Doppelbock Grande Cuvée Printemps
Les Trois Mousquetaires

3.67/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

75 cl corked bottle. Served in a balloon glass at Las Buenas Pulgas. Pours a copper colour, small head with short retention. Minimal lacing. Aroma of oranges, belgian yeast, molasses, fruits, bananas. Medium to full body, creamy texture, flat carbonation. Sweet finish. Taste of oranges, chocolate, molasses, dried fruits. Good.

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3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep reddish-brown hazy body with just a touch of rapidly dissipating head. On the nose, medium tones of milk chocolate, malt, and vanilla dominate. The taste is evidently quite sweet, which I'm not too keen on, but it does have nice chocolate-malt tones along with a vanilla and dark fruit finish. Pretty nice doppelbock, but for me the sweetness will forever be a turnoff - still nice.

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4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Not a common style but such a great beer.

Deep brown, rich creaming head, sweet maltiness in the nose and on the tongue. Smooth slightly dry caramel finish is great.

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4.54/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Creamy tan head, deep amber colour Doughy, yeasty aroma with a hint of berry. Flavour leads with dark dried fruit and finishes with brown sugar sweetness. Excellent

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4.16/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 750ml bottle corked-and-caged, dated 08/12/15. Served in a tulip.

Pours a deep, translucent burnt-caramel colour with big, soda-like carbonation and a modest one-finger cap of loose, dirty foam. Settles out quickly leaving no lacing.

Smells sharply of yeast, whole-grain bread, orange zest, pipe tobacco and ginger.

Taste is sweet and malty, not sticky-sickly sweet but light and clean sweet, with brandy-soaked raisins and marmalade, pipe tobacco and sweet herbs. Vinous and chewy, with a long, gentle boozy fadeout.

Feel is medium-bodied but mouth coating, sweet without being sticky and with some pleasantly boozy warmth. Carbonation is heavy at the pour but fades out quickly.

Not a style that I have a lot of experience with and I'm asking myself why? A substantial, belly-filling beer, you're not going to be drinking more than a couple glasses of this, not unless you're a German monk with centuries of tradition and an abiding faith in the Lord's sure mercy to see you through and an caring abbot to rub your shoulders while you vomit. Aside from that, I'm just grateful that there isn't anything else I have to do today because I'm going to finish this bottle and probably fall asleep on the sofa.

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4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

No bottling date.

A: Dark, dark, dark brown pour. Mid-sized frothy light brown head. Head fades fairly quickly. Almost unbroken walls of lacing left behind however.

S: Strong, sweet raisins right off the bat. Light cherries (almost like cough syrup) and lots of caramel sweetness. Maybe some light hopping?

T: Huh, very fruity up front. Raisins for sure but I get orange marmalade in there too. Light dusting of cocoa and then there's tons of bread dough. Touch of bitterness in the finish with more hints of that cocoa. Aftertaste is more orange and lingering bitter bread crusts.

M: Fairly heavy, smooth.

O: Hell of a Doppelbock. Very sweet and malty and fruity in general. Super smooth flavors, very little bitterness and no harshness at all. One of the finest I've ever had.

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4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

750 mL corked and caged bottle picked up at the LCBO a fairly long time ago; dated July 30 2013. Listed at 8.6% and served at cellar temperature. Wanted to pick something memorable for my 1200th review, and I've been hearing effusive praise about this one for years.

Pours a deep, translucent brownish brick-red colour that shimmers with a brilliant crimson red hue when held to the light. Nearly an inch of creamy, light beige-coloured froth covers the surface, managing to hold together for the better part of ten minutes. A dense cap and foamy collar remains in place well into the glass; good lacing. No complaints visually. On the nose I am getting a mixture of raisin, cherry, red licorice and prune; tons of molasses, too, with hints of burnt sugar and toasted biscuit. Noticeably boozy and somewhat herbal, with kind of a nutty, almond/amaretto-like note to it.

A meal in a bottle. Molasses and toffee blend together along with toasted biscuits and bread crust; flavours of almond, prune, fig and raisin just add to the complexity. Notes of rich chocolate, vanilla and rum join in on the back end, with a warming, boozy-sweet finish that is herbal, earthy, and just a little spicy. Warming aftertaste with a lingering hint of black licorice. Full-bodied, with gentle carbonation levels that weakly agitate the palate. The mouthfeel is soft and silky-smooth, with a viscous, almost syrupy-like thickness to it. Positively delicious, and perfectly suitable as a digestif or dessert beer.

