Burton Baton - Dogfish Head Brewery

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Very excited to sample this one. Glowing golden orange pour with a nice thick, creamy white head atop. Lacing appears in patches on the glass. An enthraling, interesting mix of citric, somewhat piney hops, caramel/vanilla sweetness and a big woody, oaky aroma. Earthy.

First sip brings an awesome blend of mixed citrus hoppiness and earthy, oak barrel wood notes. There's a sweet caramel maltiness and vanilla tones that makes this one suprisingly not very bitter. The blend is lovely and oak is not overbearing...it complements the hoppiness perfectly. Alcohol is very well hidden as well. Damn tasty...gotta love the hoppy oak burps.

Mouthfeel is rich and full....with a nice creamy aspect as well. I wouldn't mind having a few of these...I wish it wasn't so rare. I hope DFH makes more of this! Thanks to Cornboy for the opportunity to sample one of my new favorite Dogfish brews!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2005 19:38:20 | More by orbitalr0x

deejaydan

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This might be out of order, but wow, great aroma. Maybe not to style, but a wonderful vanilla oak aroma. Similar to a great Chardonnay. Appearance is straight up amber, slight head, okay lacing. Flavor is good, but, dare I say this about a DFH beer, underhopped for style. Hops are there, but there is a serious sweet malt backbone to this beer. Overall, I like this beer. It's not best of style to me, but it's still good. Many thanks to my Secret Bunny, Squidswillbesquids.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2005 02:14:40 | More by deejaydan

ybnorml

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A clean amber beer with a big foamy light beige head and nice lace. The aroma starts with a sweet nut like maltiness with a hint of some citrusy hops in the background. Every mouthfull changes your perseption of the main character of the beer. One time it is that sweet nut like malt. next its a spicey hop snap. And always just in the background almost hidden is the welcome home warmth of the the alcohol. Maybe not as complex in the range of tastes as a Belgian but at least as well crafted to create this smooth unique American brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2005 22:32:00 | More by ybnorml

AlexJ

North Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Props to warriorsoul for shipping me this 12 oz bottle!

The long awaited pour reveals a precious liquid, the color of scorched honey. The bone-colored head is persistant for a beer of this strength. Lacing is subtle and artistically applied.

The nose rises to greet me as the precious is poured into the Delirium tulip. I find myself floating in fields of wildflowers and clover honey. Oaky vanilla warmth envelops me. I indulge in the bouquet for a full five minutes before stepping in.

Sublime joy overcomes me as I revel in the first sip. Honey-drenched oranges and soft floral sweetness fades into toasty oak spice. Madagascar vanilla beans infused into butter almond ice-cream. Hops make their statement towards the end with wildflowers and sweet citrus. Balance is the word of the day here with absolut layers of malty complexity. It doesn't need to be hopfiend to be IIPA.

The body is huge, creamy, and bursting at the seams. Soft carbonation carries you through to the lasting finish filled with caramel drizzled citrus shadowed by oaky dryness. This is one of, if not the best DFH I've had to date. Superb and sublime!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2005 18:13:04 | More by AlexJ

Zraly

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A small white head floats atop of an off-golden, red-tinted ale. Faint wisps of alcohol and fruit hit the nose. A nice floral scent is present as well.

Wow...nice alcohol flavor. It kind of hints to me as to what a decent scotch would taste like if it was a beer. Some bready characteristics underneath. A woodsy, vanilla quality takes on part of the overall character, which is probably attributed to the oak aging process.

The finish is nice and clean, with a crisp, yet still sweet, finish. There is a strangeness in that the hops are not as predominate as one would think for a Double IPA. This choice is more about "abundant balance" than "shocking nuance". I like that.

This is a sturdy drink that could stand up to tons of strong flavors. It's a nice apertif if I do say so myself.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2005 23:20:47 | More by Zraly

budsboy

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours clear, reddish, with a small white head. The head that stays is a sticky, gooey oil slick on top. I love that.

