Spaten Optimator - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

Psyopticon

California

4.72/5  rDev +21%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This will be my first review of a Beer and I'm truely excited to start off with the Spaten Optimator. With this said, keep it in mind this is my first as I go through the A.S.T.M.D of it.

I came across this beer in a German style tavern located in Silver Lake, CA named "The Red Lion Tavern". I never really expanded my tastes passed the normal domestic beer, so this was my first real break outside of common grocery store beer. I randomly picked Spatan Optimator and this is how it went.

Appearance: At first, I was rather intimidated. It was dark, and was barely transparent towards the bottom.

Smell: The smell was actually quite nice, different than any other beer I've smelled at the time. Had a rich caramel smell to it.

Taste: The ultimate. I never really understood why people liked tap beer at the time I tried this. But after tasting this out of a bottle later on, I realized why. Like the smell, it tasted of Caramel which is quite nice, and really makes this one of my favorites.

Mouthfeel: The S.O does have somewhat of a syrup-like texture yet somewhat smooth, but this isn't something that really concerned me.

Drinkability: With this beer having a decently high ABV of 7.2%, it's not really a beer you can have a few of and be fine. I had 3 glasses the first time and it pretty much kicked my ass at the time being the lightweight that I am. But it was the perfect drink to go with a pretty gnarly bratwurst & sauerkraut.

This is at the currently point in time, my favorite beer right now, and It's a joy to bring a 6-pack of it to a friends place and watch them enjoy it as well.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2009 03:27:00 | More by Psyopticon

montecristo2

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Optimator has always been a favorite since college- I have had it both on draft at Mr. Dunderbach's in the Lehigh Valley Mall and in the bottle.

Served in a dimpled Spaten mug.

A decent one fingered head that dissipated quickly after a few sips.

Dark brown, lighter brown towards the edges and at the bottom.

Strong molasses and a very faint cherry on the finish. A thick mouthfeel which I enjoy for the style. I prefer this to many other bock beers.

I love the taste but will only drink one of these due to the 7.2% abv. Couldn't drink this all night unless I planned on staying at the restaurant. Goes great with hot dogs with mustard!

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2009 19:19:19 | More by montecristo2

nrbw23

Ohio

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one at the Winking Lizard part of their beer of the month program.

A- Pours a clear a dark amber color with a finger high off white head that leaves decent lacing and leaves a film from the top to the bottom of my glass.

S- Smells of toffee, caramel, toasted malts, chocolate, and a tiny bit of hops. I think there might also be some sort of peppery spice in there as well.

T- Taste of strong roasted malt flavor. Molasses, raisins, toast flavors and a little bit hops. A little alcohol warming and again there's that spice.

M- Medium to full in body and carbonation feels pretty good.

D- Easy to drink and worth a try for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2009 03:35:52 | More by nrbw23

joedon

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Really close to ideal dopplebock. Very dark with a tan head that was short-lived. Smell mostly of malt and bread. Taste is big dark malt-chocolatey and a little bit sweet.

Mouthfeel is just right: very filling, chewy and has a lingering malty sweetness. I could drink many pints of this fine beer.

I'm surprised Optimator doesn't rate higher with BA?

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2009 00:56:51 | More by joedon

adamette

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Live review. Served on tap at Winking Lizard in Mentor. This is the glass of the month and so it is served in a great looking 0.5L Spaten Optimator stein.

A Great looking light brown head over a dark caramel brown translucent body with carbonation visible rising up.

S Great malt and barley smell without any hops bitterness. True to the style and really great.

T Ahhh...that great malt and barley of a classic dopplebock. Spaten Optimator has long been one of my favorite beers and it is a beer that led me away from BMC 10 years ago. Just a great molasses type taste with a bit of syrupy stickiness to it. It finishes light though and there is a great taste left of medium to dark malt.

M Carbonation dances accross the tongue along with the feel of sweetness. Again, right on target for the style.

D Good for a beer with a modeastly elevated ABV. I easily finished the 22 oz. stein.

Notes: Again I am partial to Optimator since it was one of the beers that got me off of BMC. It challenged me to consider higher quality beers and taught me that beer can have a taste worth seeking out. Prost!

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2009 22:12:03 | More by adamette

naterock

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

poured into a mug from a tap. deep cloudy brown with a offwhite two finger head that sticks heavily. It's hard to tell from the frosty glass, don't you hate that?

smell is moderate and malty with a hint of yeast.

taste is traditionally thick and creamy malty goodness. a little like cough syrup in consistency. There is a little malt charachter that leaves a bitter finish.

mouth is viscous and creamy. Just like any doppelbock, the drinkability is minimal. I don't think I could keep drinking this for a extended period of time. Good but not great.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2009 18:49:34 | More by naterock

AChamberlain

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Solid. One of the best dopplebocks available. Almost black with pretty ruby highlights. Strong sweet malt aroma. Same for the flavor. Also hard candy. Sweeeet candy and some dark fruits. Smooth and full-bodied. Any easy drinker. If I am at Scholz Garden this is my go to beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2009 17:42:38 | More by AChamberlain

CMW

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The pour yields a dark almost amber color with a nice thick head of around 2 inches. After just a few seconds the brew settles and gives you the perfect trace of head to accompany the darkness of the beer. The smell is roasted malt with a hint of caramel.

