Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Bring in the big guns! This sasquatch of a beer has a nose similar to a Belgian dubbel with strong raisiny notes, a large helping of vanilla and oodles of molasses. Pours a beautiful opaque brown with a huge creamy dark brown head. Thick and viscous, this brew is kind of like an imperial stout mixed with a Belgian quad. Alcohol is readily apparent throughout with a whiskey-like quality in the finish. Fruity with dark fruits but also a fudge-like malt backing. Finishes long and sweet. Bittering hops play a role, but are muted, and aroma hops are nearly undetectable. Amazing amount of complexity and flavor is jammed into this beer. Don’t even think about having more than one in a sitting!

Pours from the 12 oz bottle a deep, dark, thick. almost syrupy-looking dark brown (almost black) with a small, light tan colored head that dissipates quickly into patchy lacing. The aroma is smoky, woody, and boozy! 1st sip reveal a LOT going on! Malt, wood, coffee, dark fruit, a tinge of vanilla extract, and yes, alcohol. The mouthfeel is roust, but silky & creamy all at the same time. Overall...WOW!! This isn’t a beer, this is a sensory experience!! I got the last 4pak on the shelves and I put one up to age. I’m gonna have to go get more!! I can’t wait to see what a year of aging does to this baby!! Note to Anheuser-Busch: forget the Beechwood, start aging Budweiser on some Palo Santo blocks!!

Cask, BSF at the GBBF. Black, a little tawny head. Heavy peanut and raw vodka aroma. Soft chocolate and white russian flavor. Kinda silkly palate, lots of flavor, but overall, pretty heavy on the alcohol. 3/5/7/4 13

12 ounce bottle. Palo Santo Marron pours clear, bubbly, and black. A thick brown head appears in an instant and then disappears as quickly, leaving no lacing behind. The nose is heavy of molasses and plum, moderate of brown sugar. The taste is heavy and rich, filling tongue, mouth, and throat. The initial drink is of malt and of wood. The wood flavor is not smoky per se, but it dawdles like a smoky wood. The finish is a good alcohol finish that lingers and lingers and lingers. Everything about this ale is heavy, except for its "handedness," for this is excellent stuff. As it warms, the already rich and complex flavor intensifies and increases in complexity. The wood increases ever so slightly in "smokiness" and the flavor of varnish creeps in, which I attribute to the 12% alcohol content and its attendant flavor, warmth, "burn."

Pours a deep black/brown color with a thin dark brown head. Aroma is vanilla, caramel and some wood. Lots of roasted malt aroma present as well. Flavor is more vanilla caramel and roast with a hint of bitterness. Not bad and definitely has a little something extra over any kind of typical brown ale.

Pours a deep black color with a thin light brown head. Solid aroma of molasses, chocolate and roasted malt. Very good flavor of molasses, chocolate, roasted malt, it’s sweetness is present but it’s contained at a reasonable level. The body is medium with a liquorous texture and gentle carbonation. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a DFH that much.

Dark brown with a medium head. Solid body. Aroma is modest carmel. Taste is rich carmel, medium sweet.

This beer pours a very dark black brownwith a small brown head. Scent is fruity. Think: brown sugar,bananas,and caramel.Taste is slightly fruity,caramel,vanilla, with a nice soft woodiness. Great ale!!