Hints of oak are in there, I suppose, if you really want it to be. There is a mellow maltiness wafting up chased by a more potent floral hop aroma, with a hint of roasted bread, but just a hint. Inviting, although I expect more hop aroma than I got.

Oh, well. This is a bit of a disappointment. No, no, it's good. Really. It's just not of the holy-cow ilk. Sweet. Very sweet. Sugary malt dominates. A hint of berry-like tartness near the finish, and a shot of flowery hops towards the end. Well balanced. Complex and round and full. Alcohol is well hidden. But this is mild for a 2IPA. Don't expect big-shouldered American hop-head heaven. This is an all-grown-up, sophisticated, six-figure-income pale ale.

Smoooth with the extra "o." Full in the mouth. Heavy in the belly. Like pastry.

Not my style. Actually, 2IPA is my style, but not this one. Kind of makes my teeth hurt. Too sweet for me to enjoy more than one.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2005 18:43:29 | More by budsboy

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I am sampling a room temp bottle in a chalice. The beer pours a clear amber color with a small eggshell white surface layer of head developing. I get some caramel in the aroma mixing with a bit of toothpick/oak scents and sweet molasses as well. Surprisingly only a mild grassy hop presence. First sip reveals a bit of a syrupy texture with very fine and soft carbonation. Flavor is toffee, molasses and general sweetness with a bit of fruitiness as well.
Just a hint of alcohol on the finish. A very smooth beer for 10% abv. Quite nice, but dont open the bottle expecting a hop bomb!

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2005 06:04:01 | More by sulldaddy

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 0z bottle. Nice appearance with a hazy orange-ish body and a creamy dollop of white foam atop. The head retention is very good and it leaves some nice splotches of lace at the outset of the glass. Oddly enough, the Dogfish Head yeast is more prevalent in the nose than the hops are... odd, unless they were looking to show off some or the oak-aging. There's some wet-straw, a spoonful of sweet fruit, some nuttiness, a brush of woodiness, a touch of diacetyl, and a drip of honey. It's intriguing. The body is medium-full and dextrinous; and it slides so smoothly, almost oily across the palate with only a caress of very-fine bubbled carbonation on the tongue. The flavor mirrors the aroma with little more to offer than a mild vinous quality and a note of vanilla, but again, it's intriguing and engaging! The wood is clearly a massive part of this beer, and that alone deserves some attention as it's a great example of the type of flavors that the wood imparts, and it can even give you an idea of how these similar characteristics appear in in wine. On that same note, the 10% alcohol is apparent in the same way that it might be found in a fine wine. It's doesn't ever step from the wings but you always know it's there; and it plays a major role in the direct flavor and overall character of the beer. It appears in the finish once the dribble of juiciness runs off the palate, and it helps to dry things; but it's almost immediately backed by the drying, raspy nature of the wood. Tied together just a little more tightly, this could be a brilliant beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2005 03:41:34 | More by NeroFiddled

silenius

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

One of the better DFH beers in my opinion.

Pours a nice coppery color that is just a slight bit hazed. It must not be filtered. Head is short lived but any agitaion stirs up some more.

Smell is where it is at here. Nice malt/hop balance IMO. Hops smell more citrusy and flowery than piney. Almost perfume-like. My nose tells me there is something sweet in this brew as well.

Taste hits with a slightly citric tang that swoops into a roasty sweetness. Hop bitterness and light lemon-head candy flavors trade verses.

Mouthfeel is moderately thick with ample carbonation to keep things interesting.

Highly drinkable. It plays with a just a few notes, but does it very well.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2005 02:32:25 | More by silenius

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer poured into the glass a viscous dark golden amber with a slight haze and a frothy and tall off-white head which fell back slowly to coat the glass.

The aroma was strong with grassy hop aromas and plenty of oak character. Behind the floral, grassy, oak presence was a caramel maltiness hiding somewhere in the back waiting for a chance to emerge.

The flavor was less powerful that expected. The hop presence was citrusy and grassy, but muted by time and aging. The malts were merged with bittering to form a complexity not generally found in a freshly brewed beer. The fruitiness was well done and worked with the malt and bittering. The alcohol, while present, was not over the top and was well presented. The oak character from the aroma was present in the flavor, but well done and never overpowering.

