Fort - Dogfish Head Brewery

Douglas14

California

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottled on 1/13/06

Whoa! I had heard and read about this beer before and thought I had nailed down what to expect from it...fortunately, I was wrong.

Pours a hazy red color with slight orange accents coming through. It has a nice head at first but it quickly resides leaving no lace (due to the high abv). The smells is wayyy more pungent that I had expected...smells intensely of raspberries - almost like a jar of raspberry jam...nevertheless, wonderful!

The taste is amazing...obviously raspberries...but other sweet, tart fruits appear as well; orange, lemon and cherries. Malt and yeast flavors appear towards the finish. Hardly any notice of the high ABV. There are no hidden flavors here.

The mix of Fort's full body and light carbonation make a great combination.

Overall great beer...highly recommend giving it some time to age.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2007 00:39:42 | More by Douglas14

RppIII

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a snifter

A dark raspberry hued fog rises from the bottle and gently floats down the neck to dissipate into the surrounding air. I tilt the glass and pour not hurriedly, the beer swells a golden mahogany and instantly a sweet aroma with hints of tea and raspberry assaults my nostrils. The carbonation powers out a thin dark brown/white head that dissolves into the alcohol intensive liquid. What is left of the head clings pensively to the walls of the glass until it finally rejoins it's mates in the warm alcoholic fluid bubbling in the glass.

Aside from the overwhelming blended fruit essence that attacks the nostrils there is an almost equally alcoholic quality to this drink that accentuates the assault from the sweet fruit and candied sugars. Less obvious is the sour aspect of the fruit that gives it a tea like aroma, a quaint hop bitterness and a spiciness add to the warming almost medicinal aromas wafting from this beer.

The aroma of this beer is an integral part of tasting it, as the flavour is not as "in your face" with delicate distinctions between the different ingredients. Immediately the overwhelming sweetness, and alcohol phenols of the odors present themselves more delicately in the flavour of this beer. The slight hop bitterness and sour notes present in the aroma are more present in the flavour and create a very gratifying contrast to the sweet raspberry chocolate cordial taste. This drink is a dessert in and of itself, a chocolate covered raspberry tart. The malt in this beer harkened back memories of a chocolate stout I recently had but this was dark raspberry chocolate with a contrasting tartness. This scrumptious dessert is finished off with a slight bitter citrusy hop flavour and warm spices (much of what I would expect in a Strong Belgian Ale). Eventually the tartness almost completely takes over and the alcohol dries the palate leaving a dry spice on the breath.

Silky texture as it enters the mouth, instantaneously it warms the soul then carbonation hits the palate taking your attention away from the intense alcohol and raspberry flavours present and reminding you that this is a beer. A slight puckering is produced from the bitter tartness that is aesthetically pleasing as a complement to the warming alcohol and sweetness present. Aesthetically this beer very much reminds me of a concoction of champagne and Chambord.

More drinkable than the first waft would have led me to believe. I had this with a chocolate fondue, pound cake, and strawberries and this beer, a dessert in itself, went perfectly. Not a beer to drink by yourself, a very share worthy beer whether it be with friends or a loved one (as was my case) and most certainly not a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 00:35:03 | More by RppIII

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear copper-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of strong raspberries, booze, a bit of Belgian yeast and some floral elements.

T - Starts off with some strong sweet raspberry flavor with some tartness. Through the middle, some booze comes through with some floral flavors. The finish is a mix of more sweet and lightly tart raspberries with some booze and a bit vanilla and yeast.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a warming and sweet finish.

D - Pretty drinkable. A bit one dimensional, but the strength and complexity of the raspberry flavor is really nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 06:34:10 | More by ngeunit1

CH3CH2OH

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear garnet with a small, quickly falling white head. Viniferous, sweet aroma. Taste is a smooth, ruby port with a hint of bitterness, and a sweet, tangy finish. Light, creamy mouthfeel. Very drinkable.

This is great as a dessert drink; awesome with cheese, panna cotta, etc. Hides its strength well.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2007 01:52:58 | More by CH3CH2OH

dasenebler

Maine

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at DFH night, Novare Res (Portland, ME)

Poured with no head whatsoever. Cloudy, dark straw color. Think unfiltered apple juice.

Nose was huge and awesome. Fruity alcoholic esters, with tons of raspberries obviously.

