Tommyknocker Oaked Butt Head Bock

Brewed by Tommyknocker Brewery
Style: Doppelbock
Idaho Springs, Colorado USA

Bottled. Poured clear, coppery amber with a loose-ish cap of eggshell head. The aroma picked up super sweet caramel and vanilla notes first and foremost with peppery warmth behind.. not bad or offensive by any means, but almost artificial. The flavor was sweet as well, with the same candied caramel and vanilla dominating.. light earthy accents and grainy, black peppery spices.. warmth brought out a hint of smoke.. really quite tasty. Medium-plus bodied and sweet on the palate with a residual grainy feel.. syrupy with low carbonation.. this grew on me a bit.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a thin tannish head, of slight duration, over a clear light brown (SRM 20) body....nose of sweet, caramelly, roasted malts with vanilla and some coffee, and possibly raisin additions.....tastes of sweet malt, and there are harsh, sharp flavors reminiscent of the of pine that linger on the tongue. Mouth feel is medium, carbonation good, but the off tastes are there. It may have been over oaked. I wonder if the bottle I tasted was abused.

Pours hazy deep rubyish with 2-fingers of creamy off-white head. Nose is caramel malt, oaky cherry, rauchy earthy, figgy. Tastes caramel malty, earthy, oaky, nutty, with red winey fruit, nuts, and a slight rauchy flavor that intensifies as it warms. This one is good.

Pours clear mahogany with a small off-white head. The aroma has some oak, light veggie and toasted malt. Medium dense body with off-kilter soft carbonation. The flavor starts with toasted malt and some caramel, light oak and some sourness. The finish is grainy and on the sour side. This is fair at best.

Pours a nice copper color with a one finger off white head. Aroma of oak, vanilla, and caramel malt. Flavor is lots of oak, toasty malt, vanilla, caramel and a little bitterness in the finish.

Name: Oaked Butthead Bock
Date: February 28, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Roadtrip
Appearance: clear dark copper, fine beige head, sudsy lace
Aroma: big oak aroma, touch of caramel malt sweetness, plentry of earthyness keeping it pretty dry
Flavor: sweet vanilla and caramel flavor, plenty of oak for depth and balance, light bitterness in the finish
Overall: plain oak and bock works for me, flavored oak may have been too much for this beer
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Bottle. Head is initially small, fizzy/frothy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is clear medium brown. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted bread, caramel), with notes of brown sugar, sawdust, vanilla, light note of smoke. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium body, watery/syrupy texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. Very syrupy sweet without much to balance...I found it difficult to drink more than a few ounces even though the aroma has some aspects to entice. The wood character is a bit raw and sawdusty, though...they probably used chips. All in all not bad, but not something I’d actually drink.

Bottle at Capital Ale House - Downtown on 03/23/2009. Fairly clear copper amber body with a small frothy off-white head. Sweet vanilla, light molassas and bourbon aroma with some caramel and toasty hints. Sweet caramel, vanilla, light bourbon and sugary toastiness in the flavor. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation.