Rhizing Bines - Dogfish Head Brewery

vic21234

Illinois

3.66/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

DFH 750ml poured into a snifter. Bottled on date of 01/25/13.

A- Pours a nice cloudy orange color with a good two finger's worth of white colored head. Nice looking DIPA.

S- The smell gives off piney resin notes as well as a grassy aroma.

T- Very different in terms of a DIPA. I get some hoppiness and pine notes initially followed by some sort of wheat aftertaste.

M- High carbonation, bitter but not as hoppy as expected, dry finish.

Where are the hops in this one? I was expecting alot more hop character.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 23:32:44 | More by vic21234

teromous

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Light gold colored body, brilliantly transparent, with lots of even visible carbonation. The head is pure fluffy white clouds that leave lots of lacing on the glass.

S: The scent is very subdued. There is a bit of savory spice character, similar to rosemary and basil...but not those exact scents. A tad of caramel scent. Pretty unimpressive.

T: Loads of caramel sweetness in this one. It tastes very bready too. There's a bit of alcohol flavor but it's hardly noticeable and isn't unpleasant. Again lots of caramel and malt sweetness. The hops are a bit earthy but are extremely lacking.

M: The mouthfeel is wonderful. This is just a nice smooth easy beer to drink. The medium body and residual sweetness makes the beer very easy to drink with the back-bitterness. I'm not left with just bitterness in the aftertaste, but a light sweet flavor to balance it out.

O: Overall I thought the beer was excellent, and I would recommend it. There is a caveat that I would need to attach to that recommendation, and that is to expect low hop character. If a person gets this beer knowing that it is low in hop flavor, I believe they will appreciate it for what it is. I think that fans of english style pale ales would really enjoy this.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 00:05:44 | More by teromous

kylehay2004

Florida

3.73/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Two finger frothy head with excellent lacing and retention on a clear orange golden body. Aroma is a little understated likely due to covering but the foam with cinnamon, fruits mostly peach and orange peel, candy sugar and mint leaf. Flavors include tangy citrus, a lot of candy sugar, cinnamon, a lot of floral hops, and generic herbs . Medium body and moderate carbonation. A little strange, worth trying but wouldn't have again. I say that a lot with dogfish head large bottle releases.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 23:48:08 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with two fingers of white foam on top of a clear, light copper colored body. The head settles at a moderate pace and leaves nice lace.

S - Pine, lemon, and tropical fruit hop aromas with a touch of malt in the background.

T - Lots of pine hop character up front with bready malt and toffee in the middle. Finishes with an interesting lime character and moderate bitterness.

M - Medium body, moderately strong carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - Not bad, it isn't as pungently hoppy as I hoped it might be but it still works nicely. The aroma is somewhat weak but the flavor is more robust. There is an odd limey note both in the flavor and aroma that helps it to stand out from the crowd.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 23:45:24 | More by nickfl

rapidsequence

Virginia

3.96/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle from Neds. $14-- ouch.

Appearance: Clear, light orange-gold. Very attractive white head with beautiful Sierra Nevada-esque lacing.

Smell: Not much. There's a bit of a yeasty, almost Belgian aroma. Sweet pale malt, and some citrus, lemony hops. Fairly unimpressive for a DIPA.

Taste: Much better flavor than aroma. Very Sierra Nevada tasting hops-- lots of earthy, bitter citrus-- lemon and grapefruit. Lots of bitterness, some balancing malt sweetness, but of course still tends toward bitter. Can't shake the yeast presence, which is weird for an IPA-- maybe its something else.

Mouthfeel: There's a very smooth softness up front that fades to a dry bitter finish. Well done.

Overall: Weird aroma, but good hoppy flavor. Way overpriced.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:26:20 | More by rapidsequence

Florida9

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear, brillant orange-tinted amber in color. Forms a moderate sized white colored head. Decent retention. Moderate lacing.

S: The aroma is vinous and slightly oniony with a bit of sweet malt in the mix. It's an odd combination and not necessarily one that works.

T: The taste is likewise odd. There is a moderate sweetness, a combination of sweet malts and orangey-citrus hops. But then the taste turns earthy and slightly minty. Finishes with a lingering minty-pine quality. Not the pine flavor that is associated with Chinook, but more of spruce or juniper-type pine. Mild, dry bitterness.

