Dogfish Head is known for over-the-top, unexpected flavors in their beers. Recently, the brewery has been turning toward unconventional inspiration for their beers, collaborating in 2010 with Sony/Legacy records on a Bitches Brew to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Miles Davis’ well-known foray into jazz fusion. This year, Sony/Legacy and Dogfish Head have again collaborated to create a beer, this time celebrating the 100th anniversary of blues guitarist Robert Johnson’s birth called Hellhound on My Ale.

After going through quite the search to procure a bottle of this beer, I couldn’t wait to crack it open, have a few sips and see what this year's Legacy beer had to offer. With an aggressive pour, the beer had a nice white head with a burnt orange color similar to but not as dark as other beers categorized as double IPAs. The smell was a distinct blend of hops mixed with notes of citrus from the abundance of lemon peel and lemon flavor in the brew. Upon first sip, hops hit your mouth in a big way followed by puckering lemon citrus. As you sip on the beer malt flavors come into play that nicely balance the biting citrus flavors present at the front end. This beer will definitely stick with you through an entire pour creating a malty coating in your mouth with much of the citrus sticking around as well.

If you’re a fan of Dogfish Head or IPAs in general this beer is certainly worth seeking out and giving a try. Although not my favorite beer in this style, Hellhound on My Ale is an interesting brew that, if the opportunity presents itself, I will try again and again. Right now this beer is difficult (or expensive) to come by but if you are set on giving it a try, it can be found at a lot of bars offering Dogfish Head beers.
 

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