Fort | Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Brewed by:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Delaware, United States | website
Style: Fruit / Vegetable Beer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 18.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
An ale brewed with a ridiculous amount of pureed raspberries (over a ton of 'em!). Fort has a Belgian-style base, then we follow a similar fermentation process to the one we use on our other super-high ABV beers, 120 Minute IPA and World Wide Stout.
49 IBU
ABV varies from 15-18%.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 02-05-2005
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 552 | Ratings: 1,257
4.3/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours with the color of white zinfadel with a full white head. Lots of sticky lacing. The aroma is full of raspberries with some vanilla and a little oak. The vanilla is there in the taste too, backing up all of the raspberries. Also noticing a slight spiciness and maybe some candi sugar too? Champagne-like mouthfeel. Very drinkable. As my wife and I aren't too excited by champange, a couple of these will be stuck back for special occasions. This would be great with a chocolate dessert or maybe some fruit.
★ 511 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours with the color of white zinfadel with a full white head. Lots of sticky lacing. The aroma is full of raspberries with some vanilla and a little oak. The vanilla is there in the taste too, backing up all of the raspberries. Also noticing a slight spiciness and maybe some candi sugar too? Champagne-like mouthfeel. Very drinkable. As my wife and I aren't too excited by champange, a couple of these will be stuck back for special occasions. This would be great with a chocolate dessert or maybe some fruit.
★ 511 characters
3.04/5 rDev -17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Overall, this beer was just o.k. The least attractive aspect of this beer is its aroma. It falls somewhere in between flinstones vitamins and robitussin. The raspberry scent comes through slightly, but the alcohol overpowers everything. Pours a nice pinkinsh amber with minimal head. The flavor of the rasperries is faint, but pleasant. There is a nice malt profile and some hops, but the flavors are dominated by the alcohol. I understand what they were going for with this beer, and I love big beers as much as the next BA, but this particular brew could probably benefit from a lower ABV, just to let some of the other flavors shine through.
★ 644 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Overall, this beer was just o.k. The least attractive aspect of this beer is its aroma. It falls somewhere in between flinstones vitamins and robitussin. The raspberry scent comes through slightly, but the alcohol overpowers everything. Pours a nice pinkinsh amber with minimal head. The flavor of the rasperries is faint, but pleasant. There is a nice malt profile and some hops, but the flavors are dominated by the alcohol. I understand what they were going for with this beer, and I love big beers as much as the next BA, but this particular brew could probably benefit from a lower ABV, just to let some of the other flavors shine through.
★ 644 characters
3.7/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a pint glass. Pours straw color with a slight reddish tint. Smell shows a slight hint of the rasberries that are used in the beer. Taste has hints of rasberries with some hops and malt, but the alcohol taste also plays a big roll. Warming feeling in your stomach after drinking. Feels good in the mouth and is surprisingly drinkable for such a strong beer.
★ 368 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a pint glass. Pours straw color with a slight reddish tint. Smell shows a slight hint of the rasberries that are used in the beer. Taste has hints of rasberries with some hops and malt, but the alcohol taste also plays a big roll. Warming feeling in your stomach after drinking. Feels good in the mouth and is surprisingly drinkable for such a strong beer.
★ 368 characters
2.94/5 rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
From the 750ml bottle, this is a slightly reddish copper, with a big, airy head that nearly fills the rest of the wine glass I pour it into. The bouquet is a strong, but not overwhelming, rush of raspberries. The flavor too is dominated by raspberry, but there is also a distinct flavor of alcohol that pushes through in each swig.
I like the restraint of the raspberry flavor--overall this brew isn't too sweet--but I do wish that there were some second element to the flavor profile that gave this brew more variety. Once the raspberry dissipates toward the back of the mouth, the alcohol is all that's left and it's residual metallic taste isn't that pleasant.
This is an ambitious and flawed beer. I wonder if DH will continue to tweak the recipe with any future batches of this...the idea of such a strong fruit beer, with a complex palate is great. Now they've just got to work on the second part of that.
★ 917 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
From the 750ml bottle, this is a slightly reddish copper, with a big, airy head that nearly fills the rest of the wine glass I pour it into. The bouquet is a strong, but not overwhelming, rush of raspberries. The flavor too is dominated by raspberry, but there is also a distinct flavor of alcohol that pushes through in each swig.
I like the restraint of the raspberry flavor--overall this brew isn't too sweet--but I do wish that there were some second element to the flavor profile that gave this brew more variety. Once the raspberry dissipates toward the back of the mouth, the alcohol is all that's left and it's residual metallic taste isn't that pleasant.
This is an ambitious and flawed beer. I wonder if DH will continue to tweak the recipe with any future batches of this...the idea of such a strong fruit beer, with a complex palate is great. Now they've just got to work on the second part of that.
