Plank Heller Doppelbock

Brewed by Brauerei Plank Laaber
Style: Doppelbock
Laaber, Oberpfalz/Bayern, Germany

Plale blond color, with thick sweet body. Some hops, but mostly malt sweetness. Modest head.

A solid pour summons forth an initially three-finger thick, pale, off-white colored head in my 25cl tulip glass. The beer is an amber color that shows a lightly hazed, slightly orange tinged, gold color when held up to the light. The aroma smells amply of fresh malt, with both grassy grain notes as well as a certain malt sweetness. The sweet malt aromatics provide aromas reminiscent of a mix of rich, almost umami like malt, pale honey, and that of sweet, caramelized grain (like the sweetness found in bread).

Sweet tasting and quite malt focused as expected. The malt doesn’t have the concentrated, caramelized note of a dark bock and instead focuses on pale malt flavors. The grain is well tempered by a noticeable hop character thy is typically lacking in this beers darker brethren; distinctly herbal with a solid bitterness that lingers into a long finish. The hop notes are supporting to the malt, but play a substantial role in the flavor profile. Malt induced flavors of whole-grain crackers, some light grassy grain, and somehow something that reminds me of oranges though definitely malt derived. The body here is perhaps a touch lighter than one might want in a dunkler Doppelbock, but it is much in line with many a German example of a dunkler and for this particular beer the medium heft works quite well; chewy yet still plays well with the hop character.

After a bit of time some stale notes begin to creep into the aroma, though they are kept muted most of the time. I like the extra hop oomph that is here (more proof that there is no such thing as an Imperial Pilsner, it is just a Heller Bock / Doppelbock). Definitely a nice beer, hopefully I will be able to get a fresher bottle at some point (though I have no idea how old this one even is).

bottle. light copper pour. carbonated to thin lasting head. malts, honey aroma. lively palate. bitter finish. corn and malt liquor. syrup texture. not one of the better Plank beers.

The second in my trio of Plank beers was the Heller Doppelbock. As the darkest one available, so too are its flavors the darkest. A squashed and somewhat squirming flavor of chocolate, malt and banana complements the equally spartan aroma of roasted potato skins, caramel and fresh potter’s soil. Again, simple scents but pleasing. Wrapped in a pomegranate skin red body with dark brows around the edges of the glass and a pure, perfectly flat creme brulee covered head, this is a very enjoyable, dark lager with no fuss nor muss.

500 ml bottle. Slightly hazy blonde in color with a nice, well retaining medium off white head. Aroma: alot of pale malts, honey sweetness, and bready yeast. Taste is very malty, and moderately sweet with alot of pale malt, some honey/grain sweetness. Medium bodied with a light hop bittering finish. clean, pretty well done helles bock.

Decent sized frothy white head of varying sized bubbles. Sickly sweet corn and malt aroma. Color is a medium orange. Sweet and vegetal flavor. Typical bockish. More corn, sweet malts and a bit of biscuit. Finihses sweet and malty. Somewhat typical for the style but not very good in my opinion.

Clear golden body with a small white head. The nose is golden raisins, caramel, pear and apple. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter with pear, peach, banana, caramel, cotton candy and honey. Medium/full body with moderate carbonation.

500mL bottle, courtesy of ryan. Thanks! Pours a lightly hazy, yellow-golden color; off-white head with solid, fine-bubbled lacing. Somewhat resigned aroma: Belgian sugar, caramel, and mineral bitterness. Medium mouthfeel; chewy sweet maltiness, caramel, and Belgian sugar; lots of basic sweetness, but nothing complex enough to justify the level of alcohol; dry enough to make things drinkable; a decent doppelbock rendition. Medium finish: lots of caramel, toasted malts, and sugar.