Festina Pêche - Dogfish Head Brewery

120minuteman

2.25/5  rDev -38%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

If you like the style, this is the beer for you. I certainly am no weissbier fan,so this was not among my DFH favorites. It was simply too shallow, even for summer.

While I appreciate DFHs effort to produce another off centered ale, this one just didn't cut it. While it did have a fruity peach aroma, this beer tasted nothing like I expected. It was way too light; water with lemon best describes it.

I guess I was just expecting something with a little more flavor and kick. Overall I'm glad I tried it, but wouldn't go out of my way. There are much better things to try this summer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 02:17:08 | More by 120minuteman

sukwonee

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: cloudy yellow with 2-3 finger frothy head. Lots of lacing

S: Pepper, some funk, malt

T: Wow, citrus and peach up front. Malt towards the near. Slight barnyard funk. Lemon in the finish. I love the peach up front.

M: Light to medium body, lots of carbonation but yet quite smooth.

O: Great beer! I am not familar with Berliner Weissbier (this is my second one) and I kind of like it. Perfect summer drink, imo.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 16:02:47 | More by sukwonee

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a slightly cloudy champagne color. Head fizzles off to nearly nothing. Only small islands of fuzz atop the brew. Copious amounts of bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass. This beer glows.

S-A very organic, deep aroma of peaches and apricots. Lightly yeasty and lightly tart. The peaches are quite delectable in the nose. The nose is very attractive.

T-The flavor is a step down from the nose but only a baby step. The peaches and apricots are still showcased. Yeasty and slightly tart. The fruitiness is not cloying or artificially sweet. They nailed it with the fruit flavors. Come to think of it this is not a step down from the nose. I really enjoy this.

M-Light and spritzy. Great for super-warm weather. Very sessionable. The light tartness really pleases the palate. Mild grassy dryness. Very nice.

O/D-This beer does not get the credit it deserves. I would say I only like one of every five or six Dogfish Head beers I try. This is undoubtedly one of their best offerings in my opinion. Natural peach flavors and even some decent tartness. This is easily a top-3 DFH beer by far for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 19:33:27 | More by VelvetExtract

Bluestar

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a DFH glass.

Very nice golden yellow color - almost like staring into the sun, minimal white head with little retention.

Nose is all peach and bready notes. This is where the peach flavoring of the beer is the strongest.

Taste is typical for a Weissbier. The peach is not in the forefront here, it kind of gets lost in a wash of fruity notes.

Mouthfeel is light. Breadyness is not noticable here. Carbonation is at the right levels for an easy drinking, sessionable beer.

All in all, not the best offering for DFH, but still a nice creative effort. I wouldn't go out of my way to track it down again, but definitely wouldn't say no to a glass!

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 12:50:36 | More by Bluestar

rfbenavi80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired through a trade.
12 oz bottle poured into a Nonic Pint glass.

A- Pours a very hazy light straw color, with 2 fingers of thick white head that does not linger around leaving mild lacing on the glass that quickly falls back down to the top of the beer.

S- Smells sour and tart with some faint ripe peaches behind the sourness.

T- Very crisp, lemony tartness hits the tongue, quickly followed by a nice ripe peach flavor.

M- Lively carbonation in this one makes it refreshing. Light body makes it an easy drinker.

O- Highly sessionable at 4.5% ABV, this is a very refreshing summer beer, that I'm glad I got to try.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 05:29:28 | More by rfbenavi80

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in a pint glass.

pours a slightly cloudy pale golden tone while yielding a 1" head that appears more spritzy than frothy and fades quickly; no lacing to speak of. nose isn't exactly overly bold but offers notes of peach, tartness, and very light malty presence.

flavor mostly follows the nose with light tartness, peach and then some lemon characters. not bad. crisp, light-bodied mouthfeel with some lively carbonation.

overall, not the biggest fan of this one. it isn't bad, just doesn't do an awful lot for me - somewhat ho-hum. so while there are worse things to drink, it's not one i'll be seeking out again.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 02:21:17 | More by BostonHops

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a slightly hazy yellow color with a one finger white head. The head faded rather fast leaving only a very small amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma was heavy of sour and tart apricot and peach with some notes of lemon and wheat as well.

