Dogfish Head Birra Etrusca - Bronze
This beer is based on a beverage that may have been enjoyed by the Etruscans of Ancient Italy around 800 BC. For this one Sam traveled to Italy with Dr. Pat McGovern where they met up with Teo and Leo (Sam’s buddies from Baladin Brewery and Birra Del Borgo respectively) and researched ingredients from various Etruscan dig sites. The result of their research is a strong ale containing an Italian heirloom grain called Cappelli Senatore, along with pomegranate juice, raisins, and hazelnut flour, together with 3 types of honey: chestnut, wildflower, and clover. The brew was then spiced with several hop flowers, Gentian root and tree resin (think Myrrh) in the kettle. To simulate fermentation in a bronze vessel (which possibly would have been what the Etruscans used), we actually tied a bronze plate inside our modern stainless fermenter which was suspended in the wort as it fermented. The aroma is dominated by pomegranate and spice from the yeast. The flavor is an intriguing interplay between the tangy pomegranate fruit and nuttiness from the hazelnut flower. One can definitely envision sipping this unique brew while relaxing on the Mediterranean coast. Versions of this brew will also be made at Baladin and Birra Del Borgo with the same ingredients but varying processes.
3.5
336 reviews
Milton, United States
Community reviews
Bottle thanks to cgarvieuk dregs run.
Appearance - deep amber with some head.
Nose - orange and light red fruits
Taste - more oranges and red cherries.
Palate - close to medium bodied with a creamy texture and a long dry tangy texture.
Overall - interesting and decent.
Bottle at Craigs. Thanks to the SF brother in law. Pours clear amber with a thin white head. Aromas of honey, bread, dried fruit. Taste is clean, malty, dried fruit. Clean finish.
Pours light amber with no head. Aroma is raspberry jam. Taste is raspberry sweet, earthy bitter, mild sour.
Bottle at craig’s. Pours clear amber, nose is honey, caramel, fruity, taste is raisin, pomegranate, tart, juicy.
bottle at home ... copper .. thin whie lacing ... soft toffee .. soft fruit nose ... oily fruit .. juicy fruit .. zezty fruit .. bitter fruit .. soft honey ... light bready yeasty fruit .. soft metalic fruit ... soft fizzy fruit
Pours a hazy medium orangish amber color. Aroma is lightly malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a touch of fruit. Flavor is a nice mixture of malts and fruits.
cloudy, deep amber color with a spicy, fruity aroma; there’s a lot going on in this beer - lots of spicy fruity flavors; the different spices and fruits really blend together in a potpourri of flavors. The pomegranate is the only thing that stands out (although I have no idea what myrrh tastes like)
Poured from a bottle. Poured a clear copper colored with an off white ring. Light carbonation with plenty of lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel toffee with Belgian spices. Light body. Starts with a slight tart tingle then the flavors seem to wash out with a somewhat dry finish. Leaves an odd numbing sensation on the tongue and palate. Probably from the myrrh. Complex mix of flavors. Very different but enjoyable.
750 ml bottle poured into a snifter. The beer is a clear copper with a head of beige foam that fizzles out quickly, like that of a soda. The aroma has rich, caramel sweetness, grape juice, and some dry, woodlike notes. Very grape forward. Sweet and boozy in the taste. Big body, high carbonation. Super sweet beer.
Pours a murky chestnut brown with the head dissipating rapidly and has hints of honey, a grainy wheat and a sweet alcohol odor.
Taste is mildly sweet with a bold honey presence and a nice bit of wheat creeping in. The finish is has mild yeasty presence with a light lingering tart flavor...
Bottle. Pours Amber reddish. Aroma is spicy sweet. Taste is spicy sweet with same finish. I like dogfish beers but this one isn’t memorable to me.
Pours a clear dark orange/golden copper color with mahogany edges and a one finger off-white head that immediately disappears. Nice color but has very pour retention with no head or lacing to speak of.
Musty, slightly spicy aroma with a prominent vinous dark fruit presence. Some earthy funk with barnyard and oak along with dank, resinous oils and pungent spice. Almost curry-like which I guess is coming from the myrrh. This is pretty strong in the nose but us countered by the dark fruit sweetness. Hints of raisin, plum, date and pomegranate countering the funk and musty spice.
On the fuller end of medium body with a surprising amount of carbonation considering how quickly it went flat even with an aggressive pour. Tastes very similar to the notes of the aroma with an even stronger vinous dark fruit presence than expected. Some earthy, musty funk along with strong peppery spice. Again, I’m guessing the myrrh is really standing out with an earthy, resinous flavor along with some peppery clove and cardamom. The pomegranate raisin and other dark fruit flavors stand out throughout the palate but are most prominent toward the back end, lingering long after the finish. The pomegranate and raisin sweetness is very prominent along with grape, dark cherry, currant and other dark berries. Kind of reminds me of a prunier barbera wine with strong peppery spice and slightly tart, musty funk. Overall, not the most flavorful beer but more interesting than some of the other ancient ales. I wouldn’t order or buy it again but I enjoyed trying it.
30-OCT-2015, bottle @Ulkløbben meeting, @Sonni.
Hazy red/golden with low head.
Nuts, fruit, Herbs, yeast, honney. Like a herbal honney candy. Herbs are too much for me. I don’t like it.
