Wow what a beer! This is another great brew from Dogfish Head Brewery. Palo Santos Marron is a barrel aged beer and if you’re not familiar with barrel aging it’s a process done with many whiskeys and bourbons where the liquor is stored in wooden barrels or tanks for a period of time to age and thus absorb the natural flavors of the wood often giving it that rich earthy taste. It is the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which the tanks were crafted that give it it’s warmly sweet and spicy flavor. Palo Santo means “holy tree,” and its wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.
First thing you notice as you bring the glass to your lips is the strong smell of roasted caramel, sweat and well bodied. One of the flavor that hits the tongue first is a roasted vanilla nut and caramel, smooth but not bitter. Well balanced. There was a mild alcohol taste as you drink longer but nothing to really distract from the overall taste seeing that this beer has an ABV of 12%. The IBU is 50 so the hops are low.
This is another nice brew from the Dogfish Head camp, similar to a more expensive porter or stout but less filling and with all the flavor. This is one beer I say Taste dis to. Cheers
Here are a few specs and Dogfish Head recommendations for pairing:
Specs
- ABV: 12.0
- IBU: 50
- Release: Year Round
- Original Release Date:
- Style: Wood-Aged
- Snifter
- Farmhouse cheddar
- Steak, chorizo sausage, cajun cuisine
- Roasted malts and spicy notes of Palo Santo wood
- Roasted sweet malt with mild bitterness and caramel notes
- Medium body with lingering bitterness and a slightly dry finish