Final Grade: 4.47, an impressive A grade. A lot of doppelbocks have that whole "liquid bread for German monks" spiel written on the back label in one form or another. LTM's Grande Cuvée Doppelbock is no exception, but the comparison here is more apt than ever - this is one hell of a rich, thick, luxurious beer. My only issue is that it's really quite sweet - not exactly uncommon for the style, but between the high abv and large serving size, it starts to become a bit much after a while. Sharing the bottle with a friend would certainly remedy that problem. A fantastic doppelbock that I vigourously recommend; I will definitely grab another bottle the next time I spot one.

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4.06/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at the LCBO at a discounted $6.50 for a 750ml bottle. Served at a bone chilling 4deg C in a goblet

A- Opens well and pours a good 1" high brownish head with a moderately vigourous pour that lasts for a minute or two before film out. Medium to dark brown colour and unfiltered.

S- Good amount of malt here. Fig, molasses and a TON of heat. The description says 8.7% alcohol however this bottle states 8.6%.

T- Rich fruit as expected from this company. Opens up as it warms and lets it's sugary sweet nature be tasted. Not complex as I though it would be but it does have layers that come as the brew warms. Definitely a sipper as the heat is rather present. The caramel is a bit over done on this one but palatable.

M- Thick, rich and creamy. Enough said

O- Nice brew overall. Excellent at $6.50 though! Still will not buy more as this brew in this size needs to be shared or cork it and save it for the next day. Too much for one sitting as it gets fatiguing.

Food Pairing

This pretty good little brew went well with......... BBQ rack of lamb. A touch of mint jelly on the side and pick a side that is heavier like a root vegetable. Anything light or delicate will get completely over run by this brew.

Enjoy!

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4.24/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Veiled copper color with a strong amount of activity. Frothy light orange 2 finger head, lasting around 5 to 10 minutes, with average legs.

Aromas and flavors of caramel, toffee, molasses, dark fruits, citrus, esters, oak, nuts, cocoa, floral and herbal spices. Super flavorful and delicious with a strong thick sugary and light earthy feel, with notes of bread and wood.

Smooth creamy light to medium body with moderate carbonation. Strong and long finish, ending with a vinous sugary, molassy, and fruity tongue coat with lingering yeasty spices, and a smoky wood barrel aged feel.

Overall an excellent craft offering complex and powerful flavors with a pleasant sugary vinous feel while remaining fresh. Excellent warming appetizer similar in taste to a Port wine. Although the strong spices may not please to everyone.

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3.94/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into a pilsner glass. 2014 release.

Pours a light caramel, much lighter than typical for the style. Kind of hazy, two finger head on an easy pour, lots of foamy cling. Looks pretty good. Smell brings lots of malt, light caramel, kind of a fruity aroma, brown sugar. Taste is malt forward and..sweet. Really sweet. Also caramel, brown sugar and dates. Smooth, creamy, good level of carbonation.

I don't know, maybe this sat on the shelf too long. Not nearly as fragrant as I'm seeing in other reviews, and the sweetness... I love sweet, a lot, but this was almost cloying. Still a very flavorful beer, very well crafted. Hopefully, I'll find a fresher 2015- if it's released, and give that a try.

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3.58/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Day old notes from a roughly 1 year old bottle.

L: A copper red color in the sun. One finger of white head. On the pour, one can tell this beer is rather viscous.

S: Complex. Caramelized sugars. Fig, date, strong raisin.

T: Pretty complex again. I get more of those sweet sugars. Maybe a bit of maple. The beer is definitely reminiscent of a port or sherry due to its vinous character. Sweet fruits come though. Not estery but dark, caramelized fruit flavors. Date, fig, and like I said before, a rather prominent raisin note. Brown sugar.

F: Very thick. Carbonation seems to be on the lower end of the spectrum. I feel like a bit more carbonation would have helped edge out the syrupy build of the body.

O: Doppelbock is not really my style of beer. That being said, this was a nice beer to try and I would consider drinking it again, perhaps in the winter instead of sitting out on a hot summer's porch. It's insanely complex but the sweetness is just too much for me, even if doppelbocks are supposed to be sweet. Highly recommend to someone who thinks lager can't be flavorful.

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3.96/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at Shelton Brothers The Festival 2014 held at Crafted in San Pedro, CA.

Pours a murky orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of wheat, grain, caramel, toffee, and fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with caramel, toffee, and fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is quite tasty, but it is super sweet to me.

Serving type: bottle.

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4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

I had a different version of this beer. abv was only 8.6% and the bottle looks different. Got it from the rare beer club.