M: Medium bodied, light sweetness on the front end and a light dryness on the back. Undercarbonated.

O: I'm starting to question Dogfish Head beers. Typically I am not a fan of their "throw every weird ingredient we can find into the brew kettle" mentality, but this one had nothing unusual and as it is an IPA that was brewed with SN, I figured they'd hit this ball out of the park with this one, but it's just an odd beast. Both the aroma and taste are off and while I understand that maybe they're trying to be different, it doesn't mean you get to brew a beer that is fairly average and try to pass it off as exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:08:27 | More by Florida9

lsummers

California

3.99/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have to say this beer looks great. Two finger slightly off white head that leaves some sticky lacing

Smell on this is a bit odd, not at all as hoppy as I was expecting. A bit of piney floral hope notes with biscuit notes. More malt smells than expecting.

Taste hits odd at first, but after a second sip I get what it's going for. It's not as bitter and actually pretty balanced with its offbeat flavors. By off beat I mean the more earthy Mellon and floral notes mixing with the biscuit like malts. It's not what I was expecting for a DIPA at 8%. I can't even tell its abv is so high by taste.

Mouthfeel is nice and creamy with enough carbonation to keep this feeling like a spring beer.

Overall, I was excited to try this colaboration. It's not the flavor profile I was expecting at all but it's a definite must try beer for anyone who's into ipa's, dogfish head or Sierra Nevada beer. Nice to taste something completely different.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:26:57 | More by lsummers

kojevergas

California

3.1/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada "Life and Limb Rhizing Bines." An India Pale Ale brewed with Bravo & #644 hops. Cap is the Dogfish Head logo. Brewed & Bottled by Dogfish Head. 8% ABV confirmed. Expectations are above average; I'm not big on either brewery, but I'm in the mood for a good IPA. 1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle acquired locally earlier tonight and served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a fluffy soft beige colour head of nice cream, nice thickness, and pretty good (4+ minute) retention for the high ABV. No real lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is a clear translucent somewhat pale copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Spot on for the style, but there's nothing particularly unique or special about it. The head's notable, and I'm excited to try it. So far so good. Average vibrance.

Sm: Pleasant and welcoming. Bright fruit - maybe apricot. Pale malts. Delightful clean floral hopping. Some light pine hop character as well. Light and a bit grassy. A hint of caramel and malty sweetness. Clove from the yeast. Light citrus zest. A light to mild strength aroma. No alcohol is detectable. Fresh. Refreshing.

T/Mf: Great evocative floral character, light nectary notes. First thing that really interests me is its soft, refreshing, light mouthfeel. It's smooth and wet. A bunch of malty sweetness and caramel malt hits on the climax, really overwhelming the hops and tearing down the balance. Way too sweet, almost cloying. Approaches candi sugar. Boy, I wish it were much lighter on the malt content. No yeast or alcohol character is detectable. Finish is heavy candi; it's really cloying and off-putting. I liked the first sip of this the best; the more I'm having the worse it's getting. Horrid presence on the palate, really overwhelming for no good reason. There isn't a lot of flavour here; it's a bit of a mess. I will say the hopping itself was well executed; the floral character and light nectary character is great. I'd like to see more gushing bright fruit, a much lighter body, and far far far less sweetness. There's a good beer to be made by revising this recipe. Lots of wasted potential here. Not big on this beer, but it's far from bad. Average.

I do get some alcohol heat in the stomach as I drink.

Dr: Drinkable but forgettable. A pricey beer considering its unimpressive quality. Many will like this, but I am not one of them. If you value balance in an IPA, this is not for you. Doesn't really scratch my IPA itch, actually. Feels like more of a heavily malted pale ale, to be honest. Won't be getting this one again.

Low C+

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 04:15:11 | More by kojevergas

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.76/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

2013 Bottle, big thanks to my cousin Stephen for this B-Day gift!

Appearance: Pours amber with a white, fluffy, one finger head that recedes fairly quickly.

Smell: Hops, earthiness, booze, fresh cut grass?

