Big Butt Doppelbock
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

briandschorr from North Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I am starting to really enjoy some of the beers that Leinenkugel is putting out and this one was a bit of a treat for me. The beer is a medium brown color with a large foamy head with a thick lace on the glass. The nose is that of caramelized malt, fruit, hops and brown sugar. The taste follows the nose, which is something that I like. However, from time to time it is interesting when the taste does not follow the nose as in some of the beers from The Dude's Brew. Anyway, this is not a great Doppelbock, as in the Tröegs Troegenator, but it is good. There is a medium body as well as carbonation. If you are new to the Dopplebocks then give this one a try.

Aug 09, 2017

Hackattack from Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

This is not bad. As a bock, it has the thick dark roasted malt background. Doe this compete with other craft brewed dark beers I have tried? Not so much.

Jul 08, 2017

ygtbsm94 from Utah

2.84/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Nose of biscuity malt, light caramel, nuttiness & hay, faint cocoa. Taste thin roasted malt, caramel, & chocolate, faint nuts, medium bitterness, thin body and watery.

Feb 02, 2017

Benjolovesbeer from Michigan

5/5  rDev +52.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark beer that pours perfect in a beer mug, i suggest mug and nothing else besides straight from the bottle. This beer is dark and tastes caramelly, molasses, and has a kick of harsh alcohol bite. This beer should only be consumed in Feb-Apr. When snow is melting. You see grass but there's still patches of snow and ice. You feel spring but not quite there yet, too early for a canoe paddler. This beer is brewed in Wisconsin where lots of snow pours so if you live in a climate where this weather doesn't happen then you more than likely will not appreciate this beer. But these brewers brewed this beer perfectly for what it is so I give it a 5.

Jan 13, 2017

TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.62/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 12/8/2016 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a tapered pint glass.

A: The beer is a medium brown color, with a large foamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains lager yeast, caramelized malts, brown sugar, some fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of brown sugar, caramel and some fruit. Then some breadiness comes in from lager yeast and a hearty malt character. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly bready.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, this is a decent beer to drink for a while if you’re in the mood for the style.

Dec 09, 2016

tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.52/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark chestnut color with amber highlights and a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of malts, dark breads. Taste is the same, malts, dark breads, a bit mild for the style. Feels medium/light bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer, but didn't have that malty punch I expect from this style.

Aug 03, 2016

BeardedBeer1169 from New York

3.7/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I thought it was a rather enjoyable beer, Light Crisp, sweet, Carmel & molasses overtones. Drinks smooth, Bottom line it's a happy little beer that makes you feel good. For those of you looking for a rich head that's not going to happen with a Bavarian style dark bock, stick to your Stouts or IPA's. Thanks

Jul 11, 2016

rodbeermunch from Nevada

2.67/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Lots of black oily slickness that doesn't form a head, much like oil on water. Aroma was boozy, thin prune impact, bitterness.

Taste was like alcohol, dirt and tobacco. Not sweet, really the dark fruit booziness and bitterness seems to dominate, drinks as if it was twice as strong as it really is. Anise. Decent artwork but not a beer I'm down with. Doesn't do anything good really.

Jun 26, 2016

Libeertarian from Montana

3.82/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From notes taken 05/11/16:

Quite clear, medium dark brown. Two finger, beige, loose, foamy head of lower moderate retention. Legs that slowly sink back down into body. Toasted grain, caramel, brown sugar, soil, minimal dark fruit aromas. More dark fruit to palate, but still very toasty and sweet with caramelized sugars, somewhat like dark corn syrup or maple syrup. Light smokey-tartness to it as well. Distinctness of hops mostly lost in the balance, although background bitterness makes their presence known. Quite good, true to the style, even, albeit not on par with many others of the style (in part due to lower ABV). Medium-bodied, sloshy, spritzy, sudsy, and velvety. Seems to melt in the mouth like hard candy or a glob of syrup. I may have over-rated this by most people’s standards, but I put my blinders on for macro, and I am extremely biased toward dark beers.

Jun 07, 2016

BeerAK from Alaska

2.96/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

12 oz brown bottle.

Poured a deep brown color, appeared to be clear. Nice head that dissipated quickly leaving a small ring around the outside of the glass with some lacing. Strong malt backbone, nutty, coffee, syrupy sweet. Its been a while since I had one fresh in Europe, but I think this misses the mark by being a bit to sweet.

