/MSG/
Uwaa OmO
Damn, it's been forever since I did one of these.
I was at my local beer store, checking to see the new spring selections, when I noticed a new Dogfish Head offering. Being a fan of their other "big bottle beers" (Sha'tea, Theobroma, Fort, Etc.), I decided to check it out.
Said to commemorate the 100th birthday of bluesman Robert Johnson. The base of 10 is advertised a lot here. 10.0% ABV, 100 IBUs, 100% Centennial hops, and so on. As an added tribute to Johnsons mentor, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the beer is brewed with dried lemons.
I'm not a fan of beers over 65 IBUs typically, but I am a fan of lemons, and since it's all centennial hops, it should be more zesty than bitter. Only one way to find out though.
Poured into a 8oz Pilsner glass.
Appearance: Light copper color with just a hint of opacity, head rises to about 1 finger width in height but settles down to a half finger width. Head is creamy with a light orange tint and very small tight knit bubbles. Head retention is very good, with a lot of lacing, leaving a nice thick ring around the walls of the glass.
Nose: When I first poured the I could immediately notice the lemon and hoppy zest. Upon closer inspection the alcohol is also noticeable in the nose. There is no noticeable amount of malt in the aroma, so it's likely the hops is overpowering in every aspect. On letting the beer settle for a moment the nose is less forceful, more mature I suppose, but still very lemony and hoppy.
Taste: Over the lips and past the gums I suppose. Wow, for as much as the hops over power the nose, they're surprisingly subdued in the taste. For 100 IBUs it's not all that bitter and actually pretty evenly balanced, given the stats. Lemon on the tip of the tongue that gently subsides towards the throat, and it's only after you swallow that the satisfying burn of alcohol is noticed. Malt is just enough to supplement the hops and tone it down a bit.
Mouth Feel: For a IPA, it's surprisingly light bodied. Pretty high in carbonation, it's a lot like a nice champagne. The zest of the lemons and hops, combined with the high alcohol content makes your mouth feel very alive and full of motion. Swallows easy and doesn't make the stomach feel full like most other high ABV beers.
Drinkability: If it wasn't for the alcohol content, this would be high drinkable. The feeling it gives my mouth is very satisfying and it's light body means I can enjoy it at more than just a sipping level. At 750ml a bottle, I think it's just the right size to drink. Enough to enjoy, but not enough to overindulge in.
Overall this was a surprisingly good beer. I've stated before that I'm not a hop head and don't typically go for big IBUs, but this is an exception. Hopefully it's around longer so I can pick up another bottle or two in the future. It's the perfect drink on a nice summer day, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it'd go great with some southern BBQ.
I was at my local beer store, checking to see the new spring selections, when I noticed a new Dogfish Head offering. Being a fan of their other "big bottle beers" (Sha'tea, Theobroma, Fort, Etc.), I decided to check it out.
Said to commemorate the 100th birthday of bluesman Robert Johnson. The base of 10 is advertised a lot here. 10.0% ABV, 100 IBUs, 100% Centennial hops, and so on. As an added tribute to Johnsons mentor, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the beer is brewed with dried lemons.
I'm not a fan of beers over 65 IBUs typically, but I am a fan of lemons, and since it's all centennial hops, it should be more zesty than bitter. Only one way to find out though.
Poured into a 8oz Pilsner glass.
Appearance: Light copper color with just a hint of opacity, head rises to about 1 finger width in height but settles down to a half finger width. Head is creamy with a light orange tint and very small tight knit bubbles. Head retention is very good, with a lot of lacing, leaving a nice thick ring around the walls of the glass.
Nose: When I first poured the I could immediately notice the lemon and hoppy zest. Upon closer inspection the alcohol is also noticeable in the nose. There is no noticeable amount of malt in the aroma, so it's likely the hops is overpowering in every aspect. On letting the beer settle for a moment the nose is less forceful, more mature I suppose, but still very lemony and hoppy.
Taste: Over the lips and past the gums I suppose. Wow, for as much as the hops over power the nose, they're surprisingly subdued in the taste. For 100 IBUs it's not all that bitter and actually pretty evenly balanced, given the stats. Lemon on the tip of the tongue that gently subsides towards the throat, and it's only after you swallow that the satisfying burn of alcohol is noticed. Malt is just enough to supplement the hops and tone it down a bit.
Mouth Feel: For a IPA, it's surprisingly light bodied. Pretty high in carbonation, it's a lot like a nice champagne. The zest of the lemons and hops, combined with the high alcohol content makes your mouth feel very alive and full of motion. Swallows easy and doesn't make the stomach feel full like most other high ABV beers.
Drinkability: If it wasn't for the alcohol content, this would be high drinkable. The feeling it gives my mouth is very satisfying and it's light body means I can enjoy it at more than just a sipping level. At 750ml a bottle, I think it's just the right size to drink. Enough to enjoy, but not enough to overindulge in.
Overall this was a surprisingly good beer. I've stated before that I'm not a hop head and don't typically go for big IBUs, but this is an exception. Hopefully it's around longer so I can pick up another bottle or two in the future. It's the perfect drink on a nice summer day, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it'd go great with some southern BBQ.