The taste is thick and full flavored but very smooth. Many different tastes come to mind. Roasted malt and hops are the first things to hit the taste buds. As I savor the drink a little more I taste hints of chocolate and fruit. There is a slight bitterness in the aftertaste but it finishes dry.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2009 20:01:01 | More by CMW

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this at a little German restaurant in my home town of Brunswick. Served in a stange, it was a reddish/brown color with a thick white head that left a little bit of lacing. Aroma was caramel and raisins. Taste also caramel and raisin, but also a hint of chocolate. Perhaps a bit on the thin side. I think there could be more of a malt presence. Still, I enjoyed this beer, and will drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2009 14:13:42 | More by lordofthewiens

JonB1958

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the Bavarian Lodge.

The dark brown, almost-black pour came with a small head that vanished pretty quickly. The smell is like bread in a glass: Sweet and malty and complex, with some fig or raisin overtones.

Like most of the style I've tried, the carbonation is light and hop profile is in the background, although this seems to have a bit more hops than I expected.

Taste is fantastic, moving all around your mouth with a carmely malt and some dark fruit flavors. Halfway through the glass, I felt the warmth of the ABV come over me like a wave.

A great beer experience.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2009 15:53:12 | More by JonB1958

oberscrc

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I have had this beer from the bottle and the tap many times, this review is based on my tap experience.

A: very deep red, almost black if not holding it to a light, pours a thick reddish white head.

S: sweet tangy smell, like that of mollasses; very slight astringic alcohol smell

T: taste a lot like it smells, notes of caramel and mollasses throughout; tap has more noticeable alcohol favor than bottle, almost no hops to speak of

M: coats the mouth and feels velvety like a good burgundy wine, all parts of the tongue are activated with each sip

D: this beer will go to your head if not careful, although there are beers with higher alcohol content very few seem to be this smooth; great beer to drink at a bar

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2008 04:08:48 | More by oberscrc

baos

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pint on tap at a place I wasn't supposed to be.

A: No head and very dark, almost like Coca-Cola.

S: Bit of booziness. Maltiness.

T: Malty. Tastes a bit like rum with some caramel notes.

M: Very nice medium to full body

D: This one keeps getting better as you drink, but be careful, 'cause by the fourth Pint you might wanna get the next one to go.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2008 23:45:24 | More by baos

inhoc00

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Served in a dark Irish bar. Looks dark, no head at all.

S- Very sweet, rasberry? Brown sugar.

T- Follows the smell. Very very sweet. Almost too much.

M- Thich syrup, little to no carbonation.

D- Really quite sweet. Need to take a hops break.
Thats it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2008 02:49:38 | More by inhoc00

mphopkins99

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at a German restaurant in Clayton.

Dark brown-reddish tint. Serving I had did not have much head or lacing.

Bready aroma, with a definite hint of nut and honey.

Very smooth taste, a carmel quality was very pronounced. Exceptionally balanced.

Medium bodied mouth feel.

The two servings I had went down exceptionally well, and I could have easily had a few more.

A very nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2008 18:51:23 | More by mphopkins99

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown, slightly burnished reddish tinge. Slightly sticky head, doesn't leave much lacing but also doesn't get in the way of drinking.

Aromas and flavors of sweet, thick malt with a hint of roasting. Nutty rather than chocolatey. Some dark caramel flavor as well, and a touch of fruit as it warms up.

Solid depth with the mouthfeel, especially when warm, it's medium-full with a pleasing silky quality. Creamy and solid doppelbock to enjoy in a liter mug.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2008 02:13:30 | More by BretSikkink

thekevlarkid

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got a chance to try this one on tap while drug-running in Colorado. Just kidding! Sort of. *ahem* Off the tap this beer was a dark chestnut brown with some red hues near the edges. The head was off-white and quickly descended after the pour but retained itself well as a collar and laced well too. The aroma was mostly toasted malt but also possessed hints of nuts, alcohol and fruit sweetness. The flavor profile was full of malt richness augmented by fruit sugars. It was rich, chewy and nutty reminiscent of German candy but kept level but underlying hops bitterness. The finish was a little acidic but crisp. The mouthfeel was smooth and the beer quite drinkable. A great example of a Doppelbock and much easier to approach than many of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2008 12:20:48 | More by thekevlarkid

superdedooperboy

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served up in a chilled half-liter mug at our local German restaurant, Augsburg Haus.

Color is a deep, dark mahogany hue, capped with a nice espresso-like tan foam. The chilled glass killed the head retention and caused very little if any lacing to stick behind.

Aroma is mostly of sweet toffee along with some toasty, biscuity notes.

Nice full mouthfeel with a palate of rich, sweet caramel and toffee, cookies, bittersweet chocolate and a bit of hop bitterness balancing it out.

