Tuesday, January 17, 2012

VT Pub & Brewery - Dogbite Bitter

The Vermont Pub & Brewery Dogbite Bitter is stylistic of an English Special Bitter (E.S.B.). This classic style has been one of the Pub's staple brews for over 18 years.

Alcohol Content: 5.7%
International Bitterness Units (IBU): 45
Malts: Maris Otter 2-row, Wheat, Crystal, Pale Crystal, & Chocolate
Hops: Fuggles, East Kent Goldings

Price: $4.00 for a pint
Medium: Served in a clean pint glass

Aroma: Carry's a noble hop character that is both woody/ earthy as well as spicy in nature. The spicy notes are released immediately and later quelled by an underlying toffee-like sweetness. Some fruity esters are also present.
Appearance: Poured for a frothy white head with about a half inch foam and showed great retention. Partly cloudy but not terribly out of style (should be clear). Presents a deep amber with some copper tints. Lots of lacing.
Flavor: Sweet caramel notes upfront with a dominant toffee-like character that takes over about beginning-mid pallet. At the same time some of the fruity esters also begin to appear, undertaking a slightly "wheaty" character (although not strong at all). The bittering profile is assertive but remains a pleasant earthy spiciness that lingers into the aftertaste with a moderate amount of drying. Bitter balanced although a sweet malt presence lingers with the bitter dry aftertaste. Low level of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and Diacetyl present right from the beginning, giving it a slick toffee-like and canned corn aroma/ flavor. 
Mouthfeel: Moderate body leaning more towards the thinner side along with a "chewy" bite. Carbonation is very low, which is also appropriate for the style.
Overall Impression: The strong toffee aroma and flavor suggests some degree of Diacetyl; however it doesn't deter from the experience. After finding out the malt bill it became more clear to me that I overlooked a small level of chocolate malt presence that added complexity and aroma. Clarity was puzzling in the dimly lit bar. Drinkability is key for this style and this one meets that criteria.

No comments:

Post a Comment