Dogfish head strikes again—this time with Sah’tea, a beer based loosely on a 9^th century Finnish recipe.  Instead of boiling their wort using modern methods, Sah’tea’s wort is caramelized using white hot river rocks.  Sah’tea is then fermented with German Weizen yeast.  Next, juniper berries foraged from the Finnish country side are added alongside black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper.

The nose of this beer is dominated by the German Weizen yeast, while the above listed spices take a back seat.  Sah’tea pours a cloudy golden color with a minute creamy head; again one is reminded of a German Weizen beer.  The black tea is prevalent up front, while a hint of juniper berries is evident towards the finish.  This is a smooth beer, with some alcohol detectable, although it is well hidden overall for a 9% ABV beer.  Containing only 6 IBU’s, it is no surprise that Sah’tea has absolutely no hop presence whatsoever.  Sah’tea is reminiscent of Franziskaner Weissbier with a horde of black tea and spices dumped into it.

Overall, this is another awfully unique and far fetching beer from Dogfish Head Brewery that is based on an ancient recipe.  The German Weizen yeast dominates the smell and taste; besides that Sah’tea seems to be a fairly balanced beer when considering the complex ingredients used.  Sah’tea is worth a shot if you are the adventurous type.  Just like Dogfish Head claims for all their beers, Sah’tea is an off centered beer meant for off centered people.  Will you be trying Sah’tea?