Double DeBockEl
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

 

This is a double bock ?
I seriously thought the bartender made a mistake or the keg was mislabeled.
It looks, smells and tastes just like a double IPA. There is a bock like malt background, but that doesn't show up until the beer is pretty warmed up. When cold, it's just a big, hoppy DIPA. Some alcohol makes it through....not too much.
It is a good tasting ale , though, and I enjoyed it. Dense , low carbonation. Was served a pint of this.... a buzz inducing dose.

Poured into a Unibroue tulip. This is a rare one from Sierra, I firmly believe that they missed the mark on this one and came up with a creative name to celebrate/embellish the mistake...kudos for that. Beer is meant to be fun without pretension and I'm glad to drink this "mistake". Aroma is of mild hops and some sweet malts. Copper color, looks more like an IPA. Certain elements of this beer are double bockish, especially as the beer warms. Tastes great, bottom line. Categorizing this one is way less important than the fact that the beer tastes great.

Interesting name for a doppelbock.

Clear golden body with a thick white head and tons of lacing.

Sweetish aromas with citrus hops in the nose. Some alcohol as well.

Flavor is sweet pale malt up front followed by a signature cascade hop bitterness.

Full bodied with light carbonation create a creamy mouthfeel. All-in-all not bad, but certainly not to style. Think hoppy American big lager.

On tap @ the Blind tiger

Poured a light carmel brown crystal color, with a thin head and light lacing down the glass. The amora is of dry, toasted malt, piney hops also dominate. Up front bitterness in the taste, never had that before in a doppelbock, dry malt and hints of bread, with a strong alcohol finish and pine hop. The mouthfeel is medium with a oily texture and heat from the alcohol. Not the smoothest/easiest drinking doppelbock i've had, this is definitely not your average doppelbock.

On tap at plan B in the bary - served in a pint glass.

Appearance: Brass body with orangy tints. Small white head possibly because of a bad pour.

Smell: Grains, Malts, and HOPS! Smells like an IPA.

Taste: Malty undertones with nice hoppy high notes. A slight bitterness arises from the hops in the finish. The alchohol shines through on this one.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation and body with a bit of a kick to it.

Drinkability: I took a while to finish this one -Drinkable but strong and slightly bitter.

I picked up a growler of this for this past weekend. Very interesting as I think this is the first offering of this brew, at least the first time I have seen it. The brew poured to a nice amber brown color with a thick off white head that had fair retention and did leave a little lacing. The aroma was unexpectedly more hoppy than I would have envisioned, while that aroma was nice I think it somewhat distorted what this beer should have been. I also pick up a nice malt aroma, slight roast and caramel, but for me it seems to take a back seat. Also present is an alcohol aroma that at first I liked but as it warmed got a little to boozy for me both in the nose and in the flavor. The aroma was similar to the nose where the hop flavor was quite intense based upon the style. The malt flavors where there, again for me they took a back seat and as the brew warmed the alcohol flavors just got to be a little to much. Overall, I did enjoy this brew but don't feel that it is in the style, I could be wrong, but would have anticipated much more of a malt base.

On-tap 2/27/09 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of caramelized malts, dark fruit, lager yeast and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet and malty, with flavors of caramel and dark fruit. Then a strong hops presence for the style comes in next to balance things out. The after-taste is slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, decent representation of style, it's a good beer overall, but even though a liked the high hoppiness for the style, there are other Doppelbocks that I would choose first.

On tap at Taco Mac Metropolis.

The appearance was just the beginning of the surprises with this one. It pours a light, clear orangish amber with a small tan head that recedes to a collar quickly, leaving no lacing. It certainly doesn't look like a doppelbock.

The aroma continued the trend with some roasted malts and lots of hops. The hops are on the earthy side of things but the aroma is fairly subtle overall. It doesn't smell like a doppelbock.

The taste is slightly better but still is dominated by roasted caramel malts and lots of earthy hops. It's got a toasted character overall. It doesn't really taste like a dobbelbock either.

The mouthfeel is fairly light for a doppelbock, though I don't think that comparing it to a doppelbock is relevant at this point.

I'm still a little confused on this beer as I just can't fathom how it can be considered a doppelbock. It's a better-than-average IPA, but that's about it. Weird.

On tap at Monster B's in Stamford, Conn. Poured cloudy dull tangerine, minor off white head and then stingy fine lacing. Wheat and fruit in the nose. Lots of ripe fruit, wheat malt, lemon/lime, melon notes. Alcohol in a understated mode. Moderately zesty and oddly refreshing. Nice offering from powerhouse SN

Reviewed on 9/3/08. On tap at BT. Pours a clear deep red/orange with a small light tan head. Aroma of flowery hops and roasted/toasted malts. Flavor is quite strong, lots of sugary sweetness, honey, light fruits (pear, apple). Pretty awful and near undrinkable. Yuck.
5/4/4/2/9 (2.4/5)

Draft at Summit's in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Dark copper body with a thin, white head.

Smell: Pale malts, grains, and a muted citrus component. Wait just a damn minute, are you telling me Sierra Nevada slipped me yet another IPA?

