 ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA
Jan 17, 2008
Draught tulip at Sunset Grill on 11/17/07
Dark copper-tinted mahogany with some garnet streaks. Small, but modestly well-retained dark beige head leaves little lacing. Clear.
Soft, inviting smoke suggestions in the nose are comingled with sweet caramel and toffee malts while light medicinal/peppery phenols and juicy green (grassy/leafy), but lightly crisp hops (in light quantity) assert themselves on the finish to provide a well-balanced, American interpretation of a rauchbier. Hops continue to give an interesting edge to the beer, on the finish, but chocolate, vanilla and even light coffee appear through the middle. Some slight "hardness" for lack of a better descriptor, that I always associate with Left Hand. I don’t know if that’s pasteurization or extensive filtration, but it never seems overly fresh and yeasty. A touch of alcohol warmth emerges towards the end of the glass, after it’s had plenty of time to breath. The smoke stays well integrated with the malts, as well. No flaws.
A big shot of toffee and thoroughly rich woodsmoke (with definite meaty suggestions) develops in to a more balanced phenolic pepperiness, with some medicinal notes that ride on the carbonation and give the beer a crisp ending. Sweet, but not too much so, with juicy green hops on the finish that do not impart much bitterness (unlike the smoke jumper, which was just obnoxiously over-bittered). Malts are a bit hard, again, not soft and supple, though the sugars do soften things slightly (and begin to chip away at the crisp finish, replacing it with some syrupiness towards the end). Carbonation is moderate and somewhat loose at times. No alcohol in the flavor, no flaws. Caramel/toffee, woodsmoke and lightly juicy hops linger on in to the finish.
MartinT (4377), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Sep 28, 2008 My Bottom Line:
Enticing beechwood smokiness lifts toasted cereals and delicate earthy hops for a highly flavorful yet modest Rauch Doppelbock.
Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam covers the hazy amber-red.
-This is quite drinkable for its strength.
-The smoke carries all the way to the finish, yet never overwhelms the flavor profile.
-Effervescence is soft and the body not too round.
-This may not be Hümmel’s Raucherator, but it’s very enjoyable nonetheless.
Bottle; lot code Dec.2008.
A_R (319), Georgia, USA
Sep 28, 2008 Great flavor in a doppelbock. Strong malty beer with just a hint of cherries. This is combined with a hearty smokiness. Great for pairing with smoked sausage and heavy cheeses.
17thfloor (728), Chicago, Illinois, USA
Sep 26, 2008 [2007 Bottle] Took pliers to get the cork out, which then immediately start spewing beige foam. Pours a hazy reddish orange with a giant beige foamy frothy head. Sour aroma of wet grains, rubber, and smoked bacon. A sweeter more sugary smoked, toffee flavor drowns out the smoke quit a bit, but the smoke is pretty strong so you know its there. Sweet and smoked wood finish. Too much residual sugar. Left Hand at-least does one thing correctly, smoked beers, however I would take a smoke-jumper any day if given the choice.
maeib (4012), Wootton, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
Sep 5, 2008 Bottled. Thanks to Mes for fetching this from Utobeer. A dark amber coloured beer with a thin off-white head. Smokier than I imagined in the mouth, especially after the less than convincing nose. A sweet smoky strong lager with some authentic German influences and a less than usual hop level for an American beer. A nice sippable beer.
NachlamSie (1385), Tennessee, USA
Sep 3, 2008 750ml. Pours a very cloudy mahogany with a good head. There is an adequate amount of smoked meat in the nose, I suppose. There seems to be one little astringent aroma, not sure what it is. The palate is pretty slick. The doppelbock sweetness is pulled off well here. It’s fruity, sugary, but not gummy. dry leaves and a fair amount of smoke round out the flavor. This needs more smoke. With more standout meaty notes, this could be classic. The combination of flavors works well, but the fruity and juicy notes seem to be just as apparent as the smoked meat character. This is a good drink, but not worth the price tag in my opinion.
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