Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

For many of you that follow my twitter feed, or craft beer news in general, the loss of Dogfish Head in Indiana should come as no surprise.  Without going into great detail, the demand for their product increased exponentially over the last 5 years and has severely outpaced their ability to fulfill orders.  To avoid being spread too thin in too many states, they decided to pull back from four; Indiana, Rhode Island, Tennesse and Wisconson.  Holding near the top of my list of favorite breweries, Dogfish will be sorely missed, specifically their 90 minute IPA and Indian Brown Ale.  On the other hand I feel very fortunate that South Bend is surrounded by a number of exceptional breweries like FFF, Dark Horse, Founders, Bell's, and the list goes on.  Not only can I still find lots of great beer in my area, I can also make a short trip to Chicago when I need to get my Dogfish Fix.


In tribute to Dogfish Head, this review is about their Indian Brown Ale.

 
Style:  American Brown Ale
Brewery: Dogfish Head
Package: Bottle into Bruges Glass
ABV:  7.2
Gravity: Unknown
IBU:  50
Location: Citywide Liquors (Downtown South Bend)

Aroma: Roasted Malt, Coffee, Caramel sweetness and a touch of chocolate.


Appearance:  Very dark, leathery brown with subtle red highlights under light with a thick tan head and sticky lace that clings to the glass.

Taste:  Huge robust coffee with a reasonable amount of bitterness.  The roasted malt and chocolate is balanced well with the sweetness from the caramel and molasses.  

Mouthfeel: A little chewy, mild carbonation with a bitter dry finish.

 
Drinkability:  I really enjoy this, not a session beer but is a nice relaxing brew in moderation.


Notes:  This is a brown ale, one of my favorite categories, on steroids.  If you enjoy coffee, you will probably like this.  I have two more of these in my refrigerator and will miss having easy access to this great beer when it's gone. 


Food Pairing: Barbecue, stews, steak, etc

Grade:  A