Taste: Interesting. It has an earthiness to it and kind of slightly reminds me of Ta Henkett and Saison Du Buff in a few ways. It's a little citrusy and a lot grassy. Weird. There is some slight caramel sweetness in the finish that saves it a bit.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, nothing to complain about here.

Overall: What can I say, I love that Dogfish does a lot of collaborations and it always pushing the limits. They do a lot of collaborations that aren't always home runs but are worth trying. Don't think I'll seek this out but if it was offered to me somewhere again, I wouldn't say no.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 03:10:07 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

portia99

Massachusetts

3.86/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A - Pours crystal clear with a pale amber color that sits underneath two fingers of dense cream colored head that shows very good staying power and leaves sticky sheets of lacing on the glass. Good looking beer.

S - A bit of sweet sugary malt, lots of biscuity and bready malt, spicy - almost cinnamony hops. Hops also show some cloves and herbal notes, a touch of mint, some citrus. Rather unique hop profile.

T - Solid malt base with some breadiness, light caramel sweetness. Spicy hops that match the aroma - herbal, cloves, grassy, mild citrus...a bit farmhouse like in character. Has what I associate as the typical Dogfish Head "house" malt flavors. Hop bitterness is medium level, balanced and well controlled.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Alcohol is noticeable but not dominant. Unusual hop profile that almost gives a bit of a farmhouse spicy, not quite funky flavor. Higher level hop bitterness offsets a bit. Balance is good overall.

O - Definitely a different take on the DIPA style, mainly due to a bit of an odd hop profile. Interesting, but not really my favorite take on the style. Something I can't place tastes a bit off to me - sticks out in the flavor profile and doesn't complement the rest of the flavors...might be the wheat component, but not sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:05:32 | More by portia99

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled on 01/25/13. Tulips for serving.

Tangerine honey color. Lovely lacing. Fluffy white head was almost two inches in height at its apex and eventually fell to rocky foam at the surface.

Nuances of citrus and tropical fruits brought about in a pungent, but not overly bitter way. It's hoppy and strange and unique, all in a good way. Peaches, papaya, grapefruit, apricot, and light pine. Awesome hop-driven nose. The malts are honeyed and they match up well. Very nice.

Holy jeebus, the one note that I didn't pick up in the nose is standing out above everything else in the taste--melon! Canteloupe and watermelon notes are upfront, juicy, sweet, and delicious. Papaya and apricot and some floral notes round out the unique hop profile. More honey-like flavors get in line with the hoppiness and push some maltiness to the front. Very delicate for an Imperial IPA. Great complexity.

Smooth in the mouth and in the swallow. Light sizzle of carbonation pops at the back of the throat. The levels are right. The mouthfeel is excellent.

Bash all you want, but you might not know what you're talking about; but the truth of it is, Dogfish Head makes killer Double IPAs. Add this one to your want list. You might not know that it should be there.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 04:09:55 | More by thecheapies

argock

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml brown bottle into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. Bottled on 012513 stamped on bottle neck. Purchased at Market Street Wineshop (Charlottesville, VA).

A: Crystal clear light amber with ample 2-finger white head with excellent retention and copious lacing.

S: The aroma is very heavy on melon and sharper, tart berries (?lingonberry) mixed with honeysuckle and floral character. The malts are lightly sweet smelling. It is a gentle but complex aroma profile.

T: The flavor is somewhat bready, lighlty sweet honeyish maltiness with a strongly floral, honeysuckle hops presence. There are also some honeydew melon and more prominent grapefruit flavors. The hops profile continues to build with more bitterness but itis not overwhelming. There is some alcohol presence as well. It is a balanced, delicious beer.

M: The feel is highly effervescent with pretty high carbonation but solid medium body. The alcohol character is a little too strong and mildly negatively affects the feel.

O: I really liked this beer. I would consider this drink like an Imperial American Pale Ale -- the maltiness is pretty prominent although overtaken by the complex hoppiness and moderate bitterness without the resiny character of most DIPAs.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 03:57:20 | More by argock

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750Ml poured into a tulip
Bottled on 1-28-13

A-Pours clearish gold. A three finger of an off white foamy head, good retention for the ABV.

