Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock

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

on tap at the Gate, Brooklyn. dark cherry/mohagany brown color, a little reddish golden at edges. short thin creamy dark tan head. aroma of licorice, strong malt, bitter molasses. flavor is a little different than others of this style - a little peaty and earthy dryish malt, more dry licorice root and bitter molasses. kind of like a dark german wheat or pumpernickel bread. some sweet malty notes there but mostly through roasted malt flavors. a bit of distilled wood. pleasantly unique, but not my favorite doppelbock.

Tasted with Heemer77 and Indra back in Nov ’05. Reddish brown with a khaki head. Aroma is brown sugar, raisins, and plums. Huge mouthfeel. Taste is dark, coffeeish, bittersweet chocolate, and light dark fruits. I think Clark VV sent me the bottle. I got another from my secret July santa this year, so I can’t wait to have it again.

one liter swing top bottle thanks to OldGrowth. ahhh...liquid bread! pours a reddish mahogany with a beautiful creamy, frothy tan head that takes awhile to settle to even more beautiful creamy lace. aroma is of dark, rich malt with a hint of sour hop bitterness. first sip seems like there is a bit of fizzy carbonation, but once this doppelbock warms slightly its just very smooth. this is about as full-bodied a doppel as I’ve had. very nice mouthfeel. flavor is of roasted malt, german chocolate with hints of caramel, toffee & dark fruit. upon the first taste there seemed to be some sour notes or bitterness, but after a couple of sips everything is in perfect balance. the alcohol is not even noticed until I’m on my second snifter full. thanks Tom, this is a good one and one I hope to try again & again & again.....

This was an outstanding doppelbock. The beer poured a dark brown from the one liter swing-top bottle and had a thin cream colored head. The taste was very smooth, malty, and superbly balanced. Highly recommended.

Bottle with flip-cap. From a winter 2008 batch. Pours dark brown with minimal head. Aroma is slightly minerally, with chocolate and a touch of peat/earth. Flavors roll over tongue really nicely due to the nice rich mouthfeel. “Feels velvety,” said one of my buddies. I taste various chocolate notes primarily in the body, complemented by some mild smokiness, plum, and vanilla. Finish is a touch dry, with a bit of alcohol showing. Overall, this is a well-done doppelbock that manages to achieve complexity and balance.

Bottle. Pours deep brown with a large head. Aroma of roasted malts, chocolate, toffee, dark fruits and a bit of grass hops. Flavor was equal parts sweet and bitter. Complex. Fruity overtones. Full body. Creamy texture. Very nice.

Bottle. Dark brownish body, some red highlights, with a dark tan head and sticky lacing. Nose is of dark fruit, raisins, caramel, wheat, a slight hop influence, and spicy ginger. Lots of dark raisins and caramel flavors, burnt sticky malts, some chocolate and roast in the finish. Full-bodied, balanced very well and quite yummy. Definitely one of my top lagers.

Poured a dark brown nice tan head. Aroma was of light fruits and a little sweet. Flavor was lots of coffee hops and was very dry. Aganist the others from this style thie one is up there, different though.