Dogfish Head Immort Ale

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Milton, Delaware USA

12 oz bottle. Pours a particle filled, murky redish/mohagony with no head. Minimal lace. Complex aroma dominated by a sweet malt and a Belgian yeast strain. Notes of berries, caramel, sweet baking vanilla, pancakes and maple syrup, alcohol/whiskey, and smoked roasts. Smooth and full bodied. Taste is initially sweet and full of caramel, maple syrup, sharp/tart raspberries and raisons. Then moves to a pronounced roast/smokiness that I love in a barley wine. Finishes clean, smooth, warm, and oaky. Not really bitter, which is nice. Overall, this is fantastic. It has the sweetness of a Belgian strong ale, a little bit of scotch whiskey, and a unique roastiness that makes this a great take on the style and a favorite from DFH. Props.

From 5/10/08. Bought a 4-pack of this today at Grapevine in Austin for $16. Poured at cellar temp into my Duvel tulip. It pours a nice dark amber, actually reminiscent of maple syrup, with a beige head that slowly settles to a thin layer of foam. It leaves some pretty nice lacing on the glass as I drink. The smell is totally dominated by the peat smoked malts and oak aging for me. I get a hint of vanilla and some alcohol in the nose too. The taste is similar to the smell with lots of peat and oak. As it warms it gets sweeter (maybe finally the maple syrup?) and the malts start to shine through but the peat and oak just aren’t really doing it for me. Its got a very nice thick mouthfeel that is not unexpected. Overall its not extremely drinkable for me with all the smokiness and peat and I wish I had only purchase a single but its worth trying.

Bottle: Pours a nice amber with a thin off white head. Alcohol and malt are present on the nose. I let my first mouthful sit on my tongue to enjoy all the complex tastes. The vanilla and maple are evident on the edges of the tongue while the middle and roof of the mouth are aware of the malty alcohol. I was actually quite surprised at how quickly this barley wine disappeared from my glass - dangerously drinkable for something with 11% ABV. I like it a lot and would get it again. Don’t bother letting this age, though.

Pours deep amber brown with a thin white head. Aroma is big and malty, with hints of caramel and alcohol. Taste is also big and malty with some nice caramel flavor and a very slight after warming. Very good.

A deep clay-red colour, red hues around the edges, but closer to brown otherwise. A creamy, off-white head tops it off I really notice the vanilla here... probably the first thing on the nose. Some maple joins it, along with a caramel and a touch of cardboard. The Canadian in me likely holds a fondness for the maple scent ;) A bit of an unusual flavour. Spiciness, along with the vanilla and maple noted in the nose. It’s almost a little puckering, and a bit unusual - both in feel and taste. Smoked and toasted malts, almost becomes a little too tart and/or cloying to my palate as it goes - yet, it’s not exactly something I’d classify a ’modest sipper,’ either. Hefty ABV, but didn’t leave a hefty impression, unfortunately. An interesting experience, overall... it does appear to have a following, so do taste it. I personally have troubles finding positive qualities in it.

12 oz bottle, cellared at least two years. Clearish brown with some beige bubbles. Nose is oak, vanilla, caramel and alcohol. Medium body; sort of oily and kind of flat. Taste is buttered rum, wood alcohol, soap and moldy pine. Finishes dry, bitter and minerally. I’m surprised this fared so poorly with aging after a recent Olde School did well. Must be better fresh.

bottle from liquorloft tallahassee. aroma of citrus, dark sweet fruit and malt. taste is complex and loaded with flavors, malt, maple syrup, sweet bread, candy, dark fruit. finish is chocolate roast. a awesome barley wine.

Bottle, thanks to WeeHeavySD! Pours a clear reddish-brown with a nice, fluffy, off-white head. Sweet and sharp aroma, of malt, hops, molasses, sugar, maple, and a hint of brandy. Taste is sweet and big, of malt, maple, candied fruit, brandy. Lingering sharp sweetness. A bit different and very tasty.