Breath Of The Dragon
Dragonmead Microbrewery
- From:
- Dragonmead Microbrewery
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- English Bitter
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.55 | pDev: 23.1%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 11
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Oct 23, 2018
- Added:
- Oct 14, 2002
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
This fine English style Best Bitter is made with Imported English Pale Ale, Aromatic and Caramel malts. Galena and Willamette Hops add a moderate bittering level to make this a refreshing example of an English Bitter.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by JimboBrews54 from Michigan
5/5 rDev +40.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +40.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Delicious!!!! One of the best fruit beers I have had. Once again Dragonmead is above top notch along with being consistent quality that most breweries wish they could strive for!
Oct 23, 2018Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania
3.03/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
On tap at the Dragonmead Brew Pub.
Poured a medium orange color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, and some citrus. Tastes of the same caramel and some citrus. Both the aromas and tastes on the non-descript side. At 4%, definitely a session ale but a boring one.
Jan 03, 2009Poured a medium orange color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, and some citrus. Tastes of the same caramel and some citrus. Both the aromas and tastes on the non-descript side. At 4%, definitely a session ale but a boring one.
Reviewed by Realale from Missouri
4.13/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
4.13/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Solid copper, with an off-white head that sat and stayed.
Complex nose of earthy hop, treacle and crackery malt. Classic best bitter here. Everything is so well balanced, and seamlessly integrated. Beautiful beer.
Medium in the mouth, with the malt leading the parade. There is some caramel, but it distinctly lacks the caramelly sweetness that plagues so many attempts at this style. Great depth of malt, deftly balanced by hop bitterness. Very well-composed.
Low level of carbonation was much appreciated, though this might be even better on cask. Eminently sessionable and enjoyable. On tap at the brewery.
Jul 06, 2007Complex nose of earthy hop, treacle and crackery malt. Classic best bitter here. Everything is so well balanced, and seamlessly integrated. Beautiful beer.
Medium in the mouth, with the malt leading the parade. There is some caramel, but it distinctly lacks the caramelly sweetness that plagues so many attempts at this style. Great depth of malt, deftly balanced by hop bitterness. Very well-composed.
Low level of carbonation was much appreciated, though this might be even better on cask. Eminently sessionable and enjoyable. On tap at the brewery.
Reviewed by Bierguy5 from Ohio
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to mcallister for bringing this back from the DL trip to share. Slightly hazy copper to orange color. A thin white foamy head trickles to a thin layer rather quickly.
Earthy and floral hops, almost a bit minty. Nice caramel malt aroma.
Very clean caramel malt flavor combined with just a bit of floral bitterness. Seems just a bit nutty.
Decent body, lower carbonation. A great session beer, nice and simple.
May 07, 2007Earthy and floral hops, almost a bit minty. Nice caramel malt aroma.
Very clean caramel malt flavor combined with just a bit of floral bitterness. Seems just a bit nutty.
Decent body, lower carbonation. A great session beer, nice and simple.
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Very nice pour. Tiny bubbles emulate from the bottom of the glass. Creamy thick off white head has great length. Leaves a thin lace behind. Again great retention.
Sweet toasted bread and toffee. A caramel buttery diacetyl aroma as well as nutty grains. Light floral hoppy esters with bits of citrus.
Mouth is mediocre and semi creamy. Very nutty forward flavors. Again diacetyl is detectable but not harming the beer. Toffee flavors with hints of other fruit flavors and a lightly bitter finish.
May 04, 2007Sweet toasted bread and toffee. A caramel buttery diacetyl aroma as well as nutty grains. Light floral hoppy esters with bits of citrus.
Mouth is mediocre and semi creamy. Very nutty forward flavors. Again diacetyl is detectable but not harming the beer. Toffee flavors with hints of other fruit flavors and a lightly bitter finish.
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
2.84/5 rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.84/5 rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Light orange with creamy lace. No smell detected, and malt taste dominated, despite the style. Caramel and maybe some sugar. One of the weaker ones at the brewpub, and not a good eample of the style,and they keep doing this. Maybe a transition to bitterness.
Feb 02, 2007Reviewed by sopor from Oregon
4.28/5 rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
4.28/5 rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Served at Graydon's Crossing on 6/17/06. I've been told by the brewery that this is the bitter I had, but judging by the color and other reviews, I'm not so sure...
Golden honey/amber color with a thin but solid creamy film. Just a hint of toasty mald and a hint of hops in the smell.
Smooth floral bitterness leads into a pleasant and soft toasty malt. Hops come back to clean up the palate with an assertive but not strong bitterness.
Smooth and moderately light body, low CO2 as a cask-ale should be. Mouthfeel seems right on for a cask bitter.
Talk about session! I need to get me to the UK to try some more real bitters, b/c this is awesomely drinkable!
Jun 22, 2006Golden honey/amber color with a thin but solid creamy film. Just a hint of toasty mald and a hint of hops in the smell.
Smooth floral bitterness leads into a pleasant and soft toasty malt. Hops come back to clean up the palate with an assertive but not strong bitterness.
Smooth and moderately light body, low CO2 as a cask-ale should be. Mouthfeel seems right on for a cask bitter.
Talk about session! I need to get me to the UK to try some more real bitters, b/c this is awesomely drinkable!
Reviewed by Frozensoul327 from Michigan
3.33/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.33/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A different kind of English Bitter. Not what I'm used to. Poured out to a dark red / almost brown color with a very small head of foam. lower carbonation. Aromas of caramel, molassas, malts... not bad, but quite weak. Taste was pretty good; some caramel, toasty malts, a hint of hops bites at the tongue. Mouthfeel was uninteresting. North of average drinkability. This brew isn't bad, just kind of boring.
Jan 28, 2006
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio
2.8/5 rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.8/5 rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Presentation: On tap at Dragonmead. Poured into sample glass.
Appearance: Golden caramel color.
Smell: Slightly malty. Only slightly fruity nose.
Taste: Well balanced to my tastes. Nothing outstanding though.
Notes: I tried 7 beers at one sitting, so my taste buds may have been overloaded...
Jul 17, 2005Appearance: Golden caramel color.
Smell: Slightly malty. Only slightly fruity nose.
Taste: Well balanced to my tastes. Nothing outstanding though.
Notes: I tried 7 beers at one sitting, so my taste buds may have been overloaded...
Reviewed by walleye from Michigan
2.54/5 rDev -28.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
2.54/5 rDev -28.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
from the tap at the brewery. poured a deep copper red with little head. aroma malts, citrus,sugar, caramel, hops. flavor, citrus grapefruit, caramel,malts. watery mouthfeel. this is one that you could sit a drink all night.Ilike this brewery but I wish the beer was a little bit more robust in the flavor.
Mar 27, 2005
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewery pub.
Light coppery amber colour with a thin, lasting head. Delicate floral hop aroma with some toasted and caramel malts. Bitterness dominated the flavour, with some malty sweetness for balance, some floral flavour from the hops, and a little graininess. Dry, slightly bitter finish. Nice balance. Low carbonation and medium/light body.
Aug 05, 2004Light coppery amber colour with a thin, lasting head. Delicate floral hop aroma with some toasted and caramel malts. Bitterness dominated the flavour, with some malty sweetness for balance, some floral flavour from the hops, and a little graininess. Dry, slightly bitter finish. Nice balance. Low carbonation and medium/light body.
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