Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

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

From the first time I had it at the Dogfish Brewhouse, this became my favorite beer. It does everything right.

Black body with zero light penetration ¼” brown cap floating on top that sounds like rice crispies, this stuff looks thick. Sweet perfumey aroma, cinnamon, plumes, liquorish and other such dark sweet aromas can all be found. Salty ?!?!? sweet, malty, good alcohol, coffee bitter finish, some soya sauce, and smoky salt make up this complex, odd not sure what to think of flavor. This is so thick feeling it be filling me up fast and now the high octane alcohol is slapping my brain around. The finish is so intense with bitter coffee, plums and cherry linger in the after taste. This beer is a sipper no big swigs happening here. I’m not sure if I like this I think I should but I don’t think I was in the right mood for this beer today, I’ll try again later.

US trip Aug/Sept 2009 - on tap at toronado. Dark brown with tan/off white head. Like nothing I’ve had before but each sip was a revelation. Massively complex fruit and oak notes. Sipped this one for a good half an hour savouring it

Bottle. Pours a viscous jet black with a thin dark tan head, which rises a bit upon agitation. Raisins, toffee, coffee, dried fruit, and sweet molasses. Thick oily mouthfeel. Lots of roast, malt, and bitter cocoa. Licorice and tannins on the finish, and just the slightest warming alcohol. Really well done.

Bottle from Utobeer market stall. Pours black with a yellow/beige head. Rich aromas of chocolate, smoke, licorice, vanilla, raspberries. A lot going on in there! Big, bold mouthfeel. Flavours of licorice, bitter chocolate, raisins. Nice warming alcohol kick. Has a throat massaging slightly bitter finish. Very nice!

Seet aroma with dried fruit. Warming alcohol, dry woody feeling, a little smoke. Pepper. Lovey sweetness that does not overpower the other elements.

Now this is my kind of beer! I’ve yet to notice the 12% even after many glasses of 17yr single malt. Pours out a consistancy similar to engine oil. Very dark brown and even the ultra-thin brown film holds on forever giving out some slippery spotty lacing but misses out with no heavy alcohol legs. Nice yumtastic aroma - very sweet and fruity and woody and and and and.. There is a weird licorice / rubbing alcohol / menthol blend (hard to nail down) upfront followed closely by dirt, heated molasses, strong dark fruits, sea salt, fireplace ashes,vanilla, very weak chocolate, figs and a very very nice woody aroma finishing things off that is virtually driving my love for this. Unique aroma that I am very drawn to. Sure, it is not the strongest or most tantalizing but there is so much here that appeals to me - almost soothing. The taste is pretty good but now that I’m noticing the alcohol (albeit still subdued) and the fact that I may have let this warm a bit too much I may have missed the optimal window. Liquor, bitterness, wood, tons of roasted malts of medium strength, raisin, bitter chocolate, a bit of syrupy dark berries, earthy, licorice, old crunchy cookies. Seemed better a touch colder. I think I my tongue might just be getting an overdose as I get to the bottom of my glass. Thick and viscous, tons of lingering non hoppy bitterness, ashes, burning wood in the permanent aftertaste. I need another bottle. A very good beer, interesting aroma that aids in letting you down when you get to the flavour but that doesn’t matter much in the end.

Bottle. Poured black with a thin brown head leaving sheets of lace on the glass. Aroma is quite fruity and vinous, lots of dark fruits, plum, raisin, caramel, vanilla, and woody notes were all present. Full bodied with a syrupy mouth feel and soft carbonation. Flavor is sweet roasted malts with notes of caramel and molasses with a nice woody spiciness to it. I also got some chocolate and anise as the beer warmed. Finish is woody and slightly acidic.