So after almost two years, they finally decided to bottle and ship this stuff.

Just got to try it today. All I can say is that it rocked my world. Here's a quick description from the site.

"Palo Santo Marron

Availability: Limited Release 12-ounce bottles, 4-packs

Release Date: Feb, May, Aug, Nov, 2008

Palo Santo Marron

(Holy Tree Brown)

An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means "holy tree" and it's wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.

This beer is a 12% abv, highly roasty, and malty brown ale aged on the Palo Santo wood. It was a huge hit at our Rehoboth Beach brewpub when first released in November of 2006, so it's coming back... into full production.

At 10,000 gallons each, these are the largest wooden brewing vessels built in America since before Prohibition. It's all very exciting. We have wood. Now you do too."

Without getting to geeky, mouthfeel is extremely smooth and creamy and heavy. Not an ounce of harshness or bitterness anywhere. Upfront it reminds me of an Imperial Brown Ale with a a good blast of malt, then some vanilla, caramel, toffee and dark chocolate come into play then it finishes with a healthy dose of roasted malts like characteristic of an Imperial Porter. I found it do be very complex and dangerously drinkable. I'm talking next to no booze what so ever. And this stuff is 12%! Yikes!

If you guys get a chance, pick it up. I'll tell you know it ain't cheap. Probably going to run about $15 for a four pack, but considering what you are getting. Plus it comes with a DVD!

Yeah, from what I've heard it's JUST hitting shelves in Massachusetts better beer stores now. I'm definitely going to pick some up! Was going to today, but went to Sunset Grill for some Sixpoint beer instead.

just picked this up yesterday. cant wait to try it. How about that price though? YIKES!

BigQuaffy wrote:
just picked this up yesterday. cant wait to try it. How about that price though? YIKES!

Yeah, I picked it up yesterday myself. $17 per 4-pack? It better be good! That's $4.25 per bottle.

Anyone else try this yet? I've been sick the last few days, haven't had a chance....first review seems to be pretty stellar though!

BigQuaffy wrote:
just picked this up yesterday. cant wait to try it. How about that price though? YIKES!

It's running $16 a 4-pack here. I can easily justify paying that. Here's how.

Craft Beers are my first love, but I am also a wine drinker and whisk(e)y drinker as well. Look at it like this. You only get a hair over 24 oz out of a 750mL bottle of wine and on average most people spend about $9-15 per bottle for your average/session stuff. You pay $16 for 48 oz of wonderful brown goodnes so you are essentially getting almost a two for one deal on paper. If you want to get technical, you could compare a finely crafted beer such as this one or one of your all time seasonal favorites to say a finer/rarer bottle of wine and all of a sudden, it don't look so bad. I can extract just as much pleasure out of drinking craft beer as I can fine wine.

Well that's my story anyways. It works for me.

oh yea, i dont need any justification for it, thats the same spiel i give myself anytime i buy anything on the pricy side

Or you could always go with the: "I could pay $20 for 4 BMCs at the bar, or i could pick up a DFH 4 pack for less than that and enjoy it 10x more.."

BigQuaffy wrote:
Anyone else try this yet? I've been sick the last few days, haven't had a chance....first review seems to be pretty stellar though!

Yeah, tried it the other day. Super smooth! A good bit of vanilla and oak. Sweet malt. Alcohol is insanely hidden. I dug it for sure!

yea i liked it too. Had it this weekend. Very smooth, no sign of that 12% really.

Had a few over the course of the month, the 12% is hidden sooo well. I've had 8.5% beers that had a much stronger alcohol presence.