The finish was just almost dry with lingering muted hop presence and deep maltiness that lasts plesantly long into the aftertaste. The body was medium full and only lessened by slight carbonation and the distinct alcohol presence. The alcohol mainly manifested itself in the warming after consumption.

12 ounce bottle. Kudos to Sam, great job!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2005 22:26:23 | More by GCBrewingCo

rajendra82

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Picked up in Florida, and brought with care to Atlanta by a fellow beer lover, this was the first of a pair of 12 oz. brown bottles I acquired.

When pored into a tulip, the body was glowing orange with a relatively small bone colored head. The aroma was grapefruit, vanilla, and rum soaked cherries, and could not be called really hoppy. The taste was quite unlike most Double IPAs I have sampled. Sweet and spicy with a bready maltyness, this one tasted more like a hopped up Trippel than a DIPA. Sticky and creamy in the mouth, the aftertaste was surprisingly short lived.

If mellowness and balance are your thing, you will like this beer. But if you are seeking an extreme hop bomb, be prepared to be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2005 04:39:17 | More by rajendra82

santoslhalper

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearence: Pours a wonderful glowing orange with a fomay white head.

Smell: The smell is awesome. The hops are incredibly mixed with the woody character, and the alcohol rounds it out great.

Taste and Mouthfeel: Mmmmm. What a tasty tasty IPA. That's incredibly. The woody notes are huge, and really balance things out just right. Most DIPA's are overboard, but this one is well rounded, smooth, and creamy. Incredible tasting.

Drinkability and Overall: Easily the best DIPA I've had to date. The balance is incredible. It's almost unmatched. THis beer is so smooth and creamy, it just keeps you sipping. A simply stunning beer that's not for the weak of heart.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2005 00:47:05 | More by santoslhalper

crookedhalo

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle. Pours a lightly hazed orangy tea color with a fluffy beige head. Rich malty, nutty aroma with hints of woody, vinous hops that bear a blood orange-like citrusness. Wow, it's thick, yet maintains a nice estery, drier finish that is peppered with mellowed hops and a hint of butterscotchy oak barrel. It really has a nice mellow feel to it. The alcohol is almost completely hidden. A great accompaniment to a good cigar.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2005 00:12:45 | More by crookedhalo

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The latest creation from the impressive Dogfish Head brewery. A double IPA aged in wood barrels. Sounds great to me, can't wait to sip this one.

I had this out of a 12 oz brown bottle and served in a tulip glass. It pours a haze induced orange color with a great head on top that leaves trails of sticky lacings behind.

Floral aroma with juicy biscuits and ripe fruit in the nose.

Grainy oils and smoothness blend together vey well. Juicy oranges and oaky wood flavors. I love the signature DFH oily and resiny hop bite in this beer. What makes this beer so interesting and sets it apart from the 90 Minute IPA is the slightly sharp alcohol warmth and woody oak presence in the finish. Very nice.

Dangerously drinkable at 10% ABV. Another innovative and creative beer from the brewers at DFH. This beer is worth checking out if you enjoy imperial IPA's. The price may be a little much, but its so friggin tasty. You make the call.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2005 23:55:06 | More by Hibernator

twelvsies

Maine

3.2/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer didn't really blow me away. I was surprised, as Dogfish Head usually pushes the limits of brewing and makes some of my favorite beers. This however was a bit odd. And don't get me wrong, I generally like weird beers. Pours a fairly clear golden amber color with a bit of white head resting on top. Scent is very hoppy at first, all citrussy, but there's this strange scent that it's mixed with... oddly reminds me of catfood or tuna or something. Interesting, different, but not particularly appetizing. Taste was much the same. A bit sweet and not quite bitter enough for a double IPA. The aged flavor doesn't really work here with the mix. Average mouthfeel but something just isn't quite working with this beer. Seems like all the flavors clash rather than work with each other. I kind of got bored of drinking this one after a while. Maybe a little tweaking and this beer could be improved.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2005 19:17:18 | More by twelvsies

