Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock

Brewed by Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Bloomfield, Connecticut USA

2004 Bottle. Poured a ruby color with a light tan head that leaves excellent lacing. The aroma was sweet chocolate with some roastiness. The flavor found roasty, dark fruits, and chocolate. Medium bodied and easy going. Very enjoyable. Thanks to Springslicker for sharing this at the Tennessee Tasting!

Thank you Santa! 2006 bottle. The seal was loose on the bottle I received....but it was just fine! Huge spacy foam and dark brown color. Sweet malty aroma; very nice. This is a very smooth beer; wonderful malts with just enough bitter hops to even it out. Chocolate notes on the finish. Thick as hell and leaves a lacing bigger than many beers actually head. The first beer I’ve tried from my Santa...love it.

Bottle from mkgrenwel and goldtwins. Bitter chocolate aroma and heavy malt. Black appearance with a large head. Full and creamy palate. The taste is straight bakers chocolate, and heavy malts. This is a big beer for sure.

(500 ml (2006) from <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/massachusetts/w target=blank>Julio’s Liquors) Very chocolatey...Pours a very dark brown with garnet highlights. One finger of light tan head recedes a bit to form a thin cap that stays. Aroma is pretty much bitter chocolate, maybe some coffee (not the notes like raisins, brown sugar, molasses etc. I’d expect form a doppel). Mouthfeel quite rich and smooth, a touch fizzy in the finish. Some thin lacing but kind of sloppy. Flavor is deeply chocolatey and quite bitter. Maybe a bit of caramel as it gets warm. Lingering bitter chocolate aftertaste. I don’t know, this is a nice beer but kind of a letdown to a doppel fan. It is so porter-like that I will be anxious to eventually try their Imperial Porter to see how much difference there is.

Sept. 2006 - Beer poured really dark brown with nice head and lacing. Aroma was really rich fruit and also some piney smelling hops. The flavor was really full and really, really sweet. Dark roastiness with sweet flavor and some dark fruits, with a significant hop present. Nice and complex. Really more reminiscent of a stout than a dopplebock. Really good.

I’ve traded this bad boy enough times, I figured I’d finally try it. The bottle was a gusher... it got all over my face, my clothes, and my kitchen. Err... I won’t hold it against the beer, though.

Poured black with a creamy light tan head. Beautiful aroma of dark fruits, molasses, and cinnamon. Taste is surprisingly dry, with emphasis on dark fruits, cinnamon, grapes... a touch of syrupyness. The hops have a much more dominant presence here than I would expect from a doppelbock. They bite the tongue and add to the dryness to create a long bitter finish. This actually seems to work for the drinkablitly of the beer, since some doppelbocks I’ve had have been too cloying. Despite the dryness, there’s not much alcohol character to this. Nicely crafted... could go well with food or on its own.

Bottle thanks to jjpm74. Pours a dark brown with small brown head. nose had heavy roasted malt. Flavor is light coffee, roasted malt and bitter sweet chocolate. Texture is as smooth and creamy with chocolate, I know I said it had that already, but it rocks. This is the downright prime example of this style if there was one.

Pours a robust brownish auburn shade with a minimal bubbly head. Rich malty aroma, of caramel and toffee, with just the slightest hint of licorice. Slightly sweet, with a bit of toasted nuttiness. Chocolate syrup and butter pecan notes as well. I would love to be able to drink this all the time. Finishes with loads of rich caramelly nuttiness. Quite delicious.