Instigator Doppelbock
Sly Fox Brewing Company

On draft at the Pottstown location, served in shaped pint glass

Very dark brown in color, thin cream colored head. Rich malty aroma. Similar taste, but not overly sweet. Medium to full bodied.

 

 

 

 

It may have been rebrewed as I had this at a tasting. Very nice Dopplebock. Nice heavy malt that lingers.

I really like how Sly Fox brews German beers and this is no exception. The taste is predominantly layers of caramel, toasted malt, and slight dark chocolate. Sweet but not overly sweet and a good American example of the style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a dark burnt caramel color with ruby hues along the edges. There is a rather large tan head with great retention that left loads of lacing as it receded.

Aroms begin with toasted malts, brown sugar and sweet caramel covered apples. As it warms you get notes of smoked wood and red grapes as well.

The tastes begin with apple cider and dark red grape skin. Then it's quite caramel malt forward with hints of smokiness. As it warms you get more and more dark fruits; figs, dates and raisin.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium'high carbonation. Finish is on the sweeter end of the spectrum but the ample carbonation helps to balance the large malt presence.

Overall this is a nice American example of a classic German brew. Nothing worldly or revolutionary here or up to the quality of the authentic examples but a fine showing for a low price point.

On taping Phoenixville. Pours a highly red-tinted amber color. Minimal head without much retention or lacing. Beautiful coloring but the head was pretty suspect. Aroma of caramel, bready malt, banana esters, prominent fruit. Smells a bit more like a dunkel weizen than a doppelbock.

The flavor follows suit. It's quite fruity and again there is a bit more of a banana note than one might reasonably expect for the style. Also lacks the big and profoundly chewy malt breadiness of the best examples of the style. Decent dark fruit and caranel sweetness and a semidry finish. I see past reviews are quite favorable, so perhaps there was something a little.off with this batch? Hard to say.

I also found the body to be a bit thin for a dopplebock and the carbonation a.little fizzy, which cut down on the overall smoothness I was hoping for. Pretty mediocre, but I'd like to try this again sometime I suppose.

 

 

Enjoyed at the tasting room in Pottstown, PA

A: half finger head on a clear deep amber body. Nice lacing.

S: aroma is light with caramel malts and toffee mostly.

T: spices and herbal throughout. The spiciness is what I want from the style with the malt backbone well represented proving caramel toffee and brown sugar notes.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: the malt profile is excellent. The notes as above don't mesh well though to make this a great bock.