120 Minute IPA - Dogfish Head Brewery

Vancer

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

"Let it age for a decade" says the label - fork that! I might not be alive then!

Pours a hazy amber with a quite a bit of ivory head for such a heavy hitter. Oily sheet ringing the Corsendonk tulip.

Sweet juicy fruit gum and citrus in the aroma, and the quaff? Lord, just like many have said, a real sweet drink of pine and bubblegum. No hint of any high octane booze, but a sharp and tangy spruce finish gives it away. And an odd sour funk makes this one a strange bird indeed.

Welp, good for a try and I'm enjoying it, but I can't really see getting any more at the high dollar 12oz bottle price.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 18:22:01 | More by Vancer

Jwale73

Rhode Island

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

Served in my DFH chalice. Bottled on 12/18/2006 indicated on the bottle. Poured a semi-translucent plum color with a frothy, half inch, off-white/buttery-colored head that quickly dispersed into dense clusters of bubbles, with a dollop of foam in the center. Some spotty strands of lacing revealed on the tilt side of the glass. Huge, malty nose, definitely reminiscent of a barleywine. Lots of dark fruit (i.e. plums and prunes) and breadiness, with a suggestion of citrus acidity in the mix. Taste consistent with nose - wow, this is a total malt bomb; also getting some brown sugar and molasses in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, with a light, smooth background carbonation and a slightly oily quality. This is a pretty decadent treat. One will certainly do you; however, the alcohol is very well-hidden for an 18% brew. Not at all, what I expected in the way of a DIPA, but pleasant experience nonetheless. Definitely one of my DFH faves.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 01:30:39 | More by Jwale73

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had the pleasure to enjoy this on-tap at the brewery in Milton.
Served as a bright golden beer with massive white head.
Smell is very, very hoppy and overpowers any other taste sensations.
Taste is unique, to say the least. There is the strong hop character along with a massive malt presence that makes this beer almost like a syrup. Very sticky.
This is truly a one-of-kind beer.
Several ounces is enough, especially if you have anything to do the rest of the dya (or the next day)

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2007 00:21:11 | More by tgbljb

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

An amazing treat of THREE day old bottles, hand delivered, personally by Sam, to a tapas brunch in a state that doesn't allow beers of this ABV! ;-0

A-Bright, clear, golden copper with a medium off-white head that reduced to a thin cap and left nice lace.

S-Bold blast of bitter citrus rind, caramelized apricot and a spicy zing. Rich, sweet caramel malt, maple syrup and a touch of alcohol burn.

T-Initial smack of bitter citrus rind and tropical fruit bowl hops ending with a spicy pine bite. Rich, sweet caramel malt, brown sugar and maple syrup sweetness. The overall freshness let the hops be the showcase, an usual occurrence regarding 120 Minute!

M-Medium, sharp bitter bite, syrupy smooth and decadent! I can't say I have ever had a 120 Minute that tasted so "light" and bright as this one.

D-Outstanding! But, the ABV will keep this one down to a snifter or two at best. If I wasn't told this was 120 Minute I don't think I would have believed it. So bright and fresh....tasty for sure!

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

11-21-2009 22:58:08 | More by Deuane

Gmann

New York

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy blood-orange color a smallish off-white head, not much lacing detected. The smell is wonderful, a clean citrus/grapefruite scent. Big, bold, and juicy. The taste is of citrus, grapefruit hop, sugary sweet like orange soda concentrate. I prefer my IPAs to be a bit on the bitter side. The feel is well carbonated and slickly sweet. Definitely a BIG BEER, but goes overboard. Too much sweetness kills the hop flavors.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

06-10-2007 05:59:16 | More by Gmann

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours crystal clear yellow with minimal amounts of head. No lacing and no visible carbonation.

S: Aromas are fruity with hints of pineapple and the presence of the hops is easy to detect.

T: Flavor is cloyingly sweet and a pleasant amount of bitterness contributed from the hops and just a hint of the pineapple. The alcohol is subtly present in the taste.

M: Medium bodied with a light amount of carbonation. A little bit sticky.

O: Just too strong at 18% ABV to be easy to drink. I have enjoyed this beer the couple of times I have tried it but it just is not one of my favorites in the style - too sweet and not quite enough bitterness for me.

Serving type: growler
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

02-12-2012 14:28:35 | More by dbrauneis

mynie

Indiana

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

Pours wonderfully into a champagne flute. Dark, hazy orange with a gigantic white head.

Smells fucking amazing. Giant sticky hops, pineapples, roses, and marijuana. Like mixing centennial and cascade hold them up to your nose and breathing deep.

Tastes good. Very good. The hops are more aromatic than anything, and the smell serves to blot out much of the amazingly sweet maple syrup malt that takes over most of the start and lasts throughout the middle. Ends on some pine and floral hops and a long, lingering bread yeast. Very well balanced, but the syrupiness is a bit too intense for me.

A sipping beer, for sure.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

02-03-2007 05:00:17 | More by mynie

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle review of 04JAN04.
I found a bunch of bottles of 120 at Harringtons today, at $8.95 for a 12oz serving. The color is a rich golden hue, with a suggestion of cloudiness present. Head was creamy and fine, a bit off-white, and lasted as a thin layer well. Lacing was nice as well. The nose was sweet and honey-like. Seemed to be a nice amount of hops lingering in the shadows as well, though the sweetness dominated. The body was well above medium, and the Bier passed velvety across the palate. Silky smooth! The flavor, like the nose, had lots of sweetness, and it was tasty! A bit of toasty malt, honey-ish sweetness, and then some spicy hops round things out. This is a huge mouthful of flavors! And soooo warming, too! The honeylike flavors and richness are almost too much to handle! Is this what mead is like? I am thoroughly enjoying this, but must remind myself to take my time drinking it, lest I find myself on my ass. Not yo Mama's IPA, that's fur sher!! Good stuff!! Zum Wohl!!

overall: 4.4
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 4.5

*** ***

On-tap review from 25MAY03.
I was able to worm my way through the long queue at the AOBF and scored a couple samples of this. It has a stark copper/golden color, and the head on top is thin, yet finely bubbled. The aroma speaks mostly of sweetness and honey-like characteristics. The body was more than medium, having a nice fullness without being thick. It passed verrry smoothly over the tongue as well. Tasting the 120 produced a lot more sweetness and honey notes, reminding me of a mead. There seemed to be a touch of tropical fruit as well. Upon first sips the hops were very well hidden, yet they did tend to come out of hiding a bit as the bier warmed and gave you a little bite at the end. A very warming bier, to say the least. Though pushing the envelope on being an IPA, I really enjoyed this one. (4.0/4.0/4.5/4.5/4.5 - 4.30)
Zum Wohl!!

554

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

05-25-2003 09:54:12 | More by Bierman9

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into dogfish head pint glass (bottled 1/18/08)

A- Dogfish head 120 pours a very golden color with a slight touch of copper that appears quite thick. A slightly aggressive pour produces a nice sized head that dwindles down to a thin sheet. A nice amount of bubbles and debris is seen floating throughout the glass.

S- 120 has a super strong smell of sweet malts and some alcohol is present, but not as much as you would think coming from a 21% beer. Caramel on top of citrusy hops with some floral qualities. The dominance of the malts makes for a syrupy smell.

T- similar to the smell with a start of an enormous amount of malt sweetness backed with a nice hop presence. the alcohol is present in the finish as the heat is noticed going down. the sweetness consists of caramel and sugars with a bit of grapefruit coming through. It's almost like i'm drinking syrup which is kind of weird, but most DFH offerings are considered weird to me.

M- Thick, thick and thick, with a full body. I have to say though that for a beer of this size it is pretty smooth going down.

D- For 21% very drinkable but i had to check myself after i found myself drinking this a bit fast. after the 1st few sips i could feel the alcohol taking effect. this is a big beer for big boys & girls who are down for a challenge so be prepared.

I have a 2005 version of this & will buy a fresh bottle to compare, but not until i have two people to help me with it.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

