Saturday, December 27, 2008

Dogfish Head Red and White


'Tis the season...to taste big bottles of beer, I guess. Stopped by my neighbor's for a holiday open house tonight and got a chance to try Dogfish Head's Red and White. Once again, let me go out on a limb and give you some tasting notes BEFORE I check out the pros...

First thing was the head -- very Belgian-like -- tight bubbles, almost creamy. Color was nearly cherry lambic. Slightly cloudy. First taste had a lot of fruit in it as well, but then the sweetness of some serious alcohol hits the tastebuds and you know this puppy is not fooling around. I check the bottle -- 10% ABV... Oh yeah. No hops, no malt, no spice. All fruit and very Belgian sweetness to the nose and palate.

Okay, what do others say?

From Dogfish Head:
A big, belgian-style Wit brewed with coriander and orange peel and fermented with Pinot Noir juice. After fermentation a fraction of the batch is aged in Oregon Pinot Noir barrels, and another fraction is aged on oak staves. The beer is blended together before packaging.

This has been one of our most popular Limited Edition beers at both our Rehoboth Beach, DE brewpub and at festivals. It successfully marries the refreshing citrusy qualities of a Belgian-style white beer with the robust complexity of a bold red wine.


From "gusler" at Beer Advocate:
The beer leaves the 750ml bottle a fuzzy incarnadine color with a reddish pink head that crowns the body, lacing provides a tight skirt to surround the glass. Nose has a tart oak like aroma, combined with coriander & orange peel, also hints of red wine and amazingly only very little of the 10 percent ABV shows through. Start is vinous, with a nice bit of toasted grain sweetness, top is light to medium in feel. The finish has a unrelenting acidity, the wine like traits along with the oak make the end sweet and somewhat sour with the parched aftertaste long lasting, another amazing brew tis’ true.


From JustBeer:
This beer is much more mild than I expected it to be. I was thinking it would be one of those that reaches out of the bottle and lets you know it has arrived, but not the case here. The color and head really aren’t red… more amberish orange, but that is ok. The nose is clean and crisp and the overall first tastes confirms the noted orange peel. The body definitely has hints of the Pinot and serves the mellowing purpose, I believe. As we continued to take it through, the alcohol levels hit us a bit and Dave and I had a great evening… :) By the last glass, this beer looked as unfiltered as it tasted… almost made you want to chew the last bite… I mean drink. :) But still, good stuff that is highly recommended.


I'm not as impressed as others with this beer -- a little too much alcohol for me. And it's a little too sweet. That doesn't mean it's not good, it just means it doesn't fit my taste profile. I do like Dogfish's Chicory Stout, if that counts...

Happy New Year!

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