Doppelbocks…mmmmm…S’muttonator
Man it's getting cold out there..and what better time to introduce the style of beer known as the doppelbock.
Bocks, a German style of lager, are stronger in flavor and alcohol than your base beer. Many winter seasonal brews can be considered as bocks. Brewed in the beginning of the year, bocks and doppelbocks (double strong bocks) have traditionally taken the sign of the goat (Capricorn) in many of the labels and advertising. Taking months to age and ferment, bocks and doppelbocks roll out towards the end of October (lasting the winter months through).
Flavor wise, dopplebocks question your fortitude as a beer drinker. Ranging between 6 and 9% ABV, they’re not for lightweights, but can be handled in the alcohol department. But what dopplebocks do is call you out and hit you in the mouth with a strong malty fist. It’s like drinking molasses... thick, dark, and rich. But with yeast in the mix, it'll get you drunk.
One dopplebock in particular is the Smutty Nose S’Muttonator. Like its dopplebock –ator cousins Ayinger Celebrator and Spaten Optimatorr, the S’Muttonator pours a deep/dark brown and has the great malty backbone. But where it differs from its German ancestry is by having a double wallop of both malt and spice. It is a combination that compliments each other, the sweet/bitter of malt and the surprising taste of cinnamon and clove, without masking either flavor.
So when it dips below 30 degrees and is already dark at 4:30 in the afternoon, have a dopplebock. Who cares if by the time you finish you’ll feel like going to bed (who knows, it may take you a while to finish anyway). At least you’ll have a warm fuzzy feeling all over, and you won’t have to turn up the thermostat (in the end you’ll be saving money for more beer).
As always, have a cold one,
Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment