Left Hand Goosinator Doppelbock

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Doppelbock
Longmont, Colorado USA

Nose of malt, spice, vanilla, grain, yeast, and alcohol. Pours a hazy walnut. The sufficient cascade forms a tall stiff creamy bone head that is mostly lasting and leaves decent lace. The brew is pretty neutral with grain and malt tones and a low acidity. The full body is creamy and soft.

Pours shiny brown. Thick, rapidly dissipating off-white/beige head. Lacing nondescript. Aroma is caramel, baking chocolate, awkward vegetal notes and touches of yeast and toasted grains. Flavor was nearly identical but less pleasant. Unmistakable vegetation ruins an otherwise hefty and aromatic maltiness. Low acidity. Low carbonation. Low enjoyment. Finishes sweet and tart. Moderately syrupy mouthfeel. Consumed fresh, as well as at two years of age. Not for me. Something was mishandled during the brewing process.

At the 2007 Big Beer, Belgians, & Barleywines Festival in Vail. Pours reddish amber with a white head. Woody and fruity, but far too much unbalanced heat for such a moderate ABV. Caramel and tart with a lingering sour flavor. odd for a doppelbock indeed.

2005 corked and caged bottle: Well the cork broke off half way through opening but my skills was able to extract the remains without them going into the bottle. The beer poured into the pint glass a coppery brown with a small but lasting frothy off-white head and some lace. The aroma has notes musty cellared and earthy wood yeast esters, apricot and and surprisingly tangerine, walnut and cashew nuts, smoked ham vapour, and a hint of pepper. The taste is not as deep as the nose but work well enough with sweet malts leading the way supported by a quick dash of rich fleshy fruits and some cardboardy oxidation which I guess would be expected in a aged doppel. The smoky quality found on the nose shows up wonderfully on the finish and it has a dry woody after taste. The mouth feel is smooth and soft but need a bit more heft.

I guess my bottle has aged well since I show no sourness and still has a wonderful smoky character about it. A very drinkable bier IMO but buyer beware.

2005 bottle: Hazy darker amber, moderate head, decent lacing and retention. Aroma is caramel, bread, molasses, toast, hint of portlike notes. Flavor brings this but ends up being subdued. Medium bodied with some sweetness. Overall something is off with the flavor.

bottle. I sampled this at a festival and wasn’t impressed. I was hoping my bottle at home was better. poured mahogoney with thick tan head. musky aroma. roasted malts, chicory, nutty sour aroma. sour malts that make you pucker at first. roasted nuts and chicory. Strange but chicory kept coming into my head. A bit thin and not too pleasant. Might be better with a dinner but a bomber was not worth drinking alone.

This bomber was absolutely a great wine replacement, and went extraoridinary well following a good piece of salmon among other dishes. It was a dark brown colour, with smooth caramel and chocolate malting yet not too sweet. Hops played a secondary role. A yeast impact that adds to a thicker mouthfeel.

Original Rating 12/29/2006: Dark red color with a thick head. Odd aroma that’s not quite cardboard, but more like sour grains. Semi-sweet and sticky malt flavor, but pretty thin. Something just makes me twing right after taking a sip... not appalling, but not a highlight of the brewery. 4/3/6/2/10 Re-rate 2/27/2008: I must have had a bad bottle of this before, so I’m glad I had a chance to re-rate it. Hazy brown color with a large head. Aroma of smoke and sausages. Very smoky taste. Heavy on the salted pork flavors. Strong and sweet malt. Much better this time.