Wow, this is a strong beer. Very hot, almost not beer-like at nearly 20 percent. But, it's tangy and yeasty, with a great fermented fruit flavor. Acidic, but not necessarily sour. Not overly sweet like many of the stronger DFH offerings. Nice berry aftertaste. This is actually a delicious sipper of a beer. Incredible stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2009 05:01:57 | More by dasenebler

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Heavy fruity sipper. A nice extreme brew on the boozy edge to enjoy slowly and best suited to be shared.

Presentation:750 bottle (1 pint 9.6 fl. oz. as noted?). Iconic and dedicated Dogfish Head raspberry label design by Tara McPherson. Very short brew description on side. Printed bottling date on side (2008), neither shows IBUs or °Plato, nor Alc. (which at about 18.0% is something that is a critical part of its identity) Green warning bottle cap on top shows to those willing to read it what they are about to get into. Poured into a snifter.

A - Quick 1/4 " foamy head that goes away in a blink leaving no carbonation and a minimal ring.

S -Sweet, boozy and sure fruity aromas on the heavy raspberry side. But the raspberry was not as predominant for me as others sharing the drink. It was not overwhelming for me as I felt that the alcohol and malt-hops were in a nice if provocative balance...

T - Following the smell this was a very sweet, fruity, and alcohol laden first sip. It offers further complexity as it goes through with a persistent raspberry backdrop that grows assertive as one goes through the bit bottle.

M - Minimal carbonation within a very heavy and fruity body and something of an oily fruity bite to it.

D - Again, It's a delight to drink. It has to be taken with the right attitude, in essence knowing that it is a complex brew that is better drank like one would a fine sipper.

Notes: Another awesome and eccentric brew from Dogfish. This one is deceptive on the fruity expectations for most, I guess. It has more to do on the sipping side with say the 120 IPA than anything else. Much of the malty-yeasty base remains familiar around the boozy identity. The fruitiness, sure: the raspberried boozy identity, is the kick on an otherwise tough love brew. I feel it remains a sipper to share with a group at the end of a meal. Probably there is a production cost reason to make it a such a big bottle, but otherwise a 12 Oz. kind of thing might make it more approachable for special occasions and smaller groups or to drink on your own.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 13:56:51 | More by Daniellobo

ScarletLady

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I found this at Frisco's after looking all over town for it. I thought it reasonable at $19.95 a bottle (promo for DFH pint night) It poured a copper/bright bronze color, with a bit of head. It smells WONDERFUL. Light raspberry and maybe cherry aroma, but you can detect a hint of alcohol. The taste is what really made it stand out. I don't usually like fruit beers because of the sweetness. this had a great fruit flavor that evaporates on the tongue, I'm guessing due to the alcohol content. No sticky sweetness. Definitely could taste a bit of the alcohol but that didn't diminish it in the least. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2006 22:15:38 | More by ScarletLady

cabsandking

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear reddish orange with a small layer of off white foam and a thick crown. Nice fresh raspberry aroma, citrus zest, some alcohol ester but not like expected, and a bit caramel malt in the back. Hot alcohol off the bat but does calm down after of few sips. Fresh raspberries again that’s balanced with tart citrus and a straw, wheat character keeps the fruit from going overboard. Characters of buttery malt, diacetyl, hints of vanilla, and sweetness that’s between saccharin and honey. Mouthfeel is rather pleasurable, full with a near silkiness and good creaminess with the carbonation standing up to the 18 abv. This beer exceeded expectations in many ways, and ended up being dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2007 16:56:09 | More by cabsandking

longarm

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Been awhile since I've reviewed but here goes. This beer was cellared two years ago, so it should be an interesting review.

Appearance: Not a huge head, but good carbonation. Hard to care what the appearance is for an atypical, a-style beer like this so who really cares?

Smell: Robust raspberry aroma mixed with mild alcoholic bite.

Taste: Alcohol more pronounced in the flavor than smell. Not surprising since it's 18% abv! A little on the hot side but the raspberries really help to balance. Little bit of a bite on the finish but not intolerable.

Mouthfeel: Unlike many raspberry beers not remotely cloying. Might be due to the alcohol cutting through sweetness/stickiness. Actually quite excellent.

Drinkability: I love this beer! It's sip-able, but also quite tasty and reminds me of a nice mix between cognac and beer.

Really what do you expect when you pour an 18% ABV? It has a bit of an alcohol bite but this shouldn't be a surprise and is ultimately the reason one buys a big beer, no?

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 19:36:26 | More by longarm

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Paled orangey brown color with a dusty white capping of yielding, crispy froth that grows up to about a finger high. The foam slips away quickly however, no surprise for a beer this big, but was impressive to see anything from it. Minimal lacing in a few spots.

