Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Stout
Milton, Delaware USA

Dark and beautiful. Had a poor pour so there wasn’t much head. Smell..if it’s possible to smell dark, this is it. Big whiff of coffee as well. Taste isgreat for the style. Good toasty brew. Mouth is way too carbonated. And a tad thin for the style.

Serving: Draft @ the Falls Church tap house. Appearance: Very deep brown with ruby highlights and a small, foamy tan head. Aroma: Wood, roasted malt, a touch of smoke, earth, and light spice (cinnamon?). Taste: Coffee, wood, mineral, earth, and chicory. Mouthfeel: Medium-high carbonation with a medium-light mouthfeel. Medium finish with some lingering coffee notes. Overall: This one reminded me of a coke for some reason. A bit over carbonated and watery. Rebuy: No. They have much better stuff out there.

Starting to wonder what Dogfish head is up to...contains small amounts of St. Johns wort, an anti-depressant that has documented interactions with many prescription medicines. This also is not on the label anywhere, but confirmed on their website. So other than sneaking drugs into my beer, this is a slightly better than average stout.

Bottle sent as a trade extra. Deep brown color with a faint, fading dark cream head. Medium carbonation. Aroma is mostly roasted malt with a big presence of smoke, cherry chocolate, wood and coffee. More smoke and robust chicory notes come out in the flavor, yet fade rather quickly on the finish. Body is fairly thin on the palate, ending with modest carbonation. Enjoyable.

I don’t care what the naysayers say; I really enjoy 99% of all the beers that Dogfish Head brews. Are they for everybody; probably not. This leads me to their newest seasonal to hit the shelves and to hit my fridge: Chicory Stout. When I imagine a beer from Dogfish brewed with generous amounts of roasted chicory and organic Mexican coffee beans, I imagine a stout with depth, chicory and smoke, spice, and earthy coffee esters.

Despite initial lofty claims of bigness, the Chicory Stout is a minimal ABV of 5.2% which tells me to expect delicate depth. Faintly translucent, amber and garnet shines along the edges of her territory while a huge khaki head of luscious foam threatens to overflow her confines. Rocky and smooth as silk, she fades slowly, leaving a thick layer of foam in her wake. Wafting upon a gentle breeze is chicory smoking in the pit as organic earthy Mexican coffee beans roast above her spicy flames and addictive smoke. There can be no such thing as too much smoke; at least, not that I have come across yet. Rich, earthen, woody, smoky, spicy, with a dryness of roasted coffee beans that hint at dark black cacao beans and licorice root. This may sound overwhelming, but her nose rides the fence rather than plowing over it which is exactly how my first quaff impresses me. Dry, clean, and only of medium weight, she is very easy on the palate with a mysterious hint of smooth cream tinged with licorice root. She starts to dry my palate almost immediately as her spicy chicory and smoke work their magic, weaving in and out of every single note of flavor, texture, and aroma. The wood and smoke lingers in each breath with more spice warming my chest even as coffee percolates in the background. Clean and easy to drink, I have no doubt the Chicory Stout would be the perfect accompaniment to some smoked salmon and creamy cheeses which I unfortunately do not have on hand at the moment. Thankfully I have a six pack set aside for myself, and as I suck the last few drops out of my glass, I will keep my mouth-watering pairing in mind for when we shall meet again.

What can I say but once more Dogfish Head rocks my world. What are styles but barriers to be broken when following them becomes boring, or you just don’t feel like doing what everyone else is doing. Again, boring. The key is having the final product, in this case beer, taste good. Sam Calagione and Dogfish Head have mastered taste and brewing outside the box. So take a chance, try something new, and bring some Chicory Stout home with you. Who knows, they may not brew it again next year. Only time will tell.

Pours a dark brown with little to no head, with a heavy aroma of coffee. Great flavor of coffee, very light anise, and roasted malt. Id say Chicory, but Ive never had chicory, so how the hell do I know what Im looking for? Onward. Palate is a bit thin, but not too thin. Good moderate carbonation throughout. Not too shabby.

pours black, with light tan head. Smells creamy and sweet, slightly bitter, and of coffee and roast malt. Tastes very dry, the chicory comes through, as does a hint of coffee, very mild. almost no aftertaste. light body.

In a blurry stout tasting - lots of chocolate and roast which puts it up there with most of the other stouts out there. But stands out with body and aroma.