Double Bock
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

King of Prussia, PA. Having recently reviewed several imported Doppelbocks, I was quite surprised at how well done this was. It's crystal clear and very deep reddish-amber/chestnut in color. The head is a full, frothy yellowish-ivory & holds quite well. It eventually drops to a decent collar & limited surface covering, but also leaves some really nice lace about the glass. The aroma is similar to Vienna malt: rich & lightly toasty but also slightly fruity... even juicy. Very welcoming. The body is medium with a moderate carbonation that leaves it smooth and lightly creamy in the mouth. The flavor starts lightly fruity but quickly reveals a firm malty character with some soft toffee-ish notes and a lightly toasted character. It does have a "juicy", or even winey component to it which is probably coming from the alcohol, although it's not really noticeable - exceptionally well hidden, particularily at 7.1%. Very well done. The bitterness is quite subtle, only acting to keep the maltiness in check - and the maltiness itself is quite smooth, refined, and not at all blocky or overly sweet. I'm guessing that this was given ample lagering time! It finishes dry but with a residual maltiness on the tongue. And, again, I guess the alcohol helps to give it a light "winey" character. Not really complex - in fact quite straight forward - but rich and rewarding. This is certainly a beer that you may not feel until you try to stand up. Exceptionally drinkable.