In & Of Itself
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery


- From:
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- Delaware, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 7.4%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.19 | pDev: 4.77%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 02, 2020
- Added:
- Jun 28, 2019
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 2
In the recesses of our brewery lies the Sour Patch, where we cultivate our “Wooden...it be nice!” series; a brewer’s playground for experimenting with wild yeasts, barrel aging & infusion of culinary ingredients.
The fifth beer out of our 'Wooden.. it be nice!' wild beer program, In & Of Itself was brewed as a rustic Farmhouse base and fermented with Brettanomyces & Lactobacillus & then aged for 9 months in used Red & White Wine Barrels. Finished with over 2 pounds of Raspberries per gallon, along-side citrus fruits; Etrog and Buddha’s Hand.
Bottled conditioned & hand-bottled for a bright & effervescent carbonation. A great beer for aging or enjoying now.
The fifth beer out of our 'Wooden.. it be nice!' wild beer program, In & Of Itself was brewed as a rustic Farmhouse base and fermented with Brettanomyces & Lactobacillus & then aged for 9 months in used Red & White Wine Barrels. Finished with over 2 pounds of Raspberries per gallon, along-side citrus fruits; Etrog and Buddha’s Hand.
Bottled conditioned & hand-bottled for a bright & effervescent carbonation. A great beer for aging or enjoying now.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JamieDuncan:
Rated by JamieDuncan from Maryland
3.96/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nov 25, 2019
3.96/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nov 25, 2019
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by quinticsquash from Maryland
3.93/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance : deep, ruby red, opaque but not cloudy - more very thick
Thin foam, but not tiny
Smell: very strong on first smell, very clearly can notice the wine - sorta acidic. After, very slight floral but near the end get a whiff of some sort of berry
Taste: sweet, but very tart - mostly berries, but a hint of citrus. Definitely doesn’t taste as strong
as 7.5 percent.
Mouthfeel: quite carbonated, can feel it on your tongue, but otherwise crisp and light. Feels a bit heavier when swallowing.
Overall: pretty pleasant to drink, but the nuances of the flavor get masked by the overpowering tartness and coalesce into a overall berry taste. Very drinkable for abv, but it feels a bit heavier
Jan 02, 2020Thin foam, but not tiny
Smell: very strong on first smell, very clearly can notice the wine - sorta acidic. After, very slight floral but near the end get a whiff of some sort of berry
Taste: sweet, but very tart - mostly berries, but a hint of citrus. Definitely doesn’t taste as strong
as 7.5 percent.
Mouthfeel: quite carbonated, can feel it on your tongue, but otherwise crisp and light. Feels a bit heavier when swallowing.
Overall: pretty pleasant to drink, but the nuances of the flavor get masked by the overpowering tartness and coalesce into a overall berry taste. Very drinkable for abv, but it feels a bit heavier
Rated by bubseymour from Maryland
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Really weird aroma. Like south east Asia smell.
Nov 24, 2019Reviewed by BuxMontBeerLover from Pennsylvania
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Purchased at the DFH brewery in Milton, DE.
Pours a ruby red, semi-opaque color. No head at all but lots of carbonation bubbles.
A sour, acidic aroma.
A delicious mix of sour raspberries, lemon and sourness. Very tart but very refreshing.
Overall, a great sour from DFH. The aging of the beer in wine barrels really pulled out the flavors of the wine making this a beer both beer and wine lovers will enjoy.
Recommended if you can still find it!
Sep 20, 2019Pours a ruby red, semi-opaque color. No head at all but lots of carbonation bubbles.
A sour, acidic aroma.
A delicious mix of sour raspberries, lemon and sourness. Very tart but very refreshing.
Overall, a great sour from DFH. The aging of the beer in wine barrels really pulled out the flavors of the wine making this a beer both beer and wine lovers will enjoy.
Recommended if you can still find it!
Reviewed by CanConPhilly from Pennsylvania
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L - 1/2 finger pink head atop an opaque, muddy purple body.
S - raspberries, vinegar, brown sugar.
T - raspberry dessert. Moderately tart berry, followed by this wonderful cracker malt. Vinegar, orange, red wine, funk. Low bitterness. Low sweetness. Low booziness.
F - medium body and carb.
O - the crackery malt paired with the wine barrel and fruit makes this soar.
Aug 25, 2019S - raspberries, vinegar, brown sugar.
T - raspberry dessert. Moderately tart berry, followed by this wonderful cracker malt. Vinegar, orange, red wine, funk. Low bitterness. Low sweetness. Low booziness.
F - medium body and carb.
O - the crackery malt paired with the wine barrel and fruit makes this soar.
Reviewed by Gajo74 from New York
4.51/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Pours a ruby red color, very vinous, like a glass of red wine. A wispy raspberry colored head instantaneously dissipates.
