Left Hand Smoked Goosinator Doppelbock

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Smoked
Longmont, Colorado USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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Dark coppery - clearly filtered. Some bubbles. Smokey aroma, but it seems a little artificial to me. Slightly sweet aroma. Slghtly sweet maltiness in the flavor. It is a little odd with the smokiness.

My 3rd and last American beer on 4th July 2008. This cork and caged 750ml bottle (2007 brew) cost me an arm and a leg, from Utobeer in London. As I eased the cork out the bottle hissed at me and an aroma of German Smoked Ham hit my nose. I did a single pour, firstly into a Westmalle Trappist Chalice, when that filled I transfered without interupting the pour, to a Hoegaarden Grand Cru stemmed Tulip glass. Sadly I didn’t see the sediment rise, so the Grand Cru got a Gnats Foreskin of sediment within its tulip. The Westmalle glass held a lightly hazed dark mahogany brown/red liquid, the Grand Cru, a cloudier mix of the first glass. Both had a weak fading tan head that retreated to a wisp and collar. As mentioned earlier, the aroma was of smoked ham, malts were also there. It reminded me greatly of Bamberg (Northern Franconia) and the Rauch (smoked) beers produced there. The taste followed on from the aroma, with the alcohol coming into the taste, obviously hidden in the smokey smell. This is a beer to have with smoked meats or a cigar (I am not a fan of either). Having said that, it is also the sort of beer any self respecting beer student should try at least once. I am glad I have. Like most Lager based beers, there is always a body/richness/thickness/smoothness issue. This was fine, but the same sort of beer using a top fermenting ale yeast would maybe have had more presence about it. Most enjoyable and a fitting end to my 4th July American evening (Colorada evening really).

Caged and corked 750mL bottle with 2007 on the label pours clear deep amber with ruby red hues and thin short lived tan head. The aroma has a nice smooth malt sweetened smokiness and then dry cooked bacony goodness followed by a touch of malt roastiness, dark fruity esters and caramel. The taste is similar with near chewy smooth smoky, bacony rauchness followed by sweet prunes and over ripe dark cherries covered with brown sugar. This is smooth and tasty.

(Bottle) Pours glowing reddish brown with an off-white head. The aroma holds wood smoked malt up front with undertones of chocolate/cocoa and caramel. A hint of hops and bread spices. The flavour is light to medium sweet and light bitter with notes of mild roast and balanced (wood) smoked malt. Undertones of caramel, spices and hints of hops. The mouthfeel is “fat” (from the malt) and round with a soft carbonation. Lingering smoky tones with a touch of chocolate. Medium to full bodied.

Bottle from 2007. The pour is a dark amber color with a finger or so of khaki colored head. There’s a pleasant smokiness to the aroma, almost like smoked almonds. A touch of sweet toffee malt, maybe some a hint of chocolate. Toasted malt is also present. Tastes decently smokey, but there is a really nice sweetness and nuttiness to it. A little bit of salt in the background. Medium body with medium carbonation.

Bottle shared by maniac. Aroma is smoke and caramel, biscuit malt, light spicy hops and a clean lager character. Flavor is smoke and meat with caramel malt and dark fruits and light spicy hops with a dry finish. Full body, medium warmth and carbonation.

(750ml bottle 2007 vintage) cloudy gold with a ring of white bubbles. Nose of raisin, vanilla, light smoke. Taste of smoke, toasty, caramel, and light vanilla. Nice linger.

Not crazy about smoked, and this one is really smoked! But surprisingly, it was good to me and I plan on trying it again. Lots of smoked and toasted malt flavor - falling a bit short of Porter. Not sure of the caramel and toffee, but perhaps hints of that is what made me enjoy it.

Bottle 0.75 L. Dark brown body with a small, frothy, light-brown head, mostly diminishing with a fair lacing. Heavy malty aroma (toasted, burnt, caramel) with notes of smoke, cherry and an evident alcoholic character. Intense sweet flavour with some faint bitter note appearing anly in the finish. Medium body with an oily texture; soft carbonation; intense alcoholic feeling in the finish.

Bottle from 2007. Pours a hazy ruby brown with a thin to medium sized white head. Still a decent amount of smoke on the nose, and a good bit of malt. Medium bodied, lightly smoky, with a bit of banana yeastiness behind it and some toast. Toasty with a bit more banana behind it, soft dry finish. Held up rather nicely.

Murky brown colored brew with a tan head. Strong smoke aromas of bbq, and roasted malts. Taste is a bit complex. Big notes of smoke, tiny bits of earthy wood, and rich bacon. The bacon taste is odd but remarkably works in this beer. Strong smoke aftertaste. Drained the bomber by myself, cannot really pull that one off again since the beer is too rich to have a lot of. Overall very nice, lives up to it’s smoked label.