01-04-2009 04:49:53 | More by onix1agr

Durge

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Bottled 12/18/06. It pours with authority, a hefty sound and reasonable head that quickly dissipates to an even, thin blanket of white. The aroma starts strong with a bitterness suggesting grapefruit, very crisp. Give it a little longer and there's a hint of sweetness, cherry perhaps. The appearance is a beautiful golden brown with plenty of floating goodies suspended evenly throughout. The first roll onto the tongue is startlingly thick and sweet. Tangy at the tip of the tongue and a heavy apricot rolls to the back of your mouth. This is strong stuff and proves itself quickly as it warms its way to your belly. By the third or fourth swallow you feel like your mouth has been converted to a new level of thinking and the dark cherry bitter-sweetness reveals itself with authority. This is obviously quality stuff but probably a bit too much ale for my palate. It stays tasteful at the front but overwhelms me a bit at the finish. I added a little mild cheddar cheese to this taste experience which was a nice pairing, but for me this definitely demands thoughtful sipping. It definitely holds its carbonation as ten minutes into this glass the head looks as good as it did a minute after the pour and the bubles still sizzle on the tongue. There is some degree of an oak overtone here as the flavor matures over the long haul. But this is still some strong stuff, I imagine somewhat an acquired taste for most. Taking it slowly I found that as it went closer to room temperature it seemed a bit tamer to the tongue, more manageable so to speak. I will need to try this again, hard for me to rate as a relative neophyte. But it is quite a taste sensation and a heavy brew to ponder! This won't be my favorite Dogfish brew but I have good faith that it is another quality offering for those fans of this variety. However you shake it, it is impressive. Thanks to DH for the experience!

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

05-27-2007 02:47:06 | More by Durge

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The light golden brew arrived at the table with a low but persistent head. The aroma was resinous of hops, but still subtle and not overdone. You can sense malt in the background behind the hop aromas. As it warms a huge alcohol aroma develops which overwhelms the senses. The flavor is cloyingly sweet but contains grapefruit and citrus which are well balanced. In 10-15 seconds after sipping the sweetness dissapates into an infectious dryness which evolves into and alcohol warmth that lasts. The balance is well done once the cloying sweetness is gone.

It would be difficult to consume much of this. More of an apertif than a beer, and if the alcohol did not deter you, the sweetness would.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

11-25-2003 02:39:26 | More by GCBrewingCo

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Finally got to try the big one. At $8.00 for a 12 ounce bottle and 21%ABV, not for the faint of heart. A pretty red/orange color with a medium head that quickly dissipated. All I could smell was sweet fruit and alcohol. The taste followed the odor: sweet,sweet fruit, alcohol, with a hops coming in later. A very thick, rich mouthfeel. I started with it chilled, let it sit, and finished it at room temperature. Definitely better at room temperature. I'd look at this as a dessert beer, and would figure that 6-12 ounces would be my limit.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

04-16-2006 13:51:59 | More by lordofthewiens

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a super hazy golden-orange color with a finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lace.

S - Aroma full of tropical and pine hops with lots of grapefruit, orange, citrus, and grassy aromas. There is also some sweet caramel malts, residual sugar, and booze.

T - Starts off with lots of tropical hop flavors with grapefruit, mango, orange, and some bitterness, alongside some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, lots of piney and grassy hops come through with strong bitterness with some sweet residual sugar and some booze. The finish is full of tropical and grassy hops, some floral hops, some good bitterness, sweet malts, and booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and resiny with a warming, bitter, and dry finish.

D - Very drinkable. Huge hop flavor and strong booze, but the body is able to hold it all and the overall beer feels well put together.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

05-18-2012 06:07:11 | More by ngeunit1

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one’s an orange-hued liquid, with a puffy head. It doesn’t look like a beverage of it’s strength…it’s somewhat unassuming from the outside. The aroma is reminiscent of fresh hops. There’s a little fruit as well, and lots of pine, grapefruit, flowers, and herbs. It’s a heady smell for sure. Surprisingly, the smell doesn’t broadcast the alcohol as I’d expect. The taste is sweet, yet balanced. There’s a lot of everything, but nothing is truly overwhelming. There’s a bit of warming, and you do feel the alcohol after a bit, but it’s taste is folded into the flavor of the beer. Fairly smooth, the beer is moderately heavy. There is no doubt that this beer is well made. It’s too strong for regular consumption, but it’s a great beer.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

05-19-2007 19:14:02 | More by Suds

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 12/18/06

A beautiful beer: lots of bubbles swimming inside a toasted rust/copper glow. Small head, but you would expect that at 21%. Poured into a tulip glass, and the head stuck around longer than expected, fed by an amazing number of bubbles. Lace is thick and ever-present.

Aroma is one-of-a-kind. Big juicy pine essence, fragrant, flowery, orange-y...not at all nostril-flaring. Kept perfectly in check. One of the purest hop aromas you'll experience, aside from standing in a field of the stuff.

Flavor is as delicious as the first one I ever had, and as illuminating as all the others that have come since. It's remarkable how well the big hops and big alcohol are balanced against a hefty malt backbone. The hops are sticky, juicy, succulent, even a bit spicey and spikey, but well-balanced against a sweet malt that feels lightly toasted. 21% alcohol makes this a sipper, no doubt, but we've all had beers with half the ABV that were ridiculously hot and out-of-whack. This is not.

