Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware
Purchased: 750ml (1 Pint 9.4 fl oz) bottle bought at (???? I don't remember) in, IL; 2013
Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 9.0%
Reported IBUs: 38
Tonight's beer has been on my radar for a long time, and while I'm happy to finally get a chance to try it, I wish I could remember where I got the bottle from. Oh well....about Dogfish Head:
Reported IBUs: 38
Tonight's beer has been on my radar for a long time, and while I'm happy to finally get a chance to try it, I wish I could remember where I got the bottle from. Oh well....about Dogfish Head:
Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.
The Bitches Brew is part of Dogfish Head's lineup of beers that pay tribute to music. This one was originally brewed in honor of the 40th anniversary of Miles Davis' infamous 1970 album, Bitches Brew. If you haven't experienced Bitches Brew in its entirety, you need to do that. The Bitches Brew beer is a blend of Imperial Stout and honey beer with gesho root. The beer was originally released on June 5, 2010, and has since been brewed several times.
The beer pours with oil-like viscosity into a cola-black body. The beer kicks up two fingers of rich, dark, bready head. The head has some serious brown/mocha tones, and the head is thick. As the head fades away, a pinky's worth is retaining, leaving glossy alcohol legs, and lots of residual lacing. Bright light confirms much of the same.
There's a lot going on with this beer's aroma....I'm getting chalky notes of chocolate, cocoa, nuttiness, lactose, roast, dark bread/grain, wood, peanut butter...there's a fruity aspect in the aroma, hinting at cherries and citrus, and there's some velvet smooth wood/malts. There's a weird herbal/tobacco/earthy note on the aroma, and a little dab of honey. This smells familiar...I can't place it though.
So yeah, the taste. It kind of reminds me of the Chicory Stout, only way better. I'm getting coffee, chocolate, chalky/dusty cocoa, chicory, really well-balanced roast and earthy chicory stout, and tons of rich velvety honey, cherry, and bitter hop-like notes on the back. I'm assuming the bitter "hop-like" note is the gesho, which has an earthy, tobacco-like quality. There's some subtle spice, herbal stuff, fruitiness, and bitterness in the mix. The finish lays on some nice honey. But mostly, this beer dials up rich chocolate, coffee, and roast.
The mouthfeel on this beer is medium to medium-full bodied. The duration is pretty long, and the beer has nice palate depth as you go from earthy roast to a subtle honey coma. There is some subtle and complex booze in the mix, but for the most part this velvety smooth and properly carbonated beer is pretty easy-going. For 9.0%, the drinkability is high. But this also works as a sipper; moderate complexity. Bright earthy coffee and chocolate and roast up front, with hints of herbal/citrus....that rolls into chalky chocolate, roast, cocoa, lactose, woody stuff; the middle has some chicory, tobacco, earthy; the back is slightly bitter, cherry, spice, honey. The finish has fading roast and lays on some honey.
Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)
I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Like fusion jazz, this beer can be -- at times -- a bit muddled. And I guess that's okay. It's also a bit light on the honey, to be honest. I wonder if some time spent aging in the bottle will bring out more of the malt thickfreakness. Otherwise, this beer has fantastic depth in terms of the big roast, chocolate, and coffee flavors it delivers. The gesho imparts some quality earthy vibes, and you just want to grow a bush and bang nubile vixens. Food pairings: ribs and other smoked/grilled/charred meats, dry rub wings, dry chocolate desserts, and according to DFH, chili and spicy curry chicken. I'm going to have to call shenanigans on that last pairing, but I guess I won't know unless I try it (I won't). So you should.
Random Thought: I bought a Randall Jr. After being disappointed that I couldn't land a Bourbon County Backyard Rye or Proprietors, I decided to take things into my own hands. Regular Bourbon County is still sitting on shelves and collecting dust in liquor stores across Chicago. I'm going to infuse some bottles with berries and toasted coconut. Will update with progress and tasting notes when shit gets real, and shit will get real.
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| Dogfish Head Bitches Brew |
The beer pours with oil-like viscosity into a cola-black body. The beer kicks up two fingers of rich, dark, bready head. The head has some serious brown/mocha tones, and the head is thick. As the head fades away, a pinky's worth is retaining, leaving glossy alcohol legs, and lots of residual lacing. Bright light confirms much of the same.
There's a lot going on with this beer's aroma....I'm getting chalky notes of chocolate, cocoa, nuttiness, lactose, roast, dark bread/grain, wood, peanut butter...there's a fruity aspect in the aroma, hinting at cherries and citrus, and there's some velvet smooth wood/malts. There's a weird herbal/tobacco/earthy note on the aroma, and a little dab of honey. This smells familiar...I can't place it though.
So yeah, the taste. It kind of reminds me of the Chicory Stout, only way better. I'm getting coffee, chocolate, chalky/dusty cocoa, chicory, really well-balanced roast and earthy chicory stout, and tons of rich velvety honey, cherry, and bitter hop-like notes on the back. I'm assuming the bitter "hop-like" note is the gesho, which has an earthy, tobacco-like quality. There's some subtle spice, herbal stuff, fruitiness, and bitterness in the mix. The finish lays on some nice honey. But mostly, this beer dials up rich chocolate, coffee, and roast.
The mouthfeel on this beer is medium to medium-full bodied. The duration is pretty long, and the beer has nice palate depth as you go from earthy roast to a subtle honey coma. There is some subtle and complex booze in the mix, but for the most part this velvety smooth and properly carbonated beer is pretty easy-going. For 9.0%, the drinkability is high. But this also works as a sipper; moderate complexity. Bright earthy coffee and chocolate and roast up front, with hints of herbal/citrus....that rolls into chalky chocolate, roast, cocoa, lactose, woody stuff; the middle has some chicory, tobacco, earthy; the back is slightly bitter, cherry, spice, honey. The finish has fading roast and lays on some honey.
Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)
I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Like fusion jazz, this beer can be -- at times -- a bit muddled. And I guess that's okay. It's also a bit light on the honey, to be honest. I wonder if some time spent aging in the bottle will bring out more of the malt thickfreakness. Otherwise, this beer has fantastic depth in terms of the big roast, chocolate, and coffee flavors it delivers. The gesho imparts some quality earthy vibes, and you just want to grow a bush and bang nubile vixens. Food pairings: ribs and other smoked/grilled/charred meats, dry rub wings, dry chocolate desserts, and according to DFH, chili and spicy curry chicken. I'm going to have to call shenanigans on that last pairing, but I guess I won't know unless I try it (I won't). So you should.
Random Thought: I bought a Randall Jr. After being disappointed that I couldn't land a Bourbon County Backyard Rye or Proprietors, I decided to take things into my own hands. Regular Bourbon County is still sitting on shelves and collecting dust in liquor stores across Chicago. I'm going to infuse some bottles with berries and toasted coconut. Will update with progress and tasting notes when shit gets real, and shit will get real.
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