I’m a big fan of Dogfish Head ales and I love my ales hoppy. My “round-the-corner” liquor store has started to carry them and so I have been on a 60 Minute IPA tear lately. This past weekend when I went in to restock I was tempted by the fruit of another and stood in front of the cooler door trying to decide what to do. I had seen the Raison
nD’Etre there before and with fall coming on I felt like a deeper, maltier brew might really hit the spot. Hmmm. Well, in the end I bought them both. Hey, I’d be stocked for a little while right? The serendipity of my indecision became apparent that evening. I decided to drink the Raison first because hoppy beers can really kill your taste buds for anything else. The Raison is great smooth malty beer that sort of rolls around in your mouth with a nice light roast finish. I then went back for an IPA. Wow, I have never tasted a beer like that. I’ve never tasted a 60 Minute IPA like that. The contrast between the two made the floweriness of the hops shine in a way I’ve never experienced. I’m really bad at describing flavors but it really is something to experience. I’ve now taken to drinking the two six packs in tandem, always starting with a Raison D’Etre and finishing with a 60 Minute IPA. It is a combo that I am sure to repeat. So if you are a fan of the many flavors of beer I would recommend the experience, not just for the good beers they are individually but for the contrast between the two that really heightens their strengths.
RockTreeSky 