Want the TL;DR version? It’s fantastic. Get yourself to Chuckanut and drink a glass while you can.
Doppelbock Lager is a typically higher alcohol and dark gold to black colored version of traditional German Bock. Though doppel means “double” in German, Bock ABV usually ranges in the 6-7% range while Doppelbock ranges from 7-12%. Chuckanut’s version of Doppelbock begins its life at 18 Plato and ferments out to 7.4% abv and 23 IBUs.
This is a beautiful winter warmer in all respects. The beer was served in a tulip at Chuckanut’s Holly Street brewpub bar. Its dark ruby red color is topped with thick light mocha head. You may be tempted to lay your head down for a nap on the fat pillow of foam. The first drive-by sniff rewards your senses with gentle notes of chocolate, coffee, raisin, plum, and charred peach. Those olfactory notes are intensified upon sipping. Pleasant caramelized sugar sweetness washes over the palate, rounding out the comforting smells and tastes. It’s delightful, especially on a chilly day.
If you allow the last quarter of the glass to warm in your hands, you will be rewarded by the addition of alcoholic heat. Not too much, not too little. This Doppelbock expertly treads the ideal line between thin and syrupy winter warmer mouthfeel. From start to finish the beer is silk on the palate.
It could go without saying by now, but no obvious flaws presented themselves in the glass. Color, scent, taste, and mouthfeel are all on point.
You can only get this in a glass (no growler sales of Doppelbock) and it won’t last long. So do yourself a favor and quaff one before it’s gone!