S- A very grainy nose. A somewhat floral and oniony hop. A sweeter malt profile. A very interesting nose.

T- A sweet IPA to start things off. A big caramel sweetness at first and a nice big grainyness. A nice hop takes over. There is an oily and earthy hop in this beer, a lot of oniony notes and grass notes as well. The beer has a bit of a honey sweetness on the back end. A very different take on an IPA.

M- A bit higher on carbonation. An oily feel and a crispy bitterness. A slightly light body.

O- This is a pretty good brew. A very different take on an IPA. It tastes like they did use fresh, local ingredients and that came out in the taste. My biggest gripe is the price, at 15$ a bottle, it is a questionable buy.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 23:05:08 | More by TwelveOunces

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.09/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance. Pours a clear yellow gold with 3 fingers of off-white head that leaves some decent lace behind.

Smell. Sweet citrus fruits, floral hops, some peach and pineapple and grainy, lightly toasted malts.

Taste. Floral hops, dried citrus rinds, light grainy malts, a bit of pineapple and some bitter grass and herbs.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, low+ carbonation.

Overall. Not my style of ipa, a bit too sweet and hops that I just don't dig. Probably more a personal preference thing than a statement on the quality of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:45:28 | More by Rutager

UCLABrewN84

California

3.81/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap at 38 Degrees in Alhambra, CA.

Pours a clear gold with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a citrus zest flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with some nice aromas and flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2013 03:51:27 | More by UCLABrewN84

scottfrie

California

3.69/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle into Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a clear amber with three fingers of fluffy off-white head that slowly faded into a thick bubbly film leaving rings of streaky thick lacework down the glass.
S: Herbal, leafy, and minty hops with a hint of vinous white wine and wheat. Sweet overall.
T: Leafy and herbal like the nose with notes of cracked grains, faint white wine, lemon, mint, and caramel. The finish is sweet, honey-like or perhaps tropical fruit nectar; aftertaste is lightly bitter and herbal. Mild spice. Mild medicine. Interesting dipa.
M: Medium-full body, slick, heavy mouthfeel, viscous, low carbonation. Not especially bitter.
O: Definitely on the sweeter side. I was hoping the SN influence would have calmed that down a bit. An interesting brew though and an interesting hop profile.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 23:04:45 | More by scottfrie

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.01/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rhizing Bines opens to a hoppy nose with bits of grain and fruit floating in the background. The hops bring sweet pink grapefruit, grapefruit rind, and somewhat lesser touches of pine resin, with faint hints of mint, eucalyptus, and lemon deep below. The grains add bits of biscuit and cracker, as well as touches of toast crust, but are mainly marked by fruit esters, including orange, berry, and apricot. Small touches of brown sugar and caramel add further sugary notes. The nose is, however, rather faint, and while there are enough sugars in here to make the bottle mouth sticky, they fade with surprising quickness, as do the hops. so that what was a very nice aroma upon immediate opening fades to a difficult-to-detect whimper after a very short while.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a double blast of hops and grains, the hops bringing more sweet pink grapefruit, with lesser notes of grapefruit rind, pine resin, and lemon, and the grains bringing a bevy of fruit esters and sugars, including bright orange, apricot, berry, and cherry, as well as loads of brown sugar, candi sugar, and caramel. There’s even a touch of raisin and plum in here, giving a dark sugary texture that plays well off of the bright berries and oranges. An additional layer of wet wheat, toast crust, biscuit, and a grassy, bitter vine-like note brings further complexity, the flavors mingling together well, being both sugary, and almost bitter-sour at the same time. The aftertaste is a continuation of these flavors, the bitter sourness that comes from the hops and the vine-like overtone lasting for an especially long time. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium to medium-high.

Overall, this is good beer, and very interesting, especially with the heavy bitter vine-like overtone that mingles nicely with the grapefruity hops and berry-laden fruit esters to give the impression of fresh-picked fruit with some of the stem still attached. The vine-like notes are actually needed here, as without them the beer would be perhaps overly sweet, needing quite a bit of bitter balance to avoid tasting like a Jolly Rancher candy. Still, this is one of the better Dogfish Head “big bottle” beers I’ve tasted in a while, and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 18:23:16 | More by jondeelee

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.31/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

750ml bottle poured admittedly into their new matching IPA Spiegalau glass. The brew pours a perfectly clear color of copper with a mountainous 3 finger cap of yellowish stained froth. The cap slowly fades leaving a webbing pattern of lace sticking all over the glass. The etching on the bottom of the glass promotes agitation of the carbonation which rises to the surface and supports the cap seemingly throughout the entire duration.

