Capital Autumnal Fire

Reddish brown pour. Fruity and malty aroma. Flavor is loaded with dried pears, raisins, malt, toffee and honey. Not half bad. Pretty damn good actually.

Had their Blonde, so I had to try this. Pours a dark mahogany with a small head. Smells of dried fruit, nuts, allspice, and like freshly burnt campfire wood. Heavy malt taste, with some caramel and coffee, a bit of fruit notes, and just hint of alcohol. Finishes clean and sweet, barely any bitterness. Nice one.

12 oz bottle purchased at Blue Max in Burnsville, Minnesota. Pour is clear ruby golden with a smallish light tan head. Aroma of big chewy nutty sweet caramel maltiness. Some dark dried fruit (prune?), some mild banana ester - touch of straw rounds it out. Taste is the chewy caramel honey malt sweetness, followed closely behind by straw and finally the mild banana yeastiness and dry bitterness. Decent transitions of flavors, nice melding. Palate is medium, decent carbonation - a bit long with the estery finish. At almost room temperature some alcohol was noticeable. Nice sipper.

Poured from bottle into beveled mug. Rich, clear mahogany with a fantastic red glow when held up to the light. Small off-white head, which leaves fine bubbles down the side of the glass. Aroma of strong cherry, caramel, toast, biscuit and noble hops. Smells like a cross between a Marzen and a standard Bock, with maybe a tad more noticeable alcohol. A blast of semi-sweet cherry and biscuit malts, with some caramel and other fruit underpinnings. The noble hops provide a touch of spicy, dry counterbalance. Moderate carbonation, with a creamy, chewy body that isn’t as chalky as some Doppelbocks are. A slight warmth serves as a reminder about the alcohol. Simply a fantastic beer. While this should be a sipping beer, the tendency is to want to drink it like a Marzen. One of the best Doppelbocks out there, even if not truly to style. Ok, now that I have officially reviewed this, I can now emphatically state that this, Founders Harvest Ale and SurlyFest are my favorite Autumn brews. At least for now; we will see if I can find something to top them next year.

Bottle - Had this one many times over the years, so I figured I would finally rate it. Pours deep amber with a creamy light brown head. It smells sweet, malty, and caramelly, but it’s a bit cloying and too boozy. Taste is better than it smells, malty but less sweet. There’s some roast and hops on the finish to balance it out. It’s smooth and a bit syrupy, and it gets better as it warms. Definitely doesn’t knock my socks off like it used to, but it’s decent.

Caramel Toffee, Maple Syrup. Nice amount of Hops, appley - Bright, excellent level of sweetness (drink it cold, though - warm is a touch too sweet) and great balancing bitterness. Too boozy. Malt flavors are not that interesting (though they are good), hoppiness adds some interest back. Lighter in color and flavor (lighter flavors - not milder) than other dopplebocks I’ve had.

orange color, respectable off white head, some lace. nose of sweet malt, hint of fruitiness. flavor of sweet malt, but not as sweet as the nose. there is a touch of earthiness to the taste. medium bodied, light bitterness in the finish. well hidden alcohol. i didn’t detect the 8.5% i had a sample of this @ a beer tasting @ family liquors in homewood.

From the bottle, pours a clear deep red with very little head. Malty aroma. Tate is thick and malty, caramel is the other dominant flavor. A little bit of toffee and the slightest hint of alcohol in the aftertaste. Pretty drinkable, smooth, the better of their two doppelbocks.