Mar 28, 2007

Dogfish Head Burton Baton

I think sometimes that Dogfish Head’s labeling is so subtle between products that you are more often than naught going to pass over one of their beers thinking you’ve already had it. I’m all for brand consistency and would hate for them to go the polar opposite in terms of their label designs, but if I hadn’t looked a second time, I would have missed out on this gem of a beer.

The brewery describes Burton Baton as a “… blend of oak-aged English strong ale and [Dogfish Head’s] 90 Minute I.P.A.” Being a fan of their IPA, I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn’t excited about this one.

Beer Label: Dogfish Head Burton Baton

Appearance

The beer pours a golden yellow with little to no carbonation activity in the glass. The head was short lived but looked creamy and inviting.

Aroma

Knowing Dogfish Head’s pension for extreme beers both in terms of alcohol and flavors, I was expecting a bit more oak in the aroma. It’s there, but the woody scent is subtle and quite complimentary to the sweet citrus and hops that dominate the aroma. There’s a bit of alcohol there as well which is to be expected of a 10% ABV beer.

Taste

This beer is really a bit more complex than I first thought. The sweetness and citrus is there on the initial few tastes, but there isn’t a hint of the wood in the flavor. It’s only after the beer has warmed considerably that the alcohol brings out the oak a bit. It’s not a dominant flavor, but let’s you know that this beer has been aged. The beer has some nice spice and mild hop bitterness as well.

Overall

I knew going in that I was expecting big things from this beer, but it brought a good deal more to the table that I initially expected. The aging is perfect. It’s subtle, but has enough of a role in the the taste and aromas to really compliment the hops and citrus aspects of the beer. This is a nicely complex beer that’s sure to put a big grin on your face — if not for the pleasure of it, then surely for the higher alcohol levels.

Rating: 4/5

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