alexgash

Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cool label. I think I may have overpaid for this. $6.45 a bottle at Downtown Liquors in Somerville. But hey, I had to buy it, because I knew it wouldn't be coming to Utah--ever.
Bright golden orange to copper body with a small, but prevalent, off-white/sand head. Decent lacing. Aromas of candied fruit (pineapple, mango, pear, etc.), cedar, alcohol, some caramel even, along with a healthy dose of resiny, pitchy hops. Very nice.
Tangy sweet fruit flavors up front. Malt develops some sweetish caramel roll flavors too, but the tangy, slightly acidic fruitiness stays there. Right before the hops come in, the palate turns oaky with some tannins. Interesting. Hops are resinous and spicy and provide an ample bitter burn. Alcohol is there, but isn't out of whack, it just adds to the complexity. Medium-full bodied; starts with a frothy, creamy-yet-bubbly mouthfeel, and then gets thicker in the finish. Worth $6.45, but sadly, this was my only bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2005 02:33:57 | More by alexgash

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pouring from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass, it pours a honey/amber color w/ 1 finger thick o spongy, slight tan head that clings to a glass like Sulldaddy to a fat-chick! Aroma is mostly citrus hops with some slight caramel tones. It even exudes a little biscuit aroma and just enough alcohol to tickle your nose. Taste is a sweet, citrus (grapefruit) flavor with a buttery feel up front. The finish is a little bit of biscuits along with some drying alcohol, which gives a little oak barrel flavor. The feel is a little oily and smooth with a bit of dryness on the finish. Lots of bellywarming from this one! A little sweet for my taste, and I expected a little more floral hops than it gave, but I have another and I want to age it for a year to see what happens! Very enjoyable! Just a well balanced, fun brew!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2005 21:39:51 | More by Fish113d

TinusTime

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear amber with a great fluffy 2 finger white head that lasts. Aroma is a little floral, with some sweetness and a orange brulee scent. Its as if someone took a torch to an orange rind and caramelized the oils. Taste has the same citrus sweetness with a bit of citrus oil bitterness. There is just a slight woody note. Its if the 90 minute and the wood aged parts are fighting for the title. There is also a taste there that i cant find, but it is so deep and good maybe a bit of lemon tartness or is it more floral, or a combination? There is a nice bit of sweetness to counter act the hops. Mouthfeel has a touch of sticky sweet hop notes like a natural citrus candy. Well carbonated and very smooth. This is tip top drinkable. Not quite as great as the straight 90 minute in my mind as something is just a little different and less. Overall however this is a great beer. I hope they make more of this, maybe the price will drop then.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2005 03:05:20 | More by TinusTime

pentathlete

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a 12 oz into a goblet. Big beer, big glass. Dark orange and cloudy to boot. Foamy head finally gave way and left some drippy lacing on the glass. Hops and oak dominate the smell, just like the label says it should. Taste starts off smooth and malty with a flavor, probably from the wood, that has wine characteristics...is it tannins? My palate is not quite sophisticated enough (or rather my vocabulary) to name the flavor. Suffice it to say that it gives aways to some aggressive hoppiness and spicy alcohol. The alcohol bite reminds me of a good barley wine, the hoppiness reminds me of most of the IPAs from DFH. The carbonation while not necessarily visible is certainly present in the mouthfeel.

This beer could replace an old ale or barley wine as that special digestif. Break this out after desert and move to the living room for conversation. I guarantee that at least some of that conversation will be about this brew.

After my mind wrapped around the initial shock of the tastes, it settle down into quiet enjoyment. Excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2005 01:24:54 | More by pentathlete

BierManVA

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Perhaps I was expecting too much from this bier. Perhaps my palate is ruined tonight for some reason or maybe this bier spent time in the hot, bright place.

For whatever reason, I am not very impressed with this.

Nice dark amber, a little flat. Average at best around aroma, flavors are nondescript.

