Full Sail 21st Anniversary Doppelbock

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Hood River, Oregon USA

Pours a deep, coffee-like color. Good abv. Almost no head in my snifter. Aroma is a deep malt-like experience. Deliicious malt flavor with a hint of bread. This seems to be a relatively simple beer. There’s no broad potency to the palate, but it seems drinkable enough. Don’t expect wonders. An average beer. Reminds of Newcastle Brown Ale for some reason.

A vigorous pour produces a thick, three-finger thick, creamy tan colored head. The beer is a deeply red stained, dark amber color that shows a brilliantly clear, red / cranberry color when held up to the light. The aroma is quite malty with a sweet, toffee-like, almost malt syrup like, toasty malt and a big brown sugar coated biscuit notes. This is definitely quite rich and at times makes me think of dried figs and caramelized raisins. As the beer warms a touch of hop aromatics become noticeable with both a light herbal note as well as a touch of hop fruitiness.

Somewhat thick and viscous as it hits my tongue, the beer retains the chewy malt body throughout, though it is not on the heavy side for a Doppelbock. The beer is somewhat sweet, though it is not a simple, sugary sweetness, but is instead a nice malty, toasty, caramelized sweetness. There is a touch of warming alcohol to the finish as well as a hint of spicy hops and a light bitterness. Malty flavors of toffee, concentrated Maillard browning flavors, brown sugar, . There is a soft, lightly balancing hop character here that provides a touch of spicy herbal notes to the flavor. This gets a bit more balanced between the dominant malt character and the hop notes as it warms up.

Definitely a solid Doppelbock; I like the rich maltiness here, though it could perhaps use a touch more richness. Actually 6 months of age might to wonders for this beer, but I am definitely enjoying this right now.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Pours a clear, light cola brown with a dense, quickly dissipating head. Aroma is dark fruits, spices, soy sauce and a bit of booze. Flavor is very good – an honest effort at a difficult style to nail – but isn’t quite like the real thing. A note almost akin to red wine comes out in the flavor, which is a nice touch, but it still tastes dilute and doesn’t cover the alcohol very well. Still, from a brewery I don’t normally expect much from, this is good.

Bomber pour. Reddish brown in color, with small tan head. Not much lacing. Full, malty aroma. Starts malty with hints of clove. Mid-glass warms up with roasted coffee with very mild hop bitterness. I’m relatively new to the German-style winter beers, and this one is now at the head of class for me.

A perfectly decent and likeable doppelbock. Definitely heavy on the rich dark-bready malt, with a sticky consistency.

Crystal clear copper red color with a tan head. Nice roasted malt aroma. Medium body. Good, fresh dark lager flavors of pumpernickel bread with lightly sweet molasses. Has a touch of smoke in the finish. Not too bad.

Pours dark meduim head. Is smooth and somewhat creamy. Tastes strong and easy to drink.

Bottle. A dark brown translucent color with a light tan head. A semi-sweet nut and malty aroma and flavor with a nice dry malty, caramel and butter finish. Smooth and flavorful.