Amazing beer. Brings me back to some of those first German beers I drank when i started getting into drinking good beer. The smell, color, flavor are all amazing. I wish it was a bit thicker so that is the only slight detraction on this beer. I have another one of their beers in the collection. I will have to pull it out soon.

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3.75/5  rDev -10.7%

This is my 1st Doppelbock so I cannot vouch for the style itself...

A- Warm reddish coppery colour. Quite nice looking in full sun.

S- Dark fruits, some maltiness, pleasant and a little sweet

T- raisins, plums, toffee, bitterness is nice-not overwhelming, actually pretty sweet

F-body is fairly present, carbonation is lower than what i'd usually like but balanced nonetheless

O- A good beer, above average for sure. Not the style i'm very fond of but it was worth the 6$ for the 750ml for sure. Knowing what a dopplebock is in the first place i would likely have given more points if I follow what other reviewers gave. If what i described above is reminiscent of the type, then it is an excellent example. I will likely try it again after comparing other doppelbock.

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4.02/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

SERVICE: Bottle
BOTTLED ON: 05/21/14

A:
Pours a cloudy reddish brown with a nice, creamy finger and a half of beige head that settles at a middlin' film. Decent retention; sticky, even lacing. (3.75)

S:
Spiced rum. Smoke, raisins, leather, licorice, caramelized sugar, rum, wood. Lots going on. (4.25)

T:
Boozy and sweet. Smooth transitions through vanilla, rum, licorice, caramel, chocolate, coffee, and more. (4)

M:
Sticky, heavy, boozy syrup of a beer, low carbonation and a very pronounced warming finish. (3.75)

O:
Very good, pretty big Doppelbock.
This is definitely more towards the Samichlaus end of the spectrum (at least based on beers I have had). It is a big, sweet, filling, liquor-filled, malty lager that is perfect for a cold rainy day or indeed any time during the winter. That's definitely what I was going for, but it was certainly a little too big for my tastes. But that's just me.
Pours fairly nice for the ABV. It has a really nice nose and flavor to it with lots of woodsy and sweet characteristics that become WAY more pronounced as the beer warms. The palate is thick, sticky, coating and lasting and the alcohol comes through quite a bit. This is a perfect beer to take to a special occasion to share. Warms you to the soul.
Would have again; worth seeking out. (4)

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4.19/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle from rare beer club. Pours light brown with tall, long lasting, fluffy white head and nice lacing. Aroma is of ripe plums, sour cherries, caramel malt and hint of herbal hops. Body is full and slightly crisp. Taste is very fruity (plums, cherries), caramel malt, brown sugar, herbal hops. Finish is long, sweet first then becomes dry and herbal. Very complex, interesting brew.

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4.17/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-brown color with ruby highlights, nice light brown head and good lacing

S-toffee, chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruit, hint of spices

T-roasted malt, raisins, plums, mocha, toffee, hint of licorice, mild bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-delicious example of the style, thoroughly enjoyed this and hope to find it agsin

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4.06/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: The beer is hazy brown in color. It poured with a short white head that quickly died down, leaving only a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Quite fruity in nature, there are moderate aromas of sweet candied plums in the nose.
T: The taste is almost a carbon copy of the smell and has flavors of sweet candied plums. Neither hops nor bitterness are perceptible. The flavors become stronger and more complex as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This Doppelbock is a lot fruitier and sweet compared to other beers in the style and doesn't have any of the raisin-like aromas or flavors that you would normally expect.

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4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle produced 10/07/2013 at 45 degrees into snifter
Aroma of sweet malt, figs, dates
Head average (4 cm), light brown, creamy, slowly diminishing to 2 mm ring and a couple large islands
Lacing excellent, nearly covering the glass with small bubbles
Body deep amber, clear
Flavor begins moderately sweet with hints of figs and dates; no hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl; ends with a lingering sweetness.
Palate medium, creamy, lively carbonation

A very nice doppelbock, hardly seems like I’m drinking a lager at all. This is very flavorful, dark and muddled. An excellent breakfast beer and the best I’ve had from Les Trios Mousquetaires. Well worth buying some to try to age.

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3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: medium brown with a burgundy undertones; nice lacing.

S: prunes and dark fruits are prominent; some malty notes and hints of caramel.

T: prunes and Turkish apricots and malty notes.

M: medium body, medium carbonation. A little thick with a sweet finish.

O: nice balance and flavor profile for a boch; the ETOH is well hidden. A really solid Dopplebock.

