Do you know when the best time to try a new beer is?
Well, anytime is a good time to try a new beer if you ask me. But really,
when a beer is newly introduced to your area? That’s the best time to try
it. When the bottles come in to the local packy all shiny and new, the fresh
amber liquid within just waiting to be imbibed by a thirsty beer lover.
That, my friends, is the ideal time to try a truly fresh beer. Just like I
did this week, after I walked into the local beer store and saw newly
arrived cases of beer from Newark, Delaware’s Dogfish Head brewery had
arrived in Atlanta. I had seen and enjoyed their beers in New England, of
course, and in my travels to Pennsylvania and New Jersey over the years. So
I knew how good they were. But it’s so nice to have them close by, too.
Spying the Indian Brown Ale, I decided to bring some home, having
never sampled that one before. The gleaming brown glass was stamped with a
bottling date that was only about a month prior to the day of purchase, so I
knew I was in for a treat.
And I was right. Of course, I wasn’t quite sure what an “Indian Brown” was,
but a trip to the brewery’s website straightened me right out on that point.
Apparently, it’s a cross between an IPA, a Scotch ale, and an American
brown. The brewery states that they use aromatic barley and caramelized brown
sugar, and that the beer has 7.2% alcohol by volume and 50 IBUs of
bitterness. The big malt character, of course, balances off a good deal of
that bitterness.
Dogfish Head Indian Brown pours to a dark mahogany brown color with a
thick creamy tan head and an intensely nutty malty nose. The liquid sticks
to the side of my glass, too, or at least a foamy layer of
The palate is firm in body and creamy, smooth and luxurious on the tongue.
The flavor profile is very complex here, too, with notes of molasses and
brown sugar hitting first and in a big way. Then come the coffeeish, grainy
chicory notes, the raisin, and the chocolate.
The beer finishes a bit roasty, almost stout like, with more chocolate and a
grassy herbal hop aroma. There’s a gentle minty bitterness, too, that
lingers on the tongue a while after sipping. All in all, this one has a
veritable explosion of flavors going on, and I just love it.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft