Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

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

I continue to be less impressed by heavily hopped Dogfish Heads than those that have less hops. I really wanted to like this, but it is definitely not worth the huge price tag. Lots of little bubbles go lazily up the glass. There is a small head and a light colored copper body. This looks, smells and tastes like an immature barley wine. The smells are dirt, flowers, moss and soybeans at first. Later I also smelled roasted malts. This is very dank and reminds me of deep, dark cellars. The taste begins very sweetly. It later becomes a little more balanced. I tasted cinnamon, toffee, pepper and cloves. Has a spicy finish. An interesting experience, but certainly not my favorite IPA.

Sweet hop nose - orange, biscuity pine, slightly scorched smelling. It’s hoppy, what would you expect? but it is very well-balanced. Clear orange with white head that diminishes to ring. Alcohol is apparent as is plenty of hop flavour and bitterness. Fantastic supporting maltiness. Very well-balanced although it is perhaps overly sweet. Mouthfeel is somewhat still. Medium-full body. Bottle. Enjoyed with MartinT and Rastacouere.

Last of my tastings on the xxminute IPA line. For note that everything about this brew is excessive, big hops, big malt, big aroma, big taste, big alcohol, and of course, big money. Beautiful multicolored hue of brown, red and amber. No head to speak of but one wasn't really expected either, an oily ring on top. Massive aroma that borders on a vintage port with pine hops mist. Raisin, molasses, nut, grape, vanilla, and earthy. I expected a attack of woody hops but found the taste to be vinous in nature with a cleanizing bite on the finish, warming but the alcohol didn't dominate till near the end of the bottle. Oily and soft mouthfeel, full-bodied with a slight alcoholic feel. For all the outstanding qualities, the sum is still less than the parts. Overall I found this IPA/Strong Ale/Barley Wine to be good but not great.

Bottle at home ... Deep copper/ruby ... sweet rich malty and hop resins ... sweet malty with a pine hop back bone ... packed full and a wonderfull flavour... but it burns the toungue a bit and its alcohol shows way too much... tasted along side the Hopslam ... for me the flavour if more interesting but its let down by being a bit rough... Though the burn grows on you with time, more and more as i get into this. This is a WOW beer

Aug, 2003: Bottle. Gentle citric aroma. Huge syrupy thick flavour - spicky and shocking, almost revolting. Doesn’t invite further investigation - in fact, the opposite. A gagging action comes into operation after a few sips. A true drain pour. A crude and excessive beer that doesn’t taste as if it’s been fully brewed out.

Bottle. Low fluffy but lasting off-white head. Hazy orange body. Sweet fruity hoppy aroma with alcohol notes. Well I am reading the below rating of harrisoni and disagree with him about the drinkability. Sure the beer is hoppy but still I can taste the fruityness what was worrying me more was the high alcohol percentage. It is indeed tastablble but not to an extent that makes it too much of a good thing. The low carbonation and the long aftertaste makes it a very good beer in my opinion.

Poured a clear ruby with a golden tint and a thin off-white head. Aroma is thick, sweet, malty, and sugary. Flavor is very sweet. Alcohol warms quickly but do not really taste it. Bitter finish is almost buried under the sweetness. This bottle is at least one year and maybe two years old. I need to get a fresh one and check the difference. This is still good however if you can take all the sweetness (my wife can’t..said it is horrible). Full bodied and sticky.

Picked up a bottle from Coffee Ground in Eau Claire, WI. Pours a dark pale amber. A nice off-white head with some lace. Aroma is sweet malt, caramel and bitter hops. Taste... WOW! knocked me off my seat. Second taste, WOW! Knocked me off my seat a second time. High alcohol, sweet syrupy, dried candied fruit and over riped plums. Heavy on the hops and a dry alcohol finish. Take a bite of white bread with this brew and you’ll taste alcohol in high extreme. This barley wine could use some aging or even the "Wine Clip" to smooth the taste. Though this is a real sipper, it’s still Wow!