I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bock, much less a doppelbock.

A bock is a strong lager usually brewed in the winter for consumption in the spring. German monks were known to drink quite a bit of it during Lent. Since they were fasting without solid food they needed a beverage with a lot of food energy. The doppelbock, literally “double bock”, was often known as “liquid bread”. The doppel isn’t twice as strong as a bock, as the name implies, but it is stronger.

And, boy, I can see why. This is a hearty, robust beer. Probably not the kind of beer to drink on a hot July day. Since I’m relaxing in my air-conditioned abode, I guess it’s okay. Not very bitter. A pleasant, if light, aftertaste. A very nice, deep, caramel color.

Very, very malty. Some might consider it “chewy”. The initial flavor you get is quite sweet, almost as if it were malt syrup. Not overly hopped, which makes sense. The brewers recommend drinking it with steak or hearty stews. They also recommend it with sweet, non-chocolate desserts.

At 8.2% ABV it’s also got a bit of a kick to it. Don’t expect to drink a six-pack of this in one sitting.

There is a tradition of naming doppelbocks with an “-ator” suffix, in homage to the original doppel: Salvator by Paulaner.

I like it. I’ll give it a three out of four.

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