Dogfish Head Chicory Stout: A Morning Beer?
Sundermann The Chicory Stout
Style: American Stout
Serving style: Bottle poured into glass
Location: My apartment with a cat on my lap
Cost: $15 six-pack
ABV: 5.2%
Appearance: There's a surprisingly lack of head, but the brew itself is blacker than black. This is a stout made with coffee, a concept that should explain itself. But in case it doesn't: Imagine taking a fat black Sharpie and writing on a piece of black construction paper. Or maybe if you went swimming in a pool designed by Marilyn Manson.
Aroma: The scent wasn't much of anything, really. Sure, it's bit sweet and chocolaty, but not potent at all. Call me crazy, but when the label advertises that it's brewed with coffee beans and chicory, that signals the "interesting smells" flag in my brain. As a coffee and beer enthusiast, I'm bummed the Chicory Stout didn't offer more of those two worlds colliding.
Taste: The taste, however, did not disappoint in the coffee realm. In fact, it didn't really taste much like anything other than coffee. There's no balance with the rest of the beer, and the coffee intensity is almost too much. It's a shame, because the overwhelming flavor ruins what could be a very unique boozy blend.
Mouthfeel: I love it when a stout is creamy and silky, and this Dogfish kills it in that department.
Overall Experience: The Chicory Stout is one of the first Dogfish Head "weird" brews. It's been their winter seasonal since opening in 1995, and it has a pretty good reputation among beerheads. But despite the fact that I have many friends who swear by it, this stout just didn't do it for me. It's not bad, per se--there's just no variety in flavor. It's like a disappointing cold cup of coffee. But hey, let's not be all negative: You could probably get away with drinking this beer for breakfast.
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