Palo Santo Marron

Dogfish Head

The aged among us will remember that blind taste testing was all the rage in 'real' advertisements for all sorts of stupid consumer goods in the Eighties. For instance, we were always hearing that nine out of ten people preferred the taste of Pepsi over Coke, or vice versa if the ad was for Coca Cola. The idea, I guess, was that, in our blindness, the unbiased truth could be uncovered.

When deebag approached me about doing a blind review for the Tippler, I immediately expected a trick--was he going to give me Budweiser and, without my preconceptions, I would like it, and therefore be exposed as a fraud? Then who would ever trust my opinion again? My reputation as a fine and discerning critic would be destroyed before it was made!

I wasn't too sure, but, as it turns out, when someone puts a beer in front of me, my uncertainties are easily squashed by my lust for that sweet, sweet barley nectar, and I agreed instantly.

This beer was particularly intriguing to me because it was blackness personified; I held it up to the light and felt as if I was witnessing an eclipse. By some sort of sorcery, it seemed to absorb colour and deny light. It as a little scary, actually, but I was reassured that this was indeed beer by the brew's thick brown head.

Before I put my nose anywhere near the rim of my glass, I could smell the smokey, chocolaty aroma of this beer and, especially, the strong scent of alcohol. It smelled more like brandy than beer, really. I braced myself for an intense tasting experience.

It was indeed a strong beer. Tasting started with a very, very sweet malt, with aspects of vanilla, caramel, and over-ripe fruits (plums or cherries perhaps).
Then up came the alcohol (and oh how it comes!). Lastly, as one would expect, came the hops--not too strong, but big enough to complicate the deep sweetness of the malt and the heat of the alcohol. Such strong elements make for a long aftertaste, to be sure, and I felt like I was still chewing this beer for minutes after tasting.

I was pretty sure this wasn't Budweiser, and was not the least bit surprised when deebag revealed it as Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron which, at 12% alcohol, must be marketed and sold as malt liquor in the U.S. The Palo Santo Marron has an interesting origin, which you can read about here, if you are so inclined.

This is a superb beer; powerful and intense, with all sorts of things to taste. It is definitely not for everyone, but it is for me, so I recommend it highly.

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