Festina Pêche - Dogfish Head Brewery

ghostmech007

Virginia

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On-tap at the Dogfish Head Alehouse in MD.

Poured a cloudy, bright straw yellow with very little head. Didn't leave any lace.

You can really smell the yeast in this one. Slighty mellow nose not very impressed.

Big punch of peach when you first sip it. Very difficult to place the flavors. Very acidic and when warmed up become very, very tart. Slight wheat notes where present. Very clean finish with more tartness on the way. Bartender said they brewed it with five hundred pounds of peachs and you can really tell. Very light and tight on the tongue.

A refreshing beer that needs a little bit of work done. I don't know alot about the style but I was expecting something a little more German like. Something I might pick up later but don't count on it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2007 19:02:13 | More by ghostmech007

Damian

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Drank from a 12 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Cambridge Wine & Spirits, Cambridge, MA

Poured a cloudy, pale (yet bright) straw yellow with a one-finger, bubbly white head that quickly disappeared.

The aroma was macro-ish and a touch skunky with a powdery yeastiness lingering in the background. As the beer warmed, some German pilsener-like maltiness emerged, along with a touch of lemony tartness.

The taste was sharply acidic and quite lemony. Some wheaty notes came through mid-palate and on the back end. The finish was clean, crisp and rather tart, with a slight skunkiness. This beer claims that it is a "malt beverage brewed with peach concentrate," yet I found absolutely no indication of peach in the aroma or in the flavor.

The mouthfeel was very thin, light and highly carbonated. I have never sampled a more fizzy and airy beer.

As for drinkability, this beer may have been light and somewhat refreshing, but it definitely was not very tasty or enjoyable.

Because this was my first time sampling a Berliner Weissbier, I must admit that I am not accustomed to the style. However, if this beer is in any way indicative of other beers in this category, I find find few redeeming qualities with them.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2007 04:30:01 | More by Damian

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A- translucent straw yellow body with thin white head that quickly fades and leaves behind some lacing.

S- Smell is quite tart. Sour fruit and citrus stand out with a yeast backbone.

T- Tart peaches and citrus upfront. Wheat background can be noticed. The tartness fades lingers and is rather sour.

M- Light carbonation and light body perfect for summer consumption. Smooth.

D- This is a very drinkable summer beer. Great brew from DFH. I was excited to get to try a Berliner. I would not hesitate to have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2007 19:29:07 | More by PittBeerGirl

psinderson

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in pint glass.

Appearance: Murky golden color with a thin white head. Looks like a hefe...minus the good head.

Smell: Two things - citrus and peaches. Smells like a peach grove.

Taste: Initial taste is all citric acid. After the first few sips, the fruity peaches come back. Extremely clean and dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin and tart...fells good! Nice carbonation.

Drinkability: The clean finish is nice. I'm sure the tartness will turn off some, but I like it!

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2007 01:25:18 | More by psinderson

jwc215

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours cloudy lemon-drop yellow with a thin head. Well, this style isn't exactly known for its head retention, anyway. There is a lasting thin island of a patch, though.

The smell is of hints of peach. A candy-like sweettart aroma is there.

The taste is sweettart. Peach skin (no syrupy fruit here) blends with a malty sweetness with a balancing tartness. Finishes refreshingly dry.

Refreshingly light, a nice flavor hangs on. Smooth.

A broad interpretation of the style - well, what do you expect from DFH. I do have to say, though, that they put a nice twist on the style. A nice summer brew. Wish it came in six-packs for the same price!

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2007 03:18:54 | More by jwc215

AlephNull

Delaware

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass the day after the local liquor store received it. They only had cases, but were nice enough to break one open for me since I was a bit worried about trying a peach beer as I'm not a fan of fruit beers. This was a bit surprising.

A - Pours a cloudy yellow color with a deep white peach pinkness deep in the glass -- not much in the way of head.

S - Scent's got a bit of tartness behind it, maybe a taste of wheat -- with a bit of sweetness behind it and a bit of peach -- not as much as I expected.

T - Refreshing and thirst quenching -- not at all like the Sam Adams Cherry What cloying flavor that I expected. The peach is a sharp and refreshing citrus not a sticky sweetness.

M - Super-carbonated... at first I thought too much, but with a bit of sipping I've learned to enjoy it.

D - More drinkable than any fruit beer I've ever tasted. Nothing overwhelming about this "beer" makes for a nice summer drink.

Overall: A real pleasant surprise. I wouldn't have minded having an entire case of this despite my initial reservations... This would be a great beer for a summer barbecue of mixed real beer drinkers, cheap beer drinkers and the wine cooler crowd.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2007 01:00:44 | More by AlephNull

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A tumbler glass served at Capone's.

