Ettaler Curator Doppelbock

Brewed by Klosterbrauerei Ettal
Style: Doppelbock
Ettal, Germany

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!

Clear, brown beer. Off-white head, fairly lacing. Alcohol notes in the aroma. Flavor has hints of lactic acid.

Bottle at Schnitzelfest at Old Heidelberg. Poured a clear dark cranberry with a fluffy off-white head. Aroma of molasses, grapes, and some toffee. Flavor is dry and complex, with notes of raisins, brown sugar, some grassy hops, and a whiskeyish dryness that betrays the beer’s strength. Pretty full bodied but not cloying. A very nice doppelbock, whose high alcohol helped balance the sweetness and make it quite drinkable.

Bottle pictured poured with dark brown with slight glowing brown edges. Head is small and quickly escapes. Aroma is very present. An alcohol-y malt aroma. Not overpowering alcohol but present. Its a light bodied doppelbock, surprising b/c its actually stronger than most. Flavor is tangy/zingy-malt (if that makes any sense). Some alcohol burn as well.

Chestnut color with a hint of garnet when held to the light. Smaller light tan head. THe aroma starts a touch grainy, but then releases some figs and light peat in the aroma. Scents of fresh bread, light alcohol and rich milk caramel as well. Full malty brew, with many subtleties. Light fruitiness start with figs and prunes. Some port qualities. Thicker, in feel, yet quite smooth and not cloying at any point. Mild licorice in the middle that leads to lightly toasted malt and a hint of smoke. I appreciate the depth of the malt in this one. Well developed and rich.

Bottle thanks to Willblake at HW open house. Fairly clear, dark brown color with a small beige head. Sweet aroma of caramel malt, granny smith apples and brown sugar. Flavor of black bread, caramel and dates.