Spaten Optimator | Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Brewed by:
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Germany
franziskaner-weissbier.de
Style: German Doppelbock
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.60%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 04-06-1999
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 3,135 | Reviews: 1,357
4.17/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
4.04/5 rDev +3.9%
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.
830 characters
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.
830 characters
2.47/5 rDev -36.5%
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.
180 characters
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.
180 characters
4/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Have on Draft
13 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Have on Draft
13 characters
4.02/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass…
=====
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.
=====
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).
629 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass…
=====
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.
=====
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).
629 characters
4.96/5 rDev +27.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
3.69/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.58/5 rDev +17.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
4.11/5 rDev +5.7%
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.
331 characters
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.
331 characters
3.97/5 rDev +2.1%
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.
208 characters
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.
208 characters
3.16/5 rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Look, dark Amber. Reminds me of cherry coke. Nice tan head, dissipates quickly with only slight traces sticking to glass.
Smell, light malt, light alcohol
Taste, yeast on tip of tongue, hint of caramel, malt hangs on back of tongue and roof of mouth.
Feel, smooth and flat, can tell that it won't take a lot to get right.
322 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Look, dark Amber. Reminds me of cherry coke. Nice tan head, dissipates quickly with only slight traces sticking to glass.
Smell, light malt, light alcohol
Taste, yeast on tip of tongue, hint of caramel, malt hangs on back of tongue and roof of mouth.
Feel, smooth and flat, can tell that it won't take a lot to get right.
322 characters
4.08/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.44/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.24/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz green bottle bb March 2019 poured into a Spaten stein at fridge temp 7.6% ABV. This bottle was removed from a closed case and should have no light damage. The beer pours bright, ruby tinted, dark brown with light brown head. The head recedes to a thin cap and ring. The aroma is sweet and bready with hints of dark fruit. The taste is semisweet caramel manifested as burnt sugar, some hints of fruit in the middle and a firm, slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, adequately carbonated and somewhat dry in the finish. The malt to bitterness ratio is perfect to my taste. Overall, excellent. It's a shame you can't just buy a single or six pack of this without concern of the beers condition because of green bottles. I might buy a case this winter as this is the best doppelbock value on the shelves.
830 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz green bottle bb March 2019 poured into a Spaten stein at fridge temp 7.6% ABV. This bottle was removed from a closed case and should have no light damage. The beer pours bright, ruby tinted, dark brown with light brown head. The head recedes to a thin cap and ring. The aroma is sweet and bready with hints of dark fruit. The taste is semisweet caramel manifested as burnt sugar, some hints of fruit in the middle and a firm, slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, adequately carbonated and somewhat dry in the finish. The malt to bitterness ratio is perfect to my taste. Overall, excellent. It's a shame you can't just buy a single or six pack of this without concern of the beers condition because of green bottles. I might buy a case this winter as this is the best doppelbock value on the shelves.
830 characters
3.79/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a murky brown with a finger of khaki foam. Aroma is biscuit, toast, and bread malts. Flavor profile is biscuit and bread malts forming a hearty, but smooth taste. There is a zing of yeast. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a velvety texture. Overall, a refreshing and smooth, malt-heavy beer. Drinks smooth, but as if it were a higher ABV.
Served in a 12oz snifter from a 12oz bottle.
390 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a murky brown with a finger of khaki foam. Aroma is biscuit, toast, and bread malts. Flavor profile is biscuit and bread malts forming a hearty, but smooth taste. There is a zing of yeast. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a velvety texture. Overall, a refreshing and smooth, malt-heavy beer. Drinks smooth, but as if it were a higher ABV.
Served in a 12oz snifter from a 12oz bottle.
390 characters
Spaten Optimator from Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Beer rating:
3.89 out of
5 with
3,135 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
Explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.