Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Marshall, Michigan USA

Chestnut color with a head that fades quickly to just a few bubbles around the rim and a oil slick gathering of bubbles in the middle of the glass. Heavy aromas mocha. Light caramel, dough and a hint of charred oak. A mix of dark coffee and darker malts seem to transcend all flavors. It seems at times that they are fighting each other for attention rather than come together in one balanced brew. I’m not a confessed coffee brew lover, but a dopplebock lover. Tell me this is a strong coffee brew and I’m ok with it.

Draft sample at MBGF Summer08. Poured dark brown color with an average frothy light brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy fruit, toasted malt and nutty aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture. Medium to heavy roasted sweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. My expectations where met.

Bottle. Head is initially small, frothy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark brown, unfiltered. Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, coffee, husks/vegetables, cookie). Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter, husky. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. Quite vegetal/husky in both aroma and finish. The coffee character is also not particularly inviting, like stale grounds. Nice mouthfeel though..

Bottle from Acknud. Like where does he get this stuff? Looks like a miracle from California perspective. Pours a clear dark ruby color with a temporary beige head. Aromas of coffee over dark caramel. Full bodied with fizzy carbonation. Flavor is coffee and chocolate - but it doesn’t seem mocha. Seems well balanced. It’s neither sweet nor dry. Kind of astringent. Rather mouth smacking.

Bottle. Rusty brown colored body with a khaki head. The strong coffee aroma is expected. There are also some raisins and dark chocolate. The taste is milk chocolate and cheap coffee. This is like a flat cola with blueberry candy and cheap brown pancake syrup. I really like Dark Horse, but this beer is off the target. The coffee and the dopplebock parts of the beer do not work together and do not seem to be quality in the first place. One of the worst coffee beers I have tried and easily the worst beer I have had from Dark Horse.

2008 MiBGF: Carmel red with an okay head. The aroma has notes of toffee, herbal hops, apple, and hint of mint and coffee, some yeasty esters. The taste has sweet malt and slightly fruit tones with a roasty finish and some coffee bitterness. Does not taste like a normal dopplebock that is for sure. The mouth feel is oily and smooth. I am disappointed by this beer, not at all what I expected and does not seem to mesh very well.

Sampled from 12-oz bottle and shared by Badgerben. Pours a hazy dark cola brown brew with a thin off-white head that quickly dissipates to a fine film and thin off-white ring. Aroma of caramel malt and dark coffee, some chocolate and a hint of pear. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of mostly coffee and roasted caramel malt. Finish continues the dark coffee aftertaste that hides most other flavors.

Bottled. Poured brilliant coppery-orange with a short-lived cap of tan head. The aroma picked up day-old, but still yummy coffee grounds first with rich, drawn caramel not too far behind.. light wafts of sour oak and earth on the back. The flavor showed a little more of that sourness which wasn’t necessarily bad, but was kind of annoying.. sweet caramel, brown sugar, and toffee sweetness at the core with a dry, ashy coffee impression on the sides.. tacky and warm at the finish with more caramel and a medium-skinned fruit bouquet. Heavier-bodied and sour on the palate with low carbonation.. light smoke and a longer finish. This was decent.