Goose Island Aviator Doppelbock

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Doppelbock
Chicago, Illinois USA

Draught at Wriggleyville. Pours dark brown with an average creamy off-white head, somewhat lasting, fair lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (bread, caramel), average hops (perfume), average yeast (sweat) with notes of cola. Medium bodied, alcoholic texture, average carbonation and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness, heavy acidity and bitterness; salty.

Draft taster at GI Clybourn. Deep brown with just a hint of light at the bottom of the glass. Thin tan head stayed around while I dallied with the first three samplers. A high bock scent. Taste is not as alky as the <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/goose-island-deb Little Helper. Dark malts without tannin harshness (again, I’m looking at you, <a href=http://ratebeer.com/beer/samuel-adams-black-l Black Lager). A well-made rich but subtle lager, even at this strength. A bit of fruitiness at the end, followed finally by alcohol warmth.

pretty big dopple, and pretty dark. i got lots of dark fruit. not particularly syrupy for a dopple. i might not have guessed this was a dopplebock.

Dusty dark copper, thin creamy off-white head. Fruity hopped caramel aroma. Dark hoppy flavor. Dark fruits.. cherries, plums. Interesting flavor, but maybe too much? Its like how I feel about brewpub abbey dubbels and tripels... often times they suffer from a cloying flavor overload, and this is borderline for me, just in a doppelbock style. But still, it is a interesting and good drinkable beer.

Ruby red color with smallish off white head. Aroma is dry, crisp, hints of caramel, cherry, vanilla, molasses. Flavor is rich, creamy, lots of caramel, touch of cherry, oak.

Draft @ Wrigleyville. Poured a deep burgundy with little appreciable head. Caramel, toffee, and tubs of deep, dark fruit sugars in the nose. Very sweet flavor with red grapes, plums, a decent caramel base, and a progressively stronger alcohol bite at the edges as this warmed. Astringency levels rose as the brew warmed. Fruity sugars were held in check by a nice floral bitterness. Solid doppel.. but just too sweet for me to drink another.

Seventh and probably the favorite of the afternoon. Tap at Clybourn. Dark brown and clinging off tan head. Nice roasted nose. Typical chocolate, coffee and caramel notes. Sweet caramel malts, alcohol yet smooth. Rich with s good hop finish. Piney and resinous. My favorite thus far!

On tap at Clybourn. A very dark translucent brown brew with a thin biege head. Sweet malts, banana, toffee, cocoa and wood are all present. Has a very slight warming presence on the finish. A very sound doppelbock.