Aroma opens with lightly funky notes of brettanomyces, earthy and mild notes of barnyard. Then, almost immediately notes of sour raspberries laced with lactobacillus emit their tart aromatics. Throughout, the woodsy and oaky aroma imparts its vinous notes, red and white wine like. There are additional citrusy tart flavors, notes of lemon and lime, from the citron adjuncts.
Throughout, the taste offers a sharp tartness, vinous and with notes of vinegar, dry cider, and with the raspberry adjuncts doing a nice job of adding a fruity touch and taking a bit of the edge off of the sourness. Flavors of citrus fruit, lemon, lime, wood and oak, very Geuze like. Rustic flavors derived from brettamonyces, plain yogurt from the lactobacillus, red and white grape, notes of wine cork; all adding to this great complexity of flavors.
Medium bodied, moderately carbonated and with a wonderfully cutting tartness, yet balanced. Bone dry mouth puckering sour finish leaves you wanting more.
Excellent! A true masterpiece from DFH, perhaps on par with the great Belgian Lambics.
Aug 13, 2019Aroma opens with lightly funky notes of brettanomyces, earthy and mild notes of barnyard. Then, almost immediately notes of sour raspberries laced with lactobacillus emit their tart aromatics. Throughout, the woodsy and oaky aroma imparts its vinous notes, red and white wine like. There are additional citrusy tart flavors, notes of lemon and lime, from the citron adjuncts.
Throughout, the taste offers a sharp tartness, vinous and with notes of vinegar, dry cider, and with the raspberry adjuncts doing a nice job of adding a fruity touch and taking a bit of the edge off of the sourness. Flavors of citrus fruit, lemon, lime, wood and oak, very Geuze like. Rustic flavors derived from brettamonyces, plain yogurt from the lactobacillus, red and white grape, notes of wine cork; all adding to this great complexity of flavors.
Medium bodied, moderately carbonated and with a wonderfully cutting tartness, yet balanced. Bone dry mouth puckering sour finish leaves you wanting more.
Excellent! A true masterpiece from DFH, perhaps on par with the great Belgian Lambics.
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia
4.17/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A-Pours a hazy ruby red color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has raspberries hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a raspberry flavor and a nice sourness
M-A light bodied moderately carbonated beer
O-A well balanced American Wild Ale
Aug 10, 2019A-Aroma has raspberries hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a raspberry flavor and a nice sourness
M-A light bodied moderately carbonated beer
O-A well balanced American Wild Ale
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
375 ml bottle poured into a snifter
A- A bright ruby red with a two finger pink head.
S- Tart, raspberries, citrus, earthy, funky, wine barrels.
T- Sour, raspberries, citrus, some funk, oak, touch of wine, some earthiness.
M- Smooth, light, dry.
O- A very nice sour, easy to drink and very enjoyable.
Jul 22, 2019A- A bright ruby red with a two finger pink head.
S- Tart, raspberries, citrus, earthy, funky, wine barrels.
T- Sour, raspberries, citrus, some funk, oak, touch of wine, some earthiness.
M- Smooth, light, dry.
O- A very nice sour, easy to drink and very enjoyable.
Reviewed by pizzabutt from Maryland
4.33/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
poured from a 12oz caged and corked bottle into a goblet.
appearance: a beautiful ruby red, almost garnet. very opaque. poured with a decent head, white with a pink tint, that was very airy and dissipated quickly. very light lacing.
smell: very strong berry. raspberry, notes of blueberry, as well as a hint of that distinct funky sour.
taste: close to the nose. tastes reminiscent of raspberry juice, but with undertones of citrus and a very nice backbone of not-too-strong sourness that dances on the tongue and adds a very nice tartness.
feel: thick; not syrupy but bordering on it. it's relatively sweet, although it still leaves a dry feeling. moderate carbonation to wrap up the whole experience nicely.
overall: a very high quality sour. it's fruity, tart, and far too easy to drink. dogfish head very rarely disappoints, and my only regret is that i finished my bottle.
Jul 05, 2019appearance: a beautiful ruby red, almost garnet. very opaque. poured with a decent head, white with a pink tint, that was very airy and dissipated quickly. very light lacing.
smell: very strong berry. raspberry, notes of blueberry, as well as a hint of that distinct funky sour.
taste: close to the nose. tastes reminiscent of raspberry juice, but with undertones of citrus and a very nice backbone of not-too-strong sourness that dances on the tongue and adds a very nice tartness.
feel: thick; not syrupy but bordering on it. it's relatively sweet, although it still leaves a dry feeling. moderate carbonation to wrap up the whole experience nicely.
overall: a very high quality sour. it's fruity, tart, and far too easy to drink. dogfish head very rarely disappoints, and my only regret is that i finished my bottle.
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