Great Dane Dominator Doppelbock

Brewed by Great Dane Pub & Brewery
Style: Doppelbock
Madison, Wisconsin USA

Growler from Madison. Clear deep cherry/chestnut pour with a a great initial cap of beige head (receded to a ring and light wispy coverage). Nose was decidedly malty with dark fruits, caramel, and some alcohol (this strengthens as it approaches room temp). Flavor was fuller than the nose, with deep, almost roasty dark fruits (plum and vinous notes), mildly sticky caramel, and a hint of woodiness... with alcohol and bitter highlights. Just a little more than medium-bodied on the palate, and sticky from the sweet dark malts. Balance was quite nice. Very solid brew! 7 4 8 4 15

Re-rate March ’09
On tap at Great Dane. Poured medium coppery-brown with a short-lived cap of tan head. The aroma was on the sweet side with toasty caramel, chocolate, and lesser dark fruit represented.. spicy and engaging on the back. The flavor was a little more aggressive with warmth, but it was still well-balanced.. rich caramel and nutty notes at the core.. spicy and herbal bitterness surrounded.. a touch rough with alcohol on the finish. Heavier-bodied with moderate carbonation on the palate.. again hot at the back, otherwise a decent feel.

Dark red color with no head. Slight malt aroma. Semi-rich malt taste with a slight sweetness on the finish. Alcohol is hidden well. Tasty enough, but with a name like dominator, shouldn’t it try to kill me?

Draft at the brewpub. Poured a clear copper color. Head was off white and left a bit of lace behind. Smelled of dark fruits and subdued alcohol. Medium bodied with alcohol, toffee, and plum flavors. Decent, but I didn’t like it as much as some of the previous raters.

Mostly translucent and amber-bronze in color with a persistently thin and creamy tan sheet with pinhole sized bubbles, pocked consistently at the surface. Frothy tan cream dominates the edges with toasty marshmallow lacing. Plum pudding, grahams, copper, caramel and light chocolate-covered toffee project a typical and solid nose. Some cinnamon hints at brown sugar and maple oak, and moves us beautifully toward the upswing in flavor. Oozy oil seeps in, with aggressive flavor intonations grasping honey suckle, brandied figs, rum raisin and maple bark shavings. Titillating bitterness is beyond typical IBU ratios, but it’s part of its character and well appreciated in this rendition. Greasy palate wonder achieves perfection, while some alcohol sentiments turn some attention to woodsy, sweetened pepper. Butterscotch, pepper and spicy caramel reverberate lovingly long after the drink is done. Impressive.

Very sticky. Caramely sweet. Alcohol not well hidden at all. Aroma led me to believe the taste would be somewhat burnt. Not the case.

Murky tawny color. Aroma of caramel and alcohol. Taste of toasted caramel, bitter evergreen hops in the finish. I can really taste the alcohol in this one.

Deep chestnut\/ red-brown with a thin white head that tended to lace with little headless men - kinda petroglyphian. Nutty malt nose. Little in the sweetness line - dry for style. Clean and crisp. A bit od chlorine taste may have been the glass. Slightest of smoky beef, but a very good beer, though not a classic dopple. Reminded me more of a top notch American Bock. They make this for Mardi Gras.

On tap at the downtown location, pours dark red with a thin white head. Nothing much in the nose, and flavors were lacking imagination. It kinda had that cheap-Genny Light-hangs-around-too-long taste, finishes just a little malty. Gonna have to give this a "meh" rating.