The aroma of this brew is grassy to herbal with almost a leafy component. There is a fairly solid amount of fresh grain backing also present which gives this brew almost a doughy sweet grain aspect that is very enticing but unexpected for a DIPA. It is fresh smelling enough to invoke thoughts of a brew day and just mashing in. However, that much focus on the bready grain is not expected in an IPA.

The flavor carries over just as much grain contribution as was found in the aromatics. It is fresh and doughy with a bready character and plenty of layers of almost toasty grain before the first onset of hop flavoring. The hops present themselves with grass to herbal quality and a hint of citrus. Almost a lemony rind flavor persists into the aftertaste coupled with a bit of solvent alcohol.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is fairly light and snappy/crisp towards the finish with just a touch of oily hop resins lingering. However, I cant get over how much the malt drives the flavor and aroma profile of this brew for it still being "fresh." It is unique in that they chose to showcase bravo and 644 in this. However, I think this proves why noone else is making anything like this. I didn't really dig this. I am so glad I purchased the matching glassware. It totally accentuated how much I didnt like this brew. But the glass does feel pretty wicked good in your hand... i mean ughh.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:34:14 | More by stakem

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.54/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

We pour a brew of clean golden coloring, giving the faintest suggestions of reddish hues with the proper background lighting. It holds a two finger head of tight but cakey microbubbles, leaving chunking sheets of lacing as it crawls back at a snail’s pace. Clarity is high, with no haze or sediment noted. Carbonation appears active. The aroma gives an interesting blend of sweet bubblegum esters, floral and grapefruit hops, mild Bretty tartness, pineapple and strawberry sugars, black tea tannins, and light coiny metallics. The malts are bolstered by pales and far-off roasted caramels with warmth, as the hops take on a more earthy, but still sweetly nectary and spicy, tone. Our first impression is that the flavoring is strongly bittered, but it maintains a certain freshness about it, through the earthy tones and mossy muskiness on the back. As we sip, flavorful pale grain and sweeter notes of raw honeysuckle, phenolic plastics, floral hops, huge metallic coin bitterness, and juicy yeastiness start things off. Booze quickly crashes in, giving fire and pepper, enhancing the metallic bitterness to the peak. Mixing in are juicy citric hops, raw lemon rind, bitter-fresh garden herbs, and dirty wheats. The finish comes with a wash of sugary sweetness, faintly roasted caramel malts, bittered toasted pales, dry citric and earthy hops, booze, and medicinal phenols. The aftertaste breathes of more fusels, plastics, black pepper spiciness, crisp berry fruitiness, sweet apple freshness, and raw yeastiness. The body is medium, and the carbonation is on the high end. There is beautifully creamy froth and slurp, but with only decent finishing pop and smack. The mouth is left coated, wet, and satiated, with only alcoholic dryness, and a significant, gooseflesh-inducing pucker. The abv is appropriate, and the beer is more of a sipper for the style.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this beer was the gloriously retaining head, nice creamy foresip, and freshness of flavoring. When just poured, the aroma gave a nice blend of the described ingredients, with fresh and sweet wheatiness giving way to esters and bright hoppiness. With warmth, however, this became muddled and overly raw, which destroyed some of those originally desirable qualities. The feel also showed a two-sidedness, with a nice slurp and creaminess on the front, but an overly puckering bitterness that left the palate quivering in its wake. Either way, the flavoring remained decently even and fresh throughout, making for a bizarrely interesting collaboration that just barely works.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:09:04 | More by TheBrewo

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle into DFH "IPA" glass.

Crystal clear dark golden pour. Two finger off white, soapy head. Lacing is chunky and sticky all over the glass.

I get a touch of peppery spice, some pine and wet grass with a strange aroma I can't put my finger on, something you'd find in some Belgian beers.