★ 917 characters
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I guess you can't really fault the appearance since it's 18% alcohol by volume, but the head doesn't stick around real long and there's little lace. The aroma is nice and the mouthfeel is good, but despite the fact that they use real raspberries, there's an extract character to the flavor. That might be coming from the alcohol, however, as it's quite obvious. DFH has made better beers, and I expected a lot more from this one.
★ 429 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I guess you can't really fault the appearance since it's 18% alcohol by volume, but the head doesn't stick around real long and there's little lace. The aroma is nice and the mouthfeel is good, but despite the fact that they use real raspberries, there's an extract character to the flavor. That might be coming from the alcohol, however, as it's quite obvious. DFH has made better beers, and I expected a lot more from this one.
★ 429 characters
3.56/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Pours a bright golden with pinkish hues. Thin white head with a thin foamy lacing clinging to the side of the glass.
S - Sweet pilsner malt, sour/tart raspberry. Malt is more pronounced than raspberry.
T - Sweet malt to start, hint of bittering hops in the middle with a tart raspberry finish. Framboise like but with a stronger hint of alcohol and more malty.
M - Tight little bubbles. Crisp and clean with a medium to full body.
D - Decent fruit beer but not overly impressed. Nicely balanced but a hint of cough syrup.
★ 537 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - Pours a bright golden with pinkish hues. Thin white head with a thin foamy lacing clinging to the side of the glass.
S - Sweet pilsner malt, sour/tart raspberry. Malt is more pronounced than raspberry.
T - Sweet malt to start, hint of bittering hops in the middle with a tart raspberry finish. Framboise like but with a stronger hint of alcohol and more malty.
M - Tight little bubbles. Crisp and clean with a medium to full body.
D - Decent fruit beer but not overly impressed. Nicely balanced but a hint of cough syrup.
★ 537 characters
3.53/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I found this beer to be quite enjoyable, not multi-dimensional by any means, but the raspberry succulence more than made up for the lack of malt character. A bigger malt body and mouthfeel would be nice, but I was impressed by the fruit character (which was lush and authentic) in both the aroma and flavor. I thought the alcohol was well hidden as well, making for a pretty enjoyable experience.
★ 396 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I found this beer to be quite enjoyable, not multi-dimensional by any means, but the raspberry succulence more than made up for the lack of malt character. A bigger malt body and mouthfeel would be nice, but I was impressed by the fruit character (which was lush and authentic) in both the aroma and flavor. I thought the alcohol was well hidden as well, making for a pretty enjoyable experience.
★ 396 characters
3.83/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
When I saw a few 25 oz. bottles of this stuff on the shelf, I felt compelled to grab one. Hype or not, this beer demanded a test drive. Poured into a wine glass a crystal clear medium amber, forming a short fluffy head that never completely went away. The bubbles float slowly to the surface from start to finish, foreshadowing the thickness of this beer. The first component of the aroma I notice is a lightly malty, sweet alcohol --almost like champagne or a sweet white wine. The second is raspberries, but not terribly large in the forefront and not too sweet. The taste is strong, winey, and complex. Yes, it tastes sort of like a beer, but it tastes more like a chardonnay. In addition to the sour raspberry flavors, there are hints of pears, grapes, and the banana fruitiness of wheat malt. The mouthfeel is unsurprisingly thick and very fizzy. There's also a prominent heat.
I like Fort, and despite reading a lot of the hype (and anti-hype), its flavor is a surprise to me. It may be something that I only try once, or at most grab on a rare occassion, but it is definitely worth picking up. Like many Dogfish products, it makes for a perspective-widening beer experience.
★ 1,184 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
When I saw a few 25 oz. bottles of this stuff on the shelf, I felt compelled to grab one. Hype or not, this beer demanded a test drive. Poured into a wine glass a crystal clear medium amber, forming a short fluffy head that never completely went away. The bubbles float slowly to the surface from start to finish, foreshadowing the thickness of this beer. The first component of the aroma I notice is a lightly malty, sweet alcohol --almost like champagne or a sweet white wine. The second is raspberries, but not terribly large in the forefront and not too sweet. The taste is strong, winey, and complex. Yes, it tastes sort of like a beer, but it tastes more like a chardonnay. In addition to the sour raspberry flavors, there are hints of pears, grapes, and the banana fruitiness of wheat malt. The mouthfeel is unsurprisingly thick and very fizzy. There's also a prominent heat.
I like Fort, and despite reading a lot of the hype (and anti-hype), its flavor is a surprise to me. It may be something that I only try once, or at most grab on a rare occassion, but it is definitely worth picking up. Like many Dogfish products, it makes for a perspective-widening beer experience.
