One Beer’s Total Radness!
Posted by Daren Jaques on January 19, 2008
by Daren Jaques
As many CBB readers are aware, I am homebrewer, and as such fancy myself a bit of a beer aficionado. That said, I have a beer to endorse that totally blew my mind a few days ago. The beer is Dogfish Head’s 90 minute IPA [IPA = India Pale Ale]. I haven’t been so totally overwhelmed by the deliciousness of a spirit since my first taste of Bowmore’s 12 year old Islay scotch.
Early last week, a friend of mine emailed THIS NY TIMES article about “extreme beers.” The Dogfish Head IPA is ranked first, and I had never tried it so I thought I should give it a swig. I poured out my first bottle into a friends very large mug (one litre size?) so I could get a good nose full of the aroma. I wouldn’t have needed the mug. The bouquet of this beer was just like smelling fresh hops! I couldn’t believe it, but based upon the aroma, I thought the beer’s taste couldn’t live up to the olfactory introduction, and was proven wrong… oh so wrong. I can, without any reservation, tell you that this beer is far and away the very best beer I’ve ever had in my life. It’s actually difficult for me to write that because prior to the Dogfish Head, my favorite beer was a porter I brewed last year. My favorite IPA used to be Moon River’s Swamp Fox IPA [pictured above is my first sip of Swamp Fox IPA... Woo, it's hoppy!]
If you like India Pale Ales or any other high hop content beer, you will not be disappointed. Scoffing at this beer as an oddity, or calling it an “extreme beer” is a mistake. The only extreme I detect is it’s total radness.
January 19, 2008 at 6:56 pm
When visiting my sister and family in Chatham, ON a month ago, my brother-in-law told me about this place: http://www.myubrew.ca/
Maple City Brewing Co. It’s basically a place where you can brew your own beer with the assistance (and equipment) of a business. I had some Russian Imperial Stout that he’d gone in on halves with a co-worker, and it was great stuff.
Wonder if something like this would work in the States?
January 19, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Sounds like a lot of fun. Actually I think that could work - one of the most frustrating things I’ve encountered is difficulty finding quality beer making ingredients. Amazingly, there is a brew shop in Valley Junction where I get most of my stuff, but even there they frequently don’t have what I’m looking for. I’ll bet a large brewery would have GREAT ingredients.
January 20, 2008 at 9:34 am
I think we found Jeremie’s next venture…! CBBBC - Corn Beltway Boys Brewing Company!
January 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I am sure Daren laughed at your last comment BGunzy. It’s probably best if I was going to start a new venture it should be in something I know. And I definitely don’t know beer. A little insight into the world of Jeremie…I don’t drink. I am not against it, nor those that choose to, it’s a decision I made for myself. I cast no judgment on those that drink, in fact I like hanging out with them when they do. Go figure.
Although I did have some of Daren’s home brew. And truth be told, for a beer, it was great. Hands down the most I’ve enjoyed drinking a beer.
January 20, 2008 at 3:28 pm
That’s OK…you put up the money and Daren will do the drinkin…I mean “research and development.”
January 20, 2008 at 3:51 pm
LOL, gunzy. Sometimes I think I’ve missed my true calling. I actually just brewed a new batch today. It will be a rich, dark porter. Mmmm. Can’t wait. It’ll be ready to drink in about two or three weeks.
January 20, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I myself am a total beer snob and LOVE a big bold beer. I always say that I want my beer to taste like a slap in the mouth. Let it come our of the pint and let me know it’s there, not just sit there looking like a flat, light colored urine sample.
However, I am astounded…ASTOUNDED I say that Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard Ale did not make the list in that all to short article. There is just something about a beer who’s back label starts out “This is an aggressive beer. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth.”
The state of Iowa has yet to add the bold assertiveness and full mouth assault of the AB Ale to it’s purchase list so we need to drive a ways to get it. But it’s worth investing in a case or two. You can also get it shipped. http://www.arrogantbastard.com It comes in 22oz bottles only, and 10% alcohol content. By my calculation…that’s like drinking 4 Bud Lights.
I have had the 90 minute from Dogfish and found it to be fantastic.
My “power trio” that I stick to at most bars and restaurants around Iowa are in exact order: Guinness, Sierra Nevada Pale, Sam Adams Boston Lager. Sure there are others that may exceed these in quality, ONE of these 3 are available pretty much everywhere I am.
I often wonder if I bought an Irish Pub because I wanted to own and operate one…..or if I just wanted Guinness on tap, and beer at cost.
January 20, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Oh, I almost forgot to mention Stones Vertical Epic Ale series. The same brewer is releasing a new ale, brewed specially to match the previous and next releases. Each one is released 1 year, 1 month, and 1 day after the previous one. There will be 11 released in total, and when finished they are set up to be a “vertical taster” so you try them all back to back to back and each recipe is made to play off the previous one.
I think the series finishes in something like 2012.
I have yet to try any of those but have heard great raves about the concept. Also their Ruination IPA is said to be arguably the most bitter and hoppy beer in the states. Give em a try, they are out of San Diego.
January 20, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Daren - One less lawyer, one more brewmaster in the world…sounds good to me!
Irish says: “Guinness, Sierra Nevada Pale, Sam Adams Boston Lager. Sure there are others that may exceed these in quality, ONE of these 3 are available pretty much everywhere I am.”
You’ve not been to the South of Iowa, then…Budweiser is considered a luxury beer here.
January 20, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I have had arrogant bastard only once, Walsh, and the the folks at ratebeer.com think it is pretty spectacular. I really liked it, but it was before I gained a real appreciation for highly hopped beer. I’ll give it another try. My fave thing about the 90 min IPA, and what sets it apart from others is its aroma. Like I mentioned above that it does smell like fresh hops (I think “Cascade”) but it has a pastry undertone - kinda like peach cobbler. If you breathe through your nose while drinking this beer, the flavor is enhanced ten fold! It blows my mind…
BTW: I have all three of your trifecta beers in my fridge right now!!… so props to your taste…
January 22, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Woot!