Dropinator
Drop-In Brewing Company

Drinking out of a pint glass at the brewery.
Pours a clear light mahogany with a medium head.
Smells some of dark caramel.
Reasonable mouth feel.
Malt forward.
Sweet taste of caramel, but missing some bock taste.

Pours a dark, ruddy brown, thick and puffy 2" head with only moderate retention but good lacing. Nose is spicy, earthy hops (clove, cinnamon, earth, fresh cut grass); nose is more hop-forward than it is toward the malt side. Taste follows - not as aggressively malty/bready as others in the style, but instead leads with grassy, bitter noble hops and light baking spice; mid-palate, the sweetness opens up with some baked apples and light molasses notes, along with brown bread. Overall, however, it is is firmly in the "dry" camp as far as sweetness goes. Feel is solid, though I usually appreciate a bit more creaminess and heft within the style. Still, carbonation is small enough to give it some weight. Overall, I found this enjoyable and would certainly have another if offered.

Another respectable brew by Drop-In.

From a 16oz can, picked up during a VT vacation last year some time....

Poured into one of my trusty Willi Becher glasses, it is a stunning, clear, deep chestnut color. Has a rocky, frothy tan head sitting at 1/2" for quite some time. When it does ebb it leaves some very nice lacework behind. Aroma is somewhat mild, with notes of toasted brown bread, caramel and cocoa powder. Body is a decent medium, and the prickle factor on the tongue is on the low side.

Taste has more caramel and brown bread hitting the palate, with lovely malty semi-sweetness. As others have noted it does have a smidge of raisin and plum lurking beneath the surface. The finish is clean and dry, with a suggestion of earthy hops floating around. Prosit!

4.03/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2336

Poured from draft into a 12 oz glass. Pours dark amber red with decent head that slowly dissipates. Decent malt taste with strong hop backbone, but nothing too egregious. Great beer, especially for the style

Dopplebock seems to have become an under-rated style. I have no idea, as to why. This one from Drop-In is a fine example of the style. Dark body with a deep ruby color; moderate froth atop with minimal lacing along the glass rim. There is a sweetish aroma of plum and cocoa. The palate is inundated with a subtle raisin ester. Nice balance between hops and malt. Crisp body with little alcohol taste one expects from a doppel beer. Definitely, a wonderful quaff. Drop-In's Scottish ale "Heart of Lothian" is also another of their masterpieces. (See My Review.)

16oz tall boy can, sample from the brewery.

Great clarity seen through this dark reddish brown hued brew, lacing does a good job of sticking around. Smells of toast, raisins, dried hay, crackers, & faint herbal hop. It stays on the dry side but there is a good amount of body and maltiness holding strong. A modestly clean alcohol and mellow hop character keep this brew balanced perfectly. BY far one of the best domestic examples to this style, a really great sip.