750ml bottle from Slowbeer, Melbourne. Appears hazy copper-bronzed with a transient loose off-white head and minimal lace. Aroma is like a fruit compote with honey, cherries and plums to the fore plus notes of alcohol and a light yeasty spiciness. The taste is moderately sweet and fruity with a low bitterness and light dryish spiciness to the finish. There is a faint alcoholic burn. Palate is sticky and medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Not unlike a rich Belgian Dubbel.
On tap at Global Brew. Pours a hazy amber with a small off white head. Perfumy fruity aroma. Taste is sweet roasted malt and a tart vinous quality (apple cider?). Good stuff.
Fonefan 110415. Deep golden/Amber colour with an off-white head. Flavouris dry, sweet, herbs, malt, caramel, dried fruits, honey, spices, yeast. Weird beer.
Poured into a snifter.
3.5 A: Clear medium amber color. Two fingers of fizzy beige head that falls quickly and leaves no lacing.
4.75 S: Goddamn this is interesting, which is always what I want from a DFH ancient ale. I don’t even know where to start, but I’ll start by saying that it smells freakin’ great. Honey is perhaps the most prominent. Pomegranate, raisin, apples, and grapes make a medley of fruit that works the nose so well. The hazelnut flour complements the other aromas perfectly. The other crap, that I know nothing about, adds an earthy herbal component. I’m really impressed. This is awesome.
3.75 T: The taste is also very good, but not insanely good like the nose. Raisin really comes out. Apple is almost as strong with pomegranate and grape under that. Hazelnut and honey. Booze is supremely well hidden. Like the nose, it is complex and super interesting.
3.75 M: I’m not at all familiar with what DFH was going for, so it’s tough to comment on this aspect. Carbonation is on the lower end of moderate. Super smooth with a lighter medium body.
4.0 D: I very much enjoyed this. While I’m always glad I tried a strange DFH creation, I usually don’t think they are worth the price. This one is different. I would definitely buy this again.
★ 1,264 characters
DavoleBomb, Sep 04, 2013
Smells like a cigar shop...completely different than anything before!!! Smell becomes more like tomato as you smell it, taste is kinda perfumey touch of spice...knocks me outta my socks! So different than anything before! Better cold
Dogfish Head Birra Etrusca Bronze is a unique rustic brew. Pours with a nice head but quickly goes flat to a dark bronze liquid. Moderate aroma of honey. Taste is like a cross between a mead and a beer -- with detectable honey notes. Birra Etrusca is unique and interesting study in history, but probably not your everyday beer.
Great beer , especially if you want something unusual . Hazy color of buckwheat honey . Aroma of honey , pomegranate , nuts , malt and dark fruits. Fruity taste with notes of wine , moderate sweetness , good balanced . Beer for everybody who wants to discover how wide the term "BEER" is.
750 ml bottle. Bright Amber orange color with a moderate foamy beige head that disappates quickly. Big berry-like aroma is perfumy and nutty. Tart, fruity flavor has notes of dried fruit, nuts, cedar and some pomegranate. Hazelnut and alcohol come through in the midtaste. Earthy, nutty dry finish. Lots of complex flavors to deal with here. Notes of sherry and lime leaves. Quite unique.
On draft at Global Brew EDW. Cinnamon amber with some cloudiness. It has been a while since I had a DFH beer. This is "different" in theory but not so much in actuality. It tends toward a fruity bomb. Complex fruit with something different. Perhaps pomegranate. A bit of wood and darker fruit. Interesting stuff.
Pours like dark honey and smells of honey and raisins. Tastes like raisins and honey, very strongly. Has a very sweet taste and finishes drier than you would think. Not DogFish’s best offering, but drinkable.
Draught @ Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Pours hazy copper with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, caramel, cedar wood, cinnamon, nuts, spices, dried fruits and hint of tartness. Taste is medium sweet, light bitter and light sour with a long slightly warm , dry, funky, nutty, spiced and vinous finish. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
On tap at the brewpub. A minimal sized light beige head forms over an unclear dark golden body. There’s lots of wood in the aroma, sort of like Spanish cedar, with some dried fruits, nuts and honey and a flowery hint. Alcohol, some bready malts and plums too. It’s full bodied, warming and nicely sweet on the palate. Nice carbonation too. Cedar-like wood, blue plums, nuts, some bread and plums in the flavor. A little bitterness and some flowers and green raisins too. Lasting sweet, bitter and very tasteful finish, nice warmth too. A true beauty in my book, wonderful indeed. Love the wood touch. 150621
Bottle 750ml.
[ As Dogfish Head Birra Etrusca - Bronze ].
Clear medium amber orange color with a small, frothy, fair lacing, mostly to fully diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, fruity, cedar - wood, peppery. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, perfume - honey - flowers, cedar, wood, fruity. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft. [20150411]
Brun klar skum lidt hvid
Mint tyggegummi mæa citrus bær frugt alc
Bitter modrtate sød lidt
Olie flad
@f1
Bottle @ fonefan tasting. Hazy amber with an off-white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, caramel, dark fruit and honey. Flavor is quite sweet and light bitter. Dry and light bitter finish. 110415
Bottle @ Post-Easter Procrastination, Ulfborg. Pours clear amber with small and quickly disappearing off-white head. Clear aroma of malt, caramel and barrel, with notes of yeast. Sweetish flavour of malt and fruit with notes of fruit and barrel. Acidic aftertaste. Quite boozy - in fact, it tastes of more than the 8.5% stated on the label. Okay, though-
Not my favorite but still really interesting. Taste musky but it is actually pretty enjoyable.