Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

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

Served from a bottle into a tulip. A: Little head, though it clings well to the glass. A soft brown head, almost cappuccino colored. Very dark in character with red and light brown hues around the edges. S: A musky smell is in the foreground with a lot of burnt malt scents accompanied by a caramel fragrance. Smells boozy as it warms. T: There is an initial balance of banana and caramel with a very robust smoky component. I’m also getting a sweeter pumpkin spice aftertaste with vanilla. M: Very thick for a brown ale (reasonably thick for a porter for that matter). Medium carbonation helps this brew attain a creamy quality. D: Considering the abv this is a highly drinkable brew. I think the mustiness of the beer detracts from this slightly, though the sweet aftertaste brings you back for more!

(12 ounce bottle) pours an opaque dark brown beer. Aroma is boozy but over all pleasant. The taste of this beer smokey, has vanilla and chocolate tastes. This beer also is also woody. It also has a coffee smokey taste to it. Great mouthfeel and finish. This beer is thick but not 12% thick. Excellent beer.

BOTTLING DATE: 09-09-08 Truly, this is a very, very dark brown liquid, through which no light shall pass. The best you can hope for is a dark ruby tinted brown highlight, at the edges. Medium pour produces one finger of creamy coffee colored foam. It hangs around for a little bit, but doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Lacing is pretty darn good, if only a little spotty. The smell is, well...different. I don’t think that I’ve smelled another brew quite like this one. All of the charateristic notes are there, they just combine to make a totally unique smell. Nice maltiness is what got me first. Big notes of caramel and vanilla. Nice big oakiness. Slight booziness. Dark fruits are in abundance. Figs, dates and cherries, mostly. Slight hints of chocolate covered bananas. Huge malty sweetness. Burnt coffee. Big dark fruits. Brown sugar and molasses. Nice smooth oakiness. Slight hints of smoke and chocolate. Caramel presence is fairly high. There are so many things going on in this bottle. It’s really hard to nail it down. Very tasty and very well done brew. Very good medium to full body. Nice and oily, in the mouth. Carbonation is low, but just right for this type of beer. It provides a nice level of creaminess, without getting in the way of the flavors. Excellent dessert beer, here. You probably won’t find yourself with the urge to drink a six-pack of these on Friday night, or anything. It’s much too big of a beer for that. Very, very good beer, but mostly for special occasions. I want to get a bottle or two of this to cellar for a good length of time, to see how this changes. I imagine that it will become extremely tasty.

12 oz bottle to pint glass. Pours dark brown but by no means opaque, with a healthy tan head that fully dissipates over the course of a couple minutes. Brown sugar, raisins, molasses, and fruity, peppery alcohol make up the aroma. Flavor is burnt raisins, maple syrup, sugar, alcohol, dark fruits, and some chocolate. Rather sweet. The booze is obviously noticeable but actually not that distracting. Mouthfeel is sticky and thick, drinkability is above average.

10.23.09 A beastly bulging ale fit for any fall night. Very dark, very woody and thick. Delicious

12oz bottle. Reddish brown body, topped with an apricot-colored head, creamy, spots of lace, lasting. Big malty aroma with lots of dried fruit, wood, caramel, alcohol fumes. Full bodied brew with creamy carbonation and a surprisingly dry finish for such a big beer. Flavor is sweet with lots of fruit, roasty, lots of wood, almost smoky, tons of warmth, frighteningly easy to drink. A very tasty, fruity, woody, and bold brew.

Excellent. Almost black pour. Sweet aroma of chocolate and dark fruit. Complex flavor includes chocolate, nuts, fruit, malt and vanilla. Drinkable and delicious.

Seriously thick and complex beer. A little bit expensive, even by Dogfish Head standards. This was definitely different than your average beer.