A: The ale is a pale but hearty yellow color, well carbonated and slightly hazy. The head was near 1 finger on pour and retained nicely through the glass.

S: The nose has a distinct tartness that is softened by a subtle peach sweetness. The sweetness is not as syrupy or sickly sweet like what you would find in Lindeman's Peche.

T: The ale does a remarkable job of straddling the two disparate worlds of Berliner Weisse and fruit lambic. The ale reveals a light wheat body up front, airy and slightly tart, that soon reveals a stronger tart, pucker-up element. Before the tartness can build up too far, a fruity peach flavor emerges, softening the tartness with a strong sweetness that mixes with the wheat for a refreshing finish.

M: The ale nicely melds the wheat tartness and the peach's sugary sweetness, creating an excellent mix worthy of consideration alongside himbeer and waldmeister syrups.

D: The tart flavor makes this beer almost too drinkable. One sip and I reflexively reach for another. A great creation from the twisted minds at DFH.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2007 00:47:51 | More by akorsak

ggaughan

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I sampled this at the Grey Lodge the other night for their DFH tasting and picked up a few bottles the next day. The beer poured a very cloudy golden color into my DFH pint glass with a medium thickness, fluffy white head that runs away quickly. The aroma has alot going on. There a very present peach aroma running around and it is also a bit creamy. The taste is more of the same and oh so good. You first get a nice tart sensation in the mouth that is rounded out by a fresh peach taste and balanced out with an almost creamy texture. Probably due to the lactic fermentation this gets. This is a really good representation of the Berliner style. You get the tartness that is a trademark of the style but the peach flavor is really enjoyable and with a low ABV of 4.5%, this is going to be on my summer beer rotation at home for some while.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2007 01:00:42 | More by ggaughan

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At the brewpub I noticed that Festina Peche was not the Festina Lente yeah I know...anyway I asked Wes the bartender for a half pint on this one just b/c of the tart character and my eagerness to start drinking one of the 90 minutes through the Randall. Appearance a clouded apricot light golden tone with a large fizzy whtie head leaves behind thin lacing after dwindling away. Aromatics contain that great tart lactic character trademark of the Berliner Weissbier of Germany but in this case also an evident nose of Peaches with a light herbal quality detected as well. Flavors definitely pucker the lips a great eye opening tartness dives into my senses leaving behind a clean dryness after the rush lets up fruity peach notes are not syrupy or cloying very well blended into the design of this beer I'm guessing with Dogfish real peaches here great and refreshing with tartness and funky citrus wheat mix as well. Mouthfeel is light and spritzy carbonation really tickles the throat with the fine bubbled flow as stated the finish is definitely dry once the tart lactic character fades very nice stuff. Drinkablity quite refreshing and interesting but I preferred the half pint although I would not have had any problmes definitely the drinkable type of funky tart beers not that ones that start to turn the stomach acidic a true session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2007 14:59:22 | More by WVbeergeek

mobud

Delaware

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap @the brewpub in a small tulip glass.

A- Nice yellow color, kind of hazy. Small head of white bubbles that remain thru the sample.

S- Enjoyed the peach smell. Something about a great fruit smell on a cold day to get ready for spring.

T- Peachy, tart bite that levels out after several sips.

M- Very bright. It first, I was not crazy about the beer, but after sipping for awhile the charm of this beer becomes clear. The peach element lingers and at 4.5%, you are getting a nice clean beer.

D- I had this beer thinking that I had grabbed lightning in a bottle by have it at the pub, but I think this going to be a regular beer for DFH now. If you are not crazy about fruit beers, try this one; it changed my view on them.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2007 17:37:34 | More by mobud

lackenhauser

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sign said it was a Berliner weiss thingy @ 4.5% abv. Pale and hazy yellow in color. Nice, small, tight white head. Mellow and pleasant peach aroma. Nice blend of peach/fruit flavor and a slight sourness. Carbonation level brightens it up a notch. At a mellow 4.5% it was very drinkable. A lot of flavor in a small glass. I am assuming it was a one off brew at the brew pub.

Edit 3/10-just read on the email letter from the brewery that this will be released this spring. So much for a 1 off-sorry.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2007 02:45:19 | More by lackenhauser

dherling

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out a pale clear lemon color, thin bone white head, marginal lacing. The nose was sour first, almost lambic like, with some solid stewed peach notes, citrus, and a bit of yeastyness. The taste confirms the nose, and adds a little breadyness, also not as as sweet as I thought it would be. Has a prickly tight mouthfeel, fantastic for the style. Highly drinkable and enjoyable for a broad range of beer drinkers. I hope they bottle this so I don't have to drive three hours to sample more. Hurry and get some while it lasts. They say they'll do it again next summer using fresh peaches.

Note their sign called this a: Neo Berliner Weisse style beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2007 05:29:33 | More by dherling