Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale

Harris Teeter comes through again for the lazy. 

I was excited and nervous.  On the one hand, I have heard about this for a while, so I was anxious to try, but due the hype I was ready to be let down (Highland Park Whisky experience).  Nothing to do when I got home though but to get a glass and pour.

I was not let down.  Pours beautifully.  Head got to the top of the glass and stopped.  The smell was hoppy but sweeter.  Taste was hoppy at the start, but there was not bitterness that lingered.  There is almost something in the beer that coats the mouth to make the bitternes go away and leaves the other flavors such as a bready caramel, which I found very satisfying.  Despite the 9% ABV, it does not have an alcohol taste or burn.     

Not cheap at 9.99 for four bottles, but a must try if you like Double IPAs.

Dogfish head makes REALLY good IPAs.  I love their 60 minute for session beer drinking (you can have a couple and still feel your tongue).  Their 90 is really good too, though I can only have one in a sitting.  The 120 is too crazy for me, but I know that hop heads really like it.

What I am amazed at is the complexity of flavor you get in the hops.  The smell, taste, and bitterness are very complex, and it does not just hit you over the head with the big hop bitter stick.  They are very good beers.

Cheers!

Dogfish head is a must visit for anyone visiting the Rehobeth Beach, DE area.  I enjoy their beers off the shelf well enough but their flavors are simply amazing on tap especially as they have some non bottled releases there.  Their punkin' ale (deleware is home to a huge punkin' chunkin' contest btw) is by far the best pumpkin ale I'd ever had.  Not only that but their food is amazing. 

The only problem I've found is that there's a fair bit of variability from year to year. Similiar to South Streets Anastasia's Stout which I've found to be mind blowing one year and ignorable the next.

I'd steer clear of the midas.  I found it undrinkable.  They should have left it in the tomb.  (I'll PS all this with I'm not a big fan of meads).