Beer Review: Dogfishhead's Golden Shower

Dogfish Head's Golden Shower
Imperial Pilsner
9% ABV

Presentation: Wine-like bomber

This toungue-in-cheekly named brew is the first Imperial Pilsner was purchased on my birthday trip to Madison WI from Barriques...a great bottle shop just down the way from our hotel.

Appearance: 4 (out of 5) Pours a crisp golden yellow, very pale white head...looking beautiful on this unseasonably hot Memorial Day in my Jeckyll and Hyde club pilsner glass

Smell: 4.5 (out of 5) Very powerful hop aroma. Floral and unexpected but a real treat. Citrus is there...grass but with a good malt backbone. A little bread to balance out the fruit

Flavor:4 (out of 5) Much hoppier than what I expected from a beer this style. But I must keep in mind that it is an American Imperial version. The hops provide a good bitterness but the sweetness wins out. The most noticeable things upon the initial taste are the citrus, orange, grapefruit, perhaps a hint of lemon. Nice slight alcohol taste and warmth. Tingling carbonation that gives way to juicy sweetness. Very impressive.

Mouthfeel: 4.5 (out of 5) Very full for the Pilsner style. The malt and hops combine for a sticky coating bitterness and the full sweetness stays on the palate long after the beer is gone.

Drinkability: 4 (out of 5) Very good. Tho it's up there in the ABV department, I could see enjoying a couple of bombers on a warm summer evening but I think it's best shared with friends.

As far as a comic pairing... something that you don't think you'll like but end up loving it by the end. Ex Machina by Brian K Vaughan and Tony Harris, perhaps.

-C