Issue #8: My Friend Burton Baton

As I've said before, I have a serious bias for Dogfish Head, but that's only because they make excellent beers. One such beer is 90 Minute IPA, which is basically where Burton Baton starts. It's described as an ale flavored with oak staves, which are basically oak sticks, that are added to the brew as it ferments to add oak character.

Dogfish Head - Burton Baton
Imperial/Double IPA
12 oz bottle
Bottled 2012

Appearance - Pours a rusty orange with a fluffy white head that slowly fades into a thin layer of soapy bubbles.

Aroma - Very prominent right out of the bottle. Very hoppy and citrusy but offset by the sweetness of the malt and oak with a bit of alcohol too. Creates kind of a candied oranges effect.

Taste - Very balanced. Lots of hops but evened out by the malt. A bit boozy too but delightfully so. Some nice lingering oak flavors on the finish.

Mouthfeel - Nice carbonation and body and some dryness on the back end, I'd imagine from the oak.

Overall - This is a great beer and a perfect example of a well balanced IPA. If given the choice, I'd probably choose 90 minute, but this is almost equally delicious and I will definitely buy time and time again. 4/5

Drink On,

Dan