BevCo.
Brewed with pale and C80 malts. Hopped with Target, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Nugget, and Sorachi Ace. 5.6% ABV, 36 IBUs, 168kcal/12oz.

Pours out to a beautifully sparkling brownish amber, forming a mousse-like whipped and frothy white head with excellent retention owing in part to it's brisk carbonation, ~3.0 carbs or so. Great looking beer. The nose opens with toasty and grainy malt, followed by spicy and herbal hops with plenty of character, very subtle sulfur, no DMS or diacetyl. Mouthfeel is clean with a light body and a very dry finish. The taste is all about the hops..plenty of spicy and herbal character with just a touch of pine balanced by the toasty and grainy malt. The pale malt really shines here. No perceptible off-flavors. Alcohol is not noticeable. Bitterness is medium and well balanced.

An excellent example of the style. I do tend to like my pale ales with more fruit esters, but if you like the west coast style hoppy IPAs but want something lighter, this will definitely fit the bill. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 04:37:38 | More by Mitchster

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - clear amber brew with a small white wispy head and a decent amount of lace.

S - toasty and caramel-y with some hay like hops.

T - a little more assertive than the aromas. I keep thinking of hay and autumn leaves. Really light on the hops for the style...seems more like a solid amber ale.

M - Light bodied and somewhat grainy. Relatively clean finish with some lingering toasted grain notes.

Not bad...but not really special. Reminds me of a higher quality amber ale, not really all that different from Fat Tire honestly.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 18:26:09 | More by pmcadamis

kojevergas

California

2.54/5  rDev -30%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5

5.6% ABV confirmed. Best by May 19 2013. Acquired yesterday at a local SoCal beer store. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I like a select few New Belgium beers (La Folie, Abbey, Trippel) but this doesn't seem like a solid one.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a three finger beige colour head of slight cream, decent thickness, and pretty good (~3.5 minute) retention for the modest ABV. Body colour is a dull pale copper. Transparent. Translucent. No yeast particles are visibile. No bubble show. Very thin weak lacing as the head recedes.

Sm: Lemon grass, lemon zest, pear, artificial lime, mango, and over-ripe fruit peel. Smells like a really crappy saison. Stale lemon. Off-putting. A fairly strong aroma.

T: Stale lemon, artifical lime, and pale malts. Some juicy pear is the only notable aspect. Simple and weak. Boring and bland. Lemon zest is dominant. Poorly balanced and built. Lacks complexity and subtlety. There's not much to say about it. I don't get any yeast character or alcohol. Quite underwhelming.

Mf: Soft (the highlight of the beer), smooth, and wet. Carbonation is adequate. Poor palate presence.

Dr: Drinkable but lackluster. A poorly executed pale ale that I definitely wouldn't get again. A failure from New Belgium. Why brew this? Very underwhelming.

Low C-

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 05:14:22 | More by kojevergas