Dogfish Head Mixed Media Beer
Made from 49 percent grapes, it's as close to wine as beer can legally get
The next time you're waging a war in your mind while trying to decide between beer or wine, just pick up Dogfish Head's new Mixed Media Ale and call it a truce. The "vino-esque" brew isn't just beer masquerading as your favorite vintage: The ferment is composed of 51 percent grains and 49 percent late-harvest Viognier grapes, making the bottle as close to wine as legally possible.
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The result is a golden, straw-colored ale that pours into your glass with a "spicy white wine body and notes of sweet melon and white grape," along with a "tart, dry finish."
"By blending the two seemingly opposite worlds of beer and wine together, we've discovered that they collide quite nicely, and the combination of the two adds an additional thread of flavor and a layer of complexity to the mix," Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione says. "Mixed Media is perfect for wine drinkers who are at beer-drinking occasions or folks that enjoy a crisp, light Pinot Gris."
Prefer Chardonnay? Dogfish Head's Midas Touch uses white Muscat grapes balanced by a hint of saffron, while Sixty One combines the brewery's well-loved IPA with Syrah.