Dogfish Head ApriHop

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Fruit Beer
Milton, Delaware USA

’08 Bottle: Pours a translucent gold color with a sizeable white head. Immediately the floral hops hit like Tyson in his prime...only to be followed by an uppercut of fresh apricots and other citrus notes...finally a left hook of pale malts take this down and out. Very good brew, and much better fresh since the only other time I’ve had it, it was a two year old bottle.

Pours distinct orange with yellow and brown hues. Clear with large white head. Large aroma of florial hops. Big hop flavor right away with stong fruit flavors, maltyness followed by a dry hoppy finish. Unique beer.

Draft @ Brewpub: Clear amber body w/ a small off-white head, leaves some light lacing behind. Aroma is sweet apricot w/ some light hops. Flavor is sweet w/ a bit of sourness to it as well. Apricot & a nice hop bite, very similar to the aroma. Okay, can’t say I was too crazy about it though.

Not exactly my thing, but I do like this better than the Magic Hat 9, which is a similar type beer. Apricots are big in the aroma, with a hint of piny hops. Flavor is milder in fruit than the nose, and the hops come through in the end. Interesting beer, but more one dimensional than most dogfish head mainstays.

On draft at the Flying Saucer in San Antonio. Pour is a copper/red with an slightly off-white head. Smells of faint apricots and malt. Has a bit sour apricot smell. Taste is malty with an acidic apricot backlacing followed by a good measure of resiny, piney, hops. This is just a fantastic combo. A combo I thought would be not so good.. DFH has turned into a classic fruit IPA (whoever thought there could be). I’ve had this on draft and in the bottle. Draft is the way to go. Much smoother.

transparent copper color, with medium white head. medium light, fruity aroma. flavor of a nice IPA, but with an apricot finish, this is a very refreshing beer. Easy to drink, easy to order a second. Would work well as a dessert beer.

Sweet candy caramel nose, some faint notes of dried apricots. Brilliant amber color with medium head that didn’t last. Very well balanced, like a moderate IPA with some pleasant tartness. Good carbonation, clean finish. Surprisingly the apricots lend no direct flavor aside from the tartness. That being said, I really enjoyed this beer, not at all what I expected.

Draught: One of my favorite fruit beers. Very well crafted. Sweet sweet apricots and caramel in the aroma. I also get some tangerine and a great balance of hops. Pours a transparent dark orange, soapy patchy head. Sweet to sour flavor, strong fruit. Apricots and grapes, boozy sweet fruit and a wonderful hop balance. Palate is very well balanced, fruity and smooth. Easy to drink and enjoyable on a hot summer afternoon. One tasty beer.