Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

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

An intensely woody beer, the palo santo completely defines all aspects of this beer. It feels a little overdone, in all honesty, and it is rather alcoholic. I was relatively neutral on this beer, but several friends of mine hated it, so let that be a warning.

Aroma is spicy with some subtle fruits. Flavor very similar to me. A bit too much spice for my liking but not a bad beer.

12 ounce bottle from Pacific Liquor in North Park ($3.99). Pours a mostly opaque dark brown with small mocha colored head that disappears into nothingness. Aroma is sweet toasty malts, dark fruits, anise, medicine and a bit of booze. There is also a somewhat mysterious and slightly spicy aroma that must be the South American wood. Flavor is sweet and contains roasted malts, dark chocolate cake, alcohol (brandy). The Palo Santo wood flavor becomes more prevalent toward the finish which also has a slightly burnt flavor. This is reminiscent of a barley wine. Despite the huge ABV, this is really quite drinkable.

Bottle, pours a very dark red brown, with a big fluffy tan head. Aroma hits you immediately, tons of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, but not at all in an artificial way, reminds me of sandlewood, alcohol is present and warming. Not all beers should be aged in palo santo wood but this was a very unique and interesting beer. I enjoyed it but it wouldn’t become a regular at my home.

Great brew! For 12% you really cant taste the booze. Nice color and goes down smoothly. Will have again

Pours like a flat cola. Smells strongly of oak and alcohol, as well as vanilla and caramel. Tastes of roasted malt, vanilla, oak, spice, and some stone fruit, with a definite alcohol finish.

Poured much thicker than expected. Head took a little while to form and left a crown when it died. Smells of vanilla malt up front, wine when swirled. Tastes of wood, boozy wine, and sweet fruit. Mouth is thick bodied with little carbonation. I would likely not buy this one again, not that it is bad, just not for me.

Poured from a 12oz bottle, this brown ale looks almost black. Held up to the light you can see some reddishness but the rest is opaque. The moderate amount of head is thick and sticky and dark-colored, like coffee with cream. Strong aroma is of roasted malts and some sweetness. The first tastes are creamy and of spectacularly roasted malts, along with caramel sweetness that persists throughout the sips, always floating above the roasted malt flavor. Strong hints of vanilla are here is well as the mouthfeel gives way to an oiliness characteristic of heavy beers. The alcohol is well hidden until the finish, which reminds me very much of bourbon. Though this isn’t a beer I’d drink often (because of its strength), it is definitely worth a try.