Verhopft Noch Eins!
Pax Bräu

October, 2013... another month, and another Pax Bräu beer from the Bierkalender. October's beer is the "Verhopft noch Eins!" On the FB page, it said it's already sold out. Damn I'm lucky to have 2 (!) 1L bottles of it delivered to my door.

First, let's discuss the name, which is a word play in more than one way. "Verhopft noch Eins," is a play on the saying "Verdammt noch eins," which is similar to "verdammt noch mal." The "Verdammnt noch eins" is hard to translate but comes out like "damn it again," or "damn it plus one." So… in German it's a funny word play, then the fact that it's WELL hopped, or literally, "hopped plus one."

I like the label, too. 2 "Bocks," or goats facing off in front of a target with what might be a bullet hole in it.

It's a Weizen Doppelbock at 9.3%, verging far into barley wine territory.
Color is like a Märzen, light amber with orange tints under a white head.

Aroma is strongly orangey with some bubblegum and a definite whiff of alcohol. Yes, it really smells like a Weizen with extra orange and citrus notes.

The flavor is where things are a little different from your standard Weizen. In the front, I get a tad burning alcohol, a little orange and a little bitterness. I get some bubblegum, too, but not overpowering. In the middle, there's a slight tart and bitter note, and in the back, it's sweet, some caramel, but also a nice, sharp bitterness. in the back, I also feel the alcohol flavor rear up, but not overpower. For so much alcohol on such a young beer (filled only on Sept. 30 (2 weeks ago), and a best buy date of Dec. 30), it hides its alcohol really well. The aftertaste has a sherry tang as well as a wheat-induced dryness, leading to more sweet orange flavors. It almost reminds me of orange marmalade. This has to be one of the most interesting and best tasting Weizens I've had, ever.

The mouthfeel is not thick at all; rather, it veers a little into thinness, but almost stays the course through the length of my glass to find a happy middle.

Overall, a wonderful Weizen Doppelbock, with a little bubblegum to remind you of its Weizen roots, but lots of orange and some caramel sweetness with a sherry tartness to kick its way down to your gullet. Grade… 4.7.