Raison D'Extra | Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Brewed by:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Delaware, United States
dogfish.com
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 15.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Our Raison D'Etre, with a little extra. This immodest brew, made with an obscene amount of malt, brown sugar & raisins, takes Belgian-style browns to new heights.
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,551 | Reviews: 725
2.78/5 rDev -31.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Pours a deep cola-brown, head fades quickly but there is a good amount of carbonation. Aroma is hyper-sweet & muscular - heavy (almost overpowering) phenol alcohol, muscovado, a little fig / raisin in the background. Taste follows suit - it starts with a big wave of phenol alcohol (without the fruity esters that often accompany the style) followed by some dry raisin & fig meat with dashes of sugar. Finishes with a bitter woodiness. Dogfish Head often straddles the line with big, bold beers but this one didn’t work for me, the alcohol is too muscular on the palate and drowns-out the other flavors.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Pours a deep cola-brown, head fades quickly but there is a good amount of carbonation. Aroma is hyper-sweet & muscular - heavy (almost overpowering) phenol alcohol, muscovado, a little fig / raisin in the background. Taste follows suit - it starts with a big wave of phenol alcohol (without the fruity esters that often accompany the style) followed by some dry raisin & fig meat with dashes of sugar. Finishes with a bitter woodiness. Dogfish Head often straddles the line with big, bold beers but this one didn’t work for me, the alcohol is too muscular on the palate and drowns-out the other flavors.
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3.01/5 rDev -25.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5
Fruity smell definitely can taste raisins. More of a sour then I like. Very strong alcohol content.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5
Fruity smell definitely can taste raisins. More of a sour then I like. Very strong alcohol content.
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4.26/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap, 5 oz pour. Very boozy as expected, and in a good way. Came across more like rum than beer. Tons of dark sugar, rum-soaked raisins, and vanilla.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap, 5 oz pour. Very boozy as expected, and in a good way. Came across more like rum than beer. Tons of dark sugar, rum-soaked raisins, and vanilla.
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2.91/5 rDev -28.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I didn't really enjoy this beer, but that's probably because the Belgian yeasts were too much for me. I don't know if letting it age would have mellowed out some of the flavors - this one was bottled on 12/21/18. Looks very nice - deep rich copper-brown color with some nice lingering mild head and spotty lacing. Smells faintly of raisin, brown sugar, malt, a little muted hops and some yeast. Taste follows the nose, but the stronger Belgian yeast flavors (banana-clove-yeast) were just too overwhelming for me and left a strange aftertaste in my mouth. Mild, thin mouthfeel, slightly sticky, and decent carbonation. That high ABV is fairly present - though they should print that 15% on the label. I will keep trying but sadly, these Belgian beers just don't seem to agree with my palate.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I didn't really enjoy this beer, but that's probably because the Belgian yeasts were too much for me. I don't know if letting it age would have mellowed out some of the flavors - this one was bottled on 12/21/18. Looks very nice - deep rich copper-brown color with some nice lingering mild head and spotty lacing. Smells faintly of raisin, brown sugar, malt, a little muted hops and some yeast. Taste follows the nose, but the stronger Belgian yeast flavors (banana-clove-yeast) were just too overwhelming for me and left a strange aftertaste in my mouth. Mild, thin mouthfeel, slightly sticky, and decent carbonation. That high ABV is fairly present - though they should print that 15% on the label. I will keep trying but sadly, these Belgian beers just don't seem to agree with my palate.
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4.66/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.26/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.71/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.34/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Let this one warm up. It is a little harsh cold but as it warms it mellows. Great flavor! Lots of brown sugar raisins/dark fruits. Malty brown sweet bread.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Let this one warm up. It is a little harsh cold but as it warms it mellows. Great flavor! Lots of brown sugar raisins/dark fruits. Malty brown sweet bread.
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4.53/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Brown/red with 1/2" head and no lacing.
N: Loads of malt, brown sugar and raisin.
T: WOW, super clean/smooth malty goodness with a hit of brown sugar/raisin. Some minor bite from ABV but very well hidden.
M: Medium/Strong, the ABV is so well hidden this is easy to call Medium.
O: Loved it so much, what a great beer.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Brown/red with 1/2" head and no lacing.
N: Loads of malt, brown sugar and raisin.
T: WOW, super clean/smooth malty goodness with a hit of brown sugar/raisin. Some minor bite from ABV but very well hidden.
M: Medium/Strong, the ABV is so well hidden this is easy to call Medium.
O: Loved it so much, what a great beer.
