Dogfish Head Midas Touch Beer Review
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
There is a very interesting story behind this beer. I just shot the video above and drinking it now as I write this. So if I start writing gibberish, you know why. Here is the story behind the beer and my Midas Touch beer review.
Dogfish Head Midas Touch Description
Delaware- Herbed/Spiced Beer – 9% ABV. GABF Bronze Medal 2011. This recipe is from the oldest-known fermented beverage in the world, including barley, white Muscat grapes, honey, and saffron found in the drinking vessels in King Midas’ tomb! Somewhere between a beer, wine, and a mead. Complex, Fruity, Honey, Vinous, Light-bodied.
Dogfish Head brewery is out of New Jersey and what is great about them, is they do a lot of experimental beers. They are more known for IPAs (60-Minute, 90-Minute, and 120-Minute). They also do some so-called extreme beers, basically very high alcohol beers. Midas Touch is one of those experimental beers that made it to the market.
The Story Of Midas Touch Beer
The recipe is from an analysis of the residue found in drinking vessels in a tomb in present day Turkey. This was the tomb of King Midas. This was found in 1957 by Rodney Young. Much food and drink remains found in the dig set in a professor’s office at University of Pennsylvania for 40 years.
Then Dr. Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, found out about the remanants. He is export at discovering food and drinks from the ancient world. He did an analysis on the food drink remains. what they found was a mixture of wine, honey mead, and beer, but no spice or bitter agent. It is thought that there must have been a spice as it was found in the food remnants. So Dr. McGovern took a best guess w they may have use saffron since it is in abundance in that region.
At a banquet dinner, Dr. McGovern met Sam Caligione, the founder and owner of Dogfish Head who was interested in Dr. McGovern’s work in the analysis of the drink remnants from King Midas. It is from this meeting that we have Midas Touch Beer.
This has led to a whole line of beers from Dogfish Head based on ancient residue found at different sites. There is Chateau Jiahu (China), Theobroma (Honduras), and Ta Henket (Egypt).
Dogfish Head called Midas Touch a liquid time capsule. When it was first brewed by Dogfish Head, it was the oldest fermented beverage in the world. However, that distinction now goes to Chateau Jiahu. That is based on a recipe around 9,000 years ago.
Midas Touch Beer Review
When you pour the beer, there is little or no head of foam. You can smell the fragrance it is a mix of a beer and wine smell. As you drink it, starts out very sweet, then a little spice (most likely saffron), the finish is very dry. It is very smooth.
At 9% alcohol you have to careful as it is a very easy drinking beer, as it does not seem to be that high of alcohol. But, after a bottle of it, you will feel the alcohol. As far as the bitterness rating (IBU’s) of 12, which is very low.
It is a great beer to mix with food. It would go with the most Asianfood, curries, chicken, or fish type of dishes. Basically, any of food that is light and spicy. It would satisfy both wine and beer drinkers as it is a good of both.
I would give this a rating of 97% out of a 100%.
This is a great beer (if you want to call it that) with a very cool story. Especially, if you are into history and wondered what some of the royalty of the ancient world may have drunk, you have just one example in Midas Touch. Hope you enjoyed my Midas Touch beer review.
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Have you tried Midas Touch? If you have what were your opinion? Leave a comment below.