Dogfish Head Raison D Etre

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Milton, Delaware USA

This dark colored beers smelled and tasted of raisins and other fruits. It was one of the most unusual beers I’ve ever tasted...very unique. Warning: The high alcohol content is hidden very well, but you will notice it the next morning!

Clear amber color with a beige head. Sweet, spicy, fruity and malt aromas. Flavor of sweet malts, spces and candy sugars.

Very excited to finally try this beer, and the wait was well worth it. Complex aroma and palate that left me stumped the emtire beer, but satisfied. Great sipper that I would love to have on a cold night.

Very interesting beer. It does have a smokiness to it that I’m not sure whether I love or hate (depends on the sip). This one is definitely worth trying more than once.

love this beer if I want something a bit sweet. But it finishes clean so the up front sweetness isn’t cloying

The first sip is the most interesting and the best. Had it on tap, and I liked it well enough. The raisins are rather noticeable, and it's obvious that a belgian yeast was used. As complex as a fine red wine? Maybe not, but fairly pleasant beer.

It was hard to raise any head to speak of on this beautiful copper colored beer. The aroma is honey with some star anise. The mouthfeel is smooth from the beginning all the way to the finish and lighter than many Belgian beers which is what all these fruits and spices remind me of. On the sweet side, but not overpoweringly so, with lots of caramel, vanilla and fruitcake. No hops anywhere. This is a good winter beer. I resampled this on 4/10/05 and the rating was down one point in flavor(which isn’t a significant enough change for me to consider changing the rating), but otherwise this beer still holds up to the previous rating.

Bottled. A brown beer with little head and a fruity vinuous smell. The taste is thick and warming and the fruit (dried grapes) come through. Complex, sweet and satisfying.