Oktopplebock
Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company (Downtown)

Shiny tangerine that, remarkably enough, was lighter and brighter than the English bitter that I drank just prior. Up top was a firmly creamy disk of orangish beige that persisted nicely and gave a good accounting of itself in terms of lace deposition.

Like the beer that preceded it, the aroma was too laid back. I was still able to appreciate a toasted, earthy, nutty character that was as much Oktoberfest as doppelbock (hence the name). There was no hint of anything darker, which was obvious from the beer's color.

The history behind Okto(berfest)+(do)ppelbock is interesting. Sometime in the past, the brewers at Great Dane collaborated with Kirby Nelson at Capitol to brew an Oktoberfest-doppelbock hybrid that eventually became Capitol's Autumnal Fire. Well, I thought it was interesting.

Oktoppelbock can either be thought of as an Imperial Oktoberfest or as a big bock, two styles that overlap to a large extent, at least as far as I'm concerned. I'm aware that doppelbocks are technically 'big bocks', but I always think of them as containing some amount of roasted or chocolate malt.

This offering was incredibly malty and rich, with a sweetness that stopped short of cloying. The flavor profile consisted of earthy caramel, toasted bread crust, baked nuts and lightly spicy (probably German) hops. The alcohol (8.1%) wasn't completely buried, but it was better that way. It made this big lager nicely warming on a bitterly cold day.

The body/mouthfeel was tremendous, which was no surprise given all that malt. It was at least medium-full and was supremely supple, with no hint of sappiness and only a trace of stickiness. The carbonation was dead-on perfect.

For my second pint yesterday, I had my choice of three bocks: Dominator Doppelbock, Velvet Hammer Bock and this beer. I picked this one because the name made it sound interesting. I'm sure it's as much of a velvet hammer as Velvet Hammer because it's dangerously drinkable and is highly likely to blindside the unwary. Good stuff.

Appearance - It has a beautiful pour from the growler to a pint glass. The head is thick and frothy at about two and half inches. It's a nice pale orange color and fades extremely slow. The body of the brew is a hazy orange and amber color. Superb.

Smell - The scent is malty and very subtle with no real distinction.

Taste - Firm alcohol taste here in the Oktoppelbock. There's some black licorice but very slight. The spices are more prevalent with a hinting of clove in the finish.

Mouthfeel - The feel is tough due to the alcohol flavor but I think it helps to bring out some the unique flavors.

~ I am very pleased to have brought this brew back with me from my recent trip to Madtown. I look forward to spreading the good work about this truly unique beer.

Absolutely outstanding. Re-released for bockfest 06 and I am so happy to see it back. I was worried upon ordering it that it might have aged poorly as it is now quite out of season but boy my fears were unwarranted. This is one hell of a brew.

Appearance – beautiful Marzen orange with a thin uber creamy white head.

Smell – Pumpkins and rich fall caramelled apples.

Taste/MF rich and creamy like grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie with fresh german whip cream on top. Subtle raisons, carmels, figs, and other 2xbock flavors enter as well.

Drinkability – I would get sick of the pumpkin after a while. Otherwise this one would have been perfect.

Enjoyed on-tap at the Great Dane in downtown Madison.

Served a crystal clear dark amber color with a spottty tan head. Nose is heavy on the malts, with some hoppy and fruity notes. Taste starts off like a standard dopplebock with rich caramel barley malts but is nicely accentuated with fruity notes - melon, raisin, and apricot. Mouthfeel is typical for a doppel, rich and slick. Drinkability was very high considering the rich body and high alcohol (8% I was told by the waitress). This was a surprisingly flavorful doppel, I wasn't expecting the fruitiness from an Oktoberfest/Doppelbock hybrid. Come catch it while you can.