See Also:

• Friday, May 17, 2013
  Pine Creek Flows to the United States
• Friday, May 3, 2013
  Jefferson's Makes a Legal-Age Bourbon
• Friday, April 26, 2013
  New Masterpiece Bourbon from Jim Beam
• Friday, April 19, 2013
  Four Roses Blooming with New Single Barrel Bourbon
• Friday, April 5, 2013
  Bulleit's First Age Statement Bourbon
• More from Drinks

Dogfish Head Turns Wine into Beer

Andrew Nagy
Posted: February 3, 2012

Noble Rot hits shelves this week in about 27 states, coast to coast. To see where it’s available in your area, check out the Fish Finder feature at www.dogfish.com

Dogfish Head Noble Rot (9 percent alcohol by volume, $13 for a 750-ml bottle)

APPEARANCE: The liquid pours a lustrous gold color, flawless in clarity with a brilliancy that resembles a fine Sauternes wine. The brew is topped by a finger of ivory head formed by tight, Champagne-like bubbles that produce a lacing that dissipates but is revived with a casual swirl of the glass.

AROMA: Fans of Pinot Gris will enjoy the nose as a pleasant bouquet of grapes, pears and apples emerge, followed by a more subtle orange-blossom honey note.

PALATE: From the start it’s clear the grapes are the star of this symphony. Apple and pear notes start off the show and are soon joined by a dash of sourness on the midpalate that nicely balances the sweet start. The chewy finish is crisp and direct, but rounds off with a sweetly malty tone and a slight tinge of Creamsicle. A gem of a beer with a worldliness that will lead you to believe you have been transported to Alsace.

CIGAR PAIRING: We found this brew played well with smoke, especially medium-bodied sticks. Both the Illusione Epernay Le Taureau (our No. 3 Cigar of 2011) and the La Reloba Selección Mexico brought out more of the beer’s sour notes. Additionally, the Le Taureau’s smoke intensified the beer’s mild hop flavor, while the La Reloba boosted the slight creamy finish to more of a meringue.

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