Review: Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre
8.0% ABV
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
12 oz bottle
Served in St. Bernardus chalice
Date on bottle: Bottled on 11/9/12
Reviewed on 2/1/13

This strong ale pours a deep amber color with a thin white head that dissipates quickly.  Decent lacing.  Mild evident carbonation.

Smell consist of malt, biscuit, hops, sugar, slight caramel, mild chocolate, notes of dark fruits.

Taste has malt, biscuit, raisin, mild hops, sugar, caramel, some cherry, slight cough syrup.

Mouthfeel is earthy, somewhat syrupy, sugariness coating the tongue. 

Overall, this is a nice tasting ale with a unique profile of flavors.   Malty sugariness and dark fruits are prevalent here.  This one is a bit difficult to categorize, which is okay.  It's listed as a Belgian strong dark ale, but it's also reminiscent of a winter warmer type ale, as well as a brown ale.  Typical for Dogfish Head, it's a bit all over the map at times but in a good way.


My score: 90