Rauch Doppelbock - Heaven Hill Barrel-Aged
Dovetail Brewery

 

Pours the darkest of browns, a really dense light brown head fades quickly to a thing layer, then ring; no lacing.

Nose is a huge hit of smoke the a blast of dark but creamy chocolate and then a leathery oaky bourbon; nose has a noticeable nose clearing hint of alcohol.

Taste is much of the same big smoky chocolate and oak with a noticeable bourbon finish. As the palette accustoms the smoke takes the backseat.

This beer is a mindfuck on mouthfeel; it drinks like a lager nice and smooth but the alcohol tells a different story; big boozy finish with some good heat.

Pours a gorgeous mahogany brown with a light tan head that sticks around for the show. The nose has bourbon, smoky BBQ, oak, and toffee. Whoa.

The taste is led by the bourbon, which presents itself as the oak and a delicious vanilla flavor, and then the smoky BBQ flavor joins the party - OMG. Man, does that work with the toffee to provide a perfect accompaniment to the barrel and oak flavors, keeping the high ABV (10.4%) completely hidden.

The mouthfeel is rich and a bit creamy, holding up to this substantial beer very well. Another excellent beer from Dovetail, this may be my favorite. Outstanding stuff.

Pours a mahoghany brown, black in the glass with light tan foam and intricate drippy lacing patterns. Lasting surface coverage after a few sips.

Candied bacon aroma, sweet woodsmoke, praline pecans, toasted marshmallow. Complex and really inviting.

Barrel forward, richly malty, layers of smoke and roasted malt that last into the long aftertaste. Lasting smoke like an Islay whisky, though much less intense. Medium bodied and chewy, carb level is moderate. Some light bitterness from the charred malt, otherwise rich and rounded. ABV is fairly hidden, though the barrel aromas and flavors assert themselves nicely. A very solid improvement on the first experimental taproom releases a few years ago.

 

 

Thanks to Samkuhgee for this one, from the recent Can Cans BIF. 16oz can (no date) poured into 14oz teku. Poured a nearly solid black color with an inch of tan head that had moderate retention and no lacing.

A blast of smoke burst out of the can upon the open. The smoke, almost bacony, scent dominated on closer sniffing, with some nice grains, and just hints of wood and bourbon.

On the tongue, the wood and booze were more notable, but the smoke was still the dominant feature. Prominent, but not overwhelming.

The body was medium, perhaps a bit thinner than I like in the style, smooth, had a bit of alcohol heat at the back, and a semi-sweet finish that dried out after a couple moments.

Drinkability was very good, especially for a 10+% brew, but is a sipper, not a quaffer.

Overall, a really well done brew, one I'd be very happy to drink again. Certainly worth grabbing if you see it.

Slate blackish brown body with a tan head that fades into a thick collar in a hurry, lazy lacing abounds. Smells of smokey and candied bacon with bourbon, campfire, tobacco, dark oak, and toast. Taste hits a sweet caramel and dark fruit combo in the midst of the bourbon, black strap molasses, tobacco, cocoa, roasted nuts, big smoke and bacon. I don't think I have had anything quite like it, captures the imagination! Feel is malty and smoky but the booze is reserved for the long lasting finish. A beautiful innovation: it's bourbon smoked bacon the beer! Points for originality and execution, the more I drink of it the more I get out of it

 

 

Canned 4/29/21; drank 5/18/21 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque dark brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice khaki head; strong, frothy tree-rung lace.

Strong bacon notes in the nose, with hints of oak & caramel as well.

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Bacon & spring water flavors up front; caramel & faint pickle notes on the finish.

Minus that pickle note I'd crown this as a stunner -- it's still damn good. I'd have another.