Grand Teton Double Vision Dopplebock

1L Swingtop: Pours a dark chewy raisin color with a nice fluffy brown head and tons of lacing. The nose is fresh and fruity with lots of cherry, dark chocolate, raisin, oak and smoky rye. The flavor is nice and chewy; more dark dried fruits and rich caramel malts. Nice carob note in the tail with a very balanced body and creamy mouthfeel. A tiny bit vegetal but it’s offset by the bright acidity from the heavier roasted malts and clean fresh hops. Probably my favorite of the Cellar Reserve series.

Sampled at Great Tucson Beer Festival. Mahogany pour with ruby red highlights and a minimal light brown head that left some lacing. Aroma is caramel, brown sugar, and molasses. Flavor includes cocoa powder, dark fruit, smoke, and roasted malt. Thick, heavy, syrupy mouthfeel which I like for the style. Not a bad brew but wouldn’t get the monster bottle.

Bottle pours brown in color with a minimal khaki colored head. Aroma is heavy in chocolate, brown sugar, and prune with a tiny hint of smoke. On first sip, the only thing I can think is that I’m glad I’m not trying to drink this beast alone. Flavor carries over the above with additional notes of molasses, black currant, and heavy roasted malt with a touch of alcohol. The mouthfeel is thick and oily, just how I like it, yet somehow I’m just not impressed. Probably the prune. Maybe I would have liked it better with some food, just lacks the integration.

At The Rose and Crown in Palo Alto. They ran out of IPA on tap, so they tree this one in with a big $3 sign on it. The bartender said this would appeal to fans of Pliny the Elder. I didn’t quite follow his logic, but for 3 bucks, I decided to give it a shot. It’s got a burnt, chocolate sort of taste. It’s just not my style. Dark, cola brown. Might be a good one for people who like the style, but I may struggle to finish his one.

Giant swing-top bottle at Beer in the Park. I’d seen this beer around earlier in the year, but the high price and large bottle in a hit-or-miss style for me kept it out of my hands. A five ounce pour was just perfect, actually, and I can’t imagine drinking an entire bottle of this. The aroma is a nice blend of cherry and chocolate. The flavor is big malts that are just very typical of the style, with a burnt toast and over-ripe fruit, balanced by a medium bitterness. Thick in the mouth. Nice aromatics and a decent flavor balance, but this is just to hard to drink for me to ever buy.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with an average, rocky light brown head, somewhat lasting with fair lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toffee), light hop (herbs), average yeast (dough, broth) with notes of alcohol, oak, brown sugar, and plum. Full bodied, creamy texture, lively carbonation, and an astringent finish. Long duration, heavy sweetness, light acidity and bitterness.

Draught @ TFD - Pours dk brown with a small beige head...aroma is cocoa, roasted malt and spice...flavour is sweet without being cloying, bitter chocolate, molassas, toast...nice dark fruit on the finish...tasty...

1 liter swing top bottle from Bevmo. Pours an opaque dark brown color with a medium khaki head that has good retention and some lacing. The aroma is sweet with roasted malts and molasses. The flavor is similar to the aroma, plenty of molasses, brown sugar, licorice, dark roasted malts and perhaps some charcoal. The mouthfeel is full and creamy smooth. The finish is long with lingering molasses. This is one fine dopplebock, one of the best of its style.