Phillips Instigator Doppelbock

Brewed by Phillips Brewing Co.
Style: Doppelbock
Victoria, Canada

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Stem glass

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Bottle 22fl.oz.

Clear medium red amber colour with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, nutty, sugary, light to moderate hoppy. Flavour is moderate sweet and light moderate bitter with a average to long duration, chocolate note. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20130223]

Bottle 65 cl. Courtesy of fiulijn. Pours a clear amber with a beige head. Lovely intense caramel aroma. Rich body, again massive caramel malts combined with flowery hops. Maybe lacks a little of that good pumpernickel feel that you find in the best German Bocks. Quite some alcohol in the finish. 230213

Bottle at Alex. Clear orange-red coloured with a small off-white head. Sweet aroma of caramel and dried fruits with notes of bread. Sweet flavour of caramel, bread and dried fruits with notes of hops. Sweet finish.

22 fl oz bottle. Pours clear and golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is toasted malty, caramelish and light breadish. Metallic and toasted malty. Sweet toasted malty and caramelish finish.

I don’t usually comment on appearance, but this was lighter than any other doppelbock I’ve seen, feels like a hellerbock. Toasted caramel was the defining characteristic for me, not really bitter. A bit of fusel alcohol.

UPDATED: FEB 23, 2013
2013-02-23, bottle from Legacy Liquor Store, Vancouver, 6-4-6-3-13=32
Dark amber and red color, with medium sized head, disappearing quickly. Mild aroma of cereals and straws. Moderately sweet, the accent is too much on the cereals, with some caramel; ordinary bitterness, and light nutty final.
Ordinary Bock, not too dissimilar from other German ones; feels lighter than the given ABV.

2013-01-22, draught at St. Augustine’s, Vancouver, 6-5-6-3-12=32
Beautiful dark amber color, hazy, with creamy head. Light aroma of dusty caramel and soap. Caramel flavor, with a good body strength; the mouthfeel is soft, but not as round as it should be for a Doppelbock; correct bitterness; it has a very light impression of vegetables in the end.
A bit simplistic for a Doppelbock.

650 ml bottle. Pour a clear mahogany with light head that dissipates quickly. Light aromas of cereal and malt. Flavors of malts. light toffee, and dark fruit. ABV is well hidden. Easy to drink, but nothing special

UPDATED: DEC 21, 2012 650ml bottle. Amber with bubbly, cream-coloured head. Half-baked (doughy) bread, hazelnut, caramel. Strong malts/minimal hop taste, leaning towards sweet. Well layered. Fizzy, medium-bodied, a bit oily. Solid if not outstanding.

Pour ruby with white head. Aroma sweet grain, cereal, light spice, caramel. Taste caramel, sweet malt, roast, touch of dark fruit. MF medium sticky body mild carb. Abv very well hidden tasty brew.

650mL bottle, pours clear amber with a quickly-dissipating beige head. Bready malts / cereal and caramel notes on the nose. Flavour reveals more of the bread / cereal found on the nose, with little complexity or depth. Not such a success, I’d say.