Balance between familiarity and novelty is important to the quality of a beer. The flavors must be identifiable enough to help the drinker gain a comfortable grasp on the beer’s aesthetic. Simultaneously, there must be enough nuance or mystique to keep things interesting. While malt, hops, and yeast are together certainly capable enough at filling both these roles, other unconventional ingredients are a good way to furnish this balance. And nothing screams unconventional like the ingredients of Dogfish Head’s spectacular ‘Positive Contact’.

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‘POSITIVE CONTACT’ – DOGFISH HEAD – Witbier brewed with Fuji apple cider, slow-roasted farro, cayenne, and cilantro – 9.00% ABV (Eye Choir’s Choice)

Appearance: Poured a bright golden-orange with a two-finger, eggshell head. The body has some slight particulate haziness, but mild carbonation can still be easily seen. 4/5

Smell: Aroma is quite spicy, marrying savory cilantro and medicinal clove with a dash of cayenne pepper. The medicinal yeast quality is second to a fine, nutty earthiness which is enhanced by the subtle grain quality of the beer. These flavors are of course right at home with the fresh apple, which is supported by bubblegum aromas that incorporate hops ranging from citric to brightly floral. Impressive complexity for something so well-tempered. 4.5/5

Taste: Moderate to strong sweetness takes command, enhancing the bold apple juice and candy flavors while bringing the bready farro flavors into balance. The lemony cilantro and medicinal yeast work their way in as a mild to moderate tartness reveals itself. In the mildly bitter finish, some floral and chalky earth notes clean up while a perfumy cayenne pepper kicks in a bit, though it shows only a mild piquancy. Really good flavor pairings with the distinct witbier yeast, which shows off unexpected synergies between the added ingredients. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body, with an exquisitely smooth and creamy texture that offsets the slight kick of heat from the pepper. Carbonation is reasonably mild, though an alcoholic heat adds fullness to the end of the drink. 4.5/5

Overall: It’s almost hard to imagine how all the flavors work out here, but they do. The slightly funky aspects of the brew prevent its sweetest parts from becoming cloying. Extremely interesting. 4.5/5

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‘COCOA FUEGO’ – DUCLAW – Sweet Stout brewed with chocolate and chipotle peppers – 7.50%

Appearance: Poured a dark brown bordering on black with deep crimson highlights and a thin, light tan head. The body is too dark to see any carbonation or haziness. 3.5/5

Smell: Strong malt presence features mostly a smooth dark chocolate with a touch of cola, though there is a roasted barley quality that almost seems like nearly-burnt bread. Behind this, a dash of smokey chipotle pepper comes in, with the rich smokiness complementing the chocolate aroma quite well. The sweeter, more fibrous side of this aroma leads into a hint of earthy hop character. Not especially complex, but the pairing works out pretty well. 3.5/5

Taste: Moderately sweet, though the baker’s chocolate is more subdued, leaving room for a mixture of Pepsi-cola, cherry cough syrup, and even a bit of Mexican coffee that is set off by a mild tartness. Gradually, this also leads to a distinctly spicy pepper, that in its smokiness gives the impression of sweet chili. The finish leads back to the malt, with a little bit of warm caramel coming through, and only mild bitterness that does not lower the sweetness. Interesting, though pepper and fruit are an unusual match, and the balance is a skewed at times. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with mild to moderate carbonation that relies on a back of the palate fizz more than bite to fill out the slightly creamy mouthfeel. Piquancy from the pepper gradually builds up, and leaves a nice warmth in combination with the alcoholic heat that keeps the smoky peppers in the throat. 3.5/5

Overall: Certainly an interesting concept, especially with how the malt character interacts with the piquancy, though a lot of the other flavors seem less well-constructed in their interaction with the heady chipotle. 3.5/5

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‘MONK’S BLOOD’ – 21ST AMENDMENT – Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, oak chips, and dried figs – 8.30% ABV

Appearance: Poured a dark purplish-brown with blood red highlights and a one-finger, slightly reddish tan head. The body is slightly too dark to notice any carbonation or haziness. 4/5

Smell: Initial aromas are prominently spicy, with strains of vanilla and licorice as well as faint clove remiscent of Jägermeister. There are supported by a miasma of sticky dark fruits, with plums and figs blending into a slightly funky port wine note that has a distinctly boozy quality. The background malt character still has some heft, with an oaky, rummy molasses note paired with milk chocolate and pumpernickel bread. Interesting choice of added ingredients which have a fair amount of complexity. 4/5

Taste: Moderate to strong sweetness really highlights the chocolate malt notes which mesh really nicely with the warm spice quality. Mild to moderate tartness quickly converts this to bready figgy pudding, while also supporting the darker vinous fruit notes. A mild bitterness in the finish helps transition away from the malt, leaving a nice note of brown sugar and leading to a nice combination of cinnamon and dry oak. Layered and enticing, though with so many details, a tad disorganized. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a slight initial creaminess that is offset well by a tart, almost refreshing carbonation. The mouthfeel does get a bit thin by the end of the sip, though some mild to moderate alcoholic heat helps support the heavy flavor profile. 3.5/5

Overall: A solid marriage between dark Belgian beers and added spices and fruit, though the meandering sense of balance doesn’t help arrange things optimally. Still, bold and surprisingly easy to put back. 3.5/5

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‘DOGMA’ – BREWDOG – Strong Scotch Ale brewed with honey, kola nut, poppy seed, and guarana – 7.80% ABV

Appearance: Poured a fairly dark, almost opaque deep ruby with brass highlights and a one-finger, moderate orange tan head. The body is just a bit too dark to notice any carbonation or haziness. 3.5/5

Smell: Strong caramel malt aromas burst out first, displaying a sticky roast treacle character which blends in with strong notes of spicy honey and more mild notes of kola nut and fig newton. There is an interesting floral note that is presumably poppy seeds, which has a distinctly nut or grain-like character which helps incorporate it with the malt. Quite unique and surprisingly well-balanced for such an odd collection of ingredients. 4/5

Taste: Mild to moderate sweetness comes out first, bringing an unexpected milk chocolate flavor into the caramel and honey flavors that sets the stage for some other interesting flavors. There is relatively mild tartness holding back some of the dark fruit flavors in favor of the kola nut. Bitterness is likewise quite mild, though the suggestion of herbal hops play into a tea-like flavor that along with the subtle floral and even citric notes reminds vaguely of Earl Grey tea. A bit subtle initially, though as it warms the mild fruit and hop flavors strike a nice, mellow balance. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with an initial moderate bite of carbonation that eventually helps amplify some of the floral and fruit notes. Otherwise, quite creamy, though certainly not heavy. The finish lasts quite a while, where the last remnants of the carbonation meet up with a mild alcoholic heat. Good balance but not overtly impressive. 3.5/5

Overall: Surprisingly good for such a random assortment of ingredients, with the honey and kola nut especially being a good match for the malt focus and some of the dark plummy flavors. Not as strong as the purported style might suggest, though easy to drink and well-balanced for what it is. 4/5