Aroma is much like that of raspberry/strawberry yogurt, kinda soft, creamy, with a nice auromatic waft of fresh raspberry ice cream. Dulled in both sweetness and sourness, yet has that specific grab about it that goes with normal berry-like freshness.

Taste is nice. Firm, bold, filling, and tasty. This actually is fairly tame, its not a slap in the face, and/or palate, with the raspberry tartness or sweetness normally associated with raspberries. The malts really hold it together nicely with a slightly nutty, thicker bread dough-like tone and mild eagerness to fill the palate. The raspberry flavors are balanced in well, much like the nose, its dulled and taken down a notch in tartness and sweetness. Making for a softer, firmer ride. Only a slight tartness buzzes about as does that raspberry tangyness. Finish is rounded and full with a slight drying and fruity woodyness.

Feel is very nice as its quite filling and full. Quite bold within enriched highening of girth from the malt base used to keep the raspberry from being the true king in its flavor. Nicely balanced and very drinkable as the tartness and sweetness are well in check.

Drinkable, and dangerously so. Never a detection of the 18%, where was it? I have no idea. But its there, brilliantly hidden under all the rich texture and milding, yielding flavors. It has only a slight wamth beyond the point you know you're drinking something big when it begins to unfold and breathe onto your palate. It sinks in and gets ya that way. It has a certain politeness about it that itrigued the hell out of me. A solid fruit beer if there ever was one. For specail occasions, and what not. But the price tag ($16+) and the ABV will keep it from being a mainstay.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2006 14:23:41 | More by tavernjef

CWiggins

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Since this beer is illegal in my state (NC), I couldn't resist the opportunity to pick up a bottle while visiting the excellent Grape & Gourmet in Virginia Beach. It was bottled in November of '06, and delivered via a 750ml bottled with a simple cap. I was hesitant to serve it, knowing it may be the only one I get to sample, but we popped it open on the third cool evening of September while cooking burgers on the back porch. I was very surprised by my discovery!

How does one go about reviewing such an interesting product? Is it possible to compare it to anything else? Do the above numbers mean anything?

I had no idea what to expect; I just know that Dogfish Head is the first brewery I openly embraced, since their products are so readily available in North Carolina. I'll try anything they produce at least once! The first glass was poured into a Dogfish ergonomic pint glass, and the off-white head that appeared was moderately impressive; it stuck around for the first 30 minutes. The aroma is intense: there's a very strong scent of raspberries (duh!), along with solvent alcohol and a bit of floral hops. Taking too long a smell can burn your nose!

The flavor is strong on raspberry, without being too sweet. (It's on the verge of syrupy.) A delightful hoppy bitterness converges with the fruit at the finish, providing a beer lover's dream of sweet fruit, malts, and piney hops. It truly is a marriage of the best of all three elements.

I found the alcohol to be almost overwhelming, but, to be frank, I didn't mind. The carbonation is just right. This brew must be tasted across the temperature spectrum to be fully appreciated. I paired it with fudge brownie and vanilla ice cream at the close of my burger meal. There couldn't have been a better choice.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2007 02:03:07 | More by CWiggins

ebby82

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden haze. I only poured about 3 ounces at a time, because it's so alcoholic. A slight head which dissipates quickly. Prominent lacing. Smell is overwhelmingly raspberries, and the alcohol is definitely noticeable. The taste is raspberries, alcohol, and sweetness. It has a vague Belgium-esque flavor to it, but the dominant tastes are raspberries. When it gets warm, it begins to taste a little like brandy. The mouthfeel is syrupy, and the texture too, is brandy like. Definitely a sipper, and probably perfect on a cold winter day.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 22:05:28 | More by ebby82

JizackFH

New York

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - This beer pours a nice clear orangish amber color. It has a fluffy 2-finger off-white head on it. The head has pretty good retention, and it leaves some scattered lave behind on the glass.

S - The nose has a huge bunch of fresh raspberry. There is a good bit of an alcohol bite. Overall the smell is pretty sweet, but the alcohol aromas do a pretty good job of cutting it. There is a little bit of hop presence coming through as well.

T - The taste starts off with a really nice sweet raspberry flavor. It is sweet, but not too sweet. There is definitely some alcohol presence, but just like the sweetness it isn't overdone. There is a little bit of hop presence coming through as well as some citrus. The finish leaves some lingering sweet and tart raspberry flavor and some booziness on the palate.

