Welcome back to CU Dogfish!

So I was recently running errands during the work day and happened to drive by Piccadilly on Neil St. I noticed they had updated their sign and that sign made a wonderful proclamation that Dogfish Head had once again resumed distribution in the Champaign-Urbana area.

Now, I've never known Dogfish to ever distribute in the area to begin with so when I saw this sign I instantly remembered my one and only experience with 60 Minute IPA. I quickly pulled in the parking lot to go make a purchase.

As remembered, 60 Minute, is the gold standard which all IPA's should be judged by. It's amazingly crisp and smooth without being at all over bearing. The hops are most definitely its calling card, but they won't make you pucker over how bitter it can taste. I also realize this is subjective as it just may be the best IPA experience I have had to date.

The purpose of this post however, is to review the other Dogfish selection I made, Midas Touch. As of recently, I haven't been too adventurous in my beer selection sticking with the choices I know I will enjoy. So when I saw the packaging I decided to give it a shot.

The original craft in Dogfish's Ancient Ales line claims Midas to be somewhere between wine and mead. Not being much of a wine drinker and having only a few unsuccessful attempts with barley wine and mead, I had my doubts about this beer. What I ended up trying was delightful.

Midas is extremely light and crisp and very much so similar to a champagne or a moscato. Based on most of the reviews I read, it tastes of grapes and honey which is easily identifiable. I didn't quite pick up on it. What I tasted was very citrusy, almost like the grapefruit taste one experiences while drinking a Squirt and thus, the champagne/moscato taste.

You definitely taste the beer but are also given the pleasure of the incredibly refreshing bubbly sweet wine. The smell is amazing as well and enhances your drinking enjoyment.

As for a food pairing, unfortunately I can't think of much to eat with it at present moment. I very much so picture this as a summer grill out beer. I would love to have this while making some sort of lemon herb chicken on the Weber, maybe some white fish, and definitely with a few ears of corn. Would I use it as my go to BBQ brew, no. I would definitely recommend it when you're trying to grill something a little more upscale though.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch comes in at 8 bottles out of 10.