Taste – The flavor begins more with a bit of a sour wheat and peach flavor. As the taste moves more to the middle it sours even more with some lemon flavors mixing in. These tastes mingle to take the taste to the end where a quite sour flavor with light notes of yeast are left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The beer has a very light and crisp body with a carbonation level that is slightly higher than average. Very refreshing for the sour flavors of the brew and quite fitting.

Overall – It was a pretty good easier drinking Berliner Weisse that is very nice for the summer months when you are looking for something sour and tart.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 00:12:43 | More by Darkmagus82

jeonseh

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a pint glass

A - Light, straw color with light carbonation trailing upwards. Small white head that slowly dissipated.

S - Green apple tartness dominates with hints of peach mixed in.

T - Tart, crisp green apple and lemon mixed in with hints of the peach sweetness near the back. The peach is very light but just enough to prevent the beer from being tart.

MF - Lighr body with enough carbonation to give it a nice fullness. There is a light carbonation tingle that lingers on the tongue. Very refreshing beer.

O - One of the perfect summer beers. It manages to be light yet very flavorful. It really amazes me as to how much Dogfish Head packs into this beer. It is uses the peach well to make this an approachable Berliner and beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 21:56:58 | More by jeonseh

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: A light gold color , body is light but steady bubbles. Head thin, it rose to maybe 1/8" at best but settles to nothing after a minute or so.

Smell:Light light peach.

Taste: Little sweet, soda like but a citrus after feel which is unique in a very good way.

Mouth: Smooth with a sharp bubbly texture, carbonation is medium slight heavy.

Overall: Not the best peach beer I have had but definitely a thirst quencher factoring in this scorching heat this summer has started with. Have a glass on me, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:17:08 | More by BlurryVisi0n

SHODriver

California

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

A: pours a slightly cloudy pale yellow with a finger of dense white head with moderate retention
S: smells of peaches, wheat malt, and a little sour tinge
T: citric tartness, a bit of peach, cracker like malt, a little more sour with a bit of vinegar this time around, some lemon zest,, and some wheat malt. swallow brings a bit more peach and pale wheat flavor
M: light and creamy with nice and soft carbonation, it trys to be drying but it just has that feel without doing anything
O: A nice and refreshing summer beer from dogfish head that's a little bit different but still very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 22:19:27 | More by SHODriver

chugalug06

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

HUGE white foamy head. Brew is slightly murkey white with some nice yellows. No lacing.

Nice peach strikes the nose. Smooth and Kinda funky.

Nice mild carbonation, smooth, wet, and crisp. No off flavors. Peach is subtle and delicate. Refreshing. No tartness though...

This is a very fine brew, one of DFHs best, imo. Refreshing and perfect for a 100+ degree day.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 23:28:21 | More by chugalug06

CHADMC3

Connecticut

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

Pours a murky straw colored, golden body with lively bubbles of carbonation dancing to the pure white head that gives way to a sticky, constant lacing throughout the beer.

Fresh aromas of sweet peaches, yeast, and floral hints greet the nose.

The flavor primarily tart offering sour peaches, yeast, and perhaps some lemon zest or other floral notes.

Lighter in body with generous carbonation and a puckering, yet crisp and refreshing finish.

This beer pleasantly surprises me. I feared the peach overwhelming the other elements of the beer, but it is pretty well balanced and the peach is present, but not dominant.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 00:33:59 | More by CHADMC3

BeTheBall

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured a foggy, yeasty pale gold with lots of head. Smell was slightly pungent and at the same time dry and a little fruity. Taste was very light peach flavor, dry and not bitter, with a softly sour finish. I expected more on the fruit, but it was very faint for me. Not a big sour fan, so my score is on the low side. Mouthfeel was great, but this was a one and done for me. Thanks to my local store manager I only bought a single bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 12:53:06 | More by BeTheBall

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle dated 3 /2012

A - A hazy, cloudy yellow color. A little bit of head and lace on the glass

S - sweet. Peaches

T - Crisp, tartiness. Sweet and tarty up front, and then the peach flavor kicks in. Wow, very tasty!!

