Dogfish Head Midas Touch

As I started writing this post, I thought about Mike over at Another Gun Blog. Mike writes a gun blog, with the occasional post about beer. He's also a fan of Dogfish Head Brewery. (In contrast, Musings is a beer blog, with the occasional post about guns.)

On one of our visits the Dogfish Ale House in Fairfax we were intrigued by the description of Midas Touch:

This recipe is based on ancient findings. Brewed with barley, white muscat grapes, thyme honey, and saffron, it has the smooth dry body of a beer but finishes fruity like a fine white wine. 

However, noticing also the 9%ABV we opted to pass before our long drive home. This would be one of those strange DFH brews I'd have to try another time. While shopping for refrigerator stock recently, Colleen spied a four-pack of Midas Touch and remembered it sounded interesting, so we picked it up.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch pours hazy bronze-yellow color with a very thin head. It really does smell like a mix of honey and white wine. The smell was so un-beer-like I was put off a bit at first. The flavor was slightly sweet, again with notes of honey and white wine. At first I was thinking, "meh" but as the beer warmed the flavor became more enjoyable. A slight spiciness started emerging and the alcohol warmth was more perceived, which was a welcome addition to the flavor profile. The mouthfeel is thin and slightly oily.

Like some of the other off-centered ales from Dogfish, I did enjoy this one, with some reservations. The flavor was interesting, and very drinkable, if not exceptional. Would I keep it on hand as a regular beer? No. Would I order it for sipping after a meal if circumstances were right? Perhaps.

What's your take Mike?