This bottle came as a gift from a friend who aquired them on the cheap...I hope his was better.

I will re-review this in the future in all fairness. I can not see DFH releasing something of this poor a quality.

John

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2005 00:02:04 | More by BierManVA

poundboy

Vermont

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Boy am I cheesy. The bros write articles about Curiuex and Burton Baton, so yesterday I reviewed Curiuex and today the Baton. Oh well, both are interesting beers and worth trying, at least once.

Appearance: from a 12oz glass. Pours a deep amber brown. Some floaties in the beer, perhaps from the oak aging or bottle conditioning. Tiny head, which lingers around the edge of the glass. Hey, what do you expect from a beer with this gravity?

Smell: Biscuity, doughy, with hints of citrus and perhaps the tinest bit of vanilla.

Taste. Wonderfully complex but it fatigued my pallette quite quickly. On my first sip I noticed hints of vanilla and other oak induced flavors, mixed with American hops. Quickly though, the hops wore my tongue out, and the malt characteristics began to dominate. This is a rather sweet beer, and much less of a hop attack than I expect from a double IPA, or even the 90 minute IPA which makes up half of this brew.

Mouthfeel.Thick, almost syrupy, very good.

Drinkability: wish it had a bit more hop character. For those who enjoy a strong oktoberfest though, you might love this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2005 20:56:34 | More by poundboy

pezoids

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bright orangey amber in color with a thin almond colored head. I noticed the beer is full of fine particulates or tiny suspended bubbles. The beer remains clear regardless. There is no kidding around when you take a whiff of this one. It is surely potent. Audaciously oaky with a warm alcohol spiciness. Resinous, nutty and sticky, inviting, no daring me to take a sip…
The taste is sweeter than I thought it would be. The body is lighter, too. This is not a real heavy drinking beer. It goes down pretty easy and finishes spicy, with a lingering alcohol bite that stays in the throat. As the beer warms, an intricate texture of caramelized slices of tannic bitternuttiness (new word) presents itself. Overall, I enjoyed the experience of drinking this beer. It was very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2005 02:27:28 | More by pezoids

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.9/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz. bottle poured into a snifter. It pours a light copper color with one finger of head. There's a touch of lacing left on the glass. The smell is very unique. It has a lot of earthy aromas and a good amount of charred wood character. Tons of hoppiness as well. The taste is simply amazing. Sweet pale malt up front, with some caramel sweetness. Then it's taken over by wood flavors and a slight hint of orange peel. A nice hoppy finish rounds it out. Not a hint of alcohol in sight. The mouthfeel is very thick and heavy, yet smooth. The drinkability is murderous. A fantastic brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2005 01:26:08 | More by SheepNutz

jvajda

Ohio

5/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The broes enticing review had my mouth watering for this one. The beer has a great dark copper-red color and modest head. Immediately I smelled hops and fresh malt. Big grapefruit hop smell. Surprising amount of carbonation that on second taste seems appropriate. This beer really has a woody element to it that reminds me of hickory smoked barbeque. The 90 Minute IPA has always been one of my favorites, but this may be a hair better. It becomes lighter on the pallette when it warms and the hops really "blossom." I think this might be my first five! Definitely going to age a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2005 05:53:24 | More by jvajda

HogHill

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First tried this one at the 2005 EBF, and then sought it out and picked up a single at Colonial in Acton, MA.

Poured a copper color with an off-white head. The aroma is comprised of hops combined with additional complexities that I can't quite put my nose on.

Taste is rich, probably the oak influencing that aspect., The DFH 90 minute portion of the blend isn't as noticeable as I would think. If this was a blind taste test, I'd probably think this was a barley wine. The hops are more present on the finish. Mouthfeel is good, I'd like to drink 2 of these in a session, but the high ABV and intense hoppy flavor would make it difficult to really appreciate any more.

I'd like to try a few more Burton Batons, but at $13 bucks a 4 pack, and it being a limited release, it may be a while..

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2005 03:17:10 | More by HogHill