★ 1,184 characters
4.22/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I generally don't do the fruit beer thing but if DFH jumps in the game I am willing to play. Appearance is a cloudy amber with a big white head. Smell is great,exploding of sweet rasberries and taste mimics the smell. Drinkability is amazingly high as the 18% alcohol is so well hidden its tough to believe till you finish a bottle. If DFH wanted to challenge the malt beverage market they could throw this in 6 packs and take them down quicker than glass joe.
★ 460 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I generally don't do the fruit beer thing but if DFH jumps in the game I am willing to play. Appearance is a cloudy amber with a big white head. Smell is great,exploding of sweet rasberries and taste mimics the smell. Drinkability is amazingly high as the 18% alcohol is so well hidden its tough to believe till you finish a bottle. If DFH wanted to challenge the malt beverage market they could throw this in 6 packs and take them down quicker than glass joe.
★ 460 characters
3.94/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
on a dogfishhead kick lately apparently :), doesnt bother me!!!
A - this DFH offering pours a golden orange color with a full head of 2 fingers, it is thick and pure white, a very healthy head that fizzes and sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies
S - wow, a deep berry aroma, like whiffing a jar of raspberry jam, has a slight but obvious alcohol kick to the redolence
T - very very sweet, but not ad nauseum, a little too much alcohol in the flavor, could use a little more hoppiness to mask the ABV, still a good flavor
M - smooth with a slight alcohol bite
D - moderate, would be better with an ABV closer to 10-12%
★ 631 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
on a dogfishhead kick lately apparently :), doesnt bother me!!!
A - this DFH offering pours a golden orange color with a full head of 2 fingers, it is thick and pure white, a very healthy head that fizzes and sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies
S - wow, a deep berry aroma, like whiffing a jar of raspberry jam, has a slight but obvious alcohol kick to the redolence
T - very very sweet, but not ad nauseum, a little too much alcohol in the flavor, could use a little more hoppiness to mask the ABV, still a good flavor
M - smooth with a slight alcohol bite
D - moderate, would be better with an ABV closer to 10-12%
★ 631 characters
3.82/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
I have read much about this fruit bomb, of sorts, and have waited patiently to acquire one. I finally happened to obtain one, and tonight, I drink. I must say, this poured a much different colour than I had anticipated. A cloudy orange with no sediment ( I expected a little) and a thick, almost glue-like snow white fluffy head that subsided to a thin white haze in about 90 seconds. Thick, sticky lacing clings tightly to the sides of the glass. The smell is F~R~U~I~T!!! ....and little else. Surprisingly, at 18%, there is nearly no alcohol present in the smell. It is also important for me to tell all who read this that I am also consuming / reviewing this at about 41F (approximately 6C), quite cold indeed. I'm sure as this warms, the smell of alcohol with surley become more evident. The easiest way for me to describe this, would be to dump a framboise lambic and about 2 shots of Stolichnaya vodka into a glass. The musty "dank basement smell" is there, just like in a lambic or a saison. The raspberry is about all your taste buds get for about half a second; very pleasant. As the liquid washes over the back of your tongue and you actually swallow it, there is no mistake about it, this stuff is HOT!! 18%? You bet!! Every bit of it!! It isn't unmanagable, especially if you're expecting it, but it is certainly intense. The mouthfeel is heavy. Very heavy. Actually...it's syrupy. "It's a big beer", just doesn't quite capture it for this one... Because of the abv and unparalleled weight / syrup like body (for the style) I gave drinkability a 2.5. This one 750mL is plenty, and it'll be quite a daunting task for me to finish this by myself tonight...I'm sure I'll sleep like a log. If you do happen to get the chance to try this one out, go for it. I promise it's unlike anything you've likely every had.
Blessed Be
-SS
★ 1,837 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
I have read much about this fruit bomb, of sorts, and have waited patiently to acquire one. I finally happened to obtain one, and tonight, I drink. I must say, this poured a much different colour than I had anticipated. A cloudy orange with no sediment ( I expected a little) and a thick, almost glue-like snow white fluffy head that subsided to a thin white haze in about 90 seconds. Thick, sticky lacing clings tightly to the sides of the glass. The smell is F~R~U~I~T!!! ....and little else. Surprisingly, at 18%, there is nearly no alcohol present in the smell. It is also important for me to tell all who read this that I am also consuming / reviewing this at about 41F (approximately 6C), quite cold indeed. I'm sure as this warms, the smell of alcohol with surley become more evident. The easiest way for me to describe this, would be to dump a framboise lambic and about 2 shots of Stolichnaya vodka into a glass. The musty "dank basement smell" is there, just like in a lambic or a saison. The raspberry is about all your taste buds get for about half a second; very pleasant. As the liquid washes over the back of your tongue and you actually swallow it, there is no mistake about it, this stuff is HOT!! 18%? You bet!! Every bit of it!! It isn't unmanagable, especially if you're expecting it, but it is certainly intense. The mouthfeel is heavy. Very heavy. Actually...it's syrupy. "It's a big beer", just doesn't quite capture it for this one... Because of the abv and unparalleled weight / syrup like body (for the style) I gave drinkability a 2.5. This one 750mL is plenty, and it'll be quite a daunting task for me to finish this by myself tonight...I'm sure I'll sleep like a log. If you do happen to get the chance to try this one out, go for it. I promise it's unlike anything you've likely every had.
