Spaten Optimator
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

3.77/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Look: Brown-ruby beauty. Fine, frothy head (4) Smell: semi-musky, malt essence (3.75) Taste: Sweet dark malts, chocolate with earth tones, light bitter finish (3.75) Feel: Palatable and fun (3.75) Overall: Easy going, yet lingers (3.75)

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4.53/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle:

Pours an extremely dark amber color with a 1.5 finger off white head. Head fades a bit but does retain. Some lacing.

Smell has several layers. Bread, sweet dark fruits, malts, and a tiny bit of booze too. There is a bit of sweetness that smells like honey to me as well.

Taste follows the nose. Incredibly rich flavors and quite well balanced. My only real complaint is that I am not the biggest fan of the boozy twang at the beginning, but even with that it is delicious. Finish is long, malty, roasty, and sweet all at the same time.

Mouthfeel is bold, but lighter than it looks. Has the full-bodied flavor of a 12% stout, but feels like an 8ish%, which it is. Good for sipping in cool-cold weather.

Overall, outstanding. Best bock of any variety I have ever had to this point. Not to mention readily available and relatively inexpensive. If you like dark beers of any variety you’re sure to enjoy this.

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4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours copper in color, clear, with half inch head. Taste is dark bread, toasted malt, and some smokiness. Heavy bodied, sweet with moderate carbonation. I really appreciate the smoky undertones with this beer. Tasty dopplebock that I will get again.

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4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Is this what a doppelbock should taste like? I haven’t had a lot. But it’s good. I have to explore the platform more. Hearty, honey and hops, bread notes. A cold weather beer.

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4.14/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

These are especially good in larger bottles. Amber pour with medium off white head, agreeing with anither - has that unmistakable spaten aroma. Some dark fruit and bread notes, and taste. Slight alcohol. Great sipper in cool weather! Sweet but good bitterness for balence. If you've only had 12 oz look for the larger bottle.

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4.73/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Best Doppelbock I've had. Not to sweet. Very affordable. Up there with the big boys. I'm sure there are specialty doppelbocks that may be better, but this is a damn good beer. I'm not going to bother breaking it down. The mouthfeel on this one is great, the smell is unique to Spaten. 88 doesn't do it justice. I think it needs at least a 92 minimum.

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3.84/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with a best by date of 05.2020, opened 9-2-19.
1/2" beige head, retains at a solid cap...beautiful mahogany color - reddish-brown when held to the light. Light, spotty lacing.
Roasted malts, dark fruit, woodsy, molasses.
Grain, brown sugar, molasses. sweet roasted malt...rich flavors.
Full body, low carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel. Some roasted malt bitterness and a long flavorful finish.
Drinkability is fairly high even at 7.6%.
Good.

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3.47/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

pours a brilliantly clear deep brown / mahogany.
nose is light caramel, untoatsed bread crust.
taste follows. caramel, bread crust, biscuit, grainy malt character. a bit of a twang at the end?
clean, crisp carbonation. lingering bread crust.
overall good, but i can't get over a 'twang' at the end that i do not think should be there? Maybe just a bad bottle?

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3.94/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the bottle, it pours a coppery caramelly color with a nicely sized light tan head that slowly diminishes and leaves lacing as you enjoy it. In the nose, it is a bit of caramel malt. In the mouth, it is nicely balanced caramel malt and roasted malt - easy to drink and dangerous.

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3.52/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black, small bubbles white head that dissipates rather quickly.

Aromas of dark malts, sugar, a meaty note, and some dried fruits like raisins.

Taste follows the nose, but it has some weird sweetness that is a big contrast with its bitterness. At some point it feels like Ayinger's Doppelbock.

Mouthfeel is medium/light with some cloying sweetmess.

Good but would choose Paulaner over it.

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4.58/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

One of the best beers I've ever had. Reminds me of Chimay blue. Awesome malty dark beer. Dark fruity flavors like raisins, cherries, etc. Chimay is a bit hard to find in my area, and I'm saving the last two bottles I have, but this is a good substitute, and costs less than a bomber of Chimay for a 6 pack.

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3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a single-serve green (?!) bottle into a tulip.

Pours dark brown/amber. A decent but quickly departing tan head. Good lacing though.

Expected but nice dark aromas arrive from everywhere. Brown bread, molasses, brown sugar, caramel, fig, raisin, tobacco, leather. A few lighter aromas too, like caramel and vanilla. HInts of booze.

The flavor follows the nose, with more fruit and less bread. Dark cherries, figs, raisins, prunes. There are still bready notes of molasses and especially brown bread. And some cocoa for good measure. Some toasted malts, cashews, and then some spicy yeast at the finish. A touch of warming alcohol.

The brew is a medium-full-bodied near meal, but finishes well with decent carbonation.

Overall, a nice version of the style.

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4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From old, undated notes. Poured from the bottle.

Pretty see-through for the brown-purple color.

Strong bright white head; spotty lacing.

Raisin bread nose; subtle sweet malts.

Medium/thick mouthfeel.

Dark fruits and bread, yet very drinkable.

A minor miracle. Delicious and versatile; I could have this on Christmas or the middle of summer. Nice work.

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4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I’m partial to doppelbocks, this one is no exception..

No head but great dark brown coloration, though it almost looked like a Coke. Mouthfeel was both crisp and silky smooth with a smell that hinted of honey sweetness. The taste was full of the same blending well with malt and an even more distant taste of caramel. Damn nice find and one to be on the lookout again...

