Wrapping up my trio of reviews for Boston Beer Company’s latest Imperial Series is the brewery’s Imperial Double Bock. While this one was tasty, it wasn’t my favorite of the bunch — the Imperial Stout holds that honor.
Being a big fan of Ayinger’s Celebrator, this latest offering from the Sam Adams brand had some serious competition standing in its path. While the throne isn’t in any danger, the Boston Beer version of the brew is still good in its own right.
Appearance
The Imperial Double Bock pours a ruddy brown in color with a light tan head that faded slowly.
Aroma
This one definitely smells like a bock. It’s malty and sweet with light fruit and nutty aromas. There’s not much a hint of the 9.5% ABV in the nose.
Taste
This is a pretty decent double bock. It’s got the requisite sweet maltiness with a touch of nuttiness in the finish. There’s a nice caramel flavor in there as well. In terms of mouthfeel, it’s on the fuller side of a medium bodied beer.
Overall
The Imperial Double Bock joins the stout and white in surprising me with their overall impression. It’s a decadent brew that I would love to have on a consistent basis in the fridge, but its price tag probably won’t allow that too often.
Rating: 3.5/5
May 12th, 2009
Simply Beer said:
I also found this beer less then impressive. I compared this SA Doppelbock with 4 other Doppelbocks in the same sitting – Paulaner Salvator, Troegs Troegenator, Spaten Optimator, Ayiner Celebrator.
The Paulaner was by far the best and the Sam’s was the worst, but I do give credit for SA actually going out and attempting this beer, when the big dogs of this style have been brewing it for hundreds of years.