Back Road Aviator Doppel Bock

Brewed by Back Road Brewery
Style: Doppelbock
LaPorte, Indiana USA

After the Fort Wayne Ale Fest 2004, BigBadBear, Flemdawg, JSquire, Hotstuff, and Silphium came over to my place for a tasting. This was our third brew of the evening provided by Mike (BBB63). It poured large sized head of foamy fine to large sized light brown colored mostly lasting bubbles that left behind a good lacing. The body was semi-opaque and dark red brown colored. It had a musty malty aroma and a tingly medium strength malt bite. The flavor was weird with a malt bock beer bite and did not compare well to the German Doppelbocks IMHO (Sorry Mike).

Mike (BBB63) brought this to Fort Wayne in a quest to establish this doppelbock’s legitimacy! Poured ruddy orange/red-brown, with a big, thick, puffy light tan head. I picked up some dark fruit and brown sugar in the very toasty aroma. Flavor had an interesting woody, almost spicy character with brown sugar, toast, and caramel. I picked up a touch of cinnamon and bubblegum. Aviator doesn’t have the layered raisin/caramel strength of many doppelbocks, but its toasty, rather complex body gives this beer an interesting "Dunkely" feel. Very good.

Poured a dark brown color with some deep ruby highlights and a small tan head. Aroma of clove, toffee, licorice, caramel, smoke, some chocolate, and a little alcohol. Sweet chocolate is found at the forefront of the taste, but some smokiness, fruit, and finally a prickly alcohol finish. Very enjoyable, and although the alcohol was noticeable, I didn’t think it stood out as much as others have said. Thanks for this Back Road brew BBB63!

Dark brown color with orange highlights and a medium tan head. Sweet malt, clove, caramel, and fruit aroma. Very sweet clove and bubblegum flavors, with some caramel, malt, smoked wood and dark fruit. Medium body with a crisp tingly finish.

Very dark brown, almost opaque, with a medium tan head. The aroma was full of caramel, alcohol, Juicyfruit gum, and some gentle fruitiness. The flavor was beyond sweet...woweee! It was full of Juicyfruit gum (exactly!) caramel/toffee, chocolate, wood, fruit, and some nuttiness. Medium thick feel...crisp carbonation with a wet finish. Very nice Dopplebock. Thanks to BBB63 for this one.

Dark brown caramel pour. All black under the short lived, slightly creamy, tan head. Musty, woody aroma. At first, a fuller, thicker, big sweet mouth feel (caramel, plum?). Then, it gets sharply cut through by bitterness and alcohol leaving the mouth a bit dry. Strong flavor. The alcohol is not very hidden.

Mucked brick. Creamy, dusty-pearl froth. Luscious malt nose with shades of plum, grape, candied apple, caramelized sugar, and leather. Faintly metallic and meaty with notes of alcohol, cinnamon bread, and medicine. Well-placed esters. Thick, soft mouthfeel. Mellow carbonation. Starts with a rich malt structure, before an effortless transition to burnt sugar, medicine, leather, and earth. Scattered notes of smoke, peppery alcohol, and chocolate. Finishes lightly rooty, with that continual malt richness and crystal sweetness, alongside some scorching alcohol at the back of the throat. Thankfully, there is some juiciness and star anise, which make the sweetness tolerable. Overall, it’s a nice brew if you discount the sloppily-masked alcohol.

Deep brown. Musty, nutty smell containing almonds, and maple. Fairly strong alcohol profile, along with some nice pine plum flavors. Thick bodied. Very malty.