M - Medium bodied, well carbonated. Crisp

O - a very tasty, low abv fruit beer. Definitely worth having again...

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 04:03:55 | More by BeerDawgs

starkmarvelo

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Disclaimer: Never had a "Berliner Weisse" and I'm new to sours.

A- very light straw color with a small amount of haze. Half a finger of head that disappears quickly and champagne like bubbles steadily streaming from the bottom.

S- lightly smelling peach and a hint of breadiness. Not much else there.

T-lemon tartness right off the bat with a quick flash of ripe peach behind it, but it doesn't last long. Has a pilsner like maltiness at the end and a bit of creamy yogurt like quality aftertaste.

M- light to medium body with a good amount of carbonation. It kind of coats to tongue, again, yogurt like.

O- Pretty good. There's more of a lemon yogurt like tartness than peach. It's not very sweet though. I was expecting more peach sweetness. It's a good summer session beer since its relatively light and low ABV. The thing about Dogfish is that for the price I'm paying ($10 and change for a 4 pack!) it should be more memorable. Still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 16:51:01 | More by starkmarvelo

teromous

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Very pale yellow, with a thick foamy white head. It is only slightly hazy.

S: Slight sourness in the smell, but not like a spoiled milk sour. Definite peach scent...smells a bit like a peach Jolly Rancher.

T: It doesn't really taste like a Berliner Weiss. The grain flavor comes through a lot, and the peach flavor is always there. It tastes very good for what it is, but not for a Berliner Weiss. I'd probably give it a 2/5, but because it tastes pretty good regardless...

M: Nice airy mouthfeel, but not as tart as I'd like.

O: Overall it was pretty good. It has the light body you'd expect from a Berliner Weiss, but the beer is too "safe" on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 23:09:43 | More by teromous

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a clean straw yellow pour with 2 fingers fluffy head which quickly diminished. smells of peach, smarties, wheat/bready smell. the taste is exactly like the smell.. not really all that flavorful, very subtle. light body with nice champagne like carbonation.

overall, this is a decent summer beer. refreshing, subtle in flavor, fruity, tangy, perfect for a hot day. if you're expecting something like aprihop, don't. this is very subtle, and not hoppy.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 22:19:14 | More by facundoCNB

TSJ4000

Iowa

3.4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I'm surprised this beer is so lowly rated. After all Sam has his face on every beer magazine and even a (now cancelled) nationally sindicated show. Doesn't that make the beer rate higher? Nonetheless the beer is still very enjoyable. It had subtle sour and subtle peach flavors. I didn't pick up much Berliner Weiss-esqu yeastiness but I found this beer thirst-quenching on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 23:01:35 | More by TSJ4000

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

Pint glass. Fresh bottle from a 4-pack.

Dense three-fingered head that interrupted an entire pour. Waiting a minute or so before attempting to fit the rest of the bottle into the glass. Stellar retention. Looks a very pale straw color with some haze. Phenomenally, the head has crystallized on the surface like overbeaten egg whites.

Tart aroma pulls out some zesty lemon, but there's a lush and sweet fresh fuzzy-skinned peach that adds a whole new layer of fruit complexity. The combination of the two evokes some green strawberry and melon. No hops evident, but a nice wheat note shines through and blankets everything.

White peach, tart raspberry, fresh lemon, flexed wheat, light lacto sourness, herbal notes, and an aspartame-like sweetness. Mostly clean, somewhat tangy, finish. Light bitterness is detectable in the end. Extremely refreshing. Extremely drinkable. Thin, but soppy, body with some rinsing carbonation. Halfway through the beer, I produced a nice nose-clearing burp.