M - This has a pretty full body and good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice smooth feel to it. There is a good amount of sweetness, but it's never cloying. There is a pretty big alcohol bite that leaves some lingering warmth in the finish.

O - This has really good drinkability. It is definitely a sipper, but it's ultimately delicious. This is definitely one of the better fruit beers that I have had. The raspberry flavor is fresh and very nice. There is a pretty big alcohol presence, but it is really not bad at all for 18%. Overall, I really enjoyed this beer, and I don't know why I kind of avoided this one for a while. I definitely recommend trying this one out. I would buy it again. My girlfriend enjoyed it quite a bit too so thats a plus.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 06:31:27 | More by JizackFH

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tangerine tones, clear, nearly, tea-like...under an adequate whitish head, soon to diminish...lovely look, though...

Sweet in the nose, large and in charge fruit, raspberry tart, but not too loud, shining cassis, as well...beautiful berries...very nice...

Tastin'...lovely, thick, big and bold....framboise on steroids, to be cliched...slick alcohol sneaks in...yum, but...booze staves off drinkability a tad...yum, raspberries, ...whoop, big fat booze... is it better than a Lindeman's? ...it's boozier, that's for sure...

Definitely tasty, throughly well crafted...just too boozy.

Yum, I say, as I am wont to say...

delish...if oversized...yummy-yum....

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2006 05:54:24 | More by feloniousmonk

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap at the Dogfish Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach.
Served in a snifter as an apricot colored beer with scant head.
Smell is very fruity with very strong berry notes.
Taste is of berries without being too sweet. It really is a great taste and the alcohol only slowly arises as the beer warms.
Leaves a nice berry taste in the mouth without the sweetness that you would expect.
As drinkable, almost too drinkable, as you can get for an 18% beer. I was surely aware of it the next morning.
My wife an I toured the brewery the next day and picked up a bottle for New Years Eve. I will see how that compares to the on-tap version.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2007 23:56:17 | More by tgbljb

kurtissellen

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into an oversized wine glass which produced a fingers worth of head. Nice reddish amber color that had huge aroma of berries. Awesome tart raspberry flavor accompanied with the burn from the alcohol. Lots of sour in this that makes the mouth pucker and ends with a more subtle berry taste on the tongue. Had to take my time drinking this one because the alcohol and favors in this beer are so extreme. Not a fast drinking beer but I did enjoy the flavors in this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2008 21:21:39 | More by kurtissellen

bgjohnston

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

A beer brewed with rasberries? More like an after-dinner cordial in a pint glass.

This beer was poured from a bottle, aged a year and a half, into a Chimay goblet. The head was small and gone quickly, but I didn't hold that against it. It is appropriate to the overwheming strength of this beer.

It gives you a pungent berry/fruity smell, with a strong signal (not hint) of the alcohol behind this brew. Once tasted, mouthfeel is full, thick, and heavy, yet quite smooth. It is incredibly strong, but that's o.k. because it is doing all the right things: malty fullness, fruity hoppiness, and an enduring cordial-like flavor that makes you wonder why it is in a goblet and not a cordial glass.

The flavor is consistent, persistent,and finishes sweetly, but not overly so if you like a fruit beer to begin with. I can't afford to buy this beer very often, and do not have much discipline for cellaring, but I do believe that this beer is best aged for a year, as I did not have as positive a reaction to it when I had it fresh on tap at the source about a month ago.

Highly recommended as a dessert or nightcap experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2009 03:18:09 | More by bgjohnston

femALEist

California

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is apparently the world's strongest fruit beer. It has over a ton of Oregon and Delaware raspberries that were closed in, slowly, over a 2 month primary fermentation. It poured a beautiful deep red with a hint of orange. It smelled like sour raspberries and alcohol. It tasted sour and tart- huge raspberry flavor, malt, a bit reminiscent of a cordial. There is definitely a warming from the alcohol in this one, but it is 18% after all. This is my type of dessert! It is definitely one of my top favorite beers that I have ever tried, but I am partial to sours and raspberries.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 20:16:24 | More by femALEist

aasher

Indiana

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This eighteen percenter from 11/10/06 looks like a dark belgian stained red. It's a dark crimson in color with no head. It barely allows light to pass through. It smells of a dark belgian, rich, yeasty, tart from the raspberries, and of smooth alcohol. It drinks pretty thick. It's a flavorful medium bodied. It's very sweet, very tart, and full of alcohol but it all mixes well together. This one is a great beer done well. Not too shabby for the supposed most alcoholic fruit beer in the world.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 04:44:30 | More by aasher

beerinator

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Apperance: Light ruby brown, with longstanding slightly offwhite head. Lacing lingers for a pleasantly long time. The color of the beer fades into caramel as the glass gets thinner.

