Capital Autumnal Fire

Brewed by Capital Brewery
Style: Doppelbock
Middleton, Wisconsin USA

thanks to kms399 for this one. anticipation was high as I have wanted to try Autumnal Fire for almost a year. starts out like a marzen with aroma of pumpkin and spice. even looks like a marzen with a fiery copper body and a fast fading off-white head. flavor is a combination of a marzen & a doppelbock, big sweet caramel malt mixed with that unmistakable oktoberfest spice. has a medium body with an almost buttery coating on the tongue. while I liked this one, I think if I had tried it several months ago, I would have rated it higher. interesting how tastes change as you drink more beer.

Tap at Benno’s. This beer pours to a dark amber body. A thin khaki head. The aroma is kinda Vienna’y in malt. Sweet and darkly toasted. The flavor is nicely toasted. Dopplebockish. There is a nice malt and earthy hop. The palate is creamy, medium bodied, nice carbonation.

12 oz bottle. Brandy snifter as recommended. Beautiful garnet color with a nice white head that quickly disappears. Aroma of sweet malt and alcohol. Flavor is a lot more of the same - sweet malt and alcohol. I am getting more alcohol present than other raters, but not overly so. A touch of hops in the finish for a bit of balance. Another very good beer from Capital.

Bottle. Sparkly clear copper pour with a very nice initial off-white head that dissipates rather quickly. Very nice dark fruit aroma with some caramel and earthy notes. Strongly malt-based in the flavor, too, with the berries, caramel, and alcohol. Sweet, yet not cloying. Floral hops really only come through on the finish. Excellent balance, and went down very easily.

(12oz bottle) Clear copper body topped by a small off white head that almost wholly dissipates. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, some cherry, bread, light earthy. Taste is very sweet, caramel, raisin, some cherry, light alcohol. Sticky medium body.

12-oz bottle, and on tap at the brewery biergarten
Gorgeous brilliant ruby copper color -- one of the lovliest beers I’ve laid eyes on. Medium white head forms on pour and a thin head sits on top until the liquid beneath it is gone. Huge sweet caramel malt nose. Big sweet caramel flavor as well with some alcohol showing, though not enough to betray its 8.5% ABV. Medium hop presence is almost overwhelmed by the complex malt. Mouthfeel almost thin for how intense this beer is. Thick, slightly cloying palate. The best American-made German beer I’ve had yet. Consistently excellent year after year, on tap or in bottles. My favorite local seasonal, I look forward to this beer and a trip to the brewery every fall.

Just about as good as doppelbocks come...rich roasted caramel malt and an almost bread-like chewiness. Others have remarked on the mild hopping, but I get a pretty decent bitter jolt from this stuff. Alcohol almost invisible. And a great lingering smooth finish...I love this stuff!

On tap at the Firkin, Libertyville, IL. Average off-white head with good lacing. Clear red amber color with fruity ester aroma. Soft carbonation. Medium bodied with smooth creamy texture. Starts with a light sweet malty taste and finishes slightly dry with light hops. Similar to Capitol Oktoberfest but better. A tasty and unforgettable beer.