Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

Brewed by Brauerei Aying
Style: Doppelbock
Aying, Germany

This beer is delicious. I don’t know how they would improve on its strong, yet smooth flavor. I love the light nutty taste. Normally I want more hops or less yeast in a beer. Lots of toast and some deep vanilla malt. One of the best dopplebocks you can get.

Original Rating (8/25/204, 8-4-6-3-15=3.6): Vanilla, plum, prune, raisin, fig, toffee, yeasty, dough-like, and toasty notes in the complex and enjoyable aroma. Dark mahogany brown with huge, large-bubbled, pillowy, tan head that lasts nicely and recedes with some minor lace. Sweet dark fruit notes with some chocolate and nutty flavours. Notes of vanilla and licorice with a lightly smokey, roasty, dry finish. Though complex, the flavours seem a bit flat for some reason. Some alcohol warming. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Port-like. I really expected to like this one more than I actually did. I’ll have to retry it at some point. Bottle. Thanks to Presario and Dorwart who both sent me a bottle of this!
Rerate (15-May-05, 7-3-6-2-12=3.0): Seems that either I just don’t get this beer or I have bad luck in the bottles that come my way. Strong worty raw wheat aroma with some dark fruits. Opaque brown with ruby highlights and a fine-bubbled cover of tan head. Sweet and lightly spicy with a tired brown malt character. Medium body with low carbonation. Bottle sampled with beerbuzzmontreal, MartinT, Olivier_MTL, Rastacouere and Yowie.

Dark brown hue with good tan head and very good lace. Oustanding aroma of molasses, caramel, toffee, prune, fig, vanilla, and bittersweet chocolate. A bit vinous on nose, complex. Lush malty taste with sublime hoppiness. Fruity and smokey twang. The finish was clean for something this big, the alcohol helps clear the palate for the next drink. Oily and lively mouthfeel. Outstanding world class beer, always a favorite, time tested.

Bottle at home ... Deep brown ... thin off white head... woody toffee meaty malt nose ... deep rich toffee ... and id confirm the teriyaki hints how very odd but it works very well ... smooth and soft ... little alcohol in back but only a little...

Bottle. Small light brown and quickly disappearing head. Clear very dark red, almost blac, body. Starngely enough my first impression of this aroma is that of cocoa. Sweet berries come in second. Flavor pretty complex berries with a dry roasted maltyness and a heaviliy carbonated and dry finish. Short aftertaste though.

Poured brown with a small cream colored head. Aroma was malty and fruity. Sweet, brown sugar, raisins, prunes, and figs. Flavor continued with the fruits and added mild roastedness, light smoke, and alcohol. Light to medium bodied.

Sampled at Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in St Paul, Minnesota. From 330 ml bottle pours a clear reddish dark amber brew with a thin beige head that slowly dissipates to a fine film and off-white ring. Aroma of sweetened caramel malt, a touch of brown sugar, dark pitted fruits and some raisin. Taste is full bodied, very light carbonated with a smooth flavor of dark pitted fruits, raisin, some caramel malt and brown sugar. Finish is semi-sweet, the a malty aftertaste that slowly disappears. I recommend using Celebrator as a guide to compare other dopplebock beers to.

Poured a deep brown with red highlights when held to light. Medium head receded quickly to form a tight ring around the edge of the glass (lasted for the entire drink). Aroma was somewhat smoky, with caramel and general roasted malts noted. Taste followed the nose, with the smoke only noted in the finish. Flavors danced well on the palate, and the mouthfeel was a little sticky. Aftertaste picked up some of the dark fruit (i.e. plums, prunes) that were not noted as well in the mouth. Excellent brew!