500 mL bottle, different to the current presentation in the BA db and a $2.99 purchase at Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Let me preface this sentence by saying that I am a fan of malty, sweet, non-hop forward brews, and I am VERY experienced in the Doppelbock style so I know what to expect, BUT…WOW, this SUPER, SUPER Sweet! I mean in a way that I don’t remember encountering for a long, long time!
Pour is the standard, deep brown almost black color with a small, coffee-like head that fades quickly. Not much lace, but that’s OK, it’s a pretty high ABV beer. Nevertheless, still solid looking. Quite acceptable.
Nose gives the expected sweetness, but the sugar tastes PILE on in a very harsh manner. Not really syrupy (which is the surprising thing, but sweet beyond all belief. WOW! I love sweet, malt based beers and I was expecting a pretty sugary brew based on the style, but this surpassed all expectations. Lots of molasses and honey and frankly not much else. The sugar gives a decent depth to the mouthfeel (full), but obviously detracts somewhat from the drinkability.
Interesting bee as it flirts with the style. An over-sweet Doppelbock which is a thing I wasn’t sure was possible. As Ken Wolstenholme would say, “It is now”!