Mouthfeel is thick and creamy, utterly smooth, and luckily no pastiness in the mouth. Feels (and tastes) like a big ol' barleywine in some ways. Perfect.

Drinkability for a beer like this should be considered relative to similar beers. I doubt another 21% beer with such insane hoppiness could be made to be as luscious and enjoyable as this. And no significant weaknesses either. In a league of its own...one of the best freakin' beers in the world.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

04-11-2007 23:11:34 | More by Metalmonk

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a clear red-orange color. The head is a half an inch in height, and recedes slowly into a quarter inch of lacing. Due to the extremely high alcohol content I was expecting the head to be minimal at best, and am very pleasantly surprised. The aroma is very hoppy with lots of pine and citrus. There is a lot of malt too, but it is soft and easily takes a back seat to the hops. The alcohol is present in the terms of adding a slight cough syrup note. It is, however, a lot more subdued than I expected, and I like that. The taste has a bite...wow. There is more malt here with an almost mead like honey character. The citrus, and pine from the aroma are present, but the malt masks the bitterness which I'm sure is in there somewhere. The mouthfeel is full bodied with appropriately low carbonation, and a silky texture. Overall, this is a very interesting beer, and huge kudos go out to DFH for dreaming it up. I certainly couldn't drink this every day, or even every month. But I'm could picture myself sipping this down two or three times a year, and thoroughly enjoying it.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

07-18-2009 02:36:52 | More by KarlHungus

GbVDave

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into two small brandy snifters. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

Bottled on 5/10/07.

A: Pours a relatively clear cherry-orange color. Tiny off-orange head that leaves not a trace of lace. Extremely still.

S: Big syrup-y sweet tropical fruit drenched in caramel sauce smell. Alcohol is quite aparent.

T: See above with the addition of marachino cherries drowned in chocolate.

M: Big and thick. Viscous and syrup-y. Spicy, sweet, and bitter finish.

D: Almost as if it's too big for it's own good. A noble effort that's just pretty hard to drink.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

12-05-2007 00:40:42 | More by GbVDave

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into snifter, 2012 D bottling(pretty fresh as my store got it in this week). Pours hazy golden orange color with a dense 1 finger off white head with very good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers, Pretty good lacing sticking to the glass, with plenty of alcohol legs as expected. Aromas of big pine, citrus rind, grass, lemon zest, grapefruit, honey, herbal, floral, earth, caramel, and a a bit of alcohol. Pretty nice aromas with some good balance and complexity. A lot less booze in the aromas than I expected; booziness seems to drop off a bit more as it reaches room temps. Taste of big citrus rind, lemon zest, pine, grapefruit, herbal, floral, honey, caramel, earth, and light herbal spiciness. Light amount of pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus rind, grapefruit, pine, floral, caramel, honey, and light herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice hop flavor balance and complexity; with zero booze in the taste. Medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy, oily, and slightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Approaching syrup viscosity but it’s not a bad thing here; as the carbonation balances things out. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with only a warming noticed after the finish. Goes down impressively smoothly. Overall this is a damn nice DIPA given what this actually is in terms of the style. I was quite impressed how smooth this was; with a nice hop flavor balance and absolutely no cloying sweetness at all. I am beginning to wonder why everyone cries that this one is horrible fresh. This is very well done considering all of the insanely over the top brewing and dry hopping it takes to create this one. Really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

07-16-2012 03:55:10 | More by superspak

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2003 Edition
Appearance - pours a clouded light orange color, a snappy but short-lived head on top.

Aroma - a new experience on this one. I pick up the initial expected fruit and booziness, though not to the degree I expected. But then I get this unmistakeable spicy aroma. A cooking spice, what is it, I know the smell...then it hits my brain - curry! Are my hands clean? Sure enough, and I just washed out the glass from my last beer. Sniff again - curry again. Perhaps this is the effect on my senses when hops get over-saturated into a beer? I don't know. I like curry but I am unsure of what to expect on the taste.

Taste - wow. No curry here, but this is in the 'beer candy' genre. Intensely sweet, as if it's been concentrated. Orange candy, honey, pineapple, some mildly spicy hop component, and now and then a breath of that curry, but barely. Big alcohol finish, but not as brash as I thought it'd be. Beautifully supportive of the hops flavor, I don't think I can rememeber a beer being so hoppy and yet so sweet instead of bitter. Without fail, every time I take a sip, I get a whiff of that curry, but it generally does not appear in the flavor profile with any force. Finishes wet, warm and coating.

