Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock

I got this from BeerBeing in Bday ’07 and it is a 2006 vintage. A: The beer has a dark body that has a ruby color when held to the light. There was almost no head. S: It has an interesting aroma. There is a roasted note mixed with dark fruits, but there is another smell that is either alcoholic or phenolic. T: The first thing I notice is the dark fruits, but there is a pronounced bitterness or astringency that is buried with the roasted malt in the background. The bitterness stays around as an aftertaste for a while as well. M: The mouthfeel is good, about medium bodied. D: I’m not crazy about this beer. It has too much roasted malt that creates too much astringency and bitterness.

2006 Bottle: I very ,uch enjoyed this brew. It had a deep dark red color, wth a brown stiff head. Agree that the aroma was of grampes/wine. The flavor was a bit raisiny, brown sugar, molasas, red fruits, etc. A very smooth beer, I really liked it.

500 ml bottle thanks to Taktik MTL, thanks Marc. Pours a nice looking very deep dark ruby reddish brown with a slim foamy off white head. Rather vinous aroma with notes of vinegar and some fruit.thin to medium palate that is slightly slick with not mch carbonation. Flavor of vinegar, chocolate malt and some acidity. Perhaps time would have done this beer some more but hey it’s still a great bottle for the collection.

Swing top bottle: Deep brown of the darkest woods, with a pillowy head of off-white foam. The aroma is airy, but has an underlying tease of dark roasted coffee. The aroma doesn’t even give a hint of the powerhouse of an aroma billowing underneath this head ... full and boiling with dark roast, baking chocolate, and fermented bread. This is a powerhouse of a dark beer, warming and delicious. I’m on a roll. (#3175, 11/5/2007)

500mL swing-top from porterhouse – thanks, Kevin! Bottled in 2006, sampled 10/10/07. Übermalty aroma, toast and nuts drenched in grape with caramel and fig and a touch of grit. Lightly funky underlying hops and a slight touch of grain. Deep dark ruby pour with a dense, tiny-bubbled tanned head nudging toward light brown, increasingly rocky. Taste is big and malty with slight alcohol warmth and burn under the grapey breadiness, toast and nuts provide a solid backbone. Red berry dangled and withdrawn, dangled and withdrawn. Touch of pine in the hops, pairs nicely with earthy roast. Bitterness more pronounced here than most other examples of the style. Molasses and salt. Touch of burn-ash above the masterfully employed Munich. Full body, feel a bit slick. Warm, dry aftertaste brings out wonderful spicy notes and a touch of coffee and a touch of syrupy chocolate. A bit too hot and peppery, but otherwise, exquisite! Robust and extremely complex, holds its own against the big boys!

500ml bottle via summer07 secret santa, (thanks!). Pours a dark brown/almost black with a nice tan head. Nose is plums and apricots. Taste is chocolate, nuts, berries, roasted barley, and earthy piny hops. Ashy burnt astringent aftertaste. Body is medium, carbonation is medium/moderate. This is not bad, but does not seem true to style, and a bit too astringent in the finish/aftertaste which is likely due to using too much burnt malt (perhaps black patent?).

Thanks to boboski for opening this brew from one of those cool looking flip top liter bottles. Pours a nice dark brown cup o’ coffee with off white head. Wow! This has an amazing initial mouth watering lip smackin’ aroma with roasty malts, rich molasses, brewing pre hoped wort percolating over the flame and caramel. In time the aroma did subside in intensity but was still very nice. The flavors were roasty to slightly burnt malts, rich molasses, caramel candy, nice chunk of pale maltiness. Then I get a chocolate maltiness and hints of coffee. Very nice.

Bottle vintage 2006. [Courtesy of Papsoe, another great session @ Papsoe] Small fizzy off-white head that mostly diminished. Light cloudy dark mahogany colored. Spare lacework. Aroma of toffee, rye bread, grapefruit bitter notes as well. Full bodied with an average carbonation. Moderated bitter flavor with light sweetness. Bitter lingering finish. 31-08-2007