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4.5/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
1/20/19 bottle; 16% ABV
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
1/20/19 bottle; 16% ABV
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3.9/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I'd really been looking forward to this. I've had these sporadic get togethers with my buds where we listen to music and drink craft beer. One time, a long time ago, this guy brought a DFH brew that I tried and thought "damn, what is this?" It was Raison D'etre and it absolutely made a lasting impression on me. So imagine my anticipation when I heard about this. They aren't exactly giving these suckers away so I picked up a single to check it out.
Poured into, what else, a DFH tulip at cellar fridge 50 degrees. Beautiful ruby mahogany body topped by a small quickly dissipating tan head. Smell of sweet spicy booziness with no differentiation between any individual aromas. Things got more intense as the temperature increased. Taste is typical DFH in that the alc is very well hid and isn't hot at all. Taste brown sugar, molasses and cinnamon but not the raisins that I was expecting. Mouthfeel was fine for this slow sipper.
Anybody have any experience cellaring these bad boys. I was expecting a Raison D'etre cranked e to the x but this is something different. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. I'm just wondering if the raisins pop out with age.
1,180 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I'd really been looking forward to this. I've had these sporadic get togethers with my buds where we listen to music and drink craft beer. One time, a long time ago, this guy brought a DFH brew that I tried and thought "damn, what is this?" It was Raison D'etre and it absolutely made a lasting impression on me. So imagine my anticipation when I heard about this. They aren't exactly giving these suckers away so I picked up a single to check it out.
Poured into, what else, a DFH tulip at cellar fridge 50 degrees. Beautiful ruby mahogany body topped by a small quickly dissipating tan head. Smell of sweet spicy booziness with no differentiation between any individual aromas. Things got more intense as the temperature increased. Taste is typical DFH in that the alc is very well hid and isn't hot at all. Taste brown sugar, molasses and cinnamon but not the raisins that I was expecting. Mouthfeel was fine for this slow sipper.
Anybody have any experience cellaring these bad boys. I was expecting a Raison D'etre cranked e to the x but this is something different. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. I'm just wondering if the raisins pop out with age.
1,180 characters
4.25/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a dark, mahogany brown color and a thick, cloudy consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white head that quickly dissipated. Pretty good lacing.
S: A big, bracing aroma of dark fruit, malt, brown sugar, booze, Belgian yeast, and spices.
T: Tasted of a small amount of malt (not overly prevalent), some spices (cinnamon, mostly), lots of dark fruit (raisins, in particular), some brown sugar, a lot of rum, and good amount of Belgian-style yeast. Like the aroma, the flavor's an aggressive beast, quite boozy, but never off-putting; it's sweet enough to balance things out.
F: A well-carbonated beer with a warm, sharp finish. Full-bodied.
O: A well done, powerful beer. Drinkable.
738 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a dark, mahogany brown color and a thick, cloudy consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white head that quickly dissipated. Pretty good lacing.
S: A big, bracing aroma of dark fruit, malt, brown sugar, booze, Belgian yeast, and spices.
T: Tasted of a small amount of malt (not overly prevalent), some spices (cinnamon, mostly), lots of dark fruit (raisins, in particular), some brown sugar, a lot of rum, and good amount of Belgian-style yeast. Like the aroma, the flavor's an aggressive beast, quite boozy, but never off-putting; it's sweet enough to balance things out.
F: A well-carbonated beer with a warm, sharp finish. Full-bodied.
O: A well done, powerful beer. Drinkable.
738 characters
2.82/5 rDev -30.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From the neck of the bottle in yellow ink: "BOTTLED ON 12/13/18 1332"
Appearance: The body of the beer is a beautiful mahogany brown with hints of dark red on the border of black. There is a short fluffy off-white head that slowly fades to a ring.
Aroma: It smells of banana, juniper, and nail polish.
Taste: There is a molasses flavor mixed with juniper berries and this odd mixture of treacle and alcohol. It has a bit of a coffee ground flavor towards the end which is intertwined with more of that molasses character. The flavors really stand out but they don't blend well together.
Mouthfeel: It is very full bodied and sticky with little carbonation. It is a slow drinking beer.
Overall: it's a really strange beer. It certainly is memorable but it's not something I would likely pick up again. The flavors seem to be working overtime to compete as the star of the show, and none of them blend cohesively. As a "fresh" or "young" beer this isn't one I would recommend unless purchasing it to age or to try as a novelty. I would only buy this again if it were aged, and even then it would only be to compare notes. There are better Belgian Strong Dark Ales on the market that are simpler and more elegant.
1,216 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From the neck of the bottle in yellow ink: "BOTTLED ON 12/13/18 1332"
Appearance: The body of the beer is a beautiful mahogany brown with hints of dark red on the border of black. There is a short fluffy off-white head that slowly fades to a ring.
Aroma: It smells of banana, juniper, and nail polish.
