Beer- #109 – Dale’s – Dopplebock
Dale’s Dopplebock brewed by the Dale’s Brewing Co. in the style of a Doppelbock, in Nelson, New Zealand, where it all appears to be happening.
In accordance with the style’s Teutonic heritage Dale’s Dopplebock is crafted with six German malts enjoys an extended cool fermentation with a classic German lager yeast. Full bodied, sweetish and lusciously malty, the resulting chestnut coloured beer combines toffee, caramel and bready notes with an edge of citrusy tartness from the hops. Soothing and warming, it’s the perfect brew to sip slowly in front of an open fire on a cold winter’s night.
Which is problematic as it’s a summer evening, but I’m not one for protocol, I’m not even going to drink this from a Stein.
Well it is dark chestnut beer, 7.5% ABV in a 500ml bottle (that’s 3 standard drink units), with pleasant deep aromas of a more burnt malt, the head came and went, and with little apparent carbonation this just sits brooding in the glass. There is also a sour in the aroma, I’m not sure I’ve even come across that before, or if I’m being picky.
The taste is pretending to be a big “boom” there is a first flush that promises a lot but it hasn’t a lot of length. Then there is a sweetness, but also a top note of something less pleasing lingering. What I was expecting and I’m not getting is the Alcohol astringent that you could probably expect.
It sounds like I’m bagging on this a bit, but I’m not, it’s actually not that bad a beer, and it could stand a match of some strong cheese, or meat as an accomplice. But as sipping beer I don’t think I could set by a whole session for just this.
The aroma is bigger than the taste, the taste is a little confused, but I’m still impressed, as mad as that sounds. The pdubyah-o-meter gives it 7 things, making it a passable beer. I’m prepared to admit it might be off base for me.
A muddled thing but then it might be a winter beer and it is a summer evening. I’ll survive this and not be upset that there is only one to drink and I’m not making it a big night in.
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