Cellaring Doppelbock

I'm cellaring Aventinus Eisbock at the moment, but have yet to try it sorry. Keen to hear what others have to say though.

 

It needs a year or two of softening in the cellaring for sure. Fresh, its just too raw.
But its one of the only beers of its type I would ever consider aging.

Without a doubt, doppelbock only worsens if cellared.

 

S'muttonator was incredible. Had a 4 yr cellared one not too long ago. Troegenator is pretty nice too if memory serves me correct.

Both are great fresh, though, so it's your call on the wait.

 

I am a fan of cellaring doppelbocks. I currently have Bell's Consecrator and Jack's Abby Saxonator in the cellar now. This is my first time cellaring Saxonator but I prefer Consecrator at a year to fresh. Trying it at 2 years next go round.

 

I much prefer Celebrator (and other regular doppelbocks) fresh, but I haven't done anything over a year. Maybe something miraculous happens, but with the oxidation I was tasting at a year I sincerely doubt it.

American interpretations of the style are another beast altogether, but I tend not to like them in the first place so haven't experimented with cellaring them.

 

What are you hoping that the cellaring will do? If you can't answer that question, best to drink it.

I've kept doppels on hand too long (not purposely cellaring) and I can say in my experience do not cellar. But that is just me

 

The problem with the German examples is the ABV isn't quite as high as the American versions. Most of the ones you will find in the US don't even reach 8%. 8% is about the lowest beer I will age, aside from sours, and even then I will only age it for 1-3 years. But that said well brewed beers can aged longer than expected so i would think its worth a shot to try and age a bottle for a year and see the results. Since they are brewed with lager yeast you have to keep in mind that they really need to stay below 55 F to keep the yeast from contributing off flavors.

 

What about Samichlaus? Has anyone tried cellaring that?

 

Samichlaus is in it's own league. Does fine up to a decade.

Bell's Consecrator is excellent at 1-1.5 years, I've never had the willpower to go further. I had a 3yr old Optimator a while back and loved it. I think the style holds up well, but there's not going to be a lot of changes, it will just mellow and be easier to drink, with maybe some port/sherry notes coming in.

 

It does wonders.

My notes at 3 year - "a rusty orange-brown color with red highlights. very little head, disapates into just a tiny ring of bubbles around the edge. but they do stick to the sides of the glass and slowly slide down. aroma is very pleasant mix of sweetness and herbal spice. maybe similar to spiced rum. taste is complex - caramel, vanilla, cherry, oak flavors all in there. typical of a doppelbock, low carbonation. not as syrupy as expected, so more of a clean mouthfeel. very easy to drink. the aging has done this wonders. absolutely no trace of the huge 14% abv, and the flavors are meddled nicely"

At 4 and 5 years it just keeps getting smoother.

 

My notes from a 7 year old bottle of Schneider Weisse Aventinus Doppelbock (vs. fresh).

"same color, but head retention is much less. head fades to nothing. aroma is still very wheaty, spicy yeast notes. super smooth taste. some dark fruit flavors - some red wine flavors. carbonation may be lower. "

It was a bottle that was brewery-cellared. They come wrapped in paper:

 

A friend gave me a few celebrators for my birthday last year. Had one fresh and enjoyed it, forgot about the other two in my cellar. I plan on opening them up on my birthday this year (in October) next to a couple fresh ones and comparing. If I can remember, I'll report back.