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3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Green, 12oz bottle, with best by date of '05.2019'.
Clear, ruby brown colored body. Slight light brown head dissipates and leaves some skiff and a thin ring. A few tiny spots of lacing are left behind.
Aroma of toasted bread and sweet dark fruit.
Taste of toasted malts and prunes. Hops are slight but add a floral flavor. No bitterness.
Medium plus mouth feel. Good carbonation.
Very smooth, but tastes like prunes to me. Bread and fruit combine to make this dark colored beer a source for work calories. Better for the transition from winter to spring rather than a summer quencher beer.

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4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours dark like coffee with decent head and lacing. Has a bold malty taste with a slightly bitter finish. Has a nice kick and is moderately priced. A great brew - will be buying again.

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4.02/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

How have I not reviewed this? Well, reviewed for BJCP training. 9A Doppelbock. Best before 09/2019

Pours a decent foamy bubbly 1/2 finger head that retains at a med pace, little lacing, very clear mahogany ruby color

Nose lots of Maillard candy malts, toasty grainy malts, quite a bit of toasted aromas with mild bread crust, but no caramel, no real hop aroma, very faint hint of chocolate and some dark malt-derived fruits

Taste again brings lots of toasty malts, Maillard toasty almost bread crust like again, but also a faint touch of caramel/toffee/nutty notes, and again that very mild note of chocolate, but no dark roasty characters, hops come with medium bitterness and very mild spicy flavor, just a hint of dark fruits, otherwise clean lager, bitterness lingers on the finish, but mostly malt-sweet characters with a little warming but smooth alcohol

Mouth is med to fuller bod, medium-higher carb, with a little warming smooth alcohol

Overall I'm glad I didn't review this until now, I always though doppelbock should be big on sweet caramel toffee like flavors etc (somewhat like Troegenator), but now I see this is actually more on, lots of complex toasty malts, enough hops to balance, mild alcohol warmth, seeing that I like this style a bit less than I used to, but it's good for the style.

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3.69/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Best by 4/2019

Pours a deep, dark brownish amber topped with slightly over a finger of tannish, off-white foam; decent retention results in a thicker, persistent collar and minimal lacing.

Aromas of light, toasted malts, honeysuckle, and bits of brown sugar fade nicely to notes of sweet fig, prune, and a wisp of plum toward the finish; sweeter than expected, but it has a lighter touch that adds to its balance and makes it pretty pleasant.

Taste shows bready malt, cola spice, roasty caramel, and lightly tart plum skins followed with further fig, raisin, prune, and earthy, woody tones toward the finish; sweet and earthy takes a turn toward the medicinal, but it all balances for the most part.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with medium-light carbonation and a faint bit of toasty malt and herbal (almost medicinal) bitterness, which a creaminess evens out nicely enough; a thinness shows here and there, but only detracts slightly from a mouthfeel built very approachably for the palate.

Enjoyable take on the style highlighted by Spaten’s typical high-level approachability. Can feel slightly inconsistent at times in the profile, and ultimately really shines in how drinkable it is; it’s no ‘meal’ like other doppelbocks, but it’s a damn good one to put back with ease.

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3.57/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

11.2oz Bourke into perfect pint
Bb 12/2018
Pours exactly like a glass of cola with a dark brown look,  with lighter highlights.  Thin off white head.
The aroma is heavy on caramel with some subtle chocolate notes.
The tastes follows the nose,  along with some yeast character.
The feel is medium-bodied, and under carbonated.
Overall this is an average at best double bock, with one dimensional flavor.

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4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a shaker pint.

Look - Dark brown with the slightest hint of red. A small lingering sandy colored head. If I had to describe the look of this beer, I'd say noble and distinguished.

Smell - Obvious strong bready malt notes with a slight tinge of sweet potato and spices. The lightest bit of some earthy peppery hops. The smell carries a long way as well, really wafts out.

Taste - Sourdough bread and molasses to start out, really sweet and round. Transitions into a peppery alcohol bite with some salty green bean-like essence. Aftertaste returns to the sweat breadiness.

Feel - Medium-thick body with only a modest amount of carbonation. Quite filling and comforting.

Overall - A relaxing but hefty beer that is perfect for this first wave of cold weather. Complex and diverse on every sip.

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2.47/5  rDev -37%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

It tastes as advertised. Its a double bock, and that extra hoppiness and maltiness I feel overpowers the rest of the flavor. Not my bag. If you like IPA's you may want to try this.

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4.12/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass…

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Look
Poured a deep crimson brown color with a 2 finger mocha tan head. Minimum light coming through.

Smell
Raisins ’n dark fruit. Prune, caramel, spice. Sourdough-y bread!

Taste
Taste is caramel, raisins, honey, and phenol, some bourbon, some smoke, cask. Alcohol in taste and bitter on finish.

Mouthfeel
Medium/heavy body, crisply carbonated. Smooth and more a sipper.

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Overall
Wonderful beer for it’s flavor profile/type. It has deep flavor and I would get it again particularly because of it’s price point (Purchased $1.99 for a bottle in Southern California).

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5/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Once again a quality beer from a company who has been doing it for a very long time. This is amazing and this is worthy of some goodness. This beer continues to be a go to and will always be one of my favorites!

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4.11/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was one of my German grandpa's staples. Very dark fruity and dark in appearance. It looks like prune, raisin and plum juice and tastes similar. The best part for me is the smell. Smells like a great raisin bread, or something. Mouthfeel is a bit light for the smell and taste but not bad. Overall, a winner for a doppel.

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3.97/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love this. Great memories of having it at Henk’s in Dallas. Looks like Coke, smells like malty honey, and tastes like a syrupy biscuit. The head disappears in a flash. The overall experience is wonderful.

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