Spaten Optimator

Brewed by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu (InBev)
Style: Doppelbock
Munich, Germany

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Stem glass

i really love this beer, i wish i could get it fresher because then i think it would hold up even better. my only complaint, if i can build a negative case against it is that it could use a fuller body/mouthfeel to acompany all the flavor

THOUGHTS: Nice. Not the best doppel I’ve ever had, but certainly not the worst. A little watered down. It would probably be better in a brown bottle. A bit metallic, probably caused by the green bottle. Gets a bit cloying. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, very dark reddish amber that was nearly brown in the glass with an average to large head that mostly diminished and left excellent lacing at first and then just good. The aroma was moderate to heavy, dark bread, grain, molasses and caramel; light yeast; underlying grassy hops; and raisin, prune, apple, maple syrup and alcohol. The initial flavor was rather sweet, slightly acidic and lightly bitter; while the finish was very sweet and fairly bitter with an average to long duration. There was caramel, maple syrup, alcohol, a little fruit, grassy and metallic hops, molasses. prune, raisin, yeast and grain. The light to medium body leaned more toward medium and was syrupy, yet slick and then dry with light to moderately fizzy carbonation and chalky, alcoholic, dry and lightly metallic finish.

Boring Doppelbock...it has lots of caramel/licorice sweetness, and nothing else. Surprisingly unidimensional and light for a 7.2% (and for a db). Not "best in class" but an excellent way to round out a sixer at WM, considering the alternatives!

In bottle; pours dark brown with the aroma of plum, cocoa and brown sugar. Taste of dry cocoa notes, subtle caramel. Very easy drinking dopplebock given the alcohol %.

Tasted from a 0.5 L bottle purchased in Denver, Colorado. Red-black appearance with a great, sweet Doppelbock aroma. Sweet, almost licorice flavor. Not my favorite German Doppelbock because of the sweet licorice flavor.

12 ounce bottle purchased over a year ago at Trader Joe’s ($1.25). Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights and one finger of light beige foam that soon disappears into nothingness. Aroma of caramel candy mostly with lighter notes of candied fruit and a hint of alcohol. Flavor also is very full of smooth caramel along with lesser notes of dark fruit and smoke. Nice level of sweetness and a very smooth finish. Not a lot of excitement or complexity in this doppelbock, but it is nicely drinkable. (1471, 418)

Bottle. Clear brown with small beige head. Toasty malty aroma. Flavor is very malty, soy sauce, alcohol, and a little bitter grain finish. Medium bodied, creamy mouth feel.

Bottle. Malty aroma. Med head. Light sweetness. Light to med bodied. Creamy texture. Malty taste. But this is really well done malty beer. Smooth flavor.