Capital Autumnal Fire

Brewed by Capital Brewery
Style: Doppelbock
Middleton, Wisconsin USA

Thanks to bu11zeye for this beer. Poured a brownish red with a fizzy off-white head. Rich aroma of scotch whiskey, molasses, caramel, and a touch of alcohol. Flavor is very complex. It starts out with a syrupy sweetness, which quickly yields to some citrusy tartness, whiskey dryness, and some notes of toffee and a touch of alcohol, but not nearly enough to betray the beer’s strength. Finishes dry with a few final molasses and citrus notes. Body is pretty full. I’m not sure if I’m getting "doppelbock meets octoberfest" out of this, but what I am getting is that this is a rich, complex, and whiskeyish doppelbock with a bit of a refined air to it that makes for some excellent drinking.

Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a rim of beige head. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel, as well as some oxidation. The flavor is sweet malty with notes of fruit and caramel, as well as a light note of oxidation.

A fall favorite. Amber pour with a little head. Sweet malt flavor in the body with various spices.

Bottle. Pours a clear deep amber-brown with a good size mostly-lasting creamy tan head -- quite nice. Mild somewhat sweet aroma of caramel malt, butterscotch, nuts, dark fruit, bready yeast and faint hops. Aroma may be a little mild but there’s a big malty flavour along with traces of nuts, chocolate, yeast, alcohol and some light hops in the finish. Not overly sweet which is nice. Medium bodied, syrupy mouthfeel. I must say, I really enjoyed this, very well done!

12-oz., thanks to Secret Santa. W00t! Medium butterscotch-bolored pour; brownish-clear with a light smattering of tannish head. Big caramel and butterscotch nose. Tingly carb. Forward attack, especially considering the beautifully restrained flavors across the mid-palate. Some smoke in there with the caramel and butterscotch as it moves across the mid palate. Sticky and lightly bitter, herb/spicy finish. Fantastic stuff; amazing balance.

Bottle courtesy of Sammy: Poured a medium to deep clear brown color ale with a medium foamy head with average retention but good lacing. Aroma of sweet malt is more reminiscent of a barley wine then a doppelbock but is interesting nonetheless. Taste is dominated by sweet malt with some very subtle cloves but no banana notes can be found here. Body is about average with some medium carbonation and no alcohol is discernable. Overall, this was more akin to a barley wine then a doppelbock but was quite enjoyable nonetheless.

Light-colored, coppery body with a very thin head. The aroma is sticky sweet - with lots of rich malts and cotton candy. The alcohol is pretty well-hidden by the sweetness. The flavor is pleasantly malty enough, with a small bit of hops to make it well-balanced, despite the initial sweetness. A breadiness abounds.

Bottle from Ughsmash (thanks, Jason!) - nice bring orange/copper pour, with moderate lacework - quite herbal and hoppy in the nose, at least initially, followed by some caramel notes, munich malt, buttery/nutty hints - and interesting take on a doppel - you can really taste the oktoberfest influence in the slightly higher hop profile and mild floral notes - the caramel sweetness one would expect is there, too, and the higher bitterness and mild spice actually balance the beer quite nicely - finishes mildly sweet and floral - nice.