Review: Dogfish Head’s Raison D’Être

The Verdict: 9.0

Dogfish Head caught my attention in the Beer Wars movie. I’d not tried many of their beers in the past, and thought it was about time to aquaint myself. I chose their Raison D’Être, which the bottle describes as being brewed with “Belgian beet sugars, green raisins & a sense of purpose.”

Smell (1.7): This is a fruitier smelling beer with a rich bouquet of  aromas. Their are strong grape notes and a caramel quality to it as well. There is another quality to it which I can only describe as “rusty” but in a good way…

Color (1.8): This ale has an attractive reddish hue when held up to light, but otherwise remains a dull brown. The head dissipates almost instantly.

Drink (4.5): The taste is a little enigmatic. It sits lightly on the tongue, but feels heavy as you drink. What you are left with is a sweet initial taste in which the raisins and sugars are really present, followed by a stronger, fuller ale flavor. The aftertaste can be a bit tinny, and continued sips tend to bring this to prominence. But at 8% ABV, you probably won’t notice by the end of the bottle.

Incidentals (1): The labeling and price of this beer are agreeable. You get what you expect. I enjoyed this beer with a mexicana pizza from Ian’s Pizza, and the lighter mexican seasonings went well with the heavier beer.

Notes on rating: I use a 10 point system. 5 points for drink, 2 for smell and color, and 1 for “incidentals” which include  cost, packaging and my general mood after drinking it.

Chicago Beer Riots (unfortunately we missed them)

Don’t have enough beer-inspired riots in your life? The German and Irish immigrants to Chicago in the mid-1850′s had it better.

On this day in 1855, Know-Nothing Mayor Levi Boone assembled the police to repel a mob of North Side Germans and Irish protesting the trial of local tavernkeepers who were arrested for selling beer without a license. Boone had raised the cost of a liquor license to $300 (about $6,700 in 2009 dollars), with renewal fees every three months,  in an attempt to shut down the immigrant’s watering holes.

Nine of the crowd’s participants were arrested as the police tried  to clear the courthouse area. The crowd got angry, and tried to save their comrades, but it was not to be. As the Encyclopedia of Chicago tells us:

An armed group from the North Side German community decided to rescue the prisoners, but Boone held them off by keeping the Clark Street drawbridge raised until he was able to assemble more than two hundred policemen. When the bridge was lowered and North Siders surged across, shooting began. Boone called in the militia, and the riot ended in minutes.

One man died and 60 more were arrested. This riot, while brief, is remembered today as the Lager Beer Riot.

Ultimately, the immigrants were able to put their beers down long enough to get the Know-Nothings voted out of office in 1856. But today, as you enjoy your favorite brew, remember the men and women who rioted to keep Chicago suds flowing.

Beer Events – May 2009

Looking for a place to grab a good beer this May? Check out some of these events:

• May 2-3 – Chicago Beer Society presents Big Brew Day 2009 – A get together with homebrewers to drink, eat, laugh and enjoy good beer
  
• May 7 – First Thursday – CBS offers critiques of your homebrew and a chance to rub elbows with Chicago brewers
• May 12 – Beers of Belgium - South Loop Wholefoods hosts an introduction to Belgian beer. Free
• May 16 – Beer Tasting – Binny’s in Highland Park hosts a beer tasting event. $5 w/ Binny’s card
• May 16-17 – Green Festival Chicago – Includes organic beer and wine garden. $10-$15
• May 20 – Third Wednesday – Another CBS get together