Great Lakes Instigator Doppelbock

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Tasted at the MRAF in Columbus. Poured a dark brown with foamy off-white head. Aroma was a complex blend of malt, small hop and fruit tone. Flavor was as complex with a full bodied malt, coffee and a low hop finish. Complex flavor and texture did not allow a alcohol or bitter bite. Very good brew.

Cask version at Barley’s 4th Annual Mini RAF (05/13/06): Another year, another good Doppelbock from GLBC. Dark honey color with a thin light beige head that retains pretty well. Thin spotty lacing. Malty, nutty aroma with some dark fruit. Medium-bodied with a hoppy and nutty character, along with a good malt backbone. Some caramel and coffee in the background as well. The finish is sweet and malty. Enjoyable.

Cask version at Barley’s 3rd Annual Mini RAF (04/16/05): GLBC definitely came to play at this event. Dark honey color with a miniscule and foamy beige head. Aroma of malt and dark fruit. Medium body with a hoppy punch at first that rounds out quickly. Catching up with the initial hops blast are coffee, nut and malt flavors. The finish is lightly bitter and dry. A little more sweetness would help this beer, but overall there isn’t much to complain about.

Firkin at MRAF at Barley’s Smokehouse in Columbus Ohio - Poured copper with a creamy tan head that faded pretty quick. Aroma is mostly caramel, but some notes of raisin as well. Flavor is nice malty caramel, sweet raisin, and light roasted notes. Palate was malty and medium bodied. Somewhat watery on the finish.

Even at almost 8%, this is a very easy to drink doppel. Deep brown with hints of red, kind of clear. Aroma is sweet malts, fruity. Flavor is sweet and full of chocolate with very light hints of roast and smoke. Not overly thick, and kind of dry at the finish - these factors keep it from being too sweet overall.

From the brewery a Pub exclusive: Deep Mahogany color, rich roasted malts, great malty flavor to it, couldn’t even taste the alcohol one bit.

On tap at the brew pub. This beer is a strong dopplebock with a heavy malt flavor and a clear alcohol flavor. The body is not as heavy as I expected, given the etoh,

Sample from MRAF at Barley’s Smokehouse. Deep ruby colored with a light tan head with little retention. The aroma was light, sweet malt and cherry perhaps. The flavor was also fairly light, clove, caramel malt, dark fruit. A very spritzy beer, and perhaps a bit thin in spots...not bad, but not their best.

MRAF ’05. Pours ruby/brown with almost no head from the firkin. Aroma is plum like. Taste is smooth, fruity, and a little watery. 8% is hidden extremely well, very drinkable stuff. Sweet on the finish. Good beer.