Small Batch Series No. 5: Pecan Smoked Doppelbock
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

Small Batch Series No. 5: Pecan Smoked DoppelbockSmall Batch Series No. 5: Pecan Smoked Doppelbock
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From:
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling
 
Texas, United States
Style:
Doppelbock
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 17.69%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
65
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 19, 2021
Added:
Mar 24, 2013
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Spinderella:
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Rated by Spinderella from Texas

4.75/5  rDev +27.3%

Sep 24, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.74 by BKotch from Texas

Oct 19, 2021
 
Rated: 3.15 by rspauldi from Texas

Apr 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Jun 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by nathanmiller from New York

Nov 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by TheBeerAlmanac from Kentucky

Jul 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by ThreeFishes from Florida

Jul 16, 2014
Photo of BeerandWhiskeyHQ
Reviewed by BeerandWhiskeyHQ from Illinois

4.74/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottled: 2-19-13
7.5% ABV

Appearance
Non-transparrent dark brown almost black body accompanied by a medium-sized quickly dissipating mocha head.

Nose
Extremely rich malt nose, hints of smoke, cocoa and vanilla

Palate
Holy shit! Incredibly rich and smooth burst of initial flavor. A heavy mouthfeel that is so velvety smooth and extremely pleasant. Fully rounded smoke flavors and rich malt with a slight hint of alcohol lurking under the smoke and roast that warms the palate. There are slight undertones of fruits and maple that mellows and balances the all out full roast character. It finishes with a sugary sweet and light roast finish that lingers for a respectable amount of time.

Overall
There is an absolutely perfect reason that this beer was the Gold Medal winner at the 2013 World Beer Championship. Incredibly rich and smooth, the partial Texas Pecan hand smoked malt adds a great addition to the character and has a respectable alcohol content that is enjoyable without going over the top. I nursed this beer to the last drop and too bad it was brewed the one and only time in 2013 because this is the best Doppelbock I’ve ever had and one of the best beers I’ve ever had the good fortune to taste.
Apr 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Thanx4AllDaFish from Texas

Apr 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by AlMarzo from Michigan

Apr 02, 2014
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

2.38/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
Bottled 02/19. Batch 13. 375ml brown glass bottle with appealing green label and black wax-ed over pry-off pressure cap acquired at a local bottle shop for $6.99 USD and served into an Avery stem-tulip in low altitude Austin, Texas. Reviewed live. Expectations are below average given the brewery and the series; every beer I've tried in this series has been a letdown. No style (aside from "ale") is indicated on the label, but I'm reviewing it as a doppelbock.

Served cold - straight from the fridge - and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: No bubble show forms as it's poured.

Pours a one finger wide head of pale khaki colour. Decent creaminess and thickness. Head retention is below average - about 1 minute. Inconsistent lacing sticks to the sides of the glass the head recedes. Consistency and complexion are a bit wanting.

Body colour is a murky dark brown; very moat-esque. Poor clarity. Lacks vibrance or glow. No floating yeast particles are visible, but I wouldn't call it a clean appearance. It's subpar for a doppelbock.

I'm not particularly excited to try this beer based on the appearance.

Sm: Has a definite smokiness, but it lacks the meaty pork character of a rauchbier. Not ashy or charred either. I definitely couldn't isolate pecan character, but it's a distinct kind of smokiness, sure, and I think it works well here, though there're plenty of metallic off-notes and it seems a bit stale, if not infected. There's also some evident unbecoming acidity. Other than that, all I pick up is a generic maltiness and some caramel..

This beer has a painfully simple aroma littered with off-notes and doesn't feel in any way German in character.

An unpleasant aroma of average strength.

No yeast character, alcohol, or hop character is detectable.

T: The smoke is actually quite timid, and some of the pecan wood comes through - which is lovely. Unfortunately, the doppelbock build is lackluster. I don't get a distinct German vibe from this flavour profile, and the malt choices seem all wrong. I pick up caramel, brown malts, metallic notes, some bland bready malts, and some medicinal character. There's also a hint of artificial fruit extract/syrup which some might find cough syrup-esque.

It's a chaotic mess of a flavour profile and lacks cohesion. It's in no way subtle or intricate. The off-flavours really hold this beer back. Below average depth of flavour. Average duration and intensity of flavour.

This flavour profile never comes together, and overall the beer lacks the rich complexity and subtle yeasty notes of the best doppelbocks. Pecan smoking is an interesting approach, but the execution is way off.

Mf: Astringent, gushed fairly harsh, coarse, and dry. Stale. Basically, it's completely wrong for a doppelbock, though it does have decent body and thickness. Overall presence on the palate is poor, and the texture doesn't complement or accentuate the taste. Poor execution.

Not oily or hot.

Dr: Ranger Creek continues to disappoint. I'm not sure why some of these small batch beers even make it to market; I guess it's because they sell to chumps like me even though they're low quality. This is difficult to drink on account of its lack of redeeming attributes and I'd caution friends and trade partners against trying it. That said, I guess it hides its ABV decently. The discerning doppelbock drinker will find nothing of interest here. Move along.

D+
Feb 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by XicanoBeerRun from Texas

Jan 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by BGsWo22 from Texas

Jan 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by vmdominguez from Texas

Jan 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by BMart from Pennsylvania

Jan 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by greenspointexas from Texas

Dec 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by BlesstheHarvest from Texas

Dec 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by nquigley16 from Massachusetts

Nov 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Magery from Kentucky

Nov 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by SteeleWright from Texas

Oct 22, 2013
Small Batch Series No. 5: Pecan Smoked Doppelbock from Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 65 ratings