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4.69/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

750mL bottle

+++***This is a 2012 VINTAGE bottle which I'm opening today on feb 2 2014 - so this brew is roughly 2 years old, we'll see how it handled a bit of aging.***+++

I never mention bitterness in my reviews, my bitterness taste buds are ridiculously under-
sensitive.

APPEARANCE : Lovely reddish brown - or is it brownish red? There's almost a ruby quality to it. The head rose fairly high, a light brown-mocha colour with a surprising off-red hue. It fell back down fairly quickly and left a light amount of lacing.

SMELL : First nose has a tinge of carbonation and an almost acidic side. Some barley sugar as well as some over-ripe fruits are present. Second nose has some mocha come out from underneath what I just described, as well as some nutty aromas. Third nose brings out some chocolate and a slight hint of smoke. The acidic undertone was there through and through and really reminds me of barrel aged flanders red ales.

TASTE : First and longest lasting notes are mocha and something like those mixed chocolate boxes, except here, you take them all out of the box, mash 'em up and eat them. Bam, tastes a bit like of these chocolates. Plus some very soft spices. Plus some plums and figs and dates and stuff. Rich and complex, so many layers dancing around, beautiful.

MOUTHFEEL : Silk. Smooth silk. Slightly cloying at the beginning, but just a bit, and then it goes away before becoming overpowering. Carbonation is outrageously perfect, bubbles so fine I barely feel them individually - instead I get a feeling of rich cream. Seriously one of the most enjoyable mouthfeels I've ever experienced.

OVERALL : Oh man, patience pays. I had no expectations whatsoever for this brew, I just decided I'd forget about it and I might be surprised in a couple years. This is beyond surprise, this is one of the most enjoyable brew I've opened in months.

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4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy dark brown unlike most here in the U.S. that seem to have good clarity. Thin head. Carbonation seemed low and perhaps it had something to do with the pricey packaging with cork & cage. Nose is a delight with appetizing malt, dark malt, roastyness, and some dark chocolate. Palate is a malty wonderland. Delicious. Easy drinking.

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4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Grande Cuvée Doppelbock has the colour of a roasted fig and enough sediment in the bottom of the bottle to muck up clarity. Still, the edges reveal cognac highlighting which provide this fairly opaque beer with a little spot of brightness. Its head looks like an old beehive, thick as honeycomb (and leaves a like pattern on the glass).

The aroma showcases lots of date and fig fruitiness as well as accompanying notes of iced tea, dried berries, purple plums, toasted almonds, cola, sarsaparilla, baking spices, honeyed-nuts, and orange zest. It's the kind of beer where it's easier to list what I'm *not* smelling.

Apparently “doppel” is German for "delicious" - where as Helles Bocks feature only one flavour (bready malt) and so-called 'Traditional' Bocks fare only slightly better, Doppelbocks offer perhaps the most multi-layered succulence of any beer style. This example tastes of dried cranberry, bruised plums, raisins, pumpernickel bread, gingerbread, and toffee and nut brittle.

Another note about Doppelbocks, they typically provide one of the longest tastes ever. Odd for a lager it's true, but this sticky-sweet mouthfeel makes for a rich, gooey, almost treacly texture that's awash with dark fruits, toasted bread, orange peel and light dustings of cocoa powder and caramel. Like the never-ending song, this taste just goes on and on my friends.

Les Trois Mousquetaires Doppelbock is as classic an example of the style as iconic brands like Optimator, Celebrator, Salvator, or Korbinian. Indeed, while the Germans are responsible for the style's gold standards, this Quebecois brewery is making a push for their title. This beer is complex enough to attract the attention of a cryptologist; it's a mystery how it gets so delicious.

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4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Rich plum and brown sugar flavours with strong carbonation and a very granular mouthfeel. Beautiful taste, though for such an amount of sweetness you probably can't drink the whole 750 mL bottle by yourself. Share with a friend! Might be a bit too sweet for some and chilling is recommended to give a range of flavours from when it's cold to when it gets warmer.

Overall an outstanding beer and a fine example of a North American interpretation of the rich bock style.

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4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: It has a nice deep hazy reddish/brown color to it. It has a nice beige head that dies down moderately and leaves some lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of dark fruit (mostly raisins and prunes), sweet toffee/caramel, bready malts and some nuttiness.

Taste: The sweet toffee and caramel hits your lips right away, followed by sweet raisins, some prunes, bready malts and a slight nuttiness. Delicious.

Mouthfeel: It has a med/high carbonation with a very nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with great flavors and aromas.

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