Dogfish Head Raison D Extra

Mixed feelings about this beer. Beautiful color, nice nose. Terrific mood enhancer. Decent beer. Very interesting sherry.

2009-08-21, 8-4-8-3-16=39
Dark amber color; medium head. Intense aroma, sweet malt and caramel, molasses, raisins, very light vanilla; the alcohl appears. Good body strength, sugary, very sweet caramel flavor; the alcohol immediately warms the tongue; maybe some raisin syrup; strong bitterness. The final is a bit too much dominated by the alcohol. More powerful than complex; interesting pumped up Barley Wine, a bit too unbalanced.

2007-01-14, 7-4-8-4-15=38
Cloudy dark amber color; the head is initially thin and creamy, but disappears, quite quickly. Some alcohol in the nose, before some caramel aroma. Round in the mouth, a lot of sweetness; malty with a touch of toffee, sweet caramel; a hint of brandy; the hopping must be a lot but still a notch below the sugars, and the alcohol warmth is hitting the sides of the mouth. The final is quite long, balanced, with an equal mix of malt, sugars, caramel, bitterness.
It’s to beers what liquors are to distillates: sweet (but not complex) and pleasant to drink, still doesn’t give me thrills.

Thanks to SoLan for my bottle bottled on 8/31/05. Poured a dark copper color with zero head, rousing it elicits no head. Musky raisin, apricot, dried apple, with some dark brown sugar aromas. Alcohol present on the nose, but not as much as anticipated for 18%. Despite there being not much visual indicators of carbonation, it’s there and compliments the sipping nature of the beer. Sweet raisiny taste with some spice notes and a very warm alcoholic finish.

Bottled on 09-06. Pour is a transluscent orangey-ruby color; head is average, pale beige, mostly diminishing, and creamy with tight bubbles and minimal lacing. Nose is VERY pungent with loads of alcohol noted; rum-soaked overripe cherries, cane sugar, maple syrup, maybe some carmelized raisins. Flavor actually hides the 18% well, still noting the presence which is made more notable after the flavors have vanished. Flavor is not as bold as I would have thought but still nice; carmelized raisins, candi sugar, toffee, other dark fruits. Palate is medium-full, chewy and syrupy, and soft. Finishes caramelly and raisiny but with minimal bitterness, as to not become cloying; the sweetness leaves almost ghostly leaving nothing but alcohol on the tongue. Interesting and certainly another ’experience’ from DFH. Certainly more interesting than most of the beers you will try but just nothing to write home about. Again and again, DFH pushes the boundaries of the craft brewing, creating beers that just have to be tried to fully understand what they are all about.

Color is an amber ruby with no head. Aroma is alcohol, cane sugar, caramel, toffee, little bit of coffee. Very sweet taste with toffee, a bit nutty with oak and vanilla. Nice thick sticky palate, very chewy. How is the alcohol hidden this well???

Poures a beautiful mahogany with little off white head. Aroma is hops and plenty of alcohol. Raisins are prevelant and bring a nice sweetness to the aroma. Caramel lends its sweet aroma. Mild citrus undertones are there when given time to warm a little. Mouth is very thick, with mild carbonation. Raisins are big and bold in the beginning, but melt nicely into the alcohol in the end. Brown sugar gives this a little sweetness in the middle. The citrus hops in the aroma are unnoticeable in the flavor. The raisins interact beautifully with the alcohol and give it a wonderful finish. Dogfish Head has a winner here.

Pours a mahogany color with an off-white head. Aroma is of raisons, citrus hops, caramel, and alcohol. Flavor is strong of raisons with a hint of caramel behind it. Finishes with plenty of alcohol. The raison and alcohol flavor blend together very nicely to leave a flavor in your mouth that is absolutely delicious. The alcohol wasn’t as overpowering as I was expecting it to be.

Bottle. Pours a transparent orange with no head to speak of...and I’m already scared. Aroma of booze and raisins with an overall medicinal odor to it. Flavor of sweet rasins, hot booze, sugary malt, and a bit of smoke. Syrupy mouthfeel...sweet and gritty at times with a dry-hot-medicinal finish. Interesting but too much sweetness for my liking and still WAY too hot.