Dogfish Head Raison D Extra

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

I thought this beer was pretty good. The raison flavor dominates, but other sweet, fruity and spicy flavors shine through. The alcohol content is noticeable, but does not ruin the flavor like it does with the 120 min.

Oh my god this is truly awful. I don’t give a shit how high the IBU is or how high they were able to make the alcohol content, this is a rasiony god-awful mess! what was subtle in the original D’Etre version becomes this pruny, cloyingly sweet mess in this. Don’t let the hop snobs fool you. This sucks.

11/2005 bottling. Poured fiery translucent copper with just about zero head, but some lovely legs rode the sides of the glass. My first impression of the aroma was fuel.. thankfully it opened up to prickly alcohol-fueled raisins, drawn toffee, and more dark fruity sugars.. very sweet and very intense. The flavor followed suit.. huge raisin and prune sweetness at the core that was really rocked by the booze factor.. toasty toffee and peppery alcohol join green raisins on the back.. warm finish with building heat in the belly. Thicker and syrupy on the palate with a very warm complexion.. this was surprisingly (and dangerously) drinkable considering the gravity.

’05 first batch that I’ve been aging for a bit, no head, high sugar, high alcohol, great for dessert and a nightcap.

A bit disappointed with this one. I was hoping for a more balanced, memorable brew. NIce dark amber color, but the thin head is a big disappointment. The nose really is off the charts. Buckets of molasses, raisins and figs. Unfortunately it doesn’t get any better than that. Very sweet, and too simplistic. There aren’t many falvors other than the aforementioned. In 1919 a molasses storage tank exploded in Boston, flooding the streets in sticky goo. I imagine this beer is the result of that mishap. At least it isn’t too cloying, and the sweetness does do a good job of masking the alcohol.

Rating # One Zero Zero! 12oz bottle, about a year old: Color is amber/brownish, small head. Smell is off the charts. All you can smell is raisons, sugar and alcohol. Flavor is raisons and sugar. DFH does a pretty good job at hiding the alcohol. Warms you up, right away. Smooth and a good syrupy texture. A little too sweet overall... But let it age, and it will become a very good beer. UPDATE.... Just had it on tap at the brewpub in DE. WoW, great stuff. The nose, taste and texture were all magnified. I wish they had it on tap all the time.

Pours dark cloudy thick brown w/ red-purple accents. Smells rich, sweet, heavy raisons. Taste is smooth balanced and rich; complex flavors; warming; I’ll save my other bottle for 2009 and see how it changes.

Pours a cloudy dark amber with a minimal tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is sweet carmel and raisins. First sip was fantastic. The syrupy sweet flavors of dark fruits nearly shock the tongue. Then, the alcohol starts to take over. Unfortunately, each sip after that the alcohol seems more prevelant, until that is all you notice.