Pennichuck Saint Florian Doppelbock

Brewed by Pennichuck Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Milford, New Hampshire USA

Pours a thick tan head with a nut brown cloudy color. The nose is really bitter and full of fruits and caramel malt, i really like the sweet molasses and toffee as well. Initially it is very earthy and has some semi sweet flavors on the tip of your tongue. It is full of roasted nuts and dark fruits that coat your palate and leaves a nice lasting flavor in your mouth. Overall it is a refreshing brew full of flavor and carbonation.

Pours a dark brown, with a small creamy light brown head. Smells pretty sweet and fruity. Lots of caramel malt, Dark dweet fruits, toffee and molasses as well. The flavor had a tosty texture to it, with noticeable roast, nuttiness, and sweetness on the backend. Light bitterness in the finish as well. Not overly flavorful, but nothing really wrong with it either that I noticed. Fairly standard, but enjoyable.

1 L swing-top bottle received via trade with jjpm74. Pours clear brown with a small, fizzy, off-white head, mostly diminishing with spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, cereal, nutty), light hops (herbs), average yeast (leather, earth) with notes of date and apple. Medium bodied, thin texture, average carbonation, and a chalky finish. Average duration, light sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Deep, malty with lots of caramel/Halloween candy toffee notes, a bit of earthiness and dark fruit. A bit of dry green tea perhaps. One-dimensional and lacking depth, but nicely drinkable. Gorgeous dark-red colour.

Bouteille de 1 l, avec bouchon de céréamique, partagée lors d’une dégustation Ratebeer Montréal chez moi. Arôme: Odeur de caramel avec une pointe de chocolat et de prunes. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée rougâtre. Présence d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel et de chocolat avec une pointe de petits fruits foncés. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture huileuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. Présence de caramel en arrière goût. (Rating #1940)

Objectively speaking: A doppelbock with an American twist, but beautifully integrated, earth-laden and flavourful.
I like: Interesting concentration and its medium-full body seems smaller than it is. Hard to notice alcohol. Excellent earthy nuances are complex in themselves. Subtle, pleasant and drying noble hops. Never too sweet.
I dislike: Not much fruit flavours in there whereas this is something I generally enjoy. Its toastiness does not feel as pure as, say, Andechs, but it compensates through a striking balance all throughout and a rich and inviting mouthfeel.

My Bottom Line:
Toasted caramel maltiness develops a lean and approachable mouthfeel for this drinkable and straightforward Doppelbock.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam tops the coppery burgundy.
-A raisiny fruitiness adds depth to the malt profile.
-Light earthy, herbal hops brush the end of each sip.
-This could be a tad heavier in body and more expressive in malt flavor for my tastes in the style, but as is it remains quite pleasant.
-This is not the kind of Doppelbock I want to sip; I prefer it through large gulps, just like any other well-made, crisp lager.

Bottle.

(1L bottle) Clear mahogany body topped by medium beige head. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, plum, some raisin, chocolate. Taste is moderately sweet, bittersweet chocolate, some caramel, raisin, light earthy, alcohol. Medium body, some chalk.