Ettaler Curator Doppelbock

Brewed by Klosterbrauerei Ettal
Style: Doppelbock
Ettal, Germany

Bottle: Very nice aroma of figs, toffee, caramel, chocolate, and raisin. Pours a transparent mahogany with a moderate beige head that lasts a minute or so. Lots of malt in the form of caramel, chocolate, molasses, and toffee. Moderate fig, raisin, and fruit as well. After all the malty sweetness is a mildly roasty, lightly smokey, and lightly bitter finish with just the slightest touch of alcohol. Great mouthfeel. The full bodied mouthfeel ranks up there with the best of them. Thick, creamy, and velvety. My highest rated doppelbock behind 96 Samichlaus. I’m shocked at the average score for this fine brew.

Bottle (500ml). Clear deep burnt copper with an average tan foamy head. Solid toasty malt aroma, leafy and hoppy, nice lactic notes, hints of dark fruit and yeast. Taste follows nicely, dark fruit tartness balances the sweet roast malt nicely, has a tart, lightly bitter, long finish. Average body, decent carbonation, lightly acidic - very pleasant, well-made beer.

Deep, translucent and ruby brown in color with icy, swirling grey layers and saliva bubbles at the edges (initially, but there’s not much in the way of head retention later on.) Aroma is almost paradise: cocoa butter, nutmeg, parsnip, brown sugared plums and a dynamic chocolate wheat and rye characteristic. Baked candied apples and a touch of sweetened black currant come in on consecutive sniffs. Big flavor cannon hums with shae butter, caramelized pecans and chocolate toffee. Concord and chocolate rye elicit a bright flavor spot, and a buoyant viscosity slide sdown the hatch with accents of coal and buttered rum. Lightening throat hum is preceded by edible tweed. Brown sugar is caramelized over figgy pudding, transitioning to a sweet (and graham cracker laden) mince meat pie persona. Thick, chewy liquid bread with formidable, palatable aptitude. Chocolate coated caramel chews tell a charming desert tale as it trails into wholesome, cocoa and bread-infatuated bliss.

(Bottle) Pours a dark brown body with a small off-white head. Aroma of mlat, licorice, and alcohol. Flavor of black malts and alcohol.

(06.03.06) On tap at Firkin, Libertyville, IL. Poured clear brown with small off-white head. No discernable carbonation. Slight malt aroma. Medium bodied lager that starts with light malt sweetness and fruity/caramel flavors. Some licorice notes detected. Finished with light malt fade and light bitterness. Very good drinkable lager.

This is the real thing, with roast barley and chocolate malt. Well balanced, very smooth, good for its style. Substantive licorice in finish.

Pours a nice very deep mahagony amber with a nice grayish white head. Aroma of light spice like cinnamon and clove with some vegetable DMS, sweet thick caramel malts, but lacks the full rich toasted malts. Sweet fruity flavor with lots caramel, toffee, plum, raisin, and fig. Again no thick nutty toasted munich malts like lots of other good doppelbocks, but this is still pretty good. Unique.

Bottle and served in my NG pint glass: Pours a rich russet hue with a fading fizzy head and no lace. The aroma has notes of caramel, smoke, rye bread, molasses, licorice, and a hint of phenols. The taste is pure sweet dark malt over a layer of over-ripened fig. Additional overtone of smoke and molasses dance across the palate. Not for everyone but malt lovers should enjoy this bier. The best part is that is doesn’t come off cloy or over-the-top. Some alcohol warming is noted on the medium-bodied mouth feel. A good brew if I do say so. Just short of greatness but so what because not every bier can be among the top 10 in style. Let hear it for the Benedictine Monks!