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Miles Davis' Bitches Brew
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- From:
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- Delaware, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.18 | pDev: 11.24%
- Reviews:
- 949
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 28, 2022
- Added:
- Jun 13, 2010
- Wants:
- 520
- Gots:
- 1,482
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the original release of Bitches Brew, Miles Davis' 1970 paradigm-shifting landmark fusion breakthrough, we've created our own Bitches Brew -- a bold, dark beer that's a fusion of three threads of imperial stout and one thread of honey beer with gesho root. It's a gustatory analog to Miles' masterpiece.
38 IBU
38 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Beer_Runner:
Reviewed by Beer_Runner
4.72/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
4.72/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Bottle in August of 2012 (date stamped: 2012A 1402). Opened about two months after bottling.
A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in about a one-finger, dark mocha colored head. Overtime the head dissipated to a collar and left a pretty good lacing. The beer poured very syrupy, and it was a deep rich mahogany and absolutely opaque.
S: The aroma was dark unsweetened chocolate, honey, toasted barley, prunes and currants, and just a bit of sweet malt, too. It was a very complex aroma.
T: The taste began with a dark roasted malt and honey sweetness and then a mild earthy and peaty bitterness joined in that was just enough to provide a little balance and take the edge off the sweetness. Underneath these main flavors there were also hints of prunes, currants, toasted barley, and unsweetened chocolate.
M: The body was heavy, smooth and full. And, there was only a small amount of carbonation.
O: This was a winner. There was plenty of hype around this beer. For me, it really measured up. This one really hits the “wow” category. For fans of sweeter beers this one goes way beyond a “must try.” What really makes this beer different is how the gesho’s mild earthy and peat-like bitterness fit very well with the sweet malt and honey. The gesho does only enough to keep the sweetness from going over the top, but still allows all of the flavors come through bright and clear.
Oct 26, 2012A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in about a one-finger, dark mocha colored head. Overtime the head dissipated to a collar and left a pretty good lacing. The beer poured very syrupy, and it was a deep rich mahogany and absolutely opaque.
S: The aroma was dark unsweetened chocolate, honey, toasted barley, prunes and currants, and just a bit of sweet malt, too. It was a very complex aroma.
T: The taste began with a dark roasted malt and honey sweetness and then a mild earthy and peaty bitterness joined in that was just enough to provide a little balance and take the edge off the sweetness. Underneath these main flavors there were also hints of prunes, currants, toasted barley, and unsweetened chocolate.
M: The body was heavy, smooth and full. And, there was only a small amount of carbonation.
O: This was a winner. There was plenty of hype around this beer. For me, it really measured up. This one really hits the “wow” category. For fans of sweeter beers this one goes way beyond a “must try.” What really makes this beer different is how the gesho’s mild earthy and peat-like bitterness fit very well with the sweet malt and honey. The gesho does only enough to keep the sweetness from going over the top, but still allows all of the flavors come through bright and clear.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by LeRose from Massachusetts
4.1/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very pretty pour, a virtual black hole swallowing any light bold enough to venture an escape. Very nice mocha head that remains as about a 2 mm covering that doesn't stick much to the glass.
Big malty toasty smell and a little hint of booze. Chocolate follows, then the usual suspects in the dark fruit lineup. A honey-like sweetness is definitely present, with an earthy component that I'd guess is whatever hops were used along with the gesho. Very nice.
The taste is layered and more complex than the aroma suggests. Yeah - for sure there is an ample malt flavor, mildly roasted and brown bread-like with virtually none of the acrid nastiness found in some Imperial stouts. It's quite clean tasting in that regard. Some dark chocolate, light coffee, raisins or figs maybe both, a berry component maybe currant? Nice level of earthiness grounding this beer. Honey for sure and hello left field - I taste some vanilla, like 99.9% sure There is just a bit of peppery spice at the end of the taste and a faint tingling flavor of licorice. Harmonious and complimentary flavors.
It is odd in that it is striking me as simultaneously sweet and drying. Mild bitterness resets the buds a bit. Creamy and super-smooth, mildly carbonated, pretty full-bodied.
Feb 28, 2022Big malty toasty smell and a little hint of booze. Chocolate follows, then the usual suspects in the dark fruit lineup. A honey-like sweetness is definitely present, with an earthy component that I'd guess is whatever hops were used along with the gesho. Very nice.
The taste is layered and more complex than the aroma suggests. Yeah - for sure there is an ample malt flavor, mildly roasted and brown bread-like with virtually none of the acrid nastiness found in some Imperial stouts. It's quite clean tasting in that regard. Some dark chocolate, light coffee, raisins or figs maybe both, a berry component maybe currant? Nice level of earthiness grounding this beer. Honey for sure and hello left field - I taste some vanilla, like 99.9% sure There is just a bit of peppery spice at the end of the taste and a faint tingling flavor of licorice. Harmonious and complimentary flavors.
It is odd in that it is striking me as simultaneously sweet and drying. Mild bitterness resets the buds a bit. Creamy and super-smooth, mildly carbonated, pretty full-bodied.
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota
3.25/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
2013 bottle. Tan head. Black color.
Toasted malts, bitter chocolate, burnt coffee. All the roast. The adjuncts seem to have faded. Full bodied. Carb is fine.
Just seems to have peeked. Not very drinkable.
Aug 29, 2021Toasted malts, bitter chocolate, burnt coffee. All the roast. The adjuncts seem to have faded. Full bodied. Carb is fine.
Just seems to have peeked. Not very drinkable.
Rated by Hemorrhoy
4.5/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Great beer! Three cheer!
Feb 10, 2020Reviewed by DerekP from Pennsylvania
4.3/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A 1 pint, 9.4 fl oz champagne style bottle, gifted to me by my brother-in-law on Christmas 2016!
Big chewy malt in the nose. Raisins, currants and almond milk. Dark nougat head with a pitch black body as expected. A little boozy up front, then spicy hops and bread crust with a dark, dry, malty finish. Heavier body, but fits the style. Sipping on this one!
p.s. this one brought me back a decade in terms of the experience of searching out the aromas, flavors and feel. Well done Dogfish!
Feb 08, 2020Big chewy malt in the nose. Raisins, currants and almond milk. Dark nougat head with a pitch black body as expected. A little boozy up front, then spicy hops and bread crust with a dark, dry, malty finish. Heavier body, but fits the style. Sipping on this one!
p.s. this one brought me back a decade in terms of the experience of searching out the aromas, flavors and feel. Well done Dogfish!
Miles Davis' Bitches Brew from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
3840 ratings
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