Dopplebock's - Where is the love?

I know it's not a typical dopplebock but I love me some Samichlaus.

 

Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel...yum.

 

Yeah, I just don't see Celebrator unless I drive up to Jacksonville, but I may have to do that soon. Good thing is plenty of Korbinian and Vitus, and six packs of Vitus that will always have a spot in my fridge lol.

 

+1 for Troegenator (or Terminator, as my father-in-law puts, it after putting "work" into a keg of it)

Also, more recently, I had a 6er of Maui Brewing Double Shot Doppelbock... excellent coffee doppelbock.

 

There's a special sort of joy in a good doppelbock, all that sweet, bready goodness with layers of complexity. The imports are phenomenal - Korbinian, Celebrator, Maximator, and so forth. They pretty much go without saying.

For doppelbocks produced in the US, so far, my two favorites far and away are Triple Digit's Gravitator and Capital's Autumnal Fire, with honorable mentions to Hoppin' Frog's Karminator and the Troegenator. I used to love the GLBC Doppelrock, but that, alas, is now an occasional brewpub-only deal, which makes it rather tough to get when the brewpub is a solid 5 hour drive away.

I need to track down some of the other Capital bocks, especially that Eisphyre eisbock - that sounds tasty!

 

I see people mentioning Vitus, but isn't that a weizenbock instead of a doppelbock? Or is the BA and bottle labeling somehow wrong?

 

The Andechser Doppelbock is now at least somewhat available over here in the states. I think it's the king of the doppelbocks, although Celebrator, Korbinian, Weltenburger Kloster, and a couple others are certainly in the same league.

 

It is. Additionally, it's less a "bock-strength dunkelweizen" like a significant portion of other weizenbocks, and more the Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen Turbo Edition.

I still consider it and the Tap 6 Aventinus to be co-champions of the weizenbock style, and drink both on what might be to a less beer-oriented person a far too frequent basis.

 

From Schneider.

 

Bayern Dopplebock and Bakken Bock are very good.

 

However that compares to "dark wheat beer we made really strong", aka bock-strength dunkelweizen, I don't particularly care. Just goes towards the fluidity* of beer style definitions.

* - Until someone tries to hop the heck out of a beer they label a doppelbock. Then they're dirty lying cheating bastards who need to be strung up by the dangly bits and coated in hungry fire ants.

 

To answer the OP question...why don't more American breweries brew doppelbocks? Simplest answer: IT'S HARD.

Bocks are part of the lager family...and lager yeast requires cool temperatures (think refrigeration) for successful fermentation. For large batches for mass/year-round distribution, consider the costs necessary for refrigeration....it's expensive...And...

Lagers almost always take longer than ales from start to finish - the lagering period. Think on average one-two weeks vs. four weeks. There's additional cost and risk involved in tying up tanks for that period of time.

Other interesting facts about Doppelbocks:

• Originally liquid bread for monks, consumed during the Lenten period while fasting
• Referred to as Holy Father Beer by Pauline monks in the 1600s
• Many are brewed seasonally without refrigeration necessary as temperatures get cooler through the winter

Drink on and enjoy! Seeyoulator!

 

I think they just label it an Imperial Pilsner in order to avoid your wrath!

 

Schneider Hopfen-Weisse is essentially a hopped to hell weizenbock. Wouldn't totally shock me to even see a German brewer attempt a similar doppelbock. Especially with their craft scene often looking to local styles for inspiration.
I don't think a hoppy doppelbock sounds very good, but I've been wrong about things like that before.

 

At least they call it that, and thereby warn some of us away from ever trying it. I'll give them props there - particularly as I've never been tempted to try that beer.

 

I used to dislike it, but it has grown on me a bit. Even though it isn't one, it reminds me of the flavor profile I get from Belgian IPAs. Floral/noble hops combined with esters galore. I find that those flavors clash, personally. However I had one in Munich (after days of traditional beers) and found it to be an amazing change of pace. I definitely get it when it's served in a sea of traditional lagers and weissbiers. In a market flooded with avocado kvass and cinnamon IPA I don't think it has the same impact.

 

I found the Hopfen-Weiss to be well orchestrated between hops, malts, and the Weizen yeast character. Yeah, it had hops going on, but it wasn't over-hopped for may palate... maybe the hop styles used?

On the other hand, Capital made their Tett Doppelbock that leaned heavily on Tettnag hops and was strong in that noble hop spiciness, but still pretty tasty. Now... big malts and Pac Northwest hops? I guess I'll leave that to Celebration -- even Bigfoot!

 

Oh man -- don't even think it!

 

Had a pretty good one last night from Bayern Brewing.

 

I'd like to be able to develop an appreciation for it. Pilsner hop level is as far as I can go, genetically, alas - and not even all of those. The ones I can enjoy, though, are phenomenal liquid art!

Other doppelbocks and weizenbocks, bring them on! I love some bready caramel-toffee chocolatey dark fruity goodness, and go ahead and throw in some banana clove bubblegum coriander cardamom spice! Nut flavors, leather, some degree of earth or wood, all fantastic. Just leave the hops in the background, if at all, so I can actually taste all the other stuff that's going on without having my tongue override it with a one-note barrage of "you're drinking floor cleaner" - like how I don't even register that Habanero Sculpin has habanero in it. That tongue override is annoying. Ah well.