Climax Hoffman Doppel Bock

Brewed by Climax Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Roselle Park, New Jersey USA

Date: 09/08/2007
Mode: Growler
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

hazy dark amber, wispy off white head, bits of lace, light sweet caramel and chocolate aroma with a nice fruity character, light sweet dark caramel malt flavor, touch of chocolate is brought out by the sweet caramel, lots of earthy character to balance the malty sweetness to keep it somewhat dry and produce a light bitter finish,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

on tap-pours a tan head with orange/copper color. Aroma is malt, nutty, hops. Taste follows with the dominant taste being the malt. Low carbonation.

Sampled from growler bottle courtesy of eclectic: Pours a transparent amber ruby with a thin ring of off-white head. Aroma of lightly sweet, grainy pale malt and some caramel notes with a hint of tartness. Body starts about average with a mild sweetness, less than I expect in a doppelbock, and a touch of fruity esters toward a thinner mildly sweet and tart finish.

Tap at Barcade. Deep brown crystal clear beer topped by a thin off-white head. Aroma is strange... a sort of dirty malt character, so nuttiness and light solventy notes. Flavour is not good either, sweet and lightly nutty with a peppery solvent note. Fatty and rancid. Sweet and butterscotchy but lacking balance completely.

Tap @ Barcade. Poured a clear mahogany color with an off-white head. The aroma was fairly fruity with notes of raisins, grapes, and a hint of chocolate. The flavor was clean and fruity with some mild notes of raisins and a touch of cocoa on the dry finish. Light side of a medium body. Smooth mouth feel with a light carbonation.

Pours a deep copper/amber with a frothy tan head. Aroma is lightly toasted malts, some nuts, caramel, munich malts, somewhat metallic, light herbal hop hints, not as powerful as many doppelbocks in the aroma. Flavor is also a little bland- typical light munich, and vienna malts, hints of chocolate and nuts, and dark toasted bread. Body is a bit weak, and overall the body or mouthfeel just isnt there compared to some of the best Doppelbocks. I wasnt feeling this one at all.

Tap at Barcade: Deep orange with a very weak, minimal off white head. Aroma is slightly toasted malts, a touch of sweetness. A bit thin bodied, with an odd flavor. Slightly soapy at the fore, with solvent notes. Maybe the glassware wasn’t rinsed properly, but this seemed off a bit. As it warmed a touch of toasted, mild cocoa came out. If I wasn’t tasting that bar soap cleanser they use, then this was just a weird tasting lager.

Appearance: Pours a hazy brown body with a very thin white head. Smell: Light aroma of toasted malts with a hint of nuts. Lighter still in the nose is the pinch of herbaceous hops. Taste: Mild toasted maltiness (like Munich-lite) with a moderate amount of sweetness. Ever-present nuttiness. Very faint sliver of hop flavor on the otherwise sweet finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Seems a bit light all around for a doppelbock, though I still found it to be fairly tasty and enjoyable.