Mediator
Heater Allen Brewing

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From:
Heater Allen Brewing
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Doppelbock
Ranked #84
ABV:
7.8%
Score:
87
Ranked #17,502
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 9.87%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
42
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 23, 2024
Added:
Apr 16, 2009
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by macpapi:
Photo of macpapi
Reviewed by macpapi from Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Aged in gin barrels and from a growler poured at Uptown Market Beaverton.

Pours a dark brown color with a full white head. Little visibility through the glass and decent amount of cloying bubbles on the sides.

Smells of malt, caramel, molasses, and a bit of booze. I can't say that a gin aroma is anywhere to be found here, but it is a pretty full smell.

Taste is malty--mostly caramel with some real sweetness. Diacetyl and dark fruit hints are there as well. A bit more notable hop presence than is common for the style, but this makes it interesting. Also there is a bit of alcohol sting at the back of the swallow.

Moderate carbonation and a full body with a bit of buttery undertone define mouthfeel.

Overall this is a nice beer. Barrel aging may add a bit of depth to the flavor or enhance the overall complexity. Without having a regular version to compare it to, however, it is hard to say. What I can say is that I really enjoyed this beer. It is an interesting and drinkable doppelbock.
May 29, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Clear dark brown body, full tan head. Big malt nose with toasted caramel, dark fruits and mild dark yeast. Taste has the same elements but intentionally showcases the dark fruit and dark yeast together, plum in particular sings on the palate, toasted caramel emerges to be the champion of the finish with a kiss of proper diacetyl. Feel is malty the whole way, smooth and medium bodied. The wife loved it. This was our beer and chocolate pairing champion
Feb 23, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by BarrelAgedG from California

Mar 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.84 by shelby415 from Oregon

Mar 20, 2022
Photo of hops_for_thought
Reviewed by hops_for_thought from New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can (02May2021) into a glass sort of flute thing

L: pours a clear dark amber/copper brown (srm ~20). Moderate tan/khaki head, fades after a minute leaving a slight layer of foam. No visible carbonation. Slight lacing with each sip

S: good malt-forward nose, nice and toasted with a slight sweetness to it. Bit of plum/cherry/darker fruit; tease of abv. Hint of toffee, caramel? A little muted. I’m having a hard time describing it, need to drink more dopplebocks

T: follows the well, toasted malt with that plum fruit note. Some of the toffee/caramel character I got from the nose as well. Nice abv presence. There’s a slight bitter finish, medium+, that I’m enjoying

F: medium- body, medium- carbonation. Light feel, very drinkable

O: need to build my dopplebock vocabulary but I liked this a lot, and from what I’ve read about the style this checks a lot of boxes
Jul 04, 2021
Photo of pkalix
Rated by pkalix from California

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
i like it! but why does it say it was canned on 5/2/2021 while it's still April....?
Apr 15, 2021
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Shameful that this beer is only rated a 85... Someone must have paid off the Russian judges. Anyway, Raul thinks this one is a goodie - not grand like the Dodgers legacy - but good like that one year the Angels lucked into one.

Peace.
Mar 08, 2021
Photo of NickSMpls
Reviewed by NickSMpls from Washington

3.62/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark tan, light head, quickly fades away. Not much in the aroma department, either. Dense and viscous, malt and more malt, low bittterness. This would be a good choice for a tray of cold cuts, rich cheese , rye bread and whole grain German mustard on a spring afternoon.
Mar 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by rab53 from Washington

Feb 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.52 by DOCRW from Kentucky

May 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Ajlvt from Washington

Mar 15, 2019
Photo of TryThemAllOnce
Reviewed by TryThemAllOnce from California

3.29/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bought in a 500ml bottle today, and poured into a snifter. Date stamp 2/16/18 (Doesn't indicate whether that is 'best by' or 'bottled on'.

It looks fantastic on the initial pour - a dark ruby/brown contrasted by the one finger tan foam. It recedes fairly quickly with minimal scattered lacing.

Not much on the nose at all, aroma is completely absent really.

Taste has a faint bit of raisin, and some bitterness on the finish, not much else is going on here.

The carbonation seems about right, no problems there.

Having tried quite a few excellent German Doppels (Ayinger Celebrator, Salvator, Weihenstephaner Korbinian), I just can't find much enthusiam for this brew. I would not buy it again.
Dec 13, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by twelveinches from Washington

Jun 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.93 by jason_nwx from Oregon

Mar 18, 2018
Photo of Lingenbrau
Reviewed by Lingenbrau from Oregon

3.86/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Mediator certainly is pretty. Deep scarlet, but when held to light, ruby highlights are unquestionably gorgeous. The downside is the unimpressive khaki head that barely reaches 1/4" before descending back into the depths. Who wouldn't want to take that plunge though, with it's beauty? No lacing gives it a few knocks down as well.

The bready and caramelized sugar notes are difficult to find, but are there. A good amount of dark fruit such as fig and soft purple raisins compliment the former appropriately.

Excellent flavors. Very dark fruit forward versus what the aroma would indicate. The sweet and sticky fig with the cracked grain and sweet rolls remind me if an original Fig Newton. Some caramel comes in behind, followed by some cola like spices and burnt rubber, before being finished off by a perfect amount spicy hops.

As mentioned above, it is definitely sweet, then finishes spicy bitter. There is some decent amount of stickiness, but it still manages to end dry and a little harsh due to a tingly carbonation (despite what its appearance would indicate) and a decent alcohol warmth.

I'd say this is a good take in a Dopplebock. One of my most revered styles, this one is more on the fruity sweet as opposed to caramel and bready sweet. It's not a bad thing, actually quite refreshing and unique but still manages to fit right in. Drinking this, you know it's a dopplebock, no confusion there. I think I'll have another. Prost!
Mar 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.81 by Corson from Canada (AB)

Sep 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Kmat10 from Canada (AB)

Aug 04, 2015
Photo of popery
Reviewed by popery from California

3.66/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
The beer is a deep amber brown and fairly cloudy. The head is creamy and beige. Not much in the way of lacing. The aroma is rich with nutty malt sweetness. Pleasant caramel tone. Some perfumey dark fruitiness. Cherries and raspberries with plums and dates. The taste is sweet and full of more malt goodness. Nothing cloying about it though. Clean finish with light hop bitterness. Toasty, bready malt character shows off the depth of the style. Mild herbal hoppiness. Creamy, full mouthfeel. A bit low on carbonation, probably appropriate for the style. Tasty beer.
Aug 02, 2015
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.66/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Handsome dark amber with a fine-grained foam in the shaker. Pleasantly sudsy mouthfeel. Cinnamon in the nose.

This is sweet. And rather bitter in the aftertaste. Was there something else you'd like to know? There is actually an interesting complexity as the sugar subsides and the roasted malt flavors take over. Sort of a buttery, Old Ale note. Caramel comes to mind, but this has a leaner, woodier edge with a hint of the very dark.

Overall this more drinkable than a lot of Doppelbocks. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at New Seasons Market in Portland.
May 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.9 by VashonGuy from Washington

Apr 24, 2015
Mediator from Heater Allen Brewing
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 42 ratings