Aroma: Aroma is strongly fruity and sweet. Dark berry fruits and other types of sweetness seem to soak up the initial aroma. There seems to be some fruit-like bitterness/sharpness also present in the aroma.

Taste: The taste is strong in fruit flavor right up front, but this beer quickly dries as it glances across the tongue. Quickly this goes from being a sweet fruity beer to a dry beer with raspberry notes. The mouthfeel is pleasantly full, and the finish is dry but still reminiscent of the lingering fruit. The alcohol content seems to blast it's way into your face during the middle of the swallow. It doesn't seem too strong right now, but we'll have to see how I feel in 20 minutes...

Notes: Good flavor, interesting beer. This one is tasty, but heed warning. 18% abv is not for the fruit beer drinking faint of heart. Heads up.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2006 23:43:47 | More by beerinator

WeymouthMike

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I generally don't do the fruit beer thing but if DFH jumps in the game I am willing to play. Appearance is a cloudy amber with a big white head. Smell is great,exploding of sweet rasberries and taste mimics the smell. Drinkability is amazingly high as the 18% alcohol is so well hidden its tough to believe till you finish a bottle. If DFH wanted to challenge the malt beverage market they could throw this in 6 packs and take them down quicker than glass joe.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2006 02:34:21 | More by WeymouthMike

DmanGTR

New York

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes on 11/28/09. Thanks to my buddy Kyle for this early Christmas present!

A - poured burnt sienna orange with a short lived 1/2" head that became a sparse sing. Somewhat cloudy, but very rosy. Pretty! 3.5

S - Raspberries, hint of marachino cherries, lots of sweet caramel malt, lots of alcohol. It's like BAM, right in your nose! 4.5

T - Immensely boozy but a ton of raspberries and malt backbone. Lots of caramel and a hint of spiciness. A sweet dessert beer indeed. 4.5

M - Lovely and velvety. Pretty good carbonation, could use a touch less. Medium bodied. 4.0

D - Obviously very boozy. A sipper. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2010 14:29:51 | More by DmanGTR

benyerd

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(A) Very Pink in color and actually changed in color as it was being poured. There was absolutely no head retention at all due to the high alcohol percentage. (thanks andy)

(S) Smell was awesome. Very strong and coud smell the fruit more than anything. Great Aroma!

(T) Simply Fantastic! I can taste the alcohol in it but the fruit flavor still overwhelms. Best fruit beer in a while!

(M) Very light mouthfeel. It left a slight film along my palate but the flavor still lingered after swallowed.

(D) A very drinkable beer! Best fruit beer I have had in a while. Would drink a whole bottle in one setting if it would kill me!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 04:11:28 | More by benyerd

Chadbrew

Delaware

4.18/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This pours a nice amber-red and brilliantly clear, it has a slight head and good carbonation. The aroma is simply sensational. I inhale a great big hit of bitter raspberries, My mouth is starting to water, really.
The taste is clean and dry. No doubt you are drinking a fruit beer here as the raspberries are definitely present, but don't get the wrong impression... this is no sissy fruit beer. The berries are crisp and bitter and there is very little sweetness here at all, some beautiful tartness. There is alcohol present, but it's so well complimented that you really don't know how much until you go looking for a listing (18% whoa!).
A nice light body, something I think suits this beer as opposed to a syrupy fruit beer.
What a treat. I can't wait to lay some of this down for a while and see what it's like around next Thanksgiving.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2005 00:57:08 | More by Chadbrew

jmz62565

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This pours a beautiful clear orange/red copper color with a large 2 finger white foamy head. One of the best looking I've ever seen. The smell has a real earthy."bisquity", aroma to it along with a hefty scent of rasberries. The taste has a large rasberry presence,naturally, with a a fare amount of hops and a yeast flavor that reminds me of a rasberry tort. Interestingly there is not a big alcohol flavor. There is some warming,but not what you would think. The m/f is medium with very well balanced flavors. This is a very good beer and the best fruit beer I've ever had,but I wish Dogfish Head listed the alcohol content on the bottle. I also think this should be served in a smaller bottle,or a resealable bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2006 21:05:49 | More by jmz62565