Country of Origin: Germany
Availability: 2000 vintage; limited quantities still available, but once they're gone, this won't be obtainable outside of someone's private stock.
Price comparison: About 2½ times the price of everyday beer.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 8% at bottling in 2000.
Cute bottle/label? Standard-shaped 25 ounce brown glass with a purple and gold metallic label. The whole thing was wrapped up in purple and ecru giftwrap.
Appearance: Translucent amber brown with a thick ivory head that left very little lace.
Scent: Yeast and malt prevalent with some citrusy hops and a light potpourri of spices.
Flavor: The yeastiness, spices, and a hint of caramel reminded me somewhat of rye bread. Heavy (natural) carbonation and a delicately bitter finish camouflaged the high ABV.
Impressions: This was pleasantly drier than other doppelbocks I've had, and the amount of yeast left in the bottle after three years leads me to believe it'll only get better over time.
Will I buy this beer again? I'm gonna buy one more to hold onto for next year.
Rating:
4 out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: December 31, 2003