Blessed Be
-SS
★ 1,837 characters
3.31/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
The beer pours an amber color with a 1/2" white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a very strong alcohol scent that boasts of sour raspberries and not much else. It's not as inviting as a lambic or regular fruit ale. The taste is good. It has a smooth raspberry flavor, but it goes down real slow and warm. This is a beer to be savored not rushed through. I appreciate the concept, but where is the line in the sand. Dogfish Head keep making these high alcohol numbers that are hard to enjoy because they are too damn intense. The original lineup is flavorful and highly drinkable, because the alcohol is kept in check. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a full bodied beer with less than adequate carbonation. This is a cool concept beer, but so are most of my homebrews. The problem is, I'm the only one who enjoys drinking them.
★ 848 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
The beer pours an amber color with a 1/2" white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a very strong alcohol scent that boasts of sour raspberries and not much else. It's not as inviting as a lambic or regular fruit ale. The taste is good. It has a smooth raspberry flavor, but it goes down real slow and warm. This is a beer to be savored not rushed through. I appreciate the concept, but where is the line in the sand. Dogfish Head keep making these high alcohol numbers that are hard to enjoy because they are too damn intense. The original lineup is flavorful and highly drinkable, because the alcohol is kept in check. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a full bodied beer with less than adequate carbonation. This is a cool concept beer, but so are most of my homebrews. The problem is, I'm the only one who enjoys drinking them.
★ 848 characters
3.8/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hmm? I have been searching for this for 4 months. When I finally found the 'holy grail' I have been searching for I paid $20 for one bottle. Hundreds of dollars/time hours later I EXPECTED to be freakin BLOWN AWAY! I was NOT! Does this mean I was disappointed? I don't know. I guess so. Maybe I was only disappointed because of all the hype this beer received as the 'strongest fruit beer in the world. It was good but I am afraid it did not live up to all that hype.
The beer was an attractive color, but certainly more clear than I expected. It was quite coppery. A careful pour yielded a very small head. The smell was very yeasty. The taste was quite bready, a bit sour/tart, and definitely subtle raspberry. I was expecting more raspberry and less yeast. A bit of the 18% ABV shows through but remarkably little alcohol for the high ABV. So this is a pleasant drinkable beer but for the price and size of it... I was expecting quite a bit more. Bummer!
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
★ 997 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hmm? I have been searching for this for 4 months. When I finally found the 'holy grail' I have been searching for I paid $20 for one bottle. Hundreds of dollars/time hours later I EXPECTED to be freakin BLOWN AWAY! I was NOT! Does this mean I was disappointed? I don't know. I guess so. Maybe I was only disappointed because of all the hype this beer received as the 'strongest fruit beer in the world. It was good but I am afraid it did not live up to all that hype.
The beer was an attractive color, but certainly more clear than I expected. It was quite coppery. A careful pour yielded a very small head. The smell was very yeasty. The taste was quite bready, a bit sour/tart, and definitely subtle raspberry. I was expecting more raspberry and less yeast. A bit of the 18% ABV shows through but remarkably little alcohol for the high ABV. So this is a pleasant drinkable beer but for the price and size of it... I was expecting quite a bit more. Bummer!
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
★ 997 characters
4.42/5 rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
The beer upon its emancipation from the 750ml brown bottle, resides in the glass a limpid rusted orange with bountiful creamy light tan head that slowly erodes leaving a velum like coating of lace upon the glass. Nose is saturated with raspberries, sweet at the front but a nice tart tangy tones at the back, quite a sniffer this beer, start is sweet with a tangy twang as it hits the back of your palate, the grain profile delectable and the top middling its feel. Finish is staunch in its acidity, the hops enjoyable with a bit of alcohol bite at the very end, quite dry and a real tummy warmer, what a treat on St. Patricks Day as I sit here listening to Elmore James, and relax from a long week of drudgery.
