Doppelbock
Brauerei Fahr

Almost black, with garnet tinge d edges when held up the the light. Two fingers of foamy light brown head that recede within minutes, unsurprising considering the 7.5% ABV. On the nose, caramel malt and dark fruit. The flavour brings caramel malt, dark fruits like plum and raisin, and a hint of chocolate. Not much of a burnt, roasted, or coffee character here, which you might expect based on the appearance, but it's not sorely missed. Less banana-bready than the good German Doppelbocks too. Very smooth and full-bodied, yet drinkable, perhaps dangerously so. Overall a good local example of the style.

 

Great flavour but thin.

500ml bottle - a little bit early for a release for this traditionally Springtime staple, but I'll allow it. And what, no 'Fahrenator'?

This beer pours a murky, dark orange-brick brown colour, with three zaftig fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and mildly fizzy tan head, which leaves a bit of spotty islet lace around the glass as it quickly recedes.

It smells of lightly roasted, bready and doughy caramel malt, medium cocoa powder, some indistinct black stone fruitiness, and very tame earthy, musty, and floral noble hop bitters. The taste is gritty and grainy caramel malt, chocolate wafers, bruised apples and pears, some mild oily nuttiness, a hint of cafe-au-lait, and more well-understated leafy, musty, and dead floral hoppiness.

The carbonation is fairly restrained in its palate-pleasing frothiness, the body a solid middleweight, and generally smooth, with a wee airy creaminess arising as things warm up a tad around here. It finishes off-dry, the malt essentially hoarding all the lingering cards.

Overall - this comes across as a dutifully rendered version of the style, with the Alberta malt character really shining through. Add to that only a gentle warming from the extra 2 points of the ol' wowee sauce, and we have a chill-fighting elixir on our hands, folks. Sehr gut!