Let's talk Dopplebock

One of the most "extreme" lagers too... coincidence that it's most well represented here?

 

Yes, probably a coincidence since for many the Rauchbiers are more "extreme" in their flavors... :-)

 

Different sort of extreme -- Doppelbock kicks you in the head -- of which something "extremists" are quite fond.

 

I've a quite different reaction to doppelbocks. Rather than a kick in the head I think of them as being a sipping, time for thoughfulness and reflection on the state of the world type beer. Guess that means I'm not an "extremist?"

 

For whatever reason, not many of them make it over here compared to Doppelbocks, and US brewer's have largely stayed away from brewing Rauchbier's. I feel, much like with Gueuze, it's only a matter of time before there's more examples of these.

For now, it's mostly Schlenkerla, just like it was mostly Cantillon with Gueuze. I wouldn't be surprised to see Fastenbier flying off the shelves in 5 - 10 years because it's the highest rated Rauchbier.

When a US brewer does try their hand at one, and does it well, like Jack's Abby's Smoke and Dagger (although I feel this is a timid Rachbier at best) it seems to be well received.

 

I'd say not -- how dare you?!

 

Another vote for this one. Paulaner's is also pretty good, I think a little underrated here IMO: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/124/387/

 

I don't think it gets much better than weihenstephaner korbinian, and ayinger celebrator

 

I have purchased Weltenberger Asam Bock in the past in PA; The Beer Shoppe in Ardmore: http://ardmorebeershoppe.com/

Warming: that beer store is pricey.

Cheers!

 

Might. See if you can track down an Andechser of find an Asam-bock. Both show well and some folks prefer them. Personally I also find the Trogenator a bit different but very good in its own way, so it gets to my fridge regularly and has the virtue of being easier to find.

 

By the case regularly found at Brewers Outlet on 202 near Chadds Ford. Could also look into ordering a case from your local distributor.

 

The only thing disappointing about this thread is the lack of love for Weihenstephaner Korbinian. That was the beer that got me hooked into the style. Widely available and affordable, one of my favs.

AYinger Celebrator and Andechs are also top notch.

I also wanted to give a shout to Ettaler Curator as a very good example of the style.

 

I'm a total extreme beer lover.

 

Aaah Weltenburger... Disputing with Weihenstephan in being the oldest abbey brewery in the world.
Their Asam Bock is pretty good, but it can't tip the Doppelbock from Andechs...
All three abbey breweries are on my 'to visit' list in Germany.

 

Wow. That's extremely extreme.

 

The Asam Bock just hit the shelves here in Boston. Quite delicious, almost cloyingly sweet though. I prefer my Doppelbocks a bit drier than this one.

Disclaimer: I split the bottle with someone, and it was at the end of the night, it was tasty enough for me to purchase another though!

 

I love doppelbocks, and wish more American brewers made them, but I think it's tough for several reasons:

1. A lot of small brewers are ale-only, for space reasons if nothing else. Plus, a lot of their customers tend to be the sort represented below in point #2, so if they go out on a limb and brew a doppelbock or any other lager, they could lose money and capacity. Bigger brewers got bigger by not taking too many risks, so they're not likely to do doppelbocks, either.
2. There's a certain brand of beer geek that think because the bland and/or gross beers made by massive corporations tend to be lagers, lagers must be bad.
3. People who like the beers mentioned in point # 2 are often horrified by what a doppelbock tastes like, so if they buy one, they don't do it again, so like in point # 1, the doppelbock sits on tap until it goes bad.

It's getting better, but even so, of the ten or so local and semi-local breweries I can think of off the top of my head, maybe 2-3 have ever made doppelbocks, and never as a regular part of their lineup.

 

Just tried Bayern Bakken Bock yesterday, super tasty.

 

Korbinian, Celebrator, and Maximator are my go-to style definitions for doppelbocks. I have yet to track down an Andechs, but it's pretty high on my priority list.

I second the recommendations for Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche, with the caveat that it's a rauchbier first, doppelbock second. If you don't like smoky bacon in your beer, it's not exactly a doppelbock for you. (Yes, yes, it uses wood other than beech for its smoke - it's still a darn good smokebeer.)

My personal favorite doppelbock produced in the US, Great Lakes The Doppelrock, has been discontinued except for limited, brewpub-only runs. It was replaced with a DIPA. That should tell you enough right there about why you don't see many more.

That aside, Capital out of Wisconsin makes some darned good doppelbocks. Autumnal Fire by them is really good, and comes out well after / just before most other seasonal doppelbocks.

As far as elaborating on why so few doppelbocks are made, while some are discontinued...
Imagine you own a brewery. You have X amount of space and equipment, and while that space and equipment is in use, it can't be used to produce anything else. You have a choice of making a lager, which will require at least 6 weeks of time sitting there lagering at cold temperatures, and which will be either automatically dismissed by a significant portion of your customer base just for being a lager, or derided by them for being too "cloying", "sweet", "malty"...aka "not hoppy enough". That beer will also age well, so there's little pressure on the portion of your customer base who actually does enjoy it to purchase and drink it quickly. Alternatively, you could produce an ale of some sort, which will take you about 2 to 3 weeks of time start to finish, and which a much larger portion of your customer base will praise to the heavens and ensure is rated at least a 4/5 anywhere beer can be rated if it's an IPA of some sort. It will also move quicker, because of the built-in "gotta drink it fresh" characteristic of hoppy beer. If you chose to make a stout instead, you took about the same amount of time in your equipment, and you can now either sell it immediately, or put it in barrels in a warehouse somewhere for a while if you have extra space but not extra equipment - and benefit from all the limited run barrel-aged hype and craze.

Double the time invested for less return, or half the time for a better return? Tough decision for any business owner, really. I'm mostly surprised that any US brewery makes a doppelbock.

 

That sounds like the Asam Bockis closer to Curator, then. I'm with you, I prefer them drier, myself.