Taste: Pale malts, a touch grainy, and having a light sweetness. Lightly citrusy hops deliver a punch of moderate bitterness. Pepper-packed booziness throughout. Tiresome, bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Very light stickiness to the mouthfeel. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Waiter! Oh, waiter! Yeah, I ordered a doppelbock and got this ho-hum IPA instead. What gives?

Had this on tap at The Brick Store Pub. Pour amber with a fairly fine white head and very nice lacing. Smells very light with some slightly sour graininess and some firm malt. The taste is rich and malty and quite good with some earthy hops at the finish. Its a little sweet with some fruitiness that is balanced by a nice dry spiciness. his does not at all seem like it is as strong as its abv. The mouthfeel is a bit spicy and quite dry despite all the malt. Very nice, I'd have several if it weren't so strong.

Got it on tap at the Lionheart in Albany.

A: Body is light honey in color with a small off-white head that settles fast. Rings of lace up top, but no lacing on the way down the glass.

S: Nose is predominantly skunky, with some leafy and earthy hops noticeable as well.

T: Sweet and fruity malt -- caramelized sugar and boozy fruit -- that is knocked back and dominated by a spicy, leafy herbal and skunky-type taste. Alcohol heat is definitely noted.

M: Medium-bodied. Appears light in carbonation but has some active fizz to it.

D: OK. Skunky spice detracts from overall quaffability.

Notes: I'd never seen or heard of this beer before I saw it on the chalkboard at the Lionheart tonight. I had no idea it was 9.4% ABV when I ordered it, but in hindsight it makes sense, as there was plenty of heat. That overall impression of skunkiness took away from the experience; it was almost like drinking a Euro Lager from a light-struck green bottle in some ways. I will try it again to see if second impressions are the same, but if they are, I wouldn't really recommend this SN offering. Though it does provide a nice buzz. . . .

Had this on-tap at Tavern On The Hill in Easthampton,MA(nice beer select includes Abita, DFH,Shipyard, Cisco etc.)

Deep golden color with a nice head.

Smell is hoppy and malty, signature hoppy smell that most Sierra beers share.

Hops stand out first with pine notes and a nice malty follow up. You don't know it's a Dopple until you finish your sip.

For the 9+% Alcohol in this beer you wouldn't know it, the mouthfeel is smooth and never biting.

The drinkablity of this beer is as good as any i've drank, loved every sip.

Excellent take on the dopplebock style, if you can find this one, snack it up quick. Every sip filled me with happiness.

Served on tap at Taco Mac in Cumming, GA into a clean, clear pint glass.

A Light brown translucent body with no head but this, I believe, was done intentionally by the barkeeper as he likely "refilled" the pint until there was no head in an ill-fated effort to "give me all that he can." My apperance review and rating may have been negatively affected by the pour at Taco Mac.

S Some alcohol but not much, malty without being sweet. A good smell.

T Strong alcohol taste with grainy malt behind it with some hops. A good balance a little on the hoppy side as I think about it. To me this was like a strong amber.

M Moderate to full with alcohol and hops.

D Fair due to bigness, alcohol.

Notes: A little too bitter for me to give it the highest marks or for it to become a favorite. This is a good beer, however. Another good offering from Sierra Nevada imo.

Wow! I had no idea this brew even existed until I walked into a little bar in Nashville and this was on tap..

Very clear golden color....not much in the way of a head but I didn't expect one with this ABV...

Big aromas of those familiar SN hops here. Maybe a little maltier but not by a lot...

Wow, this is actually really nicely balanced. The hops are definitely present here but the malts are present as well. This reminds me of Bigfoot in a way....

A peculiar Doppelbock.... Very, very hoppy for the style but still quite good. I wish they bottled this one.

The ruby-orange body supports a tight ecru capping of foam, and a few struggling bubbles of CO2 meander their way up to join it.
Sourdough aroma, bolstered with caramelized pineapples, brown sugar, sherry-like alcohol vapors, and a fairly loud hop contribution, with pine needles and dead leaves.
Bready and generally dry at its onset into the mouth. It sweetens with a toasty-sweet Munich-like maltiness, with a small nuttiness, and then ventures towards dates and caramel. It never settles in here, as the hops and alcoholic sting turn this briskly bitter, with big fallen leaf and dry pine overtones. The inhale finds some vinous heat.
Medium+ in body, with enough tiny carbonation to keep it from any kind of stickiness, but also enough to keep it from feeling as rich and brawny as it needs to be.
You'd never mistake this for a traditional doppelbock, but that doesn't seem to be the intent. The hopping is attention-grabbing, but the rest of the beer doesn't hold much intrigue.

On tap served in a pilsner glass.
Golden/copper color with small head that dissipates quickly.
Nice hoppy smell.
The hops stand out with the first sip. I was surprised by the hoppiness over the malty taste. There is malt in the background that makes you remember that it is a doppelbock.
A high gravity beer, but I did not notice the alcohol level.
Smooth drink with nice light effervescent mouthfeel.
I feel this is good overall beer and a nice change from other traditional dopplebocks.