Lickinghole Creek Creator Hoppelbock
I don’t recall hearing of Creator Hoppelbock before I happened to spy it on the shelves during a beer run back in late September, but there it was, staring back at me. The beer intrigued me. A malty doppelbock base with a blend (New Zealand Hallertau, US Mount Hood, Styrian Celia and German Hersbucker varieties) of hops to give it a little something extra? Sure, I’ll check that out.
The additional hop profile certainly gives the beer a unique twist and at 44 IBU, it’s not going to wreck your palate. Usually, with a beer like this, my complaint is that the amped up hop presence is too much for the style. Well, with Creator Hoppelbock, my issue with the the doppelbock portion. The earthy character and lower than expected sweetness give the brew a more light-bodied porterish character than any bock traits.
Appearance
The beer pours a murky brown in color with a slowly dropping cap of beige foam.
Aroma
Bread, a light roast, earthy, distant grassy hops and a touch of caramel combine for a fairly subtle aroma. With most doppelbocks there’s also a hint of sweetness here, but not with Creator Doppelbock.
Taste
Hmmm… With the lack (or rather low level) of malt sweetness, this one drinks more like a roasty and hoppy porter than a doppelbock. There’s a strong earthy character that I particularly enjoy that accompanies a moderate roast, bready malt and a light hop bitterness. The 8% ABV is masked well, which also sets it apart from most beers in this realm, as they usually tend to be a wee bit warming to say the least.
Overall
It’s an interesting beer and tasty, but the roast, earthiness and soft sweetness give Creator Hoppelbock a porter-like character. That’s not really a complaint, I suppose — just a note as to how the beer came across my palate. That all said, it’s an interesting brew and one that I particularly enjoyed. A bit more sweetness and lightly bumped up alcohol warmth certainly wouldn’t hurt the brew any.
Rating: 4/5
