Spaten Optimator

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Stem glass

on tap poured into a pint glass at the flying saucer in san antonio. smells of cream and cherry to me. poured with a thin head that went away fast. the color is deep brown with a hint of red. the taste is cherry and oak. a little sweet for my style. interresting none the less.

caramel, dark fruit maybe raisin, sweet roasty malt and dark...yummy yummy yummy...a great deal at $10 a sixer at Whole Foods...a little booziness, just a hint, makes for an enjoyable tipping brew on a chilly rainy night

UPDATED: JAN 8, 2011 Optimator--1998 16.9 oz. Bottle. 6.00% ABV. (4.25 / 5.0) Doppelbock. Rich clear black cherry color. Rich thick cherry caramel malt body. Slightly sweet and bock smooth as rich flavor coats mouth. Tingle of balanced bitterness at end clears palette. Nice. Sampled 3/30/1999. Optimator Doppelbock--2000 12 oz. Bottle. 7.20% ABV. (4.0 / 5.0) Clear deep cherry walnut color. Rich smooth sweet flavorful malty body. Medium heavy texture. Bavarian Yeast off flavor in character. Clear bottle. Cherry caramel toasted flavors. Smooth to end. Sampled 3/14/2000. Optimator Doppelbock--2001 12 oz. Bottle. 7.20% ABV. (4.25 / 5.0) Lightly hazy rich amber red golden color. Malty laced head. Floral hop bouquet leads into tasty pale malt body with malty light caramel biscuit fruit flavor. Balanced smooth lingering malt hop finish. Sampled 6/21/2001. Spaten-Brau, Munich, Germany--SPATEN Optimator Doppelbock--Green Label--2010 16.9 oz. Bottle. 7.60% ABV. 20 IBU’s? (3.5 / 5.0) Thick pour. No sediment. Light tan 1/2" mild lace dissipating head. Clear dark ruby edged black color. Toasted black cherry fig mild hop front. Mildly creamy rich roasted fruit toffee cherry malty smooth mellow sweet rich BOCK body. Dry mild hop hot EtOH end. Sampled 1/8/2011. Purchased for $2.47 at Fred Meyer--Ballard, Seattle 12/28/2010.

This is a very interesting beer, with a bitter-raisin flavor with overtones of a sherry-like acidity. It smells wonderful, promising a flavor of great intrigue and complexity. It is deep burgundy in color, and pours with a short, quick head. It has a fine carbonation that lingers both on the tongue and in the glass. A most interesting brew.

Bottle. Ruby brown pour with some tan head. Had this beer when I started getting into craft/imported beer. Some nutty, caramel, toffee malt notes and some lager flavors as well.

Draft, West Seattle Prost. Dark red brown pour with a short, but dense, light beige head. This is a great classic doppelbock. Flavor and aroma are loaded with rich dough, toast, and caramel notes with light raisin and nuttiness. Doesn’t taste hot at all, and is quite balanced and drinkable despite the intensity and complexity of it.

Had to go all the way to Tokyo to get this beer... Dark red-brown colored with vanishing yellow head. Nuts dominate this aroma with some roastiness and sweet chocolate. Medium to full bodied. Flavor is even more roasted with same dry nuts, alcohol comes up nicely. Nuts still in malty aftertaste.

The 1st time I had this was at the Schmankerl Stube.Genuine Bavarian restaurant in MD and fell in love with it.