Sometimes, the best new ideas are actually old ideas that have long since been abandoned. Dogfish Head’s ‘Sah’tea’ is a great example of this; an American interpretation of an ancient Finnish beer that is rarely attempted by modern craft breweries. Of course, there are many other old styles of beer whose popularity has been re-established by modern breweries, such as oyster stouts, goses, and even (surprisingly) witbiers!

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‘SAH’TEA’ – DOGFISH HEAD – Sahti brewed with black chai tea and juniper berries – 9.00% ABV (Eye Choir’s Choice)

Appearance: Poured a light orange-brown with a two finger, eggshell head. There is a surprising amount of carbonation as well as a little bit of particulate sediment. 4/5

Smell: Strong spicy character which contains various aromas including nutmeg, peppery cardamom and clove, juniper, and a particularly herbaceous tea leaf. There are also some nice yeast notes, which have a bit of the banana character of Belgian yeast, and finally a mild background of malt redolent of gingerbread. 4/5

Taste: Moderately sweet character highlights the malt into an homage to spiced cookies, with a hint of numbing piquancy on the back of the palate. But there is also a vaguely lactic tartness which coalesces with the black tea flavor and even draws forth a hint of lemon. Quite a strange palate, but manages to be well-balanced and easy to drink. 5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a smooth alcoholic heat and lingering burn of spice that are ameliorated by a soothing, syrupy mouthfeel. Mild to moderate carbonation magnifies the tartness of the yeast’s fruit flavors. 4.5/5

Overall: Totally unique arrangement of flavors that uses a wide range of spices without seeming gaudy. And despite this, well-balanced enough that the total strangeness won’t hit you for at least a few sips. 4.5/5

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‘PISTIL’ – MAGIC HAT – Vegetable Beer brewed with dandelion petals – 4.50% ABV

Appearance: Poured a pale yellow with a one finger, eggshell head. There is a fair amount of particulate sediment, but it doesn’t impair the visibility of moderate carbonation. 3.5/5

Smell: A grainy, oat-like malt pairs with some odd vegetal flavors. The hop character is grassy, with a slight citric note, along with a slighty funky yeast note that is almost acetic. Very mild overall. 3/5

Taste: Fairly tart and dry, which accentuates the lemon flavor and earthy yeast that are present, but almost completely leaves the malt out of the equation. The vegetable aroma develops into a sort of light, flowery flavor which is interesting but a little out of balance with the rest of the drink. 2/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with crisp carbonation that accentuates the acidity a bit too much. There is a watery mouthfeel which doesn’t overshadow any of the weaker flavors. 2.5/5

Overall: Disappointing lack of utilization of the dandelions, and the slightly interesting flavors that are even there at all are not balanced particularly well. Lack of adherence to any clear style certainly doesn’t help this. 2.5/5

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‘SOUR APPLE SAISON’ – EPIC – Saison brewed with anise, cardamom, ginger, and other spices – 8.10% ABV

Appearance: Poured a light pollen yellow with a one finger, white head. There is a very fine haziness though despite this, a little carbonation can be seen. 3.5/5

Smell: An almost overly strong impression of spice, both from a vaguely peppery chalky yeast, as well as what must be added allspice and perhaps ginger. There are also some nice apple, citrus, and even honeydew melon flavors in the background, as well as some bready malts that come off almost as gingerbread, due to the spice palette. Very unique, but at times, slightly unbalanced. 4/5

Taste: Moderate tartness, which in a beer that is mostly dry, brings out some funky yeast flavors, as well as (unsurprisingly) some cidery green apple. This tartness pairs a bit strangely with the strong spices however. In the finish, a lingering mild bitterness summons some flowery hop flavors. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Moderate to light body, with a slightly sticky mouthfeel that gives the connotation of sour apple candy. There is moderate carbonation as well, which goes along with the tart flavors, and a touch of alcoholic heat as well. 3.5/5

Overall: A very interesting idea whose execution could be much better. The strength of the spice flavors are out of balance with the tartness, and the malt flavors could stand to be brought forth more. Still, a beer sui generis and thus worth trying. 3.5/5

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COFFEE STOUT – LONG TRAIL – Imperial Stout brewed with coffee beans – 8.00% ABV

Appearance: Poured an opaque black with tinges of reddishness on the edges and a one finger, orange-brown head. There is no carbonation visible through the inky blackness. 4.5/5

Smell: Intense, almost overpowering, coffee bean flavor that could only be sourced from actual coffee beans. There is also a very complex mix of heavily roasted or smoked caramel malt with some more subtle hints of dark fruit or cherry, milk chocolate, and slight wood-like aroma. 4/5

Taste: Slight sweetness quickly gives way to a strong tart dryness which accentuates the black coffee style of the beer. Medium bitterness brings up the rear, very much in the same way it would with coffee. Has a lot of the complex, almost perfume-like notes of dark roast coffee. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body, with a moderate amount of carbonation that is completely (and impressively) hidden by a smooth, milk texture. No alcohol heat despite the high alcohol content. 4.5/5

Overall: Extremely drinkable for such an imposing body and palate; can be a little overwhelming in some of its facets, but overall reasonably balanced and very complex. 4/5