★ 713 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
The beer upon its emancipation from the 750ml brown bottle, resides in the glass a limpid rusted orange with bountiful creamy light tan head that slowly erodes leaving a velum like coating of lace upon the glass. Nose is saturated with raspberries, sweet at the front but a nice tart tangy tones at the back, quite a sniffer this beer, start is sweet with a tangy twang as it hits the back of your palate, the grain profile delectable and the top middling its feel. Finish is staunch in its acidity, the hops enjoyable with a bit of alcohol bite at the very end, quite dry and a real tummy warmer, what a treat on St. Patricks Day as I sit here listening to Elmore James, and relax from a long week of drudgery.
★ 713 characters
3.75/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From a 750 bottle on 3/11/06.
This pours a nice reddish/amber with a HUGE head that took some time to dissipate, leaving a lacy foam covering all the way down the side of the glass and not much else once it finally dissapated comepletely . Nice raspberry aroma with a hint of hops in the background. Overall a very subtle aroma. I thought this looked better than it tasted at first blush but it grew on me considerably over time. The hops were more prevalent in the flavor than they were in the smell but the alcohol came through more than anything else. Mouthfeel was not as heavy as you might expect out of an 18% ABV beer and it was also suprisingly drinkable considering the punch.
I wish this had come bottled with a cork because I'd like to put about half of it back in the fridge for another session. Too bad for me.
★ 831 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From a 750 bottle on 3/11/06.
This pours a nice reddish/amber with a HUGE head that took some time to dissipate, leaving a lacy foam covering all the way down the side of the glass and not much else once it finally dissapated comepletely . Nice raspberry aroma with a hint of hops in the background. Overall a very subtle aroma. I thought this looked better than it tasted at first blush but it grew on me considerably over time. The hops were more prevalent in the flavor than they were in the smell but the alcohol came through more than anything else. Mouthfeel was not as heavy as you might expect out of an 18% ABV beer and it was also suprisingly drinkable considering the punch.
I wish this had come bottled with a cork because I'd like to put about half of it back in the fridge for another session. Too bad for me.
★ 831 characters
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The beer was poured from the bottle into a pub glass.
Appearance: The beer pours a very deep rubyesque coppery coloration. The head was about two fingers thick and quickly resolved into a ring of foam. Specks of lacing remain behind on the glass.
Smell: The smell of Raspberry Fields go on forever. Dam this beer is loaded with tart raspberry goodness mixed with a wonderfully biscuity smell.
Taste: The taste is as the smell. There is a ton and a half of raspberry goodness ontop of biscuity goodness. The beer comes off as raspberry tea with bourbon and crumpets.
Mouthfeel: The beer is way full bodied. There is a lot of tight carbonation that helps loosen up this beer bomb.
Drinkability: For 18% this is one drinkable beer treat. The alcohol is present in smell, taste and mouthfeel; however, the alcohol is in no way offensive. This is a very drinkable beer treat overall. I have one in the cellar that I will try in 2 to 5 years.
★ 953 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The beer was poured from the bottle into a pub glass.
Appearance: The beer pours a very deep rubyesque coppery coloration. The head was about two fingers thick and quickly resolved into a ring of foam. Specks of lacing remain behind on the glass.
Smell: The smell of Raspberry Fields go on forever. Dam this beer is loaded with tart raspberry goodness mixed with a wonderfully biscuity smell.
Taste: The taste is as the smell. There is a ton and a half of raspberry goodness ontop of biscuity goodness. The beer comes off as raspberry tea with bourbon and crumpets.
Mouthfeel: The beer is way full bodied. There is a lot of tight carbonation that helps loosen up this beer bomb.
Drinkability: For 18% this is one drinkable beer treat. The alcohol is present in smell, taste and mouthfeel; however, the alcohol is in no way offensive. This is a very drinkable beer treat overall. I have one in the cellar that I will try in 2 to 5 years.
★ 953 characters
4.4/5 rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
After looking at this brew time and time again at the local store, I finally broke down and just had to try it. Came in a beautifully labled 750ml bottle . Served in a wine glass, slightly chilled. Poured a very nice reddish amber color, with a short, bubbly head that dissipated rather quickly. Almost looks like a glass of wine sitting there. Had a nice aroma of fresh raspberries , with a little kick of alcohol. First taste was of raspberries,and something else i can't quite put my finger on yet, with a short, but sweet alcohol burn finish. Hard to believe there is that much alcohol in this. The 18% abv. is pretty well hidden.Had a great full taste with plenty of corbonation. Very drinkable for what it is , a very strong fruit beer. Think i'll get another bottle to hide for a year or two.
