Raison D'Être
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Raison D'ÊtreRaison D'Être
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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #148
ABV:
8%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,226
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 15.03%
Reviews:
1,782
Ratings:
4,340
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 29, 2023
Added:
Aug 09, 2001
Wants:
  121
Gots:
  510
A deep mahogany, Belgian-style brown ale brewed with beet sugar, raisins and Belgian-style yeast.

We began brewing this one at our pub in 1996 (we began packaging and selling it sometime in 1998) as the answer to the question, "What beer should I enjoy with a wood-grilled steak?" Raison D'Etre fits the bill. It's as tasty and complex as a fine red wine.

In the Quick Sip Clip video, Sam talks about Raison D'Etre inside the new cellars for our 600-bbl fermentation tanks. The cellars were designed specifically to allow sterile yeast management. The system also allows us to automatically dose the yeast into the fermentation tanks. At Dogfish, we use multiple strains of yeast for our different beers, so we are acutely aware of all that can go wrong when you don't love and protect the yeast.

25 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by comat0se:
Photo of comat0se
Reviewed by comat0se from Colorado

4.92/5  rDev +34.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Picked this one up in the bargain bin at Corral Liquors in Illinois. The bottle says bottled in April, but I'm not sure what year that it was. There is an 02 on the glass itself, so I'm guessing April 2002.

Unlike some other reviewers of this beer, this beer poured with a massive 1 inch, small bubbled, frothy head. This head had some of the best retention I've ever seen. The last sip still had at least a half inch of foam left. Amazing.

The first aroma I picked up coming out of the bottle was a winey, champagne-like aroma. Closer examination of the aroma from the glass reveals heavy malt and fruits. The appearance of this beer is outstanding: a deep, crystal-clear, ruby/mahogany color. I was expecting a lighter colored beer, and lighter in body (not sure why). This is not what this beer is about. It's a bright, and bold beer. Some might not agree with the beers sweetness, and think it diverges too much from "what beer should be." But I think not... I'm continually amazed by what beer can be. This beer has all sorts of things going on. You taste dark fruits, black cherries, chocolate, maybe even cherry coke, followed by a hint of roasted and a bit of pencil flavor (yes, wood pencil) and wisps of hot alcohol. The drinkability is almost soda-like, and it goes down fast, easy and refreshingly so. But this isn't any soda... and the mouthfeel immediately gives that away. It is moderately thick and luxurious, not impeded by a heavy carbonation, but yet having the perfect balance of carbonation. This hides its alcohol very well, only traces emerging from time to time remind you that this is no 3.2% beer. There are very little hops present in this beer. I couldn't detect any hop flavor, but yet the finish of the otherwise sweet beer was dry.

A very nice beer... I want another! Hope I can find it again.
Dec 31, 2002
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.09 by Shiredave from New York

Dec 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.37 by SoundMakesSense from Indiana

Mar 05, 2023
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

3.32/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This was deeply appealing by description. Not sure if it was the yeast or (maybe) bad bottle, but the stuff was kind of bitter and frankly a bit nasty. Scoring more objectively with benefit of the doubt.
Feb 17, 2022
 
Rated: 3.64 by dan_amdg from Illinois

Feb 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by drstalker from Illinois

Jan 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by Burg from New Hampshire

May 05, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.03/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. ABV is 8%. Amber to copper colour, low head. Boring aroma, slightly malty. Malty flavour, notes of caramel, hints of cinnamon.
Apr 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.86 by justme from Massachusetts

Apr 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.93 by crazyspicychef from Pennsylvania

Nov 15, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by ItsBeer4Me from Pennsylvania

Oct 11, 2020
 
Rated: 3.91 by Insomniac from Canada (ON)

Aug 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by jschott75 from Illinois

Jun 03, 2020
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.49/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
32oz crowler purchased two days ago at J's Liquor Owensboro poured into a DFH branded teku glass at fridge temp 8% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright medium brown with ruby highlights and essentially no head. No retention or lacing. The aroma is faint brown sugar and maybe a hint of dark fruit. The taste is slightly sugary, with raisin flavor before an alcohol hot, barely bitter finish. Not real complex and scary close to cherry cough syrup. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with below average carbonation and anundry finish. Overall, subpar. I got a stupid deal on this crowler ($5) and I imagine that this keg had been on tap for quite a while with the restrictions on shopping. I would still try this from a dated bottle or a bar that does a brisk business. Numerically rated close to the existing average for fairness.
Apr 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Apr 09, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by doctorgary from New York

Mar 10, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by CDBeerDisappear from Ohio

Feb 04, 2020
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a dark nutty brown with a hint of burgundy. Head is a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is good. Aroma is strong - plum, dark fruits, raisins, fig and caramely malts. A little bit of alcohol seeps through, but just barely. Flavor profile carries the same profile forward, hitting notes of plum, dark fruits, raisins, fig and toffee with caramely, nutty malts underneath. Alcohol is a little more apparent here. Mouth feel is full with a medium-thick consistency that firms up to 'thick' when the glass has been warmed slightly. Light graininess adds a little texture to each sip. Overall, heavy and full with strong raisins and dark fruit qualities.

Served in a 15.5oz Speigalau tulip from a 12oz bottle. Reviewed from notes.
Dec 22, 2019
 
Rated: 3.47 by MJSFS from Florida

Dec 07, 2019
Photo of andypeters1971
Reviewed by andypeters1971 from Georgia

4.48/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Why is this no longer available in Georgia. When craft beer and microbreweries first started to get popular in the metro Atlanta region back in the early 2000s, this was one of the very first beers that I saw from the movement. Certainly without a doubt the first Dogfish Head I ever saw. I haven't seen it 'round these parts in probably 13-14 years. Too bad becauise this is a really good one and I wish I could have one right now
Oct 01, 2019
Raison D'Être from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 4340 ratings