May 24, 2016

mfnmbvp from Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, APR2516 printed on the bottleneck. Acquired a single bottle of this stuff as part of a mixed six pack at the local Binny's.

Poured into a Duvel tulip snifter.

A - Dark brownish red pour, ruby when held to the light. One finger of thin khaki-tan froth. Doesn't leave much lacing to speak of. Appears well carbonated. Looks okay.

S - Aroma is all malty / bready / nutty. Subtle notes of chocolate malt, cream, alcohol esters, brown bread / bread crust.

T - Taste brings more of the same: lots of nutty, bready malts. Brown bread, bread crust, some cherry cola-esque flavors; not spicy. Smooth & creamy, with lots of nuttiness & subtle chocolate.

M - Feel is smooth, crisp, creamy, light-bodied, & sweet. Mildly nutty / malty finish.

Overall, an average to slightly below average offering from Leinenkugel's. Good for the mixed sample pack, and as a beer to offer up to macro-drinking friends.

Leinenkugel's Big Butt Doppelbock -----3/5.

May 24, 2016

stevoj from Idaho

2.82/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Bottle from Albertsons. Decent looking pour, dark, clear brown with a soft foamy beige head. Sweet, nutty aroma and taste, but kind of watered down. Finishes sweet, like a root beer barrel candy, and painfully dry.

May 22, 2016

OrestesMethuon from Montana

2.92/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

A good example of how some mediocre beers, though not terrible, can—even at a cut-rate price—come to be something that tastes terrible to you. Picked up a case of this at one of my local beer stores, at $10 a case—obviously something they want to move as spring rapidly heats to summer.

It looks great poured into the glass—good cappuccino head, which settles into a firm ring at the edge of the tulip, along with a pleasing dark-maroon mahogany tint—but most of the remainder of this beer's expressions are quite disappointing. The bouquet lift up subtle hints of molasses and smoke, but those elements are overrun by this very metallic, flinty, tang of an aroma. The flavors, too, start out alright—some charred wood, smoked malt, and burning sugar elements that give good depth—but are likewise overwhelmed by the cloying extremity of the aforementioned burning sugars; the result is an all-too-sticky, all-too-shallow impression. It's ultimately a facile brew, and this—while inoffensive, even almost unassuming, at first—grows to a mawkish pitch with each successive sip.

I think the "okay" grade is about right—and, as another reviewer notes, better than you might expect for a big-brand's stab at a doppelbock—but it has way too much of the saccharine and way too little of the nuance to transcend that level. Not an effort I'd rush to re-visit, even at steep-bargain prices.

May 18, 2016

Foyle from North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from 12 oz bottle into pilsner glass

Appearance: a 1" pillowy cream colored head falls quickly with a minute amount of lacing. Color is clear reddish-brown with moderate streaming bubbles.
Aroma: very malt forward -- barley sweetness and ripe fruit, with earthy hops.
Mouthfeel: light to medium bodied, prickly carbonation with a somewhat dry finish.
Flavor: rich roasted malt flavor, chocolate, caramel, dates, raisins, earthy and herbal hops.
Overall: pleasant and drinkable, maybe a tad too much carbonation.

Apr 29, 2016

Squire from Mississippi

3.32/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Good effort, closer to a doppel than one might think from a major AAL producer. I believe this is all malt (website) but no matter, taste is what counts and this one tastes good. Color is right, malt in there aplenty, hops enough to be noticed, some underlying bitterness and overall impression is less cohesively put together than the European model. Certainly worth trying.

Apr 18, 2016

hoptheology from South Dakota

4.06/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance.
Body : Actually pours much darker than anticipated with mahogany and walnut browns dancing together. A touch of copper also shines through when the light hits.
Head : Very creamy, very dense, lasts awhile. 3 fingers, recedes to a creamy ring, stable. Lace sticks to the head and follows it down.

Aroma.
Initial : Darker grains, mostly stale and then overbaked; light plum and tobacco.
With agitation : More bavarian influence with some persimmon and various fruits.

Taste.
Front : Malt assault with rye and caraway. Some tobacco starts to fade behind.
Back : Figgy notes faintly creep in and the smoke and kiln comes out here, ending with a high malt note with some dusty wheat.

Feel.
Creamy and a touch overcarbonated, but still very enjoyable. A distinct dryness on the finish.

Overall : This one surprised me. I like Doppelbocks if they aren't overdone on bubblegum or burnt by alcohol. This one does neither and manages to be sessionable on top of it, therefore nominating this one a winner. Will have again.

Mar 24, 2016

jjamadorphd from Florida

4.02/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another Leinenkugel that I enjoyed for the most part, but was left only a tiny bit (this time) wanting.

I am the sort who prefers Bocks, Doppelbocks, Porters, and Stouts. When I saw a sixer of this at the local supermarket I had to give it a try. Out of the glass it pours a dark but still not completely opaque brown with a dark tan head that has no staying power. The scents from the brew are mild and distant, but I prefer that from some others who are simply too overpowering. Across the board I felt the beer was above average in taste and feel and do believe it is an above average beer overall. I will say this though, it did remind me to the Ayinger Celebrator I had awhile back, not quite in the same league, but still a tasty brew.

Mar 20, 2016

puboflyons from New Hampshire

2.81/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle with an expiration date of May 02, 2016. Sampled on March 18, 2016.

The pour is fairly attractive with a mahogany brown color under a quick lasting tan head that dissolves to a ring.

The aroma has a mild malt note but more of an apple or grape fruity character. Like juice. Low hops.

Light to medium body.

Again, like the aroma, I pick up more of a fruity quality to this than a malty quality, which I sort of expect in the style.

Mar 19, 2016

tekstr1der from New Hampshire

3.24/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Bordering on adjunct quality, this pours a nice amber with minimal head. While some malty tones come through in the nose, the flavor suffers from flat tones and cheapness in taste.

Mar 13, 2016

Tone from Missouri

3.29/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a clear mahogany color. 1/3 inch head with an off-white color. Decent retention and decent lacing. Smells of strong sweet malt, slight alcohol, slight pale malt, slight yeast, and a hint if bread dough. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong sweet malt, hint of syrup, hint of coffee, hint of roasted malt, hint of hops, slight alcohol, caramel malt, and a hint of pale malt. Overall, complex, but not well blended and not the traditional flavor profile. Also, the aroma is weak, so not a great Dopplebock.

Mar 08, 2016

Urk1127 from New Jersey

2.6/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Ruby brown in color. Tawny head.
Smell of molasses, rye brown sugar
Taste is sweet. Brown sugar, molasses. Some toasty grains. Feel is medium. Low carbonation.

Mar 06, 2016

yuenglingfan101 from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +37.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

brownish color with little head. Went down smooth and tastes of chocolate, caramel and hops. To be honest i had bought this beer because of its name but it was declicious beer

Mar 02, 2016

Wer34truh from Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Light brown color with a small head which dissipates quickly. Little lacing

Smells of slightly burn chocolate and malts. Quite a bit of sweetness. Simplistic but endearing scent.

Taste is not bad, but disappointingly non-existent. Sure, this was priced alongside a lot of watery lagers, but I was hoping something that was at the very least slightly more substantive than this. Mouthfeel is incredibly light, and the taste is forgettable. With that said though, I love the light carbonation. I definitely hope more of the big macro crap beers follow suit and lower the carbonation.

I bought this on a steep discount, and have a hard time feeling robbed. With that said, this is not an good beer.

Mar 01, 2016

smcolw from Massachusetts

1.96/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2

Light brown color and fairly clear. Brief head that supports no lace.

Very light smell. I need to put some liquid in my mouth and suck air over it to get the deeply roasted caramels. The sweetness comes later.

The taste is overly sweet but the body doesn't correspond -- it is way too thin. The carbonation is okay given how light the beer is. This makes the beer unacceptably unbalanced. Short aftertaste. A clear miss.

Feb 28, 2016

GoBearsWalter34 from Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Pours a dark red-brown with a thin, white head.
Smells a chocolate malt with a nut backing. Dark fruit also a presence.
The taste of cherry first comes to mind. A slight chocolate malt taste followed by slight nutty taste. Sweeter than expected.
A very thin mouthfeel.
I'm too spoiled on top notch beer that this one is not.

Feb 23, 2016