Goose Island Aviator Doppelbock

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

Draft… DLD’08… Sits mostly black in my glass (clear, crimson/orange when held up to bright light) with a small, creamy, off-white head. Fruity, malty aroma with notes of dark fruit and berries. Ester of medium sherry with low acidity. Full-bodied and creamy with dancing carbonation. Good chocolate malt and fruity sweetness with light acidity and decent mineral bitterness. Bittersweet, mineral finish.

A tight creamy tan head crowned this mild tasting doppelbock. It looks nice, good lacing, too, when it’s drunk, but the aroma is a light caramel with hints of dark fruits. The mouthfeel is awfully watery and the taste isn’t very strong. It’s hard to believe the advertised abv (7.6%, not 7.5%, as listed on this page), it swallows so smoothly. It does warm when it hits bottom, but I’d like more of a beer experience afore that happens.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Island Beer Company - Clybourn, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

Tap at Clybourn. Dark brown color with a modest off-white head. Scents of caramel, and light fruit abound. Nice rich feel. Flavors of caramel, light fruit and hints of nuts. A bit to much fruit for may taste in the style. Linger has a bit of bitter nut and linger returns to some dry grains. Still found the fruit to be too much of a distraction.

On tap at Clybourn, listed as 7.6% ABV on the board: Deep brown hue with a purple highlight, topped by a small creamy head and good lace. The nose detected plum, fig, blueberry, caramelized and toasted malts, mocha, grassy hops, and a dusty yeast ester. The taste was sweet and fruity with a lot of carmel and chocolate notes. The finish displayed a touch of smoke and some nutty qualities, very subdued bitters. The feel was quite lush and sliky smooth, the alcohol was very well hidden. Oh so yummy once it warms up (served too cold at first). A must try for warming up on those cold Chicago days.

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.

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 at GI Clybourn. Poured a clear medium brown-orange color. Head was light tan with good retention and an orange tint. There was some nice lace on the glass at the end. Aroma was of light cola with a subdued cherry/raspberry accent. there was also the slightest hint of adhesive tape from time to time. Medium bodied and slightly sweet. I tasted molasses and light cherry with some warming alcohol at the end.

In short: Standard Doppelbock
How: Tap at brewpub (Clybourn location)
The look: Clear dark amber body with a small beige head
In long: Dark fruits dipped in molasses. The fruity notes do cover a lot of ground (raisins, figs, cherries, dates and even some bananas and litchis. Tickling carbonation. The beer falls short with a somewhat apparent alcohol and a low-profile hopping. Nothing memorable but this is a beer I can easily get drunk on. How ironic to call such a drinkable strong beer Aviator after all the scandals of drunk pilots (and even astronauts) these past few years. Next to a new “Republican condom” I cannot think of a more ironic product name.