$14.99 per four-pack bottles
This titanic brew is billed as a brown ale, but it resembles an imperial stout in its color, viscosity and complexity. Its pour is opaque and the color of black coffee with a slight tan head, and the aroma is rich with molasses, caramel, tobacco and alcohol. The beer is aged in giant 10,000-gallon tanks made of Palo Santo wood from Paraguay. This process imparts notes of vanilla and dark fruit to the taste, which also includes coffee and dark chocolate along with the flavors from the nose. Possibly some rye in there too. The richness of this brew is also felt in its medium-heavy mouthfeel. The four-pack price may seem spendy, but one of these is plenty at 12 percent alcohol. While you can enjoy this beer right off the shelf, it’s also recommended for laying down to allow the myriad flavors to age. A rock star of a beer that’s seemingly in a class by itself. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.;
Marcus Chamberland; mchamberland@denverpost.com