A summer 'go-to' beer. Can be consumed by the case. Perfect for day-drinking. Finishing up my glass before 4:30pm. A perennial classic and one of best from DFH. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 20:10:09 | More by thecheapies

ms11781

Massachusetts

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

Reviewed on 06/25/2011. Bottled on 05/17/2011. 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a clear, golden straw color with a slight fizzy head that dissipates rather quickly. A few bubbles of foam stick to the glass but the head and retention are nearly non-existent. Needless to say there is no lacing either.

The nose is sweet, sometimes sharply sweet, with more of a citrusy, almost lemon aroma than peach. There is definitely a wheat character as well. As the beer warms the wheat becomes less pronounced and the fruit notes take over a bit more.

The same citrusy lemon is right up front in the taste and is quickly followed by a mild tartness and some mellow peach flavor. The peach seems to ride just under the other flavors in each sip. The wheat character that was in the nose is still here as well but it's sort of an afterthought.

Light body with lively carbonation. Light and crisp and very refreshing. It's mildly tart and has a slightly yeasty aftertaste.

This is an odd beer for me. It's not great when held up against other beers of the style but it's very enjoyable. It seems to be more of a tart pale ale than a Berliner Weisse. Very nice summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 23:32:06 | More by ms11781

rangerred

Tennessee

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy yellow with a one finger head that disappears fairly quickly.

Peaches are definitely present in the aroma along with some bready grain.

Tartness is immediately there upon tasting and really lasts throughout. Plenty of citrus in the form of peaches along with a soft wheaty mouthfeel. The tartness somewhat mellows the longer you drink the beer and really is complimentary to the peach.

Overall, a different but enjoyable beer. Not sure it is something I would drink all the time but it is refreshing in hot weather and a nice alternative to typical wheat beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 19:39:35 | More by rangerred

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

Served on tap at Cork City in Hoboken, NJ

A: Pours a lightly cloudy pale straw yellow in color with light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a half finger tall white head that reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer with a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate lacing is observed.

S: As I expected for this style, there is a light sourness/tartness to the overall aroma with some hints of peach.

T: The flavor of the peaches is quite present in this beer but there is not any of the sweetness that I expected. There is some light amount of sourness/tartness in the taste of this beer along with a hint of the wheat.

M: Light bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Not as tart/sour as many of the other beers in this style, the peach really helps to balance that out. Still it is a good example of an easily accessible Berliner Weissbier. I find this beer especially easy to drink on hot summer days and it is quite refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2012 01:48:21 | More by dbrauneis

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

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

Poured from bottle into NB Globe. Pours a slightly hazey golden brown. Fizzy carbonation.
Huge peach aromas, mixed with malt. Simple.
Taste is of wheaty malty peach. Its refreshing, light and nice tasting. One of the best fruity berliner weissbiers I have ver had. One or two is good, but I cant do much more. Nice summer brew though.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 01:32:01 | More by DrinkSlurm

Danny1217

Florida

4.14/5  rDev +14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a cloudy golden color, with a thin white head that quickly dissipates.
Smells like peach juice and grains.
The taste has peach way up in the forefront. A little bit of the traditional wheat flavor, but mostly just the peach. Slightly sweet, with a pleasing tartness.
Medium body, heavy carbonation.

The infusion of peach flavor into a berlinerweiss works well, as the peach flavor complements the tartness very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 06:48:18 | More by Danny1217

lnashsig

Texas

4.48/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

#BOTG 70! A new beer available to Houston (don't think we have gotten this in bottle form before) now on shelves. Poured from bottle into DFH snifter. Pours a really light yellow/orange color. Some cloudiness, but the carbonation is streaming up from the bottom. Looks really effervescent. Not much head. This is DFH's take on a berliner weiss as far as I know. Smell- PEACH! Sweet, ripe peach skins, like you had a very fresh peach sitting in the palm of your hand. Taste- nice tart, somewhat sour start, followed by the peach sweetness. Nice dry finish with tight carbonation. This beer is absolutely perfect for a summer day, and a really interesting take on the berliner-weiss style. I would expect nothing less from DFH- always an interesting interpretation and spin on things. I'll buy this a lot this summer if it stays around. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 01:03:12 | More by lnashsig