Midas Touch

Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewing Company and inimitable owner Sam Calagione continue to produce a world renowned lineup of quirky brews. Midas Touch, the first in Dogfish Head’s Ancient Ales series, is based on a recipe that is a millennia old, boasting aromas of honey, fragrant saffron, and new mown hay. Tom enjoyed the herbaceous nose, finding whiffs of oregano and nutmeg, all interspersed with a “grapey” sweetness. He felt the nose was “almost devoid of malt,” however, and lacked complexity. Tim found some malt in the aroma, but commented that the sulfurous undertones muddled the overall nose, leaving it “flat and lifeless.” A sparkling, effervescent golden brew, Midas Touch pours brilliantly clear with a snow white head. Malty sweet up front, followed up by a long, drying finish, this beer is rife with flavors of mint, Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and orange blossom honey. Pete found a slight sourness riding under the more prominent nutmeg, saffron, and biscuit notes, and felt the overall impact was “acidic and muddled.” The sourness put Rick off a bit, and he also picked out some hints of sulfur he linked to a “burnt match.” The judges were unanimous in their opinion that Midas Touch is unique and intriguing, but all felt it strayed a bit too far from being “beer.” Even with its prodigious 9% ABV, this beer works well at weekend cookouts and poolside lounging.