RateBeer
Score
10093
OVERALLStyle
Serve in Snifter

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution

Add Distribution Data
RATINGS: 727   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.93   SEASONAL: Special   IBU: 38   EST. CALORIES: 270   ABV: 9%
Share this beer with friends!
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the original release of Bitches Brew, Miles Davis’ 1970 paradigm-shifting landmark fusion breakthrough, we’ve created our own Bitches Brew - a bold, dark beer that’s a fusion of three threads imperial stout and one thread honey beer with gesho root, a gustatory analog to Miles’ masterpiece.Featuring the album’s iconic artwork, created by the late Mati Klarwein, on its label, Dogfish Head’s Bitches Brew will be unveiled at SAVOR, An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, June 5, National Building Museum, Washington DC. Haven’t experienced the Bitches Brew album? Two 40th anniversary editions of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew -- a Legacy Edition and a deluxe Collector’s Edition -- will be available Tuesday, August 31. The newly created ale is designed, according to Dogfish founder and president Sam Calagione, "as the ultimate partner for chili or spicy curry chicken" and best enjoyed "sipped cool, not cold, from a snifter or red wine glass while listening to the Bitches Brew album." Calagione was drawn to the alchemical spirits in Bitches Brew right out of college, acquiring a copy of the album "within months of the first time I brewed a batch of homebrew in my apartment in New York City. I listened to it when I was writing my Dogfish business plan. I wanted Dogfish Head to be a maniacally inventive and creative brewery, analog beer for the digital age. You could say that my dream was to have Dogfish Head, in some small way, stand for the same thing in the beer world that Bitches Brew stands for in the jazz world. You can imagine how excited we are to be doing this project 17 years after I wrote that business plan." "There’s a spirit of innovation, of creativity and individuality, thats at the core of Miles’ music," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "Sam and Dogfish Head approach their art from the same place and consequently the marriage is an easy and cool one." Dogfish Head and its "off-centered ales for off-centered people" were the subject of "A Better Brew," an article in The New Yorker (Nov. 24, 2008) examining the rise of extreme beer. "Beer has lagged well behind wine and organic produce in the ongoing reinvention of American cuisine. Yet the change over the past twenty years has been startling," wrote Burkhard Bilger. "Dogfish is something of a mascot for this unruly movement. In the thirteen years since Calagione founded the brewery, it has gone from being the smallest in the country to the thirty-eighth largest. Calagione makes more beer with at least ten per cent alcohol than any other brewer, and his odd ingredients are often drawn from ancient or obscure beer traditions. It is to Budweiser what a bouillabaisse is to fish stock."


most recent ratings

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 15/20
zebracakes (1339) - Washington DC, USA - SEP 5, 2010
On tap at Dogfish Head, Falls Church. Opaque black ruby, tan head. Aroma is malt, molasses, bourbon, smoke. Flavor is the same with tangy fruits. Oily mouth feel. The alcohol is well hidden on this one.

4.3
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
Damico (1977) - Royersford, Pennsylvania, USA - SEP 5, 2010
The aroma is smoky, roasty, and a bit earthy . The appearance of black oil with the body thick, but smooth nontheless. The head is awesome, a bit of a red hue on the light big creamy cocoa mass. The flavor is smoothj roasted malts with a unique aftertaste from the gesho.

3.1
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
eaglefan538 (2779) - Wilmington, Delaware, USA - SEP 5, 2010
Bottle from SL, deep dark brown to essentially black colored pour, off-white colored head that remained thin enough to be pourable. The aroma was dark malts, chocolate, roast, some annoying herb/spice that was almost saffrony. The flavor was dark malts (coffee and chocolate), roast, caramel, some dark fruits (figs?), and that herb/root type flavor. This brew finished with a cloying bitterness from the roast and/or root/herb that was present. Mouthfeel was rather malty and thick, somewhat syrupy, which was amplified by the relatively (but ok) low carbonation.

3.9
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
gorditoabd (560) - San Diego, California, USA - SEP 4, 2010
Bomber. Pours dark brown-black with a fairly ample brown sugar foam head (3 fingers) at the outset. Lovely aromas of chocolate, cocoa, bananas, rum, and vanilla. Taste matches the nose really well, though it does thin out pretty quickly, which I had heard from others. Very nice early and mid-palate though, and the complexity and wonder of the early blend of flavors saves this one some points. 2nd sip confirms what the first suggested, this is a strong offering in the style, with a great fusion of chocolatey darkness and honey, booze and bittersweet malts. If the mouthfeel and overall body were just a touch more full, it would be up there with any other in the style.

3.8
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 17/20
elektrikjester (90) - Marietta, Georgia, USA - SEP 4, 2010
Pours an opaque, dark brown. Head is practically non-existent, with minimal wispy lacing. Aroma is sweet and sugary, with chocolate malts and coffee overtones. The aroma of alcohol lingers in the background. Taste is predominately of roasted, but not necessarily burnt, chocolate malts and caramel. Sweet and slightly sour, but without any of the bitterness commonly associated with a stout. In fact, it’s closer to a porter or strong ale. Honey is discernible, but definitely secondary to the malts. Alcohol is extremely slight. Mouthfeel is lively, with moderate carbonation. Not watery, but there could be a bit more body here. In sum--a mostly successful experiment that is squarely in line with what Dogfish Head is known for. If you need a touchstone, think a cross of Chicory Stout and Theobroma, minus the chiles. Worthy and worth your time.

3.9
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 15/20
DCJack (181) - Alabama, USA - SEP 4, 2010
UPDATED: SEP 5, 2010 Dogfish is a great brewery. They promoted this release well. I bought the last bottle at Chevy Chase 3 days after the release. The cashier asked how it was that everyone was asking for it. Well it ain’t much really. The texture is nice, slippery and smooth. Is this Dogfish’s first try at a stout? Well they got the color and texture right, but it is a bit weak. Weak flavor, little complexity. I love almost any stout, but I’d sooner buy many other stouts before this one. In particular, I pay attention to the quality of the alcohol buzz. This is the flattest, dullest alcohol buzz I’ve ever experienced. A real snoozer, no euphoric effect at all. A big disappointment.

3.9
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
baraciisch (958) - USA - SEP 4, 2010
Black with a tan head... Aroma is roasted and smoked malts... Flavor is roasted malts, smoke, dark chocolate, kind of thin mouthfeel... Kind of West coast hop finish and sweet honey on the palate... Nice beer

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
MrBunn (2243) - Western, Pennsylvania, USA - SEP 4, 2010
Bottle... (rating #50 for this beer, that’s a mildly exciting bit of trivia.) Anyhow, pour is a dark brown with a medium tan head at first, but subsequent pours leave less and less head (duh!) Aromas are an enticing mix of chocolate, roasty malt, a kind of chalky dustiness and bananas. Flavor is pretty full up front with lots of chocolate, banana and dark fruit, but it thins considerably as it slides across the palate, leaving a weak chocolate aftertaste. Not really watery at any point, but loses a lot of its fullness in mid to late plot development. That said, it is still a very enjoyable beer.

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
badlizard (5169) - Berkeley, California, USA - SEP 4, 2010
Black with a creamy brown head. Chocolate, cherry, and coffee aroma and taste with a nice creamy palate and some alcohol warmth to the finish.

4.1
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
popery (1133) - San Francisco, California, USA - SEP 4, 2010
Tap at City Beer Store. Very good to great imperial stout. Fine looking impy stout with a black body, brown along the edges, and a thin light brown cap. The aroma has a lot of roasted malt with some honey and sweet caramel. It’s more normal than I expected. Some chocolate and coffee notes in the malt. The flavor is rich and pretty big but not too overpowering. It’s a bit sweet, not necessarily from the honey, but it works well and possibly speaks to cellaring potential. The flavor has an interesting herbal/earthy tone, presumably from the gesho. Some licorice and a fair bit of tobacco are also present. Mouthfeel is smooth and fairly thick. I thought this one was going to be an overhyped, sweet, crazy mess, but it’s actually a quite good, relatively normal imperial stout.


We Want To Hear From You



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

Join Us »




View Page
1 « 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 » 73


(beta) USD $15.69 BottleSelect.com

Tick this beer

for your profile
  • Currently 0/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5


tags




Copyright © 2000-2013,
RateBeer LLC. All rights
reserved.
about us
About RateBeer
FAQ
Contact/Feedback
New Beers
add
Advanced Search
Add A Beer
Add A Brewer
Add A Place
Events
membership
Log In
Edit Personal Info
Buy Premium Membership
Your Messages
the best
RateBeer Best
100 Beer Club
The Top 50