★ 799 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
After looking at this brew time and time again at the local store, I finally broke down and just had to try it. Came in a beautifully labled 750ml bottle . Served in a wine glass, slightly chilled. Poured a very nice reddish amber color, with a short, bubbly head that dissipated rather quickly. Almost looks like a glass of wine sitting there. Had a nice aroma of fresh raspberries , with a little kick of alcohol. First taste was of raspberries,and something else i can't quite put my finger on yet, with a short, but sweet alcohol burn finish. Hard to believe there is that much alcohol in this. The 18% abv. is pretty well hidden.Had a great full taste with plenty of corbonation. Very drinkable for what it is , a very strong fruit beer. Think i'll get another bottle to hide for a year or two.
★ 799 characters
4.82/5 rDev +31%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured from a 750ml bottle. Awesome artwork. Think I might get one of their shirts from the website.
Appearance- Pours a spritzy head with minor retention. Color reminded me of when T took a cherry Juicy Juice box and poured it into a glass. Color is a light rose and amber. With some consistant lacing.
Smell- An inspiring mix of alcohol, rasberries, hints of wheat, and sugary candy.
Taste- Starts out as rasberry juice that proceeds into a more sugary rasberry flavor. I found it amazing I could taste the FRESH, REAL rasberries in this beer. The rasberry flavor was not cloying at all. The suagry rasberry then mixed with the alcohol to give it some very comfortable warmth. The finish was a mix of fresh rasberries eaten straight from the basket, sugared rasberries, wheat, bananas, and of course alcohol.
Mouthfeel- Pretty good carbonation that enhanced the subdued sweetness of the rasberries, but helped to bring out the wheat used in this beer. Just spectacular.
I've had two bottles of this so far, this is a reveiew of my second bottle drank. The first was with my girlfriend (who is not a big beer drinker period, but she humored with this one) who thought it was stupendous. When I shared my second bottle with my friend, he thought it was a real treat. Further proof that he really enjoyed it, is that he drank a wine glass full over the course of 45 minutes. This is a rarity with my ber guzzling buddy. Who has drank a lot of my other craft beers a little quicker than I would've liked. But this beer seemed to grow on me more and moe with each sip from each bottle. Hands down, my favorite fruit beer thus far.
P.S. I have one bottle I'm gonna forget about for awhile and report on the results.
★ 1,735 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured from a 750ml bottle. Awesome artwork. Think I might get one of their shirts from the website.
Appearance- Pours a spritzy head with minor retention. Color reminded me of when T took a cherry Juicy Juice box and poured it into a glass. Color is a light rose and amber. With some consistant lacing.
Smell- An inspiring mix of alcohol, rasberries, hints of wheat, and sugary candy.
Taste- Starts out as rasberry juice that proceeds into a more sugary rasberry flavor. I found it amazing I could taste the FRESH, REAL rasberries in this beer. The rasberry flavor was not cloying at all. The suagry rasberry then mixed with the alcohol to give it some very comfortable warmth. The finish was a mix of fresh rasberries eaten straight from the basket, sugared rasberries, wheat, bananas, and of course alcohol.
Mouthfeel- Pretty good carbonation that enhanced the subdued sweetness of the rasberries, but helped to bring out the wheat used in this beer. Just spectacular.
I've had two bottles of this so far, this is a reveiew of my second bottle drank. The first was with my girlfriend (who is not a big beer drinker period, but she humored with this one) who thought it was stupendous. When I shared my second bottle with my friend, he thought it was a real treat. Further proof that he really enjoyed it, is that he drank a wine glass full over the course of 45 minutes. This is a rarity with my ber guzzling buddy. Who has drank a lot of my other craft beers a little quicker than I would've liked. But this beer seemed to grow on me more and moe with each sip from each bottle. Hands down, my favorite fruit beer thus far.
P.S. I have one bottle I'm gonna forget about for awhile and report on the results.
★ 1,735 characters
3.48/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Well this is much better out of the bottle. This is my 2nd bottle sample and it has improved both times I have tasted it. I didn't care for this one draft at the alehouse in MD (earlier review). It looks like a pink tinted wheat beer. The smell is fruity with a good punch of alochol but some resonace of tannins. That is a lot smoother than the tap vesion the fusel alcohols aren't as prevelant and the tannins are near acceptable limits. The fruit flavor is true to raspberies and there is still a maltyness but only slightly. Thin and boozey in the mouthfeel but this is now something I could have a snifter of and not cry foul.
★ 631 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Well this is much better out of the bottle. This is my 2nd bottle sample and it has improved both times I have tasted it. I didn't care for this one draft at the alehouse in MD (earlier review). It looks like a pink tinted wheat beer. The smell is fruity with a good punch of alochol but some resonace of tannins. That is a lot smoother than the tap vesion the fusel alcohols aren't as prevelant and the tannins are near acceptable limits. The fruit flavor is true to raspberies and there is still a maltyness but only slightly. Thin and boozey in the mouthfeel but this is now something I could have a snifter of and not cry foul.