Taste: There is a molasses flavor mixed with juniper berries and this odd mixture of treacle and alcohol. It has a bit of a coffee ground flavor towards the end which is intertwined with more of that molasses character. The flavors really stand out but they don't blend well together.
Mouthfeel: It is very full bodied and sticky with little carbonation. It is a slow drinking beer.
Overall: it's a really strange beer. It certainly is memorable but it's not something I would likely pick up again. The flavors seem to be working overtime to compete as the star of the show, and none of them blend cohesively. As a "fresh" or "young" beer this isn't one I would recommend unless purchasing it to age or to try as a novelty. I would only buy this again if it were aged, and even then it would only be to compare notes. There are better Belgian Strong Dark Ales on the market that are simpler and more elegant.
1,216 characters
4.49/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.
Weird. I was just thinking about Raison D'Etre and how I haven't had one in a while and low and behold its massive big brother appears on the local shelves.
This one clocks in at 16% ABV, and aside from a slight post-swallow warming, you'd never know it.
I just wrote "post-swallow warming" and I kind of want to throw up now.
Anyway.
The alchemists at Dogfish Head have turned out something really special here. A not too sweet, not too alcoholy (It's a word. Deal.) strong ale that's well and truly a brick wrapped in velvet. Smooth, approachable, warming, and definitely dangerous without disciplined moderation.
677 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.
Weird. I was just thinking about Raison D'Etre and how I haven't had one in a while and low and behold its massive big brother appears on the local shelves.
This one clocks in at 16% ABV, and aside from a slight post-swallow warming, you'd never know it.
I just wrote "post-swallow warming" and I kind of want to throw up now.
Anyway.
The alchemists at Dogfish Head have turned out something really special here. A not too sweet, not too alcoholy (It's a word. Deal.) strong ale that's well and truly a brick wrapped in velvet. Smooth, approachable, warming, and definitely dangerous without disciplined moderation.
677 characters
4.15/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Agree with jkblr. To add, my 4 year old 12 ouncer is very very chunky with yeast. I know it’s yeast, but it always seems a bit off-putting to have lots of floaters. Once you start drinking it though, you forget about floaters and start thinking of that strong rum-soaked raisin meets Belgian profile. I can taste the strong ale vibe, but the Belgian is predominant to me. Overall, try it once if you find it. If I’m going Belgian, my money’s on FW Stickee Monkee. I have about 20 of those cellared. P.S. ten minutes later the alcohol is smacking me in the head! Sip and sit, folks!
587 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Agree with jkblr. To add, my 4 year old 12 ouncer is very very chunky with yeast. I know it’s yeast, but it always seems a bit off-putting to have lots of floaters. Once you start drinking it though, you forget about floaters and start thinking of that strong rum-soaked raisin meets Belgian profile. I can taste the strong ale vibe, but the Belgian is predominant to me. Overall, try it once if you find it. If I’m going Belgian, my money’s on FW Stickee Monkee. I have about 20 of those cellared. P.S. ten minutes later the alcohol is smacking me in the head! Sip and sit, folks!
587 characters
3.5/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.26/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottled 11/21/14 (4 years ago today) poured into a DFH branded teku glass at fridge temp, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours slightly murky medium brown in color with light khaki colored head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring. No lacing. The aroma is raisin, rich malt, brown sugar and sweet booze. The flavor is sweet rum soaked raisins, burnt sugar caramel with a barely tart berry-like medium bitterness to finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with above average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Sweet, but not cloying. The carbonation or the alcohol tingles the tongue for a minute after each drink. The alcohol is evident in the aroma and taste at any temperature, but isn't overpowering. Overall, excellent just based on the sheer audacity of the product. I can't speak for fresh or aged 10 years, but I wish I could. This beer was aged in a 55 degree refrigerator from time of purchase (close to bottling) and is really not showing any sign of going downhill.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottled 11/21/14 (4 years ago today) poured into a DFH branded teku glass at fridge temp, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours slightly murky medium brown in color with light khaki colored head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring. No lacing. The aroma is raisin, rich malt, brown sugar and sweet booze. The flavor is sweet rum soaked raisins, burnt sugar caramel with a barely tart berry-like medium bitterness to finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with above average carbonation and a semi dry finish. Sweet, but not cloying. The carbonation or the alcohol tingles the tongue for a minute after each drink. The alcohol is evident in the aroma and taste at any temperature, but isn't overpowering. Overall, excellent just based on the sheer audacity of the product. I can't speak for fresh or aged 10 years, but I wish I could. This beer was aged in a 55 degree refrigerator from time of purchase (close to bottling) and is really not showing any sign of going downhill.
997 characters
3.59/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.25/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.5/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Raison D'Extra from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
4.05 out of
5 with
1,551 ratings
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