As good as the beer is, its high alcohol content and thick, heavy consistency fill you up and leave you tipsy, keeping too many from going down.

Optimator is definitely one of my go-to faves; sadly, this one was served a bit too cold and suffered in head retention and aromatics because of it. Still, an awesome beer, and one that always pleases.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2008 04:29:38 | More by superdedooperboy

Rennpferd

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

It poured dark brown like molasses with a 1 inch head that disappeared quickly.

It had no smell that I could detect. The bar that I was in had a bad smell to it. But I think I should have smelled something.

It was rich and malty. It was smooth with a nice wet finish. I found it to be well balanced and refreshing. A nice hops taste on the backend.

I could drink this a couple of times but it is too strong to drink all night

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2008 04:34:49 | More by Rennpferd

BirdFlu

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

served on tap in Germany pavilion in Epcot at Disney World, Orlando, Fla.

I was very happy to see a dopplebock as an option as extent of craft beer I've seen in Disney thus far is Sam Adams. Anyway, this beer is kind of average for a dopplebock in that the flavor and aroma are pretty standard, however not as bold as most. There is a malty, slightly chocolaty aroma and the flavor has a bit of a dry mouth aftertaste where a hint of hops is detectable. It is slightly on the lighter side of moderate body and gravity, so it isn't hard to get thru and doesn't weigh you down (not til the 2nd one at least). If you're looking for a bold dopplebock, this may not satisfy. However, it drinks nicely as a mellower DB while walking around Epcot's world showcase.. In a tropical storm, in my case today.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2008 04:02:12 | More by BirdFlu

Domingo

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a really good doppelbock that skirts the line of what direction they wanted to take it.
Doppels tend to be either very sweet and caramel based (a la Salvator) or thicker and more like chocolate covered raisins(a la Celebrator).
This one does a good job of having the strong caramel flavors but still maintaining the chocolate and raisins to keep it from being thin or cloying. There are even some hop hints on the back end.
Not the best doppelbock out there, but it's certainly one of my favorites. It's my favorite style, so I definitely enjoy it.
It's balanced and shockingly more common than I expected.
If you like the style, I can pretty much guarantee you'll like this brew.

Edit: As I find myself ordering this more and more as a Falling Rock nightcap, I'm pick up some maple and molasses type flavors in there, too. On-tap this is one of the best doppels you'll find in the states. The bottled version isn't quite as rich, but it's still very highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2008 14:33:59 | More by Domingo

tronester

Oklahoma

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Was served in a standard pint glass, had a thin tan head. Smelled strongly of molasseses. Taste was of sweet malt, a slight roasted flavor, with a tiny bit of bitterness from the hops. Mouthfeel was average, with high carbonation levels. Quite drinkable though, especially at 7.2 percent alcohol. Not my favorite Doppelbock, but still quite good, and an excellent standby.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2008 03:23:15 | More by tronester

champ103

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Clear dark red color. No head and no lace.
S: Lots of toasted and caramel malt. A pleasant bready aroma with some dark fruits. A soft and enjoyable nose.
T: Follows the nose. Loads of dark malt and fruit. The flavor is a bit metallic, but not enough to really detract from the overall experience.
M/D: I was a bit disappointed in the mouth. Very thin and watery. This is a good sipping beer though. Smooth and easy to drink, but you don't want to drink it to fast. The alcohol is well hidden and can sneak up on you.

I like this beer. Very malty and pleasant. This is something to look for.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2008 15:38:53 | More by champ103

cer40

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I sampled this beer on tap from the biergarten in epcot center. It poured dark with a nice head.

The aroma was of roasted malts and caramel. A small amount of spicy hops are detected. Taste is The same but more. The malt never goes away but the spicy hops make it through just a little.

The mouthfeel is great. Medium bodied and perfectly carbonated. Drinkable enough that I had to have one more while sampling the beers in the world showcase. Was great with my pretzel and mustard too!

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2008 17:33:51 | More by cer40

mltobin

Connecticut

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

On tap alongside a heaping plate of hot wings at TK`s American Cafe.
The appearance is a light brown body with a medium sized head that laces moderately.
Smell is malty, spicy and inviting.
Taste is full-bodied, a bit sweet, with an aftertaste that makes you want to eat something, good thing I have wings.
MF is toasty and a bit rich on my palate.
Drinkability is solid, but when you have a pitcher like my table did, keep in mind the abv is 7.2%, play it safe.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2008 22:35:10 | More by mltobin

treehugger02010

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at Tank's Taproom in Tampa, Fl.
Appearance: The pour produced a deep brown, translucent, body with little to no head on top. The tan head had poor retention and left very little lacing.
Smell: I experienced what I can only label as sweet hops.
Taste: The first few sips contained mostly sweet malts followed in the middle by strong hop presence and finishing with a more mellow mix of the first and the middle.
Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel was very smooth.
Drinkability: Very good, one can certainly have a few of these.
Don't drink and review.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2008 22:20:01 | More by treehugger02010