The Bruery - Dodie

Dodie’s modeled after a take on the much-loved Manhattan cocktail: employing rye, barley and wheat along with the bourbon-barrel aging (mimicking the spirits part, of course), plus, as noted, a “blend of 20+ spices and grape must for bitters-esque and vermouth-like notes.” The additions of cherries and orange zest comprise the finishing touches to this Manhattan.

We enjoy any number of less-sweet cocktails around these parts, but the Manhattan without a doubt is on regular rotation. Bourbony notes go beautifully alongside a well-placed cherry. Here, Dodie hits a lot of our favorite notes from a great Manhattan: complex Bourbon and subtle barrel elements, rounded cherry notes that don’t overstep, and that burst of a bright, juicy-but-bitter citrus note from the orange zest. Both of the latter benefit from those grape must elements in the background, adding a sort of Concord-grape slant with the other fruit.

This pours pretty on-point with a Manhattan: dense, hazy golden-brown with amber edges. A modest perimeter of off-white bubbles. Along with its Manhattan-like elements, the aroma brought angles approximating maple syrup, brown sugar—and even the fruitiness of cotton candy. This is immensely generous beer, its promise of a great cocktail continuing smoothly.

The Bruery’s especially good at finishing their high-ABV concoctions—sticking the landing, so to speak. For Dodie there’s a perfectly tuned, slightly prickly degree of carbonation that’s a perfect match to the heft of this beer. Tiny, tiny bubbles illuminating the surface of a very dense, Bourbon-minded, hefty core. This beer just feels excellent on the tongue overall: the opposite of top-heavy, this gains a lot in its liftoff courtesy of the vibrant orange zest along with plush cherries. If we wanted a Manhattan, but we didn’t have a Manhattan, but we still really, really wanted a Manhattan—this would scratch that existential itch. There’s welcome complexity in the overall Bourbon/malt melange, while the overall feel just falls into place.

This beer would survive a lot of things. Feel free to set down Dodie for some time in your cellar, as its near-12% ABV should give this ale a solid bit of longevity. There’s already soft, subtle elements of oxidized caramel that work well at the current moment as a middle note, and those will likely be among the things to amplify over time. This is delicious fresh. We’re inclined to pair this with like-minded pecan pies, possibly cherry-vanilla ice cream, definitely something reasonably hefty to stand up to Dodie. Enjoy this one in good company.