Clean crisp taste. Grapefruit, apples, pine, some cucumber?? Bitter finish, zero alcohol. Very refreshing for a DIPA.

Light body, good carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:20:37 | More by korguy123

SHODriver

California

4.13/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a clear and light gold with a large and dense ivory head with good retention into a Duvel Tulip
S: smells of earthy and herbal hops, slight pine and a bit of citrus with a bit of caramel. slight toasty bread smell as well
T: herbal and earthy hops up front with some caramel sweetness. very green and woody hop flavor plus a bit of wheat creaminess swallow brings bready malt, caramel sweetness and a bit of slightly minty hop bitterness
M: slightly prickly but soft carbonation with a medium but slightly creamy mouthfeel. solid finish, not drying but not overly wet
O: very interesting. good flavors and a bit of a departure from a west coast style beer. I like it and the complexity is there. Definitely a nice twist on the style and it's great to see another collaboration between SN and DFH.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:43:17 | More by SHODriver

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.34/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: clear light honey colored. Huge billowy off white head on the pour.
Smell: juicy fruit as in the Wrigley gum is my first thought, with a nice bitter edge.
Taste: man....creamy, fruity, and bitterness in a near perfect combo. Very nicely done.
Overall: very pleasantly surprised. I expected an interesting and passable ipa. This is outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 01:02:26 | More by cindyjeffsmith

brewtus

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into dogfish tulip
A- pours clear orange with a double finger white head
S- sweet candy, slight banana, hay, earthy
T/m- starts slightly malty, straw, slight lemon, a bit bitter, not super hoppy.
O- very earthy and hard to categorize this as an ipa, with is low hop profile. It's unique and refreshing, worth a try but nothing crazy.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 00:07:16 | More by brewtus

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Riding both on the cusp of daring experimentaiton and embedded in proven technique in full IPA flavor- the heads, hearts, and hands of Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada have put together this racy imperial IPA that's as refreshing as it is packed with punch.

Bright with deep gold colors, the beer hinges on light amber as the light seems to make the beer glow. Zesty streams of carbonation build a frothy white head that keeps the beer looking bright, lively and almost champagne-like. Long-lasting retention and broken lace accompanies the beer through the bulk of the session.

Sharp and perfumy aromas, led by grapefruit, lemon, and floral notes are all strung together by light honey and caramel malt underpinnings for a scent that's hop-balanced ever so slightly. Light breadiness with a twangy-tart scent keeps the nose guessing at the subtle surprises here that's not in your ordinary IPA.

Soft caramel sweetness gives the fruity hop taste a candied taste that's similar to honey-dipped or light confectioner's sugar. Supporting bread tastes add a buffer to the hops to come. The ale's middle palate brings on the grapefruit and orange peels that's expected from highly hopped American ales. But the taste extends into the herbal and lemony world of Sorachi Ace and Nelson Sauvin hops. Coming together, there's a sense of sassafras, saffron, ginger, white wine, and almost-gin that accompanies the citrus fruits with a lot of pizzazz! As the hops develop their resiny bitterness to finish, the new hop acidity and supportive wheat backdrop keeps the beer complex and just off-dry in taste.

Medium bodied, the malts never really try to balance the beer and cause a fuller effect, but instead favors a drier and lighter palate that offers up a sense of refreshment early on and only increases heading into finish. As the hop character takes hold, the malts continue to recede until the finish of hop dryness, alcohol warmth, and zesty herbal tartness ensures complete cleanliness, crispness, and refreshment to close the session.

Where the Sierra Nevada taste is grounded, simple, and pure; the excitement of Dogfish experimentation is alive and well- but without Dogfishing it up too much. The somber recklessness that's demonstrated here is nothing short of wonderful!

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 19:15:34 | More by BEERchitect

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

Slightly hazy amber pour into a snifter, a small foamy white head topping it off; moderate retention and lacing. Aroma of light herbal hops, a dash of spice, grass. Taste was a bit bland overall, light notes of piney and herbal hops, distant toasted grains, not much distinction here. Body was light-medium, crisp, easily drinkable, but just too lacking in flavor to reel me in.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 16:55:49 | More by Rifugium