Spaten Optimator - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

Pahn

New York

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Reasonably aggressive pour yields a 3/4 inch offwhite head that dissipates quickly, leaving a ring around the surface of the beer and minimal lacing. Color is a rather attractive opaque dark red. Not much subsequent lacing.

Smell: Too mild. Some grassiness, raisin, chocolate. It smells sort of like Harp Lager, with the aforementioned notes present but barely. Dark fruit notes get stronger and deepen as the beer warms. Pleasant, but not particularly inviting, nor does it really enrich the flavor, unfortunately.

Taste: First sip, nutty, roasty malt, faint raisin, and a mild bitterness near the end. Finishes a bit dry. There's an occasionally cloying sweetness. As the beer warms, a hint of breadiness comes out, but the flavor remains bland. Breadiness disappears, rather ugly and flavorless bitter finish persists, and dark fruit flavor deepens with some plum notes.

Mouthfeel: Decent, medium to heavy body, but a bit unpleasantly sticky. If the flavor were stronger, this wouldn't be a problem, but it doesn't compliment the bitter ending and borderline cloying sweetness. Carbonation is good (not too little, not too much; helps the beer).

Drinkability: Alcohol is pretty well-masked, though it catches up. Neither the flavor nor the mouthfeel are very good, but they kind of grow on me. To be honest, I can't imagine ever buying this again, but that's more because beers like Ayinger Celebrator exist than because this beer is that bad.

An underwhelming doppelbock, but also a little bit confounding. It promises some deep malt and doesn't deliver, so I want to hate this beer. Then again, the dark fruit character to the taste is occasionally very nice, and near the end of the bottle some of the sips are wholly enjoyable. I think this would be a great beer to give to someone who likes things like Harp lager, because it has significantly more flavor than Stella/Harp/BMC/etc. At the same time, everything this beer does well is done better by another beer (and not *that* well done by Optimator).

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 02:47:04 | More by Pahn

Rwang

California

4.5/5  rDev +15.4%

05-19-2013 01:53:41 | More by Rwang

apanloco

Sweden

1/5  rDev -74.4%

05-18-2013 20:04:17 | More by apanloco

Wildcatz69

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-17-2013 19:45:53 | More by Wildcatz69

rheff

Arkansas

4.75/5  rDev +21.8%

05-17-2013 03:48:43 | More by rheff

Sarmartay

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-14-2013 20:03:10 | More by Sarmartay

shanny1981

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

This is one of my favorite classic German beers. This is a very decent, full bodied, flavorful, reddish amber beer with a good sweet, roasted grain smell. A roasted malt flavor with some hops in the aftertaste. Has a fair amount of head to it that dissipates almost immediately. Some toasted grains on the aftertaste so a little bitterness as the aftertaste with a hint of some grapefruit. A dry finish which would go good with any good meal.

Serving type: cask

05-14-2013 13:51:29 | More by shanny1981

adkrogue

New York

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-14-2013 13:46:07 | More by adkrogue

MistahBeah

Massachusetts

2.34/5  rDev -40%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

I think this one may have been skunky so maybe not accurate. Reading other reviews that were favorable but I really didn't care for this one

Appearance: Initially poured like a true dopplebock. Small tan head. Little carbonation. Deep copper. Clear amber in the light. No retention/lacing. After a little while I honestly thought it looked like sewage. Not very inviting but maybe its my overall impression clouding my judgment.

Aroma: No surprises here. Smells like yeast and sweet caramel. A tad hoppy?

Taste: This is where it tanks in my opinion. Way too hoppy for the style and it tastes skunky. Tastes more like a maibock - which wouldn't be bad if it wasn't a dopplebock. Sticky resin hops with slight char malts but virtually no sweetness. No detectable alcohol. Really not a fan.

Mouthfeel: Feels more carbonated than you'd think. Really coats the mouth. Sticky and if I thought it tasted better I wouldn't mind.

Overall: Like I said, if it said it was a maibock I'd probably enjoy it but I was let down. Not a terrible beer just a bad representation of the style

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 23:30:05 | More by MistahBeah

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 19:49:30 | More by BeerForMuscle

xip

Indiana

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 19:36:49 | More by xip

TeeRobe

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-12-2013 17:44:40 | More by TeeRobe

TOP

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 01:13:30 | More by TOP

JamesStreet

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-10-2013 20:47:52 | More by JamesStreet

PolloVagabundo

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-10-2013 18:59:41 | More by PolloVagabundo

dalepryor

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-08-2013 03:58:44 | More by dalepryor

Kpitevl

Missouri

3/5  rDev -23.1%

05-08-2013 00:22:48 | More by Kpitevl

YieldToNothing

New York

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-06-2013 02:43:41 | More by YieldToNothing

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.09/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz green bottle with no date. malt liquor, 7.6 abv

pours a very dark but clear amber, thin layer of foam. Smell is yeast and dusty grain, some funky euro hops too. first taste is roasty malt, then some dark fruit and a very sweet middle. finish is smooth and a touch bitter. no skunk for me (well, maybe a little)!

surprisingly good, maybe a tad too sweet. not a trace of the 7.6, and the price is right. Winner.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 05:26:17 | More by jimmah120

Cvescalante

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +9%

04-30-2013 06:10:27 | More by Cvescalante

DrBass

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9%

04-28-2013 17:00:23 | More by DrBass

taospowder

New Mexico

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

04-25-2013 03:17:20 | More by taospowder

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

04-24-2013 16:01:29 | More by Jason1337

zeledonia

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +2.6%

04-24-2013 03:20:50 | More by zeledonia

Bamarooster

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +9%

04-23-2013 22:25:52 | More by Bamarooster