Dogfish Head Brewery was founded in 1995 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware by Sam Calagione. Soon there after the demand was so strong that the need for a larger production facility was essential. That’s when Sam and the gang moved things down the road to Milton, Delaware where the head quarters is located today. Dogfish Head prides themselves on ‘off-centered ales for off-centered people’ which is exactly what makes them so special. They have been a pioneer in the craft world scene and have expanded their distribution network to 31 states. Sam isn’t afraid to experiment, from granola infused beer to recreating the ancient ale recipe of the past. This 120 Minute is no different. Continuously hopping a beer during the brew process for 120 minutes is amazing and imparts so many piney hop flavors and boosts the ABV of this one to about 18%. This is surely a treat and usually my go to beer for snow days. A few years back I was able to visit the facility in Milton, we had a blast!

Now on to the review!

Dogfish Head – 120 Minute (Bottled on 2/17/2014)

Served in my Sauvin glass made by The Pretentious Beer Glass Company.

Appearance: very little head presence, disappeared quite quickly, thick dark golden orange in color, can’t see through the glass, wonderful color, nice carbonation and loud hiss on opening

Aroma: alcohol, apricot, nice hop presence, sweet malty notes definitely there, some molasses and honey, fig and plum on the nose, maybe if a slight hint of coconut

Mouthfeel: very full body, extreme sweetness coats the palate and mouth, a nice kick of hops pairs well with a huge malt backbone, for as high ABV has a nice creamy character

Taste: apricot, molasses and honey, nice balance of maltiness and hopiness, thick and syrupy in nature clearly proves that this beer can be aged for years (or a decade like the bottle states)

Finish: sweet and syrupy finish, reminds me of an after dinner drink, hops are there but you can sense that these guys won’t last forever, as this beer gets to room temp the sweetness takes control and the booziness comes out

Personal Recommendations of Food/Cheese Pairings: roasted chicken, vanilla ice cream, mascarpone cheese, blue cheese

Overall: 9.1/10

Overall this is a world class beer that brings something really special to the craft beer world. The sweetness and hop presence takes this brew to a far out level that puts this on the must have list for hopheads. The honey and sweet molasses notes can be a little overwhelming but the balance that was achieved is phenomenal. I have quite a few of these that I’m sitting on that I will continue to age. This is a perfect ‘snow day’ beer and definitely beats the hell out of a work day. Enjoy this one, but just remember it’s a sipper not a chugger. Cheers!