Icelandic Doppelbock | Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
Brewed by:
Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
Iceland
einstokbeer.com
Style: German Doppelbock
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.70%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
The 2015 version of this limited-edition seasonal is only available through the holiday season, but this winter celebration brew is worth the wait. Malted barley and chocolate tones define the traditional style, while the robust aroma and long, mellow finish make this the perfect companion for holiday adventures. Get it while you can.
Munich malt, pilsner malt, crystal malt, chocolate malt, bavarian hops.
Added by thepeter on 01-02-2012
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 157 | Reviews: 35
3.16/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I really enjoy Einstok's Arctic Pale Ale and I had high hopes for this 2018 version of the holiday doppelbock. Unfortunately, I found too much cloying sweetness with little depth of taste beyond the expected - syrup, coffee and maybe a little pine. The nose is not unexpected but with the look rates the best this beer has to offer; malty maple with a hint of espresso up front.
378 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I really enjoy Einstok's Arctic Pale Ale and I had high hopes for this 2018 version of the holiday doppelbock. Unfortunately, I found too much cloying sweetness with little depth of taste beyond the expected - syrup, coffee and maybe a little pine. The nose is not unexpected but with the look rates the best this beer has to offer; malty maple with a hint of espresso up front.
378 characters
3.68/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.96/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark Amber color with a good, lingering amber head.
Chocolate chocolate chocolate aroma with a hint of caramel.
Tastes like hard chocolate milk, reminiscent of a stout.
The chocolate lingers lightly on the tongue, very pleasant to slowly sip.
I was very happy with this brew. The bottle describes it as a winter celebration ale and I think it does the term justice. Not a traditional holiday ale, but very pleasant nonetheless.
427 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark Amber color with a good, lingering amber head.
Chocolate chocolate chocolate aroma with a hint of caramel.
Tastes like hard chocolate milk, reminiscent of a stout.
The chocolate lingers lightly on the tongue, very pleasant to slowly sip.
I was very happy with this brew. The bottle describes it as a winter celebration ale and I think it does the term justice. Not a traditional holiday ale, but very pleasant nonetheless.
427 characters
3.75/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/9/2017. Pours fairly crystal clear dark ruby red/brown color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Mild herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, chocolate, cocoa, light dark fruit/herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Perfectly clean lager finish, never yeasty. Lightly increasing dryness from hop/roast bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6.7%. Overall this is an excellent doppelbock! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth, clean, and easy to drink for the ABV; with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Very rich, clean, and complex dark/Munich/light roasted malts; with just enough earthy hops to balance sweetness. Never overly fruity from malt. A really enjoyable offering, perfect style example all around.
2,013 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/9/2017. Pours fairly crystal clear dark ruby red/brown color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, raisin, plum, fig, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Mild herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread crust, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, chocolate, cocoa, light dark fruit/herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Perfectly clean lager finish, never yeasty. Lightly increasing dryness from hop/roast bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6.7%. Overall this is an excellent doppelbock! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth, clean, and easy to drink for the ABV; with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Very rich, clean, and complex dark/Munich/light roasted malts; with just enough earthy hops to balance sweetness. Never overly fruity from malt. A really enjoyable offering, perfect style example all around.
2,013 characters
1.73/5 rDev -52.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
11.2 oz bottle. Pours deep ruby amber with a medium creamy off-white head that goes to a thin film that laces the glass some.
The aroma is sweet perfumey toasted biscuit malt with a little fruity leather.
The flavor is sweet toasted biscuit malt and coconut with some off chemical soapy notes and a bitter finish. The mouthfeel is pretty light and watery.
Overall, not my thing.
383 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
11.2 oz bottle. Pours deep ruby amber with a medium creamy off-white head that goes to a thin film that laces the glass some.
The aroma is sweet perfumey toasted biscuit malt with a little fruity leather.
The flavor is sweet toasted biscuit malt and coconut with some off chemical soapy notes and a bitter finish. The mouthfeel is pretty light and watery.
Overall, not my thing.
