Raison D'Être
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Raison D'ÊtreRaison D'Être
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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #148
ABV:
8%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,222
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 15.03%
Reviews:
1,782
Ratings:
4,340
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 29, 2023
Added:
Aug 09, 2001
Wants:
  121
Gots:
  510
A deep mahogany, Belgian-style brown ale brewed with beet sugar, raisins and Belgian-style yeast.

We began brewing this one at our pub in 1996 (we began packaging and selling it sometime in 1998) as the answer to the question, "What beer should I enjoy with a wood-grilled steak?" Raison D'Etre fits the bill. It's as tasty and complex as a fine red wine.

In the Quick Sip Clip video, Sam talks about Raison D'Etre inside the new cellars for our 600-bbl fermentation tanks. The cellars were designed specifically to allow sterile yeast management. The system also allows us to automatically dose the yeast into the fermentation tanks. At Dogfish, we use multiple strains of yeast for our different beers, so we are acutely aware of all that can go wrong when you don't love and protect the yeast.

25 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by StoutHunter:
Photo of StoutHunter
Reviewed by StoutHunter from Michigan

2.7/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
I bought a bottle of Dogfish Head's Raison D'etre last weekend for $1.79 at The Lager Mill. So far I have been pretty impressed and interested with all the beers I have had from them, so I decided to give this one a try and see if it is as good as their other beers. No visible bottling date but I am pretty sure it's a 2011 vintage. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a snifter.

A- The label on this beer is like most Dogfish Head labels and is pretty plain, but at least it gives you an idea of what your getting into. It pours a clear dark amber color with two fingers worth of off white head that died down to a thin layer that stayed till the end.

S- Right off the bat this beer smells pretty sweet. The Belgian candied sugars really stand out in the aroma and are the first thing I notice along with a medium amount of booze. After I get past the sugar and alcohol there are some pleasant aromas of dark fruits, raisins, and a slight bit of spices.

T- The aroma is pretty damn close to what the flavor is like. Just like the aroma the first thing I pick is the Belgian candied sugar that is pretty damn sweet and very close to that cloying threshold. I pick up some sweet brown bread, dark fruits, brown sugar, and a slight bit of spices that I assume is from the yeast. The alcohol could have been hidden better, it sticks out a good deal and is a little warming, straight from the fridge I mainly got sugar and booze, but once it warmed up some of the better subtle flavors showed up.

M- Sticky and medium bodied with a medium light amount of carbonation that could have been kicked up a notch.

Overall I thought this was a pretty average beer that I really wasn't that into. In theory it sounded like a good choice since I like that raisin taste I get from malt heavy brews but this one was just far too sweet and unbalanced for me to like. I really don't like overly sweet beers so that was what I liked the least about this beer, but the flavors in the background that I picked up when it warmed up were nice and would have suited this beer better if they took the reigns and let the sugar and alcohol take the backseat. I don't think I will buy this again, if I am craving a Belgian Strong Dark Ale I will stick with my go to brew for that style, Trois Pistoles. I can't say I recommend this brew since it doesn't do a good job at representing it's style. This beer just didn't do it for me and is now my least favorite Dogfish Head Brew, sweet and boozy just don't work for me.
Jun 30, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.09 by Shiredave from New York

Dec 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.37 by SoundMakesSense from Indiana

Mar 05, 2023
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

3.32/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This was deeply appealing by description. Not sure if it was the yeast or (maybe) bad bottle, but the stuff was kind of bitter and frankly a bit nasty. Scoring more objectively with benefit of the doubt.
Feb 17, 2022
 
Rated: 3.64 by dan_amdg from Illinois

Feb 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by drstalker from Illinois

Jan 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by Burg from New Hampshire

May 05, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.03/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. ABV is 8%. Amber to copper colour, low head. Boring aroma, slightly malty. Malty flavour, notes of caramel, hints of cinnamon.
Apr 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.86 by justme from Massachusetts

Apr 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.93 by crazyspicychef from Pennsylvania

Nov 15, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by ItsBeer4Me from Pennsylvania

Oct 11, 2020
 
Rated: 3.91 by Insomniac from Canada (ON)

Aug 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by jschott75 from Illinois

Jun 03, 2020
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.49/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
32oz crowler purchased two days ago at J's Liquor Owensboro poured into a DFH branded teku glass at fridge temp 8% ABV. The beer pours mostly bright medium brown with ruby highlights and essentially no head. No retention or lacing. The aroma is faint brown sugar and maybe a hint of dark fruit. The taste is slightly sugary, with raisin flavor before an alcohol hot, barely bitter finish. Not real complex and scary close to cherry cough syrup. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with below average carbonation and anundry finish. Overall, subpar. I got a stupid deal on this crowler ($5) and I imagine that this keg had been on tap for quite a while with the restrictions on shopping. I would still try this from a dated bottle or a bar that does a brisk business. Numerically rated close to the existing average for fairness.
Apr 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Apr 09, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by doctorgary from New York

Mar 10, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by CDBeerDisappear from Ohio

Feb 04, 2020
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a dark nutty brown with a hint of burgundy. Head is a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is good. Aroma is strong - plum, dark fruits, raisins, fig and caramely malts. A little bit of alcohol seeps through, but just barely. Flavor profile carries the same profile forward, hitting notes of plum, dark fruits, raisins, fig and toffee with caramely, nutty malts underneath. Alcohol is a little more apparent here. Mouth feel is full with a medium-thick consistency that firms up to 'thick' when the glass has been warmed slightly. Light graininess adds a little texture to each sip. Overall, heavy and full with strong raisins and dark fruit qualities.

Served in a 15.5oz Speigalau tulip from a 12oz bottle. Reviewed from notes.
Dec 22, 2019
 
Rated: 3.47 by MJSFS from Florida

Dec 07, 2019
Photo of andypeters1971
Reviewed by andypeters1971 from Georgia

4.48/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Why is this no longer available in Georgia. When craft beer and microbreweries first started to get popular in the metro Atlanta region back in the early 2000s, this was one of the very first beers that I saw from the movement. Certainly without a doubt the first Dogfish Head I ever saw. I haven't seen it 'round these parts in probably 13-14 years. Too bad becauise this is a really good one and I wish I could have one right now
Oct 01, 2019
Raison D'Être from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 4340 ratings