You all by now know that I'm a big fan of Dogfish Head. That much should be evident by now. I'm always seeking out their big, intense, experimental beers. But for whatever reason, Raison D'Être, one of their core offerings, has escaped me until now. I correct that today. Raison D'Être is a Belgian strong dark ale brewed with beet sugars and green raisins and it checks in at 8% ABV. Also, many thanks to my friend Grant who let me borrow his Dogfish Glass to use for this post after I broke my own. To the beer!
Raison D'Être pours a beautiful looking ruby brown. Almost luminous. It's capped by a finger of tan head that recedes but hangs on very doggedly as a thin rim atop the beer.
The aromas on this beer are full of lots of sweet, slightly tart fruity flavors. Bits of raisin and dark pitted fruits mingle with a deep caramel malt sweetness. There's also some slight Belgian funkiness going on as well.
Right off the bat the first thing that rally impresses me with Raison D'Être is the lovely and quite interesting mouthfeel. It's a fantastic mix of a rich, smooth, creamy body contrasted against a prickly, almost spritzy carbonation. Really different and appealing. That rich creamy body is full of a delicious complex sweetness. Caramel and toffee malt flavors mingle with those beet sugars, raisins, and Belgian yeast to create a great, complex, fruity character with notes of raisin, prune, and dates. There's also a slightly peppery, clove-y spiciness. The ABV imparts a mild alcohol warming sensation. For all the sweet fruity flavors, Raison D'Être finishes awfully dry.
I don't know why it took so long to finally get around to trying Raison D'Être. It's very tasty. On the Dogfish Head website Sam Calagione talks about how this beer was reverse engineered to be the perfect companion to a steak. I am definitely going to have to try that out.
Go Reds, beat the Giants.
Go Bearcats, beat Miami.
HD.
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