Hofbrau Winter Spezial / Delicator

Yeah, to clarify, my comments earlier are about last year's beer, which was clearly a doppelbock. I'm assuming that it's the same thing this year.

 

Well, in addition to the link that @nuplastikk provided to the Glunz page describing the pale version, you can ask him yourself because according to that other ratings site, he drank the beer and entered a review for it.

While I agree that ratings sites aren't always the best at getting information correct, I will say that they can be a very useful tool to at least know what kind of beer the raters/reviewers are drinking--especially in the absence of any information from the brewery.

 

Rarely look at "that site" (not even sure I know what it is ). And Glunz isn't always reliable either -- I think they still list beers they no longer carry -- not to mention (per your next comment) I see a few newer draft reviews here describing a dark doppel.

I guess I don't have to tell you I agree.

 

It is, and has been since 2015.

 

The HB America/importer's site lists the exact same description the Winter Spezial and Delicator: "This dark brown brew with its chocolate & berry flavor and well hidden bitterness is a true Hofbräu Specialty."

 

Yeah, and .4% less ABV... Sling more mud!

And by showing that in the Krug, does it mean draft only?

 

To clarify, you see those reviews under the "Delicator" BA listing.

 

So is your point of concern over the assertion that they used to make a pale doppelbock with the same name (Delicator) that was ~7.5% and now use the name for their dark doppelbock (which they also call winter spezial)? Just trying to understand our discussion better.

 

Concern is a little strong, curious or skeptical would be better.

But I'm really just trying to find any info on the background of Delicator. My only experience is with the import since 2015 (as mentioned, I don't remember seeing Delicator on the labels of the pre-2015 Winter Spezial) -- and it's very curious that the German website has no listing at all for the beer.

I love a good mystery.

 

What's yet more complicated is that this is a weird categorical entry for the Spezial label. Normally Spezial beers are up-strengthened pale lagers around the German Märzen/Export classification. A Heller or Dunkler Bock is still stronger than most Spezial examples. At the same time, the "-cator" suffix of Delicator designates itself clearly in the Bock tradition (Maximator, Celebrator, Maximator, Optimator etc.)

 

It's worth going back and looking at the posts both of you made in 2015 on the topic:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...e-bought-and-drunk.55872/page-74#post-4282993

The 6.3% beer sounds like a Weihnachtsfestbier and seems like a much more typical fit for something called "Spezial" than the Doppelbock (to echo the post by @EmperorBatman ). I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually felt like a pale Festbier was a bad fit for the winter season for the American market... and that "Delicator" was a bad name for the American market as well. Put both ideas together and you get the poorly amalgamated combo currently on the shelf... but I'm purely spitballing with no actual info. I'm just making an assumption based on logic and other experiences.

On a personal note, I've never clicked with the beer that's currently on the shelves, but the only German Doppelbock I ever really fell for was Aventinus - so take that for what it's worth.

 

I'm aware of all that, but thanks for sharing for those who may not be.

As I stated above, the first 'version' Hofbrau sent to the US labelled as Winter Spezial was a festbier (pale, 6.3%--or an even stronger spezial/export).

After a few years, they decided--for whatever reason--to keep the same packaging but then change the style of beer to a dark doppelbock. Not sure of the year, but they then added 'Delicator' to the back of the label.

Thanks to @zid for helping to clarify and explain better than I could.

 

Thanks for digging that up. I especially like @drmeto 's comment:
"Yeah,HBs winterfestbier is pale golden and at 6.3% or so." Let's go ahead and pull him into the mire too!

I wondered about that too -- even back when it was still the Pale. I also like my note about only seeing it in 2012 -- I thought I remembered that, this confirms it.

Seems like an odd name for a strong beer all around, but maybe more tied to "delicacy" rather than "delicate?"

I'm also glad the back label got shown in that thread -- confirming no Delicator on the back.

 

I've actually found the Winter Spezial in past years to be particularly delicate in flavor and feel compared to most bocks, so I don't entirely disagree with the description if means delicate in the sense of gentleness.

 

I'll have to agree to disagree here. Compared with most other import Doppels, I find the Delicator drier and stronger -- to me others are smoother -- if only by a little bit, but I can taste it.

 

Looking forward to that. There haven't been any reviews of Spezial since last December

 

Wonder why that is..?

 

it’s not an ipa, come on I know you knew that...

 

Hah. I was alluding to it being seasonal, but now that you point that out...

For what this is worth, I've reviewed 31 American IPAs at BA. And 36 Doppelbocks. Preference shown?

 

now that I reread the post yup, went over my head oh well. We can go with not an ipa too haha