Dogfish Head's Victory With Chicory

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
12 oz. capped bottle
5.2 percent ABV
Sampled: Dec. 13, 2009

A year ago, my first taste of this stout came with much trepidation; did I gamble on the wrong $10 six-pack? Would this coffee substitute (chicory) overwhelm any flavor attempting to assert itself?

For 2009, I harbored no such worries; I knew the goodness contained within, and eagerly awaited this winter seasonal. Luckily, Dogfish head brewed it with Mexican organic coffee, effectively mellowing out the chicory and letting it compete with vanilla and a mild oakiness.

The roasted character of the malt lines up with the coffee character – too often coffee stout or porter means a taste that resembles use coffee grounds, not beans I taste here.

On the finish the coffee and chicory bitterness rises where you might expect a little hop presence, but those combined flavors more than make one forget the hop anonymity. Stouts often reveal their origins quickly, with Irish stouts creamy and dry and English stouts going much sweeter.

Chicory stout can only be called North American stout; thankfully Dogfish Head typically cuts no corners, and that is evident here. It goes down remarkably smooth, with a slight oiliness on the finish that feels strangely appropriate. Not a beer for any occasion, just a few cold, festive ones.

Rating: 8/10