March 2006 - For a dopplebock from Maryland, this isn’t half bad. Beer poured very dark brown with reddish highlights, a smallish head with some decent lacing. Flavor was caramel and roasty malts...sweet, but not overly so. A little hops balanced out the flavor, but mouthfeel a little thin. This isn’t going to full you into thinking it’s Celebrator or Maximator, but this is definitely better than other local attempts (*cough* Troegenator *cough*) I’ve had.

12oz bottle acquired in trade with bstill (thanks!). Poured a deeper mahogany color wtih a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of toasted nuts, bready and caramel. Tastes of caramel, nuts, brown sugar, cookie dough, and some dark fruits. Light to medium alcohol finish.

Poured a brown color (some reddish edges) with a generous head that laced well. The aroma was most strongly of caramel, some bread, some nuts, and spices. Alcohol was also strong and readily detectable. Flavor was as busy as the aroma, but again the alcohol was too prominent and squashed an otherwise decent take on the style. Finish did not have enough hops to keep this thing honest. Mouthfeel was sticky sweet, somewhat syrup-like.

Pours a transparent dark copper mahogany with a short-lived off-white head. Rich, toasty caramel malty, cookie dough aroma has a nice authentic German doppelbock character. Body starts with a sweet, viscous caramel sugar cookie flavor, with some earthy noble hoppy bitterness, mild metallic character and a drier, lingering warming finish. Overall, very authentic and well-made. Thanks to StewardofGondor for the chance to try this!

Deep, translucent and ruby/garnet in color with a pillowy tan head that evaporates to a thin pond with a thicker wrung around the edges. Aroma is a moderate delicacy - chocolate hazelnuts and mocha amaretto. Deep, woodsy, and a bark-like earthen nuttiness. Some wafts of whole wheat chocolate dinner rolls, cocoa powder and toasted oak. Maple meets mildew, and brown sugar stirred in molasses reach the nose at the break of each sip. Big flavor bill to fill. Vibrantly thick substance oozes in while dusty milk chocolate and snapped pecan shells impart that nutty dimension. Toffee bar, Heath transcendence with a noble hop boost that projects a slightly noticeable alcohol presence. Thick and massive on the palate, churning as one fluid force, and quite oily at that. Vibrantly jovial and eager at the edges, but all the balance contributors seem to be acting according to plan. Chocolate encapsulated caramel chews, greasy mocha beans and a raw tree bark character enrich the ending, pursued by profoundly rich reverberations that ring long into the night. Big thanks to Bstill for the bottle!