Wagner Valley Sled Dog Trippelbock

Brewed by Wagner Valley Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
Lodi, New York USA

Dark ruby brown hue. Off-white ring. Aroma proposes deep dark malts, salty and chocolatey, but mostly fruity (dates, grapes, banana, prune), making for a sweet and vinous or scotch-like flavour balance. It keeps on when touching the tongue, though underwhelmed by strong vegetal and mineral notes that fits only so well with the dark earthy malts. In the end, there’s plenty of bitterness, but it doesn’t leave on a good impression. Thin-medium bodied, small bubbles feel alive. I don’t know what to make of this one, it certainly smells better than it tastes to me, but I guess it’s ultimately too mineral.

Minimal beige head that quickly dissipates to reveal a clear red-black body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, raisin, prune, toffee. Taste is very sweet, raisin, prune, caramel, toffee, some grape, port, medium alcohol warming. Uncarbonated full body, sticky.

At the GHBF: Ruby hued with a small off0white head and some lace. The aroma has notes of caramel and heavy malting, plum, prune, apple, floral hops, and earthy yeast esters. The taste starts equally fruity with a lot of grape, apple, and plum characters. Good backbone of malty sweetness to make up for the acidic nature of the fruits. Mild bitters and a hint of spice on the finish. The feel is heavy but not sticky. The alcohol was only moderate and not too overpowering. This is a good but not great brew, worthy of a try.

Dark, dark red with a rather nutty nose, alcohol aromas. Huge dark fruit flavors, baked apples, sweet sugars, slightly dry and peppery at the finish. Nice sugary aftertaste once the alcohol burn wears off.

Thick malt flavors. Had a really nice red ruby color to it. Gritty and sweet. Good bock.

Nice toasted color like a deep Vienna. Aroma: super mild, with belnding of lots of sweet, sugary things--chocolate, biscuits, caramel. Tastes like Salvator but richer. Raisins in nose when warmer. Taste again: raisiny, caramel, toast, bit like a Belgian strong but without the aroma and depth. Quite good to start but too sweet in the finish. Alcohol well-hidden.

On tap at Brewtopia 2004... Crystal clear, brand-spanking-new- penny-copper-colored lager with a small, creamy, off-white head. The nose is of milk chocolate and light perfume. The flavor is of more chocolate and then warm, soothing alcohol. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Lengthy, semi-sweet finish. Damn fine lager!

Chocolate, caramel, toffee malt (M); port aroma. Deep red body. Heavily sweet throughout. Brown sugar taste. Medium-heavy body, creamy texture, average carbonation. The bottom line is: simple sweetness, but very tasty.