Dogfish Head Burton Baton

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Milton, Delaware USA

In short: Overly sweet mess of some kind (but not a IIPA by traditional definition)
How: 12oz bottle from Cathschlag (post-Cathschlag-couch moving mini-tasting)
The look: Cloudy dark-orange with a small beige head
In long: A bit buttery on the nose. Taste is sugary sweet, way too sweet, sickeningly sweet after only a few sips. Cotton-candy and hard-candy flavour. Gross vanilla, sugar-coated peach, whatever. Hops are barely present in this so called IPA. A big mess. This is supposed to be a blend made-up of 50% of their very good 90 Minutes IPA and 50% of some oak-barrel something. This blend just doesn’t work. If you cross a racehorse and a Golden Retriever you won’t end-up with an animal that brings back a dead duck very very quick. No, you’ll end-up with a little puke-ugly monster that can barely breathe and just begs to be shot.

The beer cascades from the 12 ounce bottle a slightly bemused orange amber color with a generous bright creamy white head that very slowly dissipates, leaving the lace to forms tight concealing curtain. Nose is filled with fruit aromas, banana, peaches, cumquats, (just kidding about the cumquats), pleasant oak like tartness, strawberry cotton candy sweetness also noted. Front has a delectable toasted grain profile with the vanilla tartness at the back, also, the alcohol, makes an appearance, top is medium in feel to the palate. Finish has perky acidity, the hop flowers spicy and the alcohol warms the tummy, sweetly dry aftertaste sticks mightily to the palate, this is a magnificent beer, oak-aged 90 minute ale, toasted malt, and the snap of the alcohol, “WOW”!

Tap at the Brickskeller, vintage ’05. Clear yellow-orange pour. Bright aroma of sweet cherries, maple syrup, toffee cookies, oranges. Lucid and simple. Hints of crisp sugary fluff in almond frosting and cake. Heavy and syrupy to taste; honey, whiskey, tropical fruits. Degenerates briefly into heat, metal, and chlorine, though these are mild enough so as to keep their disturbances from breaching the intended structure too blatantly. Lightly dirty. Smooth, full bodied, with low carbonation. Sweetness nearly overpowers, and restrains itself uneasily.

GABF ’07. Pours hazy dark yellow with an average, fizzy, off-white head, lasting with good lacing. Aroma is average malt (bread, meal), average hops (herbs, spruce), average yeast (horse blanket, earth) with notes of apple. Medium bodied, alcoholic texture, average carbonation, and a metallic finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness.

Dark copper in color. Aroma of oak, sticky pines. Tickling mouthfeel with smooth caramel notes and some date/raisin notes as well. Sweet and bitter finish.

Bottle: Pours a rich copper color with a small head and light lacing. Nose is subdued hops and caramel maltiness. Has that sweet carmelized barley wine scent. Tastes sweet citrusy with more caramel and a light woodiness. Light florals and a bit of raison. Very enjoyable. Thanks EithCubes!

Cloudy off wheaty color thick khaki colored head w/ great lace. Oak & hop aroma fill the nostrills some sweet other ripe fruit definate wine like qualities & hints of brown sugar. Well coated pal. Sweet flavor lots of caramel w/ an oddly dry grassy finish some dark fruits hints of plum. Good stuff.

First of all, anything...ANYTHING with 90 minute in it is alright with me. This IIPA has a huge sweet caramel malt palate that I find way over the top, at least as far as sessionability goes. But great big 90-minute style PNW hopping shines through the syrupy notes and saves the whole thing from going over the edge of the cliff. The alcohol is pretty prominent and in your face about it. Generally a very interesting brew.