Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock | Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Connecticut, United States
hookerbeer.com
Style: Doppelbock
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.50%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Hopped with German and Czech hops and fermented with Bavarian lager yeast, this traditional doppelbock blends an extensive amount of select dark malts to achieve its rich and creamy character. Rich and filling, this brew is a malt lovers dream.
24 IBU
Added by BeerAdvocate on 03-15-2004
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 697 | Reviews: 510
4.21/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Very dark brown in color. Chocolate, dark fruits, figs, walnuts and dark malts. Malt driven. Medium bodied. Lower in carb. Some bitterness on the finish. Pretty good.
166 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Very dark brown in color. Chocolate, dark fruits, figs, walnuts and dark malts. Malt driven. Medium bodied. Lower in carb. Some bitterness on the finish. Pretty good.
166 characters
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: deep dark brown color. Thin tan head.
S: caramel, brown sugar, oak, sweet berries, and just the faintest earthy hop character
T: thick caramel, brown sugar, milk chocolate up Front. A touch of alcohol, and those sweet berries follow that. Towards the end is just the faintest herbal hop note to counter the sweetness. Maybe a touch too much chocolate in here for a dopplebock
M: thick, syrupy mouthfeel. Low carbonation
O: this is a solid doppelbock here. A touch heavier on the mouthfeel than some others, but a generous sipper
537 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: deep dark brown color. Thin tan head.
S: caramel, brown sugar, oak, sweet berries, and just the faintest earthy hop character
T: thick caramel, brown sugar, milk chocolate up Front. A touch of alcohol, and those sweet berries follow that. Towards the end is just the faintest herbal hop note to counter the sweetness. Maybe a touch too much chocolate in here for a dopplebock
M: thick, syrupy mouthfeel. Low carbonation
O: this is a solid doppelbock here. A touch heavier on the mouthfeel than some others, but a generous sipper
537 characters
3.29/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A: medium dark brown; very little head that quickly receded to a thin ring; no lacing;
S: molasses is most prevalent, with dark fruit in the background;
T: dark fruit is most noticeable up front, but gets overwhelmed by molasses from mid-palate through the finish;
M: medium bodied; medium carbonation:
O: interesting, but not as complex as I hoped;
482 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A: medium dark brown; very little head that quickly receded to a thin ring; no lacing;
S: molasses is most prevalent, with dark fruit in the background;
T: dark fruit is most noticeable up front, but gets overwhelmed by molasses from mid-palate through the finish;
M: medium bodied; medium carbonation:
O: interesting, but not as complex as I hoped;
482 characters
3.75/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.43/5 rDev -18.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
2.5/5 rDev -40.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
3.74/5 rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
9-9-16 - On tap at Nektar in New
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
9-9-16 - On tap at Nektar in New
32 characters
2.47/5 rDev -41.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Mostly brown liquid, some aspect of deep red running to the edge of the glass. Plenty of chunky yeast particles floating throughout. Couldn't hold a head. Aroma was a blast of alcohol, toffee, caramel, and sealant.
Lots of dark fruit, licorice, pruno notes. Alcohol too hot to call it smooth, dark fruit too pronounced to not give it a hefty bitterness.
Would be nice to get some of that malt smoothness people talk about, all I got was a hot alcohol experience with lots of raisins, prunes and licorice. Pass.
522 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Mostly brown liquid, some aspect of deep red running to the edge of the glass. Plenty of chunky yeast particles floating throughout. Couldn't hold a head. Aroma was a blast of alcohol, toffee, caramel, and sealant.
Lots of dark fruit, licorice, pruno notes. Alcohol too hot to call it smooth, dark fruit too pronounced to not give it a hefty bitterness.
Would be nice to get some of that malt smoothness people talk about, all I got was a hot alcohol experience with lots of raisins, prunes and licorice. Pass.
522 characters
4.5/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.29/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.84/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.19/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.77/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.3/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12oz bottle into pint glass in December 2015. The bottled date on the bottle was 4/2/2015.
Appearance: Deep black with dark tan head. Beer is not cloudy. Head is thick, and leaves a thin film on the glass.
Smell: Aroma filled with mix of roasted malt, sweet caramel, and some hops. Nice variety and balance
Taste: There is a nice mix of sweetness from the malt and bite from the hops. There is a little roasted coffee flavor, and I also get nice caramel flavors, balanced with a bit of hops. This was done in a nice combination with the other flavors. There is a nice variety of flavors in the aftertaste too.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Strong alcohol, which confirms the 8.5% on the bottle.
This is a smooth full-bodied Doppelbock. It is an interesting combination of flavors, and I would drink this again.
823 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12oz bottle into pint glass in December 2015. The bottled date on the bottle was 4/2/2015.
Appearance: Deep black with dark tan head. Beer is not cloudy. Head is thick, and leaves a thin film on the glass.
Smell: Aroma filled with mix of roasted malt, sweet caramel, and some hops. Nice variety and balance
Taste: There is a nice mix of sweetness from the malt and bite from the hops. There is a little roasted coffee flavor, and I also get nice caramel flavors, balanced with a bit of hops. This was done in a nice combination with the other flavors. There is a nice variety of flavors in the aftertaste too.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Strong alcohol, which confirms the 8.5% on the bottle.
This is a smooth full-bodied Doppelbock. It is an interesting combination of flavors, and I would drink this again.
823 characters
4.29/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on draft.
L: Deep mahogany with a heterogeneous white head.
S: Figs, dark malts, and light caraway.
T: Roasted malt, light fig, slight tobacco, and earthy notes. No unpleasant aftertaste.
F: Very smooth and light-bodied for the style and ABV. No unpleasant stickiness.
O: Very well done brew by Hooker here. Not cloyingly sweet like a lot of doppelbocks.
363 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on draft.
L: Deep mahogany with a heterogeneous white head.
S: Figs, dark malts, and light caraway.
T: Roasted malt, light fig, slight tobacco, and earthy notes. No unpleasant aftertaste.
F: Very smooth and light-bodied for the style and ABV. No unpleasant stickiness.
O: Very well done brew by Hooker here. Not cloyingly sweet like a lot of doppelbocks.
363 characters
4.21/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock from Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4.2 out of
5 with
697 ratings
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