Dogzilla was one of three brews that my local shop had from the brewery, but it was the one that intrigued me the most. I’ve heard mixed opinions on the introduction of dark malts to IPAs the past few months. Some folks seem to hate the style creep, while others are all about innovation. Personally, I’m all for pushing recipes in different directions. Even the smallest of tweaks can make for one hell of a beer.

That said, I have my own mixed reaction to Dogzilla.

Appearance

Dogzilla pours a dark, rich chestnut brown with a large light tan head. It’s definitely a dark beer, only allowing a few streaks of light to pass through it around the glass’ edge.

Aroma

It’s got a pretty decent aromatic hop presence along with some spicy notes. The darker malts are definitely there, adding a rich roast to the nose.

Taste

At first, the brew wasn’t nearly as hoppy as the nose alluded to. The darker malts definitely dominated the taste imparting a nice roasted flavor that was rather bold. The hops certainly make their presence known in the dry, slightly biting finish, but they really start to come through overall as the brew warms. There’s a slight bitter finish, but I think it’s more due to the darker malts than the hops.

Overall

Dogzilla is an interesting brew. Part of me loved it while another part wasn’t sure of the introduction of the darker malt into an IPA. Now, that could either be attributed to the beer’s recipe or the fact that this was my first black IPA. I can’t really speak too strongly to the style, I suppose, until I try a similar product from another company. Either way, Laughing Dog’s beer, specifically, is a pretty good brew that improves as it warms in the glass. I’d buy this one again when the mood for something different hits.

Rating: 3/5

The Dominion version of this brew is a bit more robust in flavor than most of the other Baltic Porters I’ve had in the past. It’s got a more prominent smoke character that really makes it stand out amongst the competition.

Appearance

The Baltic Porter pours a dark, dark brown with a thin garnet edge. The small head faded slowly and showed tremendous retention as it ended in a glass clinging lace.

Aroma

Right away, even before pouring it into the glass, the porter gives off strong roasted malt notes. Behind the dominate aroma are subtle chocolates and caramels.

Taste

Just like the nose, the taste is dominated by the roasted malt. I was a bit surprised by it’s up front character, but the flavors quickly grew on me and played well with the chocolates and caramels. The finish has some slight hoppiness, but not enough to make a dent in the roasted malt.

Overall

My wife commented that it was a good beer, but not one that she could sit down and have several of. I’m leaning toward her assessment of the brew, as well. It’s a rich, robust brew with strong flavors, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times. It’s definitely a beer I have to be in the mood for, especially on those cold January evenings, which today is turning out to be, so I guess I’ll be enjoying one tonight.

Rating: 3.5/5

Aside from being a sucker for stouts, which this one claims to be, but I’m also a sucker for anniversary edition releases. So it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that once I saw this one on the shelf it was mine. Touted as a “Belgian-inspired Imperial Stout,” the XIII sounds like it would compare to Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury — a beer that confused my senses. Hopefully, the Weyerbacher doesn’t do that same.

Appearance

The XIII pours a near-black, dark, dark brown with zero head. The higher ABV (13.6%) was probably the culprit.

Aroma

Lots of roasted malt with Belgian candy. There’s also a slight hop presence and a whopping alcohol hit. This one doesn’t smell quite as confounding as the Bell’s take on this style, but it’s definitely a complex nose.

Taste

Immediately I was hit with a big chocolate and roasted malt presence that was quickly followed by the Belgian candy. It was surprisingly smooth despite the massive amount of alcohol that comes in with the hoppier finish. I also found a bit of the typical Belgian yeastiness present in the background along with a pleasant, yet mild bitterness from the hops in the finish.

Overall

When compared to the Bell’s version of this beer, it’s just as complex, but not nearly as confusing. I think that it was a bit raw as a “fresh” beer and can’t wait to see what the other bottle I purchased does with some time in the basement.

Rating: 3/5

From what I’ve read, the recipe is relatively left unchanged with the exception of the coffee element. Previously brewed with Starbucks brand coffee, the beer no longer touts that ingredient, yet it’s still got coffee in the mix. Not being the biggest fan of Starbucks coffee, I wasn’t so worried about its disappearance from the label artwork.

Appearance

The Double Black pours near black with a large, dense head that was dark tan in color.

Aroma

Smells like a rich, earthy stout to me. Subtle chocolates and coffee notes make up the majority of the nose with a healthy dose of roasted malt.

Taste

I really like this beer. Lots of coffee and roasted malt hit up front with a subtle semi-sweet chocolate presence. The finish has a slightly bitter, roasted coffee characteristic that balances out the sweetness well. It’s not a super thick brew, but fills the mouth nicely.

Overall

I found the roasted malt and coffee notes well balanced through the life of the brew. The slightly higher ABV became a bit more apparent as the beer warmed, but it was far from invasive. I’m real curious to see how this one plays out with a little time in the cellar. Regardless, I’m glad that Redhook brought this one back out of retirement — I love their ESB, but this is my new favorite from them.

Rating: 4/5