Spaten Optimator

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Stem glass

Pours a dark auburn with a light brown head. Smelled so good I accidentally put my nose in it. But the taste was where I truly fell in love. I’m not usually a fan of German beers. I know they are some of the most popular brews in the world, but they’re just not my thing. But the Spaten Optimator changed my mind on the entire genre. Sweet notes of coffee, toffee, and mocha bombard the taste buds at first only to equalize with a bitter, alcoholic finish. I simply frackin loved this beer.

Bottle. Aroma is caramel, molasses, butterscotch and candied figs. Appearance is dark reddish brown with an inch of milky white head. Taste starts off with strong caramel malt and toffee flavors along with cocoa, raisins, dried figs and brown sugar. Mouthfeel is slightly creamy with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, this is a solid Doppelbock that’s packed with strong dark sugar and roasted malt flavors. Thankfully, it’s not cloyingly sweet and it goes down relatively smooth.

Pint served at the Fort Worth Gingerman. The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma has notes of caramel with some dark fruit mixed in. The flavor is just as good if not better. I get some caramel malts, bready malts, grapes, dark fruit and molasses. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Bottled, amber pour with ruby highlights and medium tan head, dark fruits with light caramel aroma, roasted malt sweet toffee with slight floral hop finish, medium body with high carb and lingering malt finish.

Malty aroma. Dark amber color with a small tan head. Very sweet beginning developing a mild bitterness in the finish.

Pours a dark, yet clear toffee brown. Little in the way of head; some white wispy lacing. Funky, slightly musty aromas. Thin mouthfeel with moderately sharp effervescence--quite pleasant. Nice malty taste, with toffeeness abounding. Great bock.

Bottle pour gives clear cola color with brief thin light tan head. Aroma light malts and caramel. Palate a bit thin. Taste sweet malts, slight dark fruits. Not much carbonation Finish clean with a touch of bitterness. Alcohol not detectable. Just OK, not a bad choice if you don’t have something better available.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a dark amber-caramel brown. Smells of roasted malt, caramel, molasses, and just a hint of licorice. Tastes of roasted caramel malt, brown sugar, and notes of fig and nut. Very smooth. Well-balanced and full-bodied. "Blessing of your heart - you brew good ale." In this case, ’strong lager’. --Shakesbeere