★ 631 characters
3.9/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
hazed pinkish dark orange with a whitish head that doesn't stick around, that wasn't expected though being a fruit beer.
you can smell raspberries from a foot away. close up, it smells of pulpy raspberry meat, booze, and some slightly grainy caramel. it has some perfumey cherry-like qualities too.
raspberry cookie sweetness at the beginning of the taste, followed up with some caramel and sweet cherryin the middle, and finishing with tart very fresh tasting raspberry and finally booze. it deserves something like a 4.25 here, but i'm gonna round down.
medium bodied with crisp carbonation. it works well here no complaints.
drinkabiltiy is pretty good considering, but the sinus clearing exhalation of alcohol isn't helping matters. to it's defense though, it doesn't taste 18% abv, something more like 10%.
i feel like this beer could have been created to the same effect without all the booze, it seems a little gratuitous. it is a good beer none the less.
★ 967 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
hazed pinkish dark orange with a whitish head that doesn't stick around, that wasn't expected though being a fruit beer.
you can smell raspberries from a foot away. close up, it smells of pulpy raspberry meat, booze, and some slightly grainy caramel. it has some perfumey cherry-like qualities too.
raspberry cookie sweetness at the beginning of the taste, followed up with some caramel and sweet cherryin the middle, and finishing with tart very fresh tasting raspberry and finally booze. it deserves something like a 4.25 here, but i'm gonna round down.
medium bodied with crisp carbonation. it works well here no complaints.
drinkabiltiy is pretty good considering, but the sinus clearing exhalation of alcohol isn't helping matters. to it's defense though, it doesn't taste 18% abv, something more like 10%.
i feel like this beer could have been created to the same effect without all the booze, it seems a little gratuitous. it is a good beer none the less.
★ 967 characters
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The beer poured crystal clear amber golden with a white and wispy head which fizzed like a carbonated soda and left the building just as quickly.
The aroma was raspberries and cherries as the carbonation flashed away. After the intial rise and demise of the head the aroma became a low level raspberry aroma with a strong fruity presence. The raspberries were easier to detect from further away than from directly over the glass. Some slight spice was present due to the alcohol in the aroma.
The flavor was alcoholic and lightly fruity with only a brief reminder that the beer was supposed to contain rapberries. The flavor was brash with a strong impression of alcohol which warmed the palate from first sip. The flavor was fruity, but not complex and not well balanced. A bitter flavor was present, but it did not seem to emerge from hopping.
The finish was dry with a harsh alcohol presence long and lasting into the aftertaste. The body was medium full and the carbonation was very, very low. The alcohol in this beer really caused quite a bit of warming and was harsh and burning.
The beer was certainly not a favorite and reminded me of an almost failed attempt to copy Troegs Mad Elf with raspberries and to see how far alcohol could be taken in a beer at the same time. It was not awful, but it was not complex, more an extremely strong beer with raspberries. For the price of admission, I'll pass next time.
750 ml bottle. Bottled on 11/28/05, $19 at OUAV.
★ 1,481 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The beer poured crystal clear amber golden with a white and wispy head which fizzed like a carbonated soda and left the building just as quickly.
The aroma was raspberries and cherries as the carbonation flashed away. After the intial rise and demise of the head the aroma became a low level raspberry aroma with a strong fruity presence. The raspberries were easier to detect from further away than from directly over the glass. Some slight spice was present due to the alcohol in the aroma.
The flavor was alcoholic and lightly fruity with only a brief reminder that the beer was supposed to contain rapberries. The flavor was brash with a strong impression of alcohol which warmed the palate from first sip. The flavor was fruity, but not complex and not well balanced. A bitter flavor was present, but it did not seem to emerge from hopping.
The finish was dry with a harsh alcohol presence long and lasting into the aftertaste. The body was medium full and the carbonation was very, very low. The alcohol in this beer really caused quite a bit of warming and was harsh and burning.
The beer was certainly not a favorite and reminded me of an almost failed attempt to copy Troegs Mad Elf with raspberries and to see how far alcohol could be taken in a beer at the same time. It was not awful, but it was not complex, more an extremely strong beer with raspberries. For the price of admission, I'll pass next time.
750 ml bottle. Bottled on 11/28/05, $19 at OUAV.
★ 1,481 characters
3.55/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bought a 750 mL bottle on Presidents Day, and opened it tonight and drank it pretty much right out of the fridge. I was considering letting it age until the summer or something but then I thought, screw it just drink it.
"Bottled on 11.28.05" Label is kinda cool.
I poured into my Orval goblet. Amber/orange with white froth that did not last long in a wide-mouthed goblet.
