Dogfish Head: What to try, what to avoid?

My personal opinion - stay away from DFH bottles that come in large format. Besides 75 minute, I've never liked anything that came in that size. Pretty much everything in 12oz bottles I've bought and enjoyed more than once.

 

Try:
Burton Baton
Palo Santo Marron
Indian Brown
Chicory Stout
90 Minute
120 Minute
75 Minute
World Wide Stout
Miles Davis Bitches Brew


Avoid:
Pretty much everything in a bomber except Bitches Brew and 75 Minute.

 

Palo Santo is an outstanding beer.

 

I'll add a vote to avoid My Antonia. I didn't care for it at all. It had a very off-putting taste.

 

Definitely try their Minute series. If you like 60 minute and enjoy a nice balance of hops and malt then you won't be disappointed with 75 minute, 90 minute or 120 minute. If you like pumpkin ales, their Punkin Ale is right up there with some of the best I've had. Bitches Brew, Palo Santo, Burton Baton, and world wide ale are all solid as well. The only thing I have had from them that I really didn't enjoy was Midas Touch.

 

Bombers:

Robert Johnson's Hellhound on my Ale (IPA brewed with lemons) was fantastic in my opinion.
My Antonia (Imperial Pils) was pretty good, and I am not a big fan of non-hoppy pils.

Regular Bottles:

I think that 61 Minute and Piercing Pils are must-trys. You will never have a beer like 61 Minute, if you like wine at all, try it, really unique and very good. Piercing Pils has been on of my favorite Pils.

90 Minute and Burton Baton - Both a little too heavy, boozy, and malty for my tastes, but still very good beers, should try.

Aprihop - Solid Beer

 

You should be, because…

I would definitely recommend adding Olde School to your list, especially with at least a year of age, although I though the latest batch was great fresh and I am very curious what that will be like in about a year.

 

Try:

Palo Santo Marron (sometimes a bit hot or off, but usually great)
90 Minute IPA
Indian Brown Ale
Olde School (once it's about 2 years old or so)
Aprihop (will be in season soon)
Punkin Ale (wait till next fall)
Noble Rot

Avoid:

120 Minute "IPA"
Immort Ale
Kvasir

Maybe:

Tweason'ale
Midas Touch



Most of their other beers (including the hundred[?] or so in 750ml bottles) I haven't tried and am nervous to do so given their approach to brewing, as well as the price. I'll probably get Burton Baton some day as well as Festina Peche, but I can't vouch for them.

Apart from possibly aged Olde School (the first beer I ever cellared and one of the better ones too), I think their two "brown ales" (Indian Brown and Palo Santo) are the best and would be happy to drink either on a regular basis. I say "brown ales" because at least one of those is basically an imperial stout---I may be colorblind but I'll be damned if Palo Santo isn't as black as most stouts I've consumed. 60 is a serviceable IPA that tastes more or less like a "typical" IPA, even if the procedure to make it is different. 90 is good when it's fresh....DFH claims it "ages with the best of them" but I'm a bit skeptical. Punkin and Aprihop probably won't wow you but they are both good to have around, and Punkin in particular strikes me as one of the more unusual pumpkin beers (in a good way). Noble Rot is very weird but worth a try.

Kvasir is nasty (I've had lingonberry preserves before, and they DO NOT taste like that beer) and 120 Minute is complete garbage. It tastes like what I imagine 80-proof hop brandy or hop schnapps would taste like, alcohol burn included. And I have long liked some peaty whisky or peat-smoked beer but I'm worried that Immort may have permanently altered my perception of Scotch whisky for the worse. Don't let the vanilla, maple syrup and juniper berries in the recipe deceive you.

 

Its the wood that makes it good...

 

I forgot that one, along with Punkin'.
I also really like 61 and Festina Peche, but left those off my list because it seems most people disagree.

 

Do not...I repeat "DO NOT" avoid 120 Min...buy about 2-4 bottles...put them in your basement or a cool dry place in your abode...drink a bottle every six months for the next 2 years and savor one of the only DIPA style beers that can be aged well...the abv kick is muted and the flavors are a joy to any IPA fan...

 

I think one thing that you can tell by this albeit short-so-far thread, is that people have a lot of differing opinions on DFH. You can look through here and get plenty conflicting suggestions, but you are gonna have to find out for yourself.

They (DFH) really are pioneers in the craft-brew game, some of it doesn't work, some does, but they are awesome for trying.

 

Here's what I have enjoyed from DFH
60 minute
75minute
120 minute
Punkin ale
Festina peche
Aprihop
Oldeschool (with some age on it)
Noble rot ( I like the wine/beer mix it has)
Namaste
Red&Blue ( or maybe it's red&black)

 

I would agree with this list but also add:
Olde School (if you like boozy barleywines or want to wait a year or two)
Immort Ale
American Beauty
Theobroma

 

Try: 60, 75, 90, 120 (just to try it and see if that's your bag), Palo, Chicory Stout (if you can find any that's left), Aprihop, Punkin, Sah-tea, Red & White, Black & Blue, Worldwide, Burton, Bitches Brew, American Beauty, Immort Ale, Raison D'etre, Fort (are they ever even making that again?), Shelter (if you ever visit the brewpub since it's now draft-only)

In-between: This year's Festina Peche is the best that's ever been brewed but there's probably not much left. Hope it's just as good next year. Midas Touch is good if you like beer that drinks more like white wine. If you like that, also try Theobroma since it's basically just Midas with chocolate and chilies. Oh, and Namaste's not bad.

Avoid: Indian Brown, Pangaea, Faithfull, Hellhound, Piercing Pils, Sixty-One, Rhizing Bines, My Antonia, Noble Rot, Chateau Jiahu, Tweason'ale, Ta Henket

Haven't Had: Urkontinent, Kvasir, Birra Etrusca, Positive Contact (had a taster and didn't think it was bad but certainly uninteresting)

 

I bought some olde school this year, and it is really sweet. I like it, but am curious if it will get sweeter. How does it normally change with age?

 

Try them all!

 

From what I've been able to sample, I enjoy:
120 Minute (split with friends, I've done a 12oz with 2 people and 10oz with 5; loved both, couldn't do a 12 alone; can be sweet if fresh)
90 Minute (picked up a 4 last night for $11, well worth it; good stuff)
75 Minute (Johnny Cask; delicious)
Burton Baton (Wow, this is a fantastic beer)
Festina Peche (Very refreshing, this and Summer Love were my first craft case purchases)
India Brown Ale (Tasty, I think we'll see other breweries attempt this "style" in 2014, brown and hoppy)
Bitches Brew (Fantastic; I'd use colloquial terms, but I don't see many curse around here)
My Antonia (This was one I tried early in my craft quest and it opened my eyes; a very palatable brew)
Palo Santo Marron (Tried this before my taste buds were ready for it and was completely overwhelmed; revisited later and could not get enough)
Positive Contact (Honestly don't know if it's worth the coin, but I enjoy Deltron 3030 and liked this beer)
Raison D'etre (If you like wine, you will enjoy this; will be moving to draft only soon)
Sixty-One (Gets a lot of hate around here, but I liked this and I think it's a great beer to give wine lovers something relate-able)

I'd love to try American Beauty, Namaste, Sah'Tea, Midas Touch, and Noble Rot, but price points and desire for variety has kept me away. Despite its popularity - at least in this area - I do not enjoy the Punkin. I know it was one of the first, but I do not enjoy it as much as others do for whatever reason.