383 characters
3.9/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours an effervescent & ruddy caramel with 2+ fingers of tan head. Nice lacing & great head retention
S: Dark fruit, brown bread, a little leafy hop
T: Follows the nose, dryness as well, a slight grainy bitterness up front. Dryness, jammyness, a little bit of fig preserves & leafy hops as this warms. Finishes dry, with a little woody hops, figgyness & a touch of brown bread & just a whisper of booze
MF: Medium body, firm carbonation
A nice tamped down Dopple, but still pretty interesting
505 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours an effervescent & ruddy caramel with 2+ fingers of tan head. Nice lacing & great head retention
S: Dark fruit, brown bread, a little leafy hop
T: Follows the nose, dryness as well, a slight grainy bitterness up front. Dryness, jammyness, a little bit of fig preserves & leafy hops as this warms. Finishes dry, with a little woody hops, figgyness & a touch of brown bread & just a whisper of booze
MF: Medium body, firm carbonation
A nice tamped down Dopple, but still pretty interesting
505 characters
3.77/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.94/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.73/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.32/5 rDev +18.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
3.62/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.91/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark burnt umber color with gold highlights and small cream colored cap.
Aroma of sweet caramel and toffee backed by chocolate dusted ripe figs.
Flavor on entry immediately reminds me of eating toffee. It's sweetish rather than sweet but there's a definite ripe fruit aspect to it along with chocolate and the richness of a full bodied Oloroso Sherry. Some heavier nut flavors as well. This is a seasonal holiday brew but it isn't loaded with spices, rather there seems to be an absence of them, yet it conveys a feeling of a holidays along the lines of Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale yet it has a deeper, richer flavor. It strikes me as more a Belgian style with a lighter touch. Very approachable yet complex enough to sit and ponder over.
Full, almost chewy texture with balancing carbonation.
There's a lot to like about and complement this one. It manages to bring out the fullness of roasted malt without the bitterness. Very refined and almost gentille drink.
981 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark burnt umber color with gold highlights and small cream colored cap.
Aroma of sweet caramel and toffee backed by chocolate dusted ripe figs.
Flavor on entry immediately reminds me of eating toffee. It's sweetish rather than sweet but there's a definite ripe fruit aspect to it along with chocolate and the richness of a full bodied Oloroso Sherry. Some heavier nut flavors as well. This is a seasonal holiday brew but it isn't loaded with spices, rather there seems to be an absence of them, yet it conveys a feeling of a holidays along the lines of Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale yet it has a deeper, richer flavor. It strikes me as more a Belgian style with a lighter touch. Very approachable yet complex enough to sit and ponder over.
Full, almost chewy texture with balancing carbonation.
There's a lot to like about and complement this one. It manages to bring out the fullness of roasted malt without the bitterness. Very refined and almost gentille drink.
981 characters
3.5/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.87/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.54/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.71/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Murky, ruddy color to the body; thin yet lasting head on top. Roasted malt aroma; sweet; some chocolate character; smells like figs and dates. The taste brings a stronger sense of roasted grain husk and chocolate; nutty; some alcohol flavors on the back end. Medium-heavy body; rather soft; somewhat watery.
By and large a fine doppelbock full of roasted grain and mild chocolate presence. As others have noted, it is a bit light on the alcohol for the style and the mouthfeel is a tad on the weak side, yet the overall beer is certainly worth trying.
552 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Murky, ruddy color to the body; thin yet lasting head on top. Roasted malt aroma; sweet; some chocolate character; smells like figs and dates. The taste brings a stronger sense of roasted grain husk and chocolate; nutty; some alcohol flavors on the back end. Medium-heavy body; rather soft; somewhat watery.
By and large a fine doppelbock full of roasted grain and mild chocolate presence. As others have noted, it is a bit light on the alcohol for the style and the mouthfeel is a tad on the weak side, yet the overall beer is certainly worth trying.
552 characters
Icelandic Doppelbock from Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
Beer rating:
3.64 out of
5 with
157 ratings
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