Ratebeer #988: Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu

One of the most interesting beers that I have ever had… the Dogfish description reads…

Similar to a beer brewed in China some 9,000 years ago, Chateau Jiahu used a recipe that included rice, honey, and grape and hawthorn fruits. The formula was obtained from archaeologists who derived it from the residues of pottery jars found in the late Stone Age village of Jiahu in northern China. The residues are the earliest direct evidence of brewed beverages in ancient China.

… and what I thought of it (not bad)…

Pours a clear orange-amber in color with a very small white head and low carbonation. Aroma is not strong, but there is some honey, grapes, green apples and other fruity esters. Flavor is fairly sweet with the grapes and honey dominating the profile. Never had hawthorn (if it has this in it), but there are some flavors that I cannot identify clearly. Some hop bitterness that offsets some of the sweetness. Finish is quite sweet and lingering. I think that it is OK, but it may be a bit too unusual for some folks…