Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

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

GBBF, Trade Day, 2008 Gravity cask. 3rd beer. My first three beers of GBBF 2008 were all very tasty, and with a few exceptions, were really the beers I enjoyed the most. This was rich and smooth with an awareness of alcohol, but not aggressive. A lovely beer.

Sampled from 12-oz bottle and shared by Badgerben. Pours a semi-clear dark brown brew with some red highlights and a fast dissolving beige head that dissipates to a fine film and no ring. Aroma of roasted dark malt, a touch of molasses, red licorice, vanilla and a touch of dark pitted fruits. Taste is medium to full bodied, with flavors of roasted dark malt, figs, raisins, some light chocolate and red licorice. Finish has a nice alcohol warmth, semi-sweet with a smooth lingering vanilla and wooded malt aftertaste.

Bottled. Poured clear, deep iced tea brown with a short, dense cap of tan head. The aroma picked up a rich, very complex array of dark sugars with brown sugar, molasses, and caramel highlighted.. vanilla, coffee, and a pinch of vegemite come through secondarily. The flavor focused on molasses, tar, and vanilla for sweetness with toasted wood accenting.. sweet finish with dark, syrupy sugars masking the alcohol completely. Heavier-bodied with moderate carbonation on the palate (prickled the tongue a bit).. dry, scratchy feel on the back-end that left a trail of earth on the finish.. very good brew but if anything, a little too malty.

GABF 2007: My very first beer of the fest. The beer was an almost opaque black with a beige head. The aroma was of semi-sweet roasted coffee. The flavor was big and thick with sweet roasted malt. Some chocolate. Very warming and full bodied.

What a great idea. Finally a good use for brown beer. Malty and so I can use this to turn people on to craft beer. The wood worked superb wonders without being overbearing, and balanced not too sweet. Dark brown and rich-looking, above average mouthfeel. Very drinkable for 12%. Roastiness also there and well constrained.

Bottle (12oz). Whoa! - what a surprise, black, viscid-looking stuff with a smallish foamy-fizzy light brown head - even with a small profile, it still left a trace of lacing. The aroma reminds me of cedar, crushed mint, and mahogany chips, with the deep roast malt pushed way into the background; and oddly, I think there’s a hint of green olive saltiness. The taste - oh, that’s yummy - halfway between an oily/nutty brown ale and an imperial stout - coffee ground acidity, oak-resin, table cream, herbal and quite strong alcohol - I love it. Surprisingly only average-at-best bodied, but solid carbonation and acidity, a long oily, malty, boozy finish to it - I got the wood-aging more in the finish, but I suspect the palo santo wood character is what makes this so mellow, for a 12% heavily roasted beer. Well done.

Bottle 355 ml , Appearance: thick , dark brown going into black. Rocky fragmental lace. Aroma: roasted, creamy character with hint of burned wood. Organic feel , brown malts with dark caramel , apple tart with alcoholic dip. Secondary nose: ripe fruity feel , nutty hint of raw pumpkin and alcohol. Flavor/Palate: slightly smoky , woody character. Potent drying alcohol burn. Dried plums with roasted barley blended into whole. Solid strong barley wine.

This American Strong Ale pours a deep eclipse black color from a 12 oz bottle. Small sized tan foamy head, with little retention and almost no lacing. The aroma is semi sweet chocolate, coffee, vanilla and wood. A medium bodied American Strong Ale. The malts are chocolate, coffee, toffee and sweet. The hops are earthy. Interesting flavors, there are lots of chocolate and coffee flavors that intensify and meld as the beer warms. Low carbonation. Smooth taste. Hides the 12%alcohol very well. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean. Aftertaste is sweet with some raisins.