-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Noble Rot
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- From:
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- Delaware, United States
- Style:
- Saison
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.85 | pDev: 12.99%
- Reviews:
- 344
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 15, 2022
- Added:
- Feb 20, 2011
- Wants:
- 123
- Gots:
- 241
This saison-esque science project gets complexity and fermentable sugars from two unique wine grapes sourced with our friends at Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser, Wash.
The first addition is unfermented juice, known as must, from viognier grapes that have been infected with a benevolent fungus called botrytis. This noble rot reduces the water content in the grapes while magnifying their sweetness and complexity. The second is pinot gris must intensified by a process called dropping fruit, where large clusters of grapes are clipped to amplify the quality of those left behind.
Noble Rot is brewed with pils and wheat malts and fermented with a distinct Belgian yeast strain. It has a spicy white wine body and a dry, tart finish.
The first addition is unfermented juice, known as must, from viognier grapes that have been infected with a benevolent fungus called botrytis. This noble rot reduces the water content in the grapes while magnifying their sweetness and complexity. The second is pinot gris must intensified by a process called dropping fruit, where large clusters of grapes are clipped to amplify the quality of those left behind.
Noble Rot is brewed with pils and wheat malts and fermented with a distinct Belgian yeast strain. It has a spicy white wine body and a dry, tart finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jadjunk:
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.5/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"We brew this unique, sorta-saison with a little help from our friends at Alexandria Nicole Cellars using botrytis-infected Viognier grape must. This "noble rot" magnifies its complexity and long finish." Brewed in the style of a Saison with grape must added. Available in 750 ml. bottles and on seasonal draft.
Poured from a 750 ml. bottle to a Dogfish Head signature glass. Served above 56 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp, fizzy ecru white head over a pale straw amber body with ample, lively carbonation and high clarity. Retention is poor and there is no visible lacing. 2.5
(Smell) Aromas of fermented white grape juices, cracker malt, a touch of peppery spice and a moderate acidity. Some delicate sweetness from the malt and fruit profiles combined although the overall aroma is fairly dry. Potency is moderate. 3.75
(Taste) Sweet fermented grape juices, lightly vinous with a light alcohol presence, sweet pale and cracker malt body, clean with light yeast character. Finish is moderately dry. 3.5
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, residual, silky and medium dry. Carbonation is high, generating a moderate frothiness and a full crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, medium overall. Balance is moderately sweet over dry and acidic. Alcohol presence is light and there are no off characters. 3.5
(Overall) I was hoping that the use of grape must would not be singled out in this beer, but unfortunately Noble Rot suffers from a considerable limitation on flavor profile. The grape must generates a full juicy white grape profile with little accenting from the malt body nor from the yeast character, which is very mild for a saison, creating little to no perceived spiciness, barnyard or funk character. Arguably a halfway decent crossover beer to and from wine, notably for the very limited crowd who favors sweet dessert wines with little to no fermented character nor acidity. I found that Dogfish Head did a better job of utilizing grape must in their Sixty-One Ale. 3.5
Dogfish Head Brewery's
Noble Rot Ale
3.5/5.00
Jun 14, 2015Poured from a 750 ml. bottle to a Dogfish Head signature glass. Served above 56 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp, fizzy ecru white head over a pale straw amber body with ample, lively carbonation and high clarity. Retention is poor and there is no visible lacing. 2.5
(Smell) Aromas of fermented white grape juices, cracker malt, a touch of peppery spice and a moderate acidity. Some delicate sweetness from the malt and fruit profiles combined although the overall aroma is fairly dry. Potency is moderate. 3.75
(Taste) Sweet fermented grape juices, lightly vinous with a light alcohol presence, sweet pale and cracker malt body, clean with light yeast character. Finish is moderately dry. 3.5
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, residual, silky and medium dry. Carbonation is high, generating a moderate frothiness and a full crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, medium overall. Balance is moderately sweet over dry and acidic. Alcohol presence is light and there are no off characters. 3.5
(Overall) I was hoping that the use of grape must would not be singled out in this beer, but unfortunately Noble Rot suffers from a considerable limitation on flavor profile. The grape must generates a full juicy white grape profile with little accenting from the malt body nor from the yeast character, which is very mild for a saison, creating little to no perceived spiciness, barnyard or funk character. Arguably a halfway decent crossover beer to and from wine, notably for the very limited crowd who favors sweet dessert wines with little to no fermented character nor acidity. I found that Dogfish Head did a better job of utilizing grape must in their Sixty-One Ale. 3.5
Dogfish Head Brewery's
Noble Rot Ale
3.5/5.00
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.23/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.23/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Bottle, from Costco, Sacramento. Golden color, white head. Aroma and flavour of American hops, saison yeast and grape must - an unusual combination, more interesting than really great. Not a bad beer though.
Apr 30, 2021Reviewed by imnodoctorbut from Texas
4.25/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
"saison-esque" is certainly right.
very musty, no doubt thanks to the copious amounts of wine grapes added.
I absolutely loved the addition of Belgian yeast, which added to the already Paradigm-level of funk.
the brew was also quite spritzy and citric, layers of mellow tart upon the funk.
This was all gathered from my notes; I absolutely loved this phase of Dogfish where they went full blast with experimentation and digging up old and forgotten styles.
Jun 11, 2020very musty, no doubt thanks to the copious amounts of wine grapes added.
I absolutely loved the addition of Belgian yeast, which added to the already Paradigm-level of funk.
the brew was also quite spritzy and citric, layers of mellow tart upon the funk.
This was all gathered from my notes; I absolutely loved this phase of Dogfish where they went full blast with experimentation and digging up old and forgotten styles.
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania
3.59/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle into a tulip. Bottled on date has worn away, but this is several years old at least.
Clear yellow body with a small white head leaving a little lacing. Decent carbonation.
A very faint light malty aroma.
Initial bitey on the tongue, this quickly fades away to reveal a slightly dry and somewhat sweet grapiness. The Saison base is merely a suggestion.
Mouth between medium and full. Finish a grapey wash.
Overall, and I freely admit to not being a big fan of grape must in beer, the grape factor dominates, and I got tired of this beer pretty quickly.
Jun 07, 2019Clear yellow body with a small white head leaving a little lacing. Decent carbonation.
A very faint light malty aroma.
Initial bitey on the tongue, this quickly fades away to reveal a slightly dry and somewhat sweet grapiness. The Saison base is merely a suggestion.
Mouth between medium and full. Finish a grapey wash.
Overall, and I freely admit to not being a big fan of grape must in beer, the grape factor dominates, and I got tired of this beer pretty quickly.
Rated by BillRoth from Maryland
4.02/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had on tap at DFH Rehoboth Tap House
Aug 19, 2017
Noble Rot from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
1585 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!