Red & White
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Tried 2012 bottle in 2023.
Caramel color. Still decent carbonation that created fair amount of head and lacing. Taste is slightly boozy. Great beer even after 11 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drank from a 1 pint 9.4 fl. oz. bottle
Served in a tulip
Bottled on 09/27/18
Thanks to Scottie and Troy for this Christmas gift.

Beautiful appearance. The hazy, deep crimson-amber body was topped by a tight, frothy, finger-tall, cream colored crown that slowly fell to a thick, bubbly collar. A patchy blanket of lacing coated the glass and stuck around until the drink’s end.

The aroma was interesting but somewhat subtle initially. Grape must notes were immediately apparent. Perhaps some concord grape as well. Belgian yeast notes came through fairly strong. Bit of dark candi sugar too. This reminded me somewhat of freshly baked sugar cookies. The nose really intensified as the beer warmed. The grape presence became more pronounced, as did the the Belgian yeast notes and the overall sweetness. Some orange zest was also detectable.

The flavor profile was quite unique. This definitely tasted like a witbier on steroids. Malty and robust on the front end. Fairly sweet. Big coriander notes. Grape must was detectable but not to the extent it was in the nose. More rich maltiness and Belgian candi sugar in the center and on the back end. Slightly wheaty and tart. A touch lemony. The beer finished with some alcohol warmth and a touch of lingering, earthy hop bitterness. For 10% ABV, however, the booze was well buried.

Outstanding creamy, fluffy mouthfeel. Fuller bodied for the style. The liquid contained a soft, supple, tongue blanketing effervescence that felt silky smooth and plush on the palate.

While most breweries today think that experimentation means creating some type of adjunct-infused pastry stout or milkshake-style IPA, Dogfish Head have been taking unique approaches to a variety of beer styles for over two decades. Red & White is a really interesting take on a traditional Belgian witbier. If you can get past the intense sweetness, this is quite enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1pt 9.4oz bottle into a pint glass. freshness dating is mostly worn away, but my best guess based on other DFH big bottles is that it was bottled some time in 2014, so 3-4 years old.

hazy dark amber body with a few small dark floaties. slightly off white head replenished by decent carbonation. nice lacing.

somewhat winy aroma from the Pinot Noit juice and barreling.

dry, tart, and faintly sour white wine grape taste. not getting the coriander or woodiness, but a pleasant drink never the less.

mouth between medium and full, with a white wine finish.

overall, good sipper of a drink, another enjoyable DFH big bottle with some age on it.

Not sure the huskier / spicier witbier base works exceptionally well with the sweeter wine flavors, but it isn’t bad either. Lots of coriander and wheat chaff, undertones of vine tannin and grape juice