Smells of alcohol. Or as Michael Jackson says, "pepper." My inferior nose doesn't pick up any raspberries no matter how hard I sniff.
The taste is also warmingly alcoholic. It's like a fruit-flavored barley wine, actually. I do pick up fruit undertones, but the alcohol is so dominant. The more I drink, the more I'm reminded of cough syrup (which I hear is a placebo). It's kind of creamy as well.
At the end there's an earthy note. It's woody/grainy. And creamy. And warming, of course.
In retrospect, maybe I should have waited to open this bottle. Or let it warm up a little. It's not bad, but I'm not blown away by this ale. Although, kudos to DFH for making this so friggin' strong. Nothing wrong with that.
★ 1,105 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bought a 750 mL bottle on Presidents Day, and opened it tonight and drank it pretty much right out of the fridge. I was considering letting it age until the summer or something but then I thought, screw it just drink it.
"Bottled on 11.28.05" Label is kinda cool.
I poured into my Orval goblet. Amber/orange with white froth that did not last long in a wide-mouthed goblet.
Smells of alcohol. Or as Michael Jackson says, "pepper." My inferior nose doesn't pick up any raspberries no matter how hard I sniff.
The taste is also warmingly alcoholic. It's like a fruit-flavored barley wine, actually. I do pick up fruit undertones, but the alcohol is so dominant. The more I drink, the more I'm reminded of cough syrup (which I hear is a placebo). It's kind of creamy as well.
At the end there's an earthy note. It's woody/grainy. And creamy. And warming, of course.
In retrospect, maybe I should have waited to open this bottle. Or let it warm up a little. It's not bad, but I'm not blown away by this ale. Although, kudos to DFH for making this so friggin' strong. Nothing wrong with that.
★ 1,105 characters
4.18/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This pours a beautiful clear orange/red copper color with a large 2 finger white foamy head. One of the best looking I've ever seen. The smell has a real earthy."bisquity", aroma to it along with a hefty scent of rasberries. The taste has a large rasberry presence,naturally, with a a fare amount of hops and a yeast flavor that reminds me of a rasberry tort. Interestingly there is not a big alcohol flavor. There is some warming,but not what you would think. The m/f is medium with very well balanced flavors. This is a very good beer and the best fruit beer I've ever had,but I wish Dogfish Head listed the alcohol content on the bottle. I also think this should be served in a smaller bottle,or a resealable bottle.
★ 719 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This pours a beautiful clear orange/red copper color with a large 2 finger white foamy head. One of the best looking I've ever seen. The smell has a real earthy."bisquity", aroma to it along with a hefty scent of rasberries. The taste has a large rasberry presence,naturally, with a a fare amount of hops and a yeast flavor that reminds me of a rasberry tort. Interestingly there is not a big alcohol flavor. There is some warming,but not what you would think. The m/f is medium with very well balanced flavors. This is a very good beer and the best fruit beer I've ever had,but I wish Dogfish Head listed the alcohol content on the bottle. I also think this should be served in a smaller bottle,or a resealable bottle.
★ 719 characters
4.03/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A beautiful bright copper color...a half finger of white head and some nice lacing.
Decent aromas of sweet carmelized malt and fresh rasberries.
The taste is simply incredible....huge rasberry flavor and just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the alcohol which makes an appearance but only enough to tell you to respect this one.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, the carbonation is perfect and goes down too easy.
Another solid extreme brew from Sam and the folks at DFH....will definitely pickup another bottle to sit on for a year or so to see how it evolves.
★ 571 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A beautiful bright copper color...a half finger of white head and some nice lacing.
Decent aromas of sweet carmelized malt and fresh rasberries.
The taste is simply incredible....huge rasberry flavor and just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the alcohol which makes an appearance but only enough to tell you to respect this one.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, the carbonation is perfect and goes down too easy.
Another solid extreme brew from Sam and the folks at DFH....will definitely pickup another bottle to sit on for a year or so to see how it evolves.
★ 571 characters
Fort from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
3.68
out of 5
based on 1,257 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Shared a bottle poured into snifters at the DFH pub.
This beer pours up real nice the color is rich dark and inviting. Medium head that fades quickly. Not much to talk about there.
The aroma of this beer was brilliant. The Raspberry lover will want too sniff between every sip.
Taste is of sweet raspberry and alcohol. At 18% it is over powering and takes away from what could have been. Alas...Yet another noble effort gone awry by the way of the Young Turks.
Mouthfeel is average for high end beers, almost full body.
Too bad the finish is not better is could have been an exquisite desert beer.
If they keep working on this beer, the way of our abbey monks in München, say 300-400 year they may have it perfected.
This beer is a fine extreem offering, the score is a good one. Just not my taste. MK
★ 825 characters