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Kvasir
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- From:
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- Delaware, United States
- Style:
- Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
Ranked #14 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #23,092 - Avg:
- 3.74 | pDev: 12.03%
- Reviews:
- 114
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 23, 2023
- Added:
- Oct 22, 2013
- Wants:
- 55
- Gots:
- 114
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Notes:
With the help of biomolecular archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern, we've re‐created another Ancient Ale, this time from the Nordic climes of Scandinavia.
The recipe for Kvasir was developed with the help of chemical, botanical and pollen evidence taken from a 3,500‐year‐old Danish drinking vessel. The vessel, made of birch bark, was found in the tomb of a leather‐clad woman Dr. Pat says was probably an upper-class dancer or priestess. The analysis pointed to the ingredients used in this unique brew: wheat, lingonberries, cranberries, myrica gale, yarrow, honey and birch syrup.
The base of Kvasir is a toasty red winter wheat, and the bog-grown berries deliver a pungent tartness. While a handful of hops is used, the earthy, bitter counterpunch to the sweet honey and birch syrup comes from the herbs.
The recipe for Kvasir was developed with the help of chemical, botanical and pollen evidence taken from a 3,500‐year‐old Danish drinking vessel. The vessel, made of birch bark, was found in the tomb of a leather‐clad woman Dr. Pat says was probably an upper-class dancer or priestess. The analysis pointed to the ingredients used in this unique brew: wheat, lingonberries, cranberries, myrica gale, yarrow, honey and birch syrup.
The base of Kvasir is a toasty red winter wheat, and the bog-grown berries deliver a pungent tartness. While a handful of hops is used, the earthy, bitter counterpunch to the sweet honey and birch syrup comes from the herbs.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania
3.72/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.72/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Found a bottle at my shop on sale for 5 bucks into a pint glass. Pours a brown reddish hue surprisingly with a bit of carbonation in the glass just a ring with sticky lacing. Smells sour musky wood some grape and herbal hops. A strange beer indeed sour but herbal mixed slightly sweet bitter at the same time. Some noted cough syrup flavors and I could kind of see that. Body isn't bad I got no stinging alcohol it has aged out pretty well.
Overall not my favorite beer I picked up. Would I have paid 15 bucks for it 9 years ago? Probably not. Worth the 5 dollars not? While not skunked its definitely something I really don't enjoy. Purchase with caution!
Oct 17, 2022Overall not my favorite beer I picked up. Would I have paid 15 bucks for it 9 years ago? Probably not. Worth the 5 dollars not? While not skunked its definitely something I really don't enjoy. Purchase with caution!
Rated by imnodoctorbut from Texas
4.1/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
this was an excellent experience. love this series of reviving ancient brews
Apr 10, 2020
Reviewed by Bluecrow from New York
3.6/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This murky, amber bottle pour with tan cap, hosts a candy sweet aroma with some tart fruit notes. The flavor is herbal. Light molasses and slightly sour grape flavors balance each other. There are woody aspects too.
Aug 01, 2019
Rated by Reggie_Dunlop from Pennsylvania
4.5/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look, I rate these history beer higher because this is what they are supposed to taste like
Jan 13, 2019
Reviewed by BenHoppy from Michigan
3.81/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Aged 2 years so may be a shell of former self although it seems to be on par with other reviews.
L: tea like cranberry juice
A: cranberry, licorice, tea, birch, and wet basement
F: gueze lambic like, tarty, juice, thin to medium, almost like a tea with some alcohol added
T: cranberry, birch, licorice, lambic, tea, honey, lemon, wet basement, slightly boozy along with some raspberry rootbeer
O: not too bad of a brew, reminded me of a not so good lambic but good in its own right.
Aug 26, 2018L: tea like cranberry juice
A: cranberry, licorice, tea, birch, and wet basement
F: gueze lambic like, tarty, juice, thin to medium, almost like a tea with some alcohol added
T: cranberry, birch, licorice, lambic, tea, honey, lemon, wet basement, slightly boozy along with some raspberry rootbeer
O: not too bad of a brew, reminded me of a not so good lambic but good in its own right.
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
3.33/5 rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.33/5 rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Got this in a flight of 4 aged beers at dogfish head
Bottled 2013 drank 2017
Look - thin dark golden color with no real head
Smell - light fruit punch
Taste - lacking much taste, super super super light fruit punch. Kind of like when you forget to add enough powder or suger to your fruit punch
Feel - medium bodied syrup with no real carbonation
Overall - needs more taste
May 04, 2017Bottled 2013 drank 2017
Look - thin dark golden color with no real head
Smell - light fruit punch
Taste - lacking much taste, super super super light fruit punch. Kind of like when you forget to add enough powder or suger to your fruit punch
Feel - medium bodied syrup with no real carbonation
Overall - needs more taste
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey
3.72/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Orange /bronze color.smells tar,sour,various fruit,and alcohol. Definitely the alcohol comes out in the taste as well as the fruit and sour tart taste.. otherwise it also had a taste that reminded me of wine if all things. It can get a bit sour but otherwise I found it to be very different in a good way.it's something to try when you want to get out of the box
Apr 28, 2017
Rated by q33jeff from New Jersey
1.74/5 rDev -53.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5
1.74/5 rDev -53.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5
**
09/23/2014
Aroma: Sour fruit,
Appearance: Reddish orange Clear look.
Taste: tart cranberries, orange rind.
Feel: Flat.
Not a fan.
**
Jan 17, 201709/23/2014
Aroma: Sour fruit,
Appearance: Reddish orange Clear look.
Taste: tart cranberries, orange rind.
Feel: Flat.
Not a fan.
**
Reviewed by BloodSoakedAleMug from New York
3.43/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.43/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Look: Pours a cloudy, unfiltered burnt orange color with a thick two finger head of off white foam.
Smell: Delightfully tart with aromas of cranberry and sugarplums, even raspberry. Herbal notes of english tea and honeysuckle.
Taste: Hmm... this one is hard to describe. Upfront, you're greeted by the warmth of the alcohol. The heat from the ABV combines with the flavor of sour cranberry and sweet birch syrup to give the beer a slightly medicinal and bitter, pleasantly tart and sweet Ludens cough drop-esque taste. There are some herbaceous notes of tea in the background, dancing with sweet notes of honey and very, very mild caramel. Finishes bittersweet with more notes of wet tea, tart berries and alcohol.
Feel: Noticeably boozy but not extremely hot or alcoholic on the palate. Medium body with low carbonation.
Overall Comments: Very intriguing. My only complaint is that the medicinal, bitter flavor can get a little too much at times. Otherwise a really unique beer with an incredibly interesting flavor profile.
Oct 16, 2016Smell: Delightfully tart with aromas of cranberry and sugarplums, even raspberry. Herbal notes of english tea and honeysuckle.
Taste: Hmm... this one is hard to describe. Upfront, you're greeted by the warmth of the alcohol. The heat from the ABV combines with the flavor of sour cranberry and sweet birch syrup to give the beer a slightly medicinal and bitter, pleasantly tart and sweet Ludens cough drop-esque taste. There are some herbaceous notes of tea in the background, dancing with sweet notes of honey and very, very mild caramel. Finishes bittersweet with more notes of wet tea, tart berries and alcohol.
Feel: Noticeably boozy but not extremely hot or alcoholic on the palate. Medium body with low carbonation.
Overall Comments: Very intriguing. My only complaint is that the medicinal, bitter flavor can get a little too much at times. Otherwise a really unique beer with an incredibly interesting flavor profile.
Kvasir from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
669 ratings
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