Dogfish Head Raison D Extra

Bottled. 09/29/06. Beer is clear, light amber-brown. The head is small, off-white, frothy. Diminishes mostly into a misty skim.<P>The aroma driven by sunny-colored fruit. Malty with moderate notes of toasted grain, biscuit/shortbread; Hoppy with moderate notes of juicy apricot, lighter notes of grassy resin; Moderate miscellaneous note of sugary-sweet golden raisins, light/moderate wood, sugar-coated dried pineapple, muscat. baked spiced apple, moderate/heavy note of woodsy alcohol. <P>The flavor is heavily sweet, lightly bitter, lightly acidic with a long, tooth-ringingly heavily sweet, lightly acidic finish. Genuine black tea retro-nasal return.<P>The body is full, the texture is syrupy and the carbonation is soft/lively.<P>Nose is inviting enough, but the favor and palate are cloying.

Tasted 1/15/08. 12oz bottle. 2005 release. Murky brown with ruby highlights. Layer of light beige head. Aromas of sugary raisins toast and toffee. Port and a touch cinnamon. Cherries and dark fruits. Full bodied and HUGE! Sticky sweet yet with milder smoother undertones. Good effervescent and citrus note. Raisins and prunes. Cinnamon and spice. So sweet with flavors of grapes and berries. Sticky sweet sugary cola finish. Lingering. Mild acid, port flavor and a touch apricot. Musty and appley. GIGANTIC BEER!

A good beer, but not my favorite, I’ll take the D’etre version. This beer starts off with a strong alcohol presence and has an aroma to match. This one has notes of brown sugar, molasses, raisins, figs, and a deep fruity flavor. The taste bears a striking resemblance to a young Thomas Hardy Ale.

2007 bottle, aged about 9 months. Pours a mostly clear, deep reddish-amber body. A small, fizzy, off-white head settles quickly to a swirly film with a small edge. Minimal, random spots are scattered far apart on the glass. The aroma is massively sweet, with huge notes of dark and golden raisons, figs, caramel, and alcohol. It’s very fumy, yet sweet, almost like a dark fruit liquor would be. I also picked up a good dose of vanilla on the nose. The flavor is just as intense, with more figgy alcohol notes. Hints of a strongly spiked bread pudding with raisons come to mind. The mouthfeel is pretty full, but in a sugary way. The brew goes down hot and finishes long, fruity, and slightly sour, leaving behind a sticky film on the palate. This one is not bad to share with a friend once in a blue moon, but I’ll spend my $9 elsewhere next time.

(12 oz) Like DH’s other stuff, there are a number of flavors I can’t put my finger on. The aroma is a sweet alcohol smell. Pours a dark, dank, hazy amberish brown with very little head that goes away quickly. First flavor is the malts, which are sweet and like brown sugar, followed by a woody flavor that recedes on a slightly bitter but pleasant note. My first thought was that this would go well with Chinese Food. There is also a rum flavor that hides at first but comes out later, along with molasses.

I’ve two 12 oz botles for a year, and I was pleasantly surprised how a year improved the balance and palate. The aroma is sweet and boozy, with the alcohol present throughout the taste. Color was a hazy copper with little head. I liked it a year ago, but I love it now. DFH isn’t releasing in 2008, so grab the last few you can find.

12oz bottle. Pours a clear ruby reddish color with a thin brownish head. Aroma is rich and sweet, with aromas of molasses, dark fruit, spices, and a bit of roasted malt. Taste is syrupy and sweet, with a strong rum-like flavor complemented by dark fruit, molasses, booziness, and some hoppiness. Very similar to 120 Minute IPA in character, but still quite distinct in terms of flavor -- a wonderful sipping brew.

A thin wispy head hides notes of cherry, cedar, and a vaguely sweet scent. The overall flavor tends more towards strawberry, dark fruit, caramel, and a somewhat medicinal finish that lingers for a long time. Somewhere along the lines of Forte, but without the impossibly sweet quality. Raison d’Extra would be a fine dessert beer to pair with poached pears in cinnamon with vanilla bean ice cream.