Doppelbock
Parsons North Brewing

 

 

Poured out of a 12 oz. can into my tulip glass, this beer pours a clear, dark amber/brown color with some deep ruby highlights around th edges when held up to the light. Has a slightly off-white/tan, creamy looking head that's over an inch thick when first poured that eventually settles to a very thick film layer of surface coating with a thick ring lining the inside of the glass at the beer’s surface and excellent lacing. Aromas of some toasted, bready, caramel malt sweetness along with some fruit notes of dates, fig, and plum, a hint of chocolate, and a bit of alcohol. An extremely similar flavor profile, with the aforementioned toasted, bready, caramel malt sweetness that gives way to dates, figs, and plums that add a bit more sweetness. The taste of alcohol is also there a bit too. The toasted flavor becomes more of a roasted flavor as this beer sits and warms up a bit, and that works just fine here. A very slight hint of an earthy hop note is detected by by palate here. Good balance of flavors overall here, and the different flavors in the profile, while not complex, all compliment each other nicely. Has a crisp, also smooth and somewhat frothy, medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a clean finish, and the flavors all sit on my palate for awhile after each sip for the aftertaste. A good beer here overall.

Eric

Can, no date. GLBC tulip.

A: pours a slightly murky dark brown, ruby highlights, with two fingers of thick, foamy, lasting tan head. Some carbonation visible through the glass. Great head retention, decent lacing, wish it were clearer.

S: clean lager yeast, sweet malt, hints of red fruit, faintest hint of alcohol. As it warms, there is more of a grape-like scent I used to get from the Trader Joe’s vintage ales, more alcohol, too.

T: mildly sweet arrival, then malt, full-on malty sweetness, dried fruits, and alcohol on the mid-palate. Moderate toasty maltiness on a fairly crisp finish with lingering alcohol. The alcoholic taste isn’t burning or unpleasant, but it’s definitely there. I’d be interested to compare this to others in the style.

M: full-bodied, but very well attenuated. It’s been years since I had a doppelbock, but this seems cleaner than I remember the last one.

O: glad I tried it, but this is not my style. I love lagers, especially dark lagers, but doppelbocks are just too sweet. This one is less sweet than others I’ve had, and very well attenuated. That’s a testament to the brewer. This is my second or third beer from them, and I have enjoyed them all. Quite to style, if a bit more alcohol taste than I think is appropriate.

I got a can of this beer off the single shelf from my local Giant Eagle store. It poured a clear dark amber with off white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had typical doppel malt notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet malt base and common Doppelbock highlights. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.