Beer Review: Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Eight percent

Appearance: Just as the label with the barley background says, this brew was most definitely "deep mahogany in color." There was a tan or tea-colored head that adorned the top of the brew. The head peaked at about a quarter of an inch and then receded into a very thin, but steady layer of foam and left some ample, yet webby lacing inside my glass.

Smell: I picked up plenty of sweet sugary notes along with some fig and other assorted dark fruits. The eight percent ABV didn't peak through, either. I could very well see the heavy sweetness getting to me at some point though. Maybe even to the point of upsetting my stomach.

Taste: The flavor of this brew wanted to be pungent, but kept it self in the subtle category. It was almost a perfect balance. There was plenty of dark sugar present as well as some caramel. It was even a little malty. This was very smooth, especially on the finish. This wasn't bitter nor boozy which means it could be a little dangerous if you want to indulge in this beer. I also found that as the beer warmed more and more warmth from the alcohol became more noticeable in the aftertaste.

Overall Rating: 

This was awesome. Even with the intense sweetness in the aroma, I can rank this one right up there with the best of them. It's was a dark yet balanced beer with many levels of flavor. It was complex and tasty. It played very smooth. Not many of the flavors in the taste were overbearing and didn't dilute any other aspect of the beer.