Donator Heller Doppelbock
Brauerei Zoller-Hof

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.2 oz bottle, best by Oct/31/2021
Look: Pours slightly hazy gold/slight orange body, light goes thru the body but you can't see thru it. head is white, not very tall, dissipates rather quickly leaving some lacing.

Smell is toasted bread, a little sweet floral, maybe micro hint of fruit, maybe honey. alcohol as it warms.

Taste: Slightly sweet malt at the start, but turns more bitter quickly. Odd tasting beer that somewhat follows the nose. other flavors are white/golden raisin, muskmelon and maybe apple, grape, lemon. Alcohol is well hidden but comes out more as it warms. A hard beer to describe flavor wise. Somewhat easy drinking for a stronger flavored/higher abv beer. Fairly smooth

feel is ok, not thin but not thick.

I like it, but it's not great. definitely a warmer weather beer. It's different that's for sure. Not for everyone.

Bottle notes: triple hopped, unfiltered, lagered for 50+ weeks. Brewed and bottled for(?) Contract brewed elsewhere ?????

 

Pours a smaller foamy semi dense head with moderate retention, fair lacing, semi hazy deep golden tan color

Nose brings big sweet candy malt, little candi sugar but without caramelizations, little biscuity, rock candy like, some cardboard oxidation but also bringing vinous notes, candied fruits, white raisin, apricot fig, getting a bit too much wet cardboard though

Taste brings more candy sweet malts, more candi sugar and rock candy with very little caramelization, more fruits, white raisin, fig, date, candied dried fruits mostly, touch of bitterness and spicy hop notes increasing as it warms, more oxidation, some winey vinous port like notes but more wet cardboard as well, not as much as the nose, cereal grains and biscuity notes as well, sticky sweet finish, little alcohol warmth

Mouth is sticky sweet fuller bod, lower carb, very light warming alcohol

Overall it wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the oxidation, but that just about ruins the beer

 

 

Pours hazy amber (yeast sediment poured in) beer with decent white head, good retention and lacing.
Smell - caramel, rubber, bread, yellow fruits.
Taste - sulphuric, biscuity, yellow fruits.
Medium body, tends to be round, warming, perhaps, tad heavy for heller version of doppelbock.

 

 

A: The beer is clear amber yellow in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a short white head that died down, leaving just some delicate wisps of bubbles on the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of golden raisins are present in the nose along with hints of toasted malts and apples.
T: The taste follows the smell and has flavors of fruity esters—figs and golden raisins seem to stand out in particular—along with hints of toasted malts. Some faint bits of spices also become noticeable as the beer warms up.
M: It feels a little more than medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation with a touch of warming sensations from the alcohol.
O: This beer seems to be more fruitier and less maltier compared to other beers in the style. It does a very good job at hiding its alcohol and is quite easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

 

I included the yeast sediment in my pour, of which there was only a little. Malt, leather, floral hops, and German yeast in the aroma. Notes of wild honey, caramel, raisin, vanilla, lightly roasted malt, and light hop bitterness in the taste. Maybe a bit of banana as well. Definitely a big fresh fig taste on the back end. Sweet but not cloying. A bit of a warming alcohol in the stomach (great on a cold night), although the 8.5% ABV is still pretty well-concealed in the flavor and on the nose. Medium body. Very balanced, refreshing, drinkable, and addictive.

All the lagers from Zoller-Hof that I've had so far have been fantastic, and this one is no exception. One of the finest examples of the style I've had. Highly recommended for doppelbock fans.

On tap at Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia, PA.

This one pours a surprisingly light gold, completely clear, with a small head, a good bit of lacing.

This smells like rich toffee, wheat, vanilla, dried raisin, and bready malt.

The colors throws me off, but the flavor is definitely doppelbock all the way through. There's lots of toffee and dark fruit, and a nice doughy sweet breadiness. There's basically no hop flavor. There's also a little bit of vanilla and wheat, which is a nice unique flavor profile for the style.

This is medium bodied, fairly creamy, with a normal level of carbonation for the style.

A blond doppelbock was unexpected, but highly enjoyable for this drinker.

Pours a two finger white head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Golden straw color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Malty nose and flavor is sweetish with hints of toffee. Higher ABV, 8.5% is hidden. $3.00 for a 330ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.