Dixie Crimson Voodoo Ale: Voodoo is for the timid after all
Written: Apr 27 '01 (Updated Jun 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice presentation and aroma
Cons: Too thin, low flavor, no carbonation
The Bottom Line: A let down from a good brewery. Presentation and aroma promise much. Taste is a complete disappointment.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Crimson Voodoo Ale |
The Dixie Brewing Company is a microbrewery that produces a good range of quality beers. Based in New Orleans since 1907, the building it occupies is something of an architectural landmark. Probably the best known of its brew is the Blackened Voodoo, a dark lager brewed on the back of the region’s famous Cajun cuisine. I have to admit that my only experience of this brewery had been the Dixie Lager (respectable) available in the UK. A note to remark about this brewery is its commitment to pure ingredients and traditional brewing methods, a commitment to quality.
Dixie Crimson Voodoo, a red ale, is something I picked up based merely on the name and the attractive label. The label and theme invoke something of a haunted image, a forest or swamp, eyes hidden in the trees, all tainted in various shades of bloody red. “Voodoo” may hint at this being a strong brew, but at 5% this is certainly not the case. In general this brew seems to suggest, “not for the timid”, something which would later disappoint.
The initial impressions with this beer are very promising. A deep red, almost brown body stands beneath a nice soft foam. The head is respectable, leaving several layers of lace down the sides of the glass. The low level of carbonation may be something of a disappointment, but as an English ale drinker something I’m pretty accustomed to. There’s a pleasant aroma, a strong hoppiness at first but mostly a honey-like malt. The malt does become more noticeable and richer as the beer breathes a little.
The mouthfeel is very light and watery, with almost no apparent carbonation. There’s a light initial fruitiness, like a very light cherry, but nothing too substantial. Although the finish is slightly bitter, there’s very little aftertaste. In fact a few seconds after each sip I would hardly recognize that I had been drinking it.
I have to say that the beer does improve a little as it sits and warms. There’s certainly a more noticeable sweetness, very honey-like. Normally I wouldn’t have finished the glass, and drunk something else instead. However I was hoping that I would discover something else the more I tried. In spite of my efforts I was still not getting anything substantial some 45 minutes later.
Personally, I haven’t been this disappointed since the Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic. There is a good link here to make between the two, both are from excellent breweries and both get mixed reviews. I’m not going to recommend this brew at all.
If you are drinking this, I would definitely say it needs food. Because it’s fairly thin and low in flavor you could probably pair it with anything, but personally I’d have to go along the lines of something spicy, maybe Cajun also.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
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Member: Andrew Smith
Location: The Desert, So Cal
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