Spaten Optimator - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

SamAdams88

4.25/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is one of my favorite beers that I've tried recently. I bought a six pack on a whim for something new to try, and it has not disappointed me. I'm on my second bottle, and feeling very giddy. At 7.6% ABV, this tall dark brew will make you drunk fast. And with as smooth a finish as this bad boy has, it will send you to the fridge for another one before you realize you're drunk.
As far as the taste goes, I'm definitely tasting toffee, plums, and a hint of wheat. It's certainly the kind of beer I would recommend to someone who likes dark German beer, but doesn't care for Beck's.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 07:35:39 | More by SamAdams88

jokelahoma

Missouri

4.23/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at 5th Street Bar in Pittsburg, KS

Pours a nice deep garnet with ruby highlights. Crystal clear, but little head.

Smells of pilsner malt, caramel, toffee, and not much else. Good clean "German" aroma, and that's a good thing.

Taste is also clean as it can be. Again, the continental pils malt comes through, with it's signature grainy sweetness. The caramel and toffee notes follow, but aren't as strong as the aroma suggests. It's sweet, but not as sweet as many doopelbocks. And it should be sweet, per the style. Just clean, malty without being cloying. Good example of the style.

Mouthfeel is rich without being chewy. Again, just as it should be.

Doppels aren't everyone's cup of tea. Or, uh, beer. Sweet, malty, the polar opposite of an IPA. But if you want a good, strongish, clean German lager, it's hard to beat this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2012 00:01:13 | More by jokelahoma

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass

Appearance - Clear, dark fiery red with tons of carbonation rising up. Head is a dirty white/brown color with a soapy appearance

Smell - Caramel, Yeasts, Malts and Barley. The smell has a very strong, penetrating quality to it, as the smell seems to go right into your sinuses which feels rather strange. Aside from that, it smells decent

Taste - Caramel, Roasted Malts, Toffee, Yeasts and Barley. It's not as strong as the flavor, but it still tastes rather sweet. The aftertaste is quite strange, with a burnt malt/burnt barley flavor; tastes kind of ashy.

Mouthfeel - Moderate body weight with a moderate carbonation feel. It's crisp feeling, but not what I would call smooth. Still, it's easy to drink and that's what really counts

Overall - I was expecting more from Optimator, in terms of flavor and smell. Had the aftertaste not been so dry and ashy, I would've been more impressed.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 00:54:21 | More by NuclearDolphin

haddon

Kentucky

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

The beer pours a caramel color with an off-white head.

starts a bit dull on the nose but eventually displays some nice caramel and dark fruit sweetness, as well as some doughy bread.

pretty typical flavors on the palate that one would expect from a Doppelbock: caramel, raisin, and black cherry came through.

Medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

DB is not my favorite style of beer but I rather enjoyed this one. pleasant experience from start to finish.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2012 02:56:55 | More by haddon

RickS95

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours and extremely dark brown. Despite the dark color, it's clearish, similar to cola. The head is a dirty white, very thick and creally creamy looking. As the head falls, a beautiful lace is left stuck to the glass.

All malt. Some earthy floral notes, and maybe even some licorice, but very malty on the nose.

Like the nose, it's very malty. There's a nice hop presence in the finish. The middle is mostly earthy grains and some smoke.

I haven't had many lagers that had a good feel. This one was better than average as it was slightly sweet and creamy, however there was a watered down feel that I've come to hate in lagers. This one wasn't as bad, and that's keeping with the style.

Despite my not liking lagers, I could get used to this one. A bit thin for me, but overall a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:52:13 | More by RickS95

matjack85

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I bought this single 12oz green bottle at the Binny's store in Plainfield, IL for $1.39. No freshness date or anything about the beer on the label.

The beer poured a clear dark mahogany color and made a huge tan colored head that took up 3/4 of the glass. I had to wait several minutes for the head to subside in order to drink it without getting a mustache. The only disappointing thing about the appearance was that lacing was minimal.

Big malty smell to this beer with some raisin/plum aroma underneath.

Lots of good flavors in this one. Sweet malt and dark bread are the easiest flavors to pick out. After that comes a mildly bitter coffee taste along with some dark chocolate and some raisin/plum fruitiness. A touch of both spicy and herbal hops round things out.

Lighter in body than I expected for such a flavorful brew. Carbonation level was low and a bit disappointing. The 7,2% alcohol is not even noticeable.

This is a pretty good doppelbock and it comes at an affordable price.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 10:10:40 | More by matjack85

whatthehull

California

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tulip

A - Dark mahogany, half finger tan head and a bit of head lacing

S - Bready yeast, huge malts, nice earthy toned hop, sugar, slight fruit, lots of pilsner smell, sugar and more yeast

T - Huge malts sweet and bitter, German pilsner hops, foliage, soil, wood, wine grapes, very dark fruits, very sweet bready yeast and a nice very slight booze

M - Medium body, low acidity, nice balance, decent complexity and a well rounded, very smooth and long sweet finish

D/O - Very refreshing, tons of taste, nothing over the top. just the right amount of everything. Well made. One of my favorite German beers and I am not a German beer fan

Final thought - $2 a pop and a very nice 7+% abv. Give this one a ride

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 05:37:19 | More by whatthehull

Pencible

Virginia

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

A: This poured a clear dark reddish mahogany with a little light tan head.
S: It smelled like prunes and earthy roasted barley and whole grain bread.
T: It tasted like sweet prunes and molasses, with roasted barley and whole grain bread. It had a clean and mostly sweet aftertaste.
M: It was thick with moderate carbonation. Nice full body.
D: This was a nice doppelbock with a basic but enjoyable scent and taste. The body was solid, and the finish was smooth, so it was definitely easy to drink. Nothing special about this, but a classic quality brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 19:37:22 | More by Pencible

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.13/5  rDev -45.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass on 4/18/12

Deep tobacco brown with a copper sheen. Ambitious head of over three fingers that drops moderately slowly.

The nose finds aromas of plum, dark fruits, dusty yeast, husk and buttered bread. Hints of toffee. Something odd is going on, though the bread comes to the fore over time