For me? Absolutely! WWS, 120 Minute. Fresh 90 and 60 Minute really brings me back to when I thought beer was fun. Haven't had much of the newer stuff, but the OG shit is still good.
Isn't it brewed with brown sugar? That (and "other sweet stuff") seems to be what Caligione told the beer writer "Joe Sixpack":
I have no idea about what they use. I wouldn’t be surprised at whatever sugar(s) used, which I think is why it seems so much creamier that far out. I don’t know whether residual sugars keep fermenting or whatever away, but the sweet beers seem to hold up very long and see improvements along the way, IMO. I could really put that to the test if I tried to save any of these new dessert bombs that long, but I don’t have any faith that the adjunct flavors would make it that far out.
Pretty sure you're correct. At 10 years of age, the brown sugar component was very noticeable I thought. Not bad, but a bit unusual.
90 minute is a somewhat regular purchase of mine. I will typically rotate between it, Torpedo, Two Hearted, and Zombie Dust. Obviously there's a difference in ABV but it's more about quality and hops, and I prefer 90 minute to 60 because the flavor is different in a way that I enjoy. In the fall I will typically buy at least one sixer of Punkin Ale. Anytime DFH comes up with a new beer I'll buy it.
I agree with others that Burton Baton is a great IPA. That said, it's been many years since I've had a DFH beer. Even when I do see it in bottle shops, it's never fresh. We have so many good local, fresh option that I haven't even thought about DFH in several years. It's like it no longer exists.
Wow great and interesting thread. Have lived an hour away from day one. Bought a case of WWS the year it hit 27% for 100 bucks at brewery. Long time love. Still swear by 90 Minute especially the 19.2 ounce cans. To me they have their own “edge” anymore. At least they keep trying. Much of it is no big draw for me but I’ll give ‘em a shot or two. 120 Utopias was nectar for me. Overall remains relevant news and release wise. Still very curious to see what they offer. Do I buy it regular like? Meh….but they just released a batch of Palo in house their shops only. I’m there.
I had the 60 min other half version! And for some reason the other half version was outstanding. Reminded me of the early days of Drinking 60 min. While the dogfish version is still fine, the OH version tasted better to me. Or it might have been because it was hyper fresh. I dunno.
Nov 2008. 15 years. That article left a surprising impression on people... back when people were more impressionable to such things. People still talk about it.
Folks who "remember" drinking bottles of the 60 or 90 Minute Ales in the 1990s might want to contact DFH's website's editor, since the brewery believes those beers were first bottled in the 21st century. 60 Minute Ale Original Release Date: 2003 90 Minute Ale Original Release Date: 2001 According to Caligione's own book (one of several) Brewing Up a Business, when they first bottled 90 Minute "We had been brewing our 60 Minute IPA... for a couple of years as a draft-only product..." (Caligione's book tends to often be vague about the chronology and release dates of their beers.) Those first bottled batches were in 750s with this label (the date code "Packaged in" text also lists "01" as the first possible year). Some of those labels also said:
If I'm out somewhere and they have DFH 60 Min on tap, I'll get it, otherwise I'll usually pass by it in the package store. Sometimes when I can pick anything at the store, I'll go for 60 or 90 min for nostalgia. The more I think about it, they are solid, classic IPA's and I wouldn't pass on it if offered. I do remember one stellar experience with 90 minute that was incredibly hoppy, very fruit forward, dank, pineapple, however haven't had the same experience since. Sometimes their new beers a bit off the wall for me to pick up on a normal rotation.
Yup, back in the day it was a long sea voyage from Great Britain to India!! Cheers! P.S. Plus those beer were aged for about 9 months before even put on the boat.
I had a six pack of 60 minute ipa last summer. It was extremely ordinary. It was tasty no doubt but It’s just been surpassed in so many ways. I never cared for their beers like festina peche, raisin detat (or whatever it was) and their punkin ale. So I wasn’t a huge fan of DFH to begin with. I know Sam Adams is much maligned by many of the users here but in a given season I can find at least one of their offerings I’ll really like. At the very least thEy have a good go-to like Boston lager whereas DFH doesn’t. Just my two cents
Yeah, I still occasionally buy 60 Minute and some of their seasonal/rotating offerings. SeaQuench is one of my favorite summer beers.
I miss the days when DFH specialized (it seemed to me) in dark beers: Chicory Stout, Indian Brown Ale, Raison D'Etre, World Wide Stout. I also miss the paler -- but experimental -- beers they used to make, too -- the saisons, the ale-wine hybrids, the high-class malt liquor, the pilsener with pear. I think Citrus Squall is okay. Other than that, no; I am off (burnt out on) IPAs.
2024, almost 30 years of BeerAdvocate, and people still don't know the difference between an "adjunct" and a "flavoring".
I don’t understand why Sam Adam’s receives so much hate. I personally dislike Boston Lager, but I love Octoberfest and Cold Snap. Winter Lager is always good and the new Oaked Vanilla Porter is incredible.
Sadly, I think it's a linguistic battle that we've almost completely lost and almost certainly will eventually lose
