Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Milton, Delaware USA

Original Rating, September 10, 2004: Uffda! Pours a dark orange color with no head. The aroma struck me as alcoholic cherries. The hops didn’t stand out nearly as much as I thought it would. In all honesty, I thought the 90 Minute tasted more of hops. This had a bit of an apple hit to it as well. 8/4/7/3/16 Re-rating, October 26, 2008: Dark orange color with a thin head. A strong, leafy aroma. Lots of tangerine and caramel malts. Big, rich, sweet malt flavor. A lot of caramel and a bit of toasted malt. Thick and creamy. Tangerine and orange hops. Definite bitterness, but I certainly stand by my prior comment of 90 Minute tasting more hoppy and bitter than 120. I think this is an IIPA with a lot more malt than should be there, if you were brewing to style. If not, then it’s just a damn delicious beer!

2003 bottle sampled 1/27/05 at Anam Cara. Deep burnished copper color with some light yellow/gold hues. Billowing white head. The saving grace of the night and the only beer that I particularly care for out of DFHs extreme creations. Smells of grapefruit, light pine, some floral bitterness, very spicy and fresh, with a dry pale malt in the background, with some dry toffee notes as well. Flavor starts out bitter and heavily hopped, but seems to hang in balance with the malt base. Not syrupy or cloying, with a good Double IPA like feel to it. Alcohol seems to be covered pretty well by the hops. Full body, moderate carbonation. I found it to be drinkable, which was nice, as I was looking to drink beer at the time, not sip liquor resembling drinks. A bit too bitter though, on the end, with nowhere near the amount of complexity it should have. I’ll keep cellaring the bottles I have for another handful of years.

At EBF 2008, Friday September 12
Clear golden color, tan head. Acidic, sour almost, spicy and citrus scent. Smooth citrus and malty with alcohol taste. Smooth mouthfeel, high bitterness.

Pours a nice orange/light amber with a slight head which fades fast but leaves decent lacing. Aroma is strongly hopped but not as much as other imperial IPA's. There are also hints of alcohol and sweet caramel malt in the aroma as well. Flavor is of lots of malt blanaced by lots of bitterness. Alcohol increases as it warms. Full bodied with a heavy resiny residue left in the back of my mouth. Overall this is a great experimental beer, with an abundance of alcohol which is hidden quite well.

(Bottle) Poura a medium, foamy, white head and a clear, uncarbonated orange-amber body. Nose of well... hops. Whoa! Whoa! Whooooaaa! Tame d'em hops boys. So syrupy sweet, hops that give you a headache. This is hops genecide - so many sacrificed! Fruity sweetness. Alcohol is well hidden. Finish is more sweet though there is a tart, dry hoppiness that I will have nightmares of. A strange beauty...

Got from GBBF 2004 large bottle (shared with friends). Very orangey coloured beer, some citrusy notes are present. Incredibley warming and potent but definately very drinkable. Quite sweet a not as hoppy as I was expecting, but very enjoyable all the same.

Bottled. Golden with a bubbly head. Extremely hoppy aroma with hay. Sweet and warm alco-feel. Rounded flavour with hay and pomerance. Very hoppy.

Amber with a small head. Very vinous and malty in a very complex way. Sweetish but still in a balanced way. Has in incredible body and brings an oily and very good palte. The alcohol is well hidden, even if this is at least just as much liquor as beer. I liked it alot and would love to taste it again.