Dogfish Head Brewery is known for their gutsy experimental brews.  Their Palo Santo Marron is a great example of this.  This 12% ABV brown ale was an experience.  It poured a dark opaque blackish brown with a brown head.  Dogfish Head describes it as having a caramel and vanilla complexity, but this beer is so over the top and so complex I had a hard time picking out any particular flavors.  The flavor was defintely dominated by roasted malts.  This beer has all the nutty, earthy malt flavors that our previous brown ale Newcastle was missing, and then some.  I can understand the caramel description, it was definitely sweet...maybe even a molasses flavor.  The bottle also states that this brew is aged in wood barrels and you can taste this influence.  The Palo Santo Marron would likely pair a lot better with steak than it did with the chicken satay we had for dinner.  I wouldn't drink something so strong and overwhelming on a regular basis but I enjoyed giving this unique brew a try.