Mouthfeel - very thick, the carbonation holds its own among the heavyweight flavors.

Drinkability - I am so glad I grabbed this and am hopeful that I can wait another 5 or 6 years to sample the other one.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

03-18-2006 05:21:25 | More by brewdlyhooked13

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap at J Ryans Syracuse NY

Appearance - Copper colour with a very small size fizzy/frothy off-white coloured head. There a low amount of carbonation and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for only a minute or two.

Smell - Malts, hops, oranges, pineapple, caramel

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste hops and malts mixed with grapefruit and oranges. There is also a caramel/sugary/pineapple sweetness and it ends with a bitter hop aftertaste.. but not as bitter as I would have expected.

Overall - I've had an aged bottle previous to this and I can say that I much preferred it fresh. If you have a few bottles it's worth aging one to see how it changes but make sure you drink most of it fresh.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

11-13-2012 19:01:02 | More by spinrsx

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a pint glass. I have a tulip, but I didn't have it with me at the time, dammit.

4.0 A: Rich orange amber in color. Quarter inch head.

4.5 S: Somewhat woody, caramel. Sweetness is there for sure. You can smell the alcohol, but not nearly as much would be expected from a 21% beer.

4.5 T: Hardly bitter, unexpected from an IPA. Sweetness comes through. Alcohol isn't overpowering at all. Woodiness very apparent. Otherwise delicious, very delicious.

4.0 M: For a 450 calorie beer, it feels lighter than expected, but still very rich. My mouth feels happy, but not ecstatic.

5.0 D: I think I could easily drink another and enjoy it just as much. For that and the alcohol content, this is an exceptional drink. One of most drinkable beers I've ever had.

I'd have to say that this is a great beer, but not worth the $9.00 pricetag per bottle. One day when I have more money, it won't be a big deal, but right now it is (college student). I would recommend Dogfish's Palo Santo brown ale if you want a high flavor beer that's less hard-hitting on the wallet.

Dogfish head seems like it can do no wrong. I've loved 6 of the 7 beers I've had from them.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

06-03-2008 01:11:50 | More by DavoleBomb

oline73

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at Max's. Poured into a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a layer of off white head that fades to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Very sweet, but there is some hop presence too. The hop bitterness is somewhat herbal.

Taste: This is less cloying than the aged versions that I've tried. The herbal hops balanced things out well considering what they had to work with. Sweet and boozy in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy with smooth and fluffy carbonation and a finish that is a bit dry.

Overall: This was better fresh than it is ages. The balance is pretty good all things considered. Don't know that I need more, but perhaps.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

12-04-2011 03:33:41 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

2.43/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle dated 5/1/09 poured into my Dogfish snifter. It poured a murky orange amber color with a thin white lacing scattered across the top of the beer.

The aroma is sweet, sugary and boozy. The hops pretty much either faded away at this point or are overshadowed by the sweet maltiness. Caramel, brown sugar and alcohol are the main flavors I get out of it.

The taste is also extremely sweet and boozy. There is some caramel maltiness to it, but it's more of a sugary, candy like flavor. The finish has a touch of residual hop bitterness, but not nearly enough. The alcohol also shows through too much, giving it a hot, boozy finish.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being low for the style. Overall, I don't think it aged well at all and was approaching undrinkable. The lack of hoppiness just made it cloyingly sweet and boozy. It was kind of like a bad, really unbalanced, one dimensional barleywine. I've had it fresh and remember liking it better than this bottle. I'll make an effort to revisit a fresh bottle and update my review when I can find one.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

07-13-2012 00:43:51 | More by billab914

emmasdad

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours golden amber, with a minimal amount of white head. A very sweet and boozy aroma, with maybe a touch of floral hoppiness. On the palate, I get sweet honey malt, apricots, a bit of citrus and alcohol. Very syrupy and sweet, the hops are nowhere near enough to balance this one out. A somewhat one dimensional beer, not for everyday drinking.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

04-13-2010 23:24:06 | More by emmasdad

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Wow, split this bottle amongst several friends at a poker game. Smell was not indicative of what was to come. Yellow-orange in color and had a good head. The taste was syrupy, sweet and woody/smoky which I thought very odd. This bottle was cellared for a year prior to consumption. this one was just way too big for me.

Serving type: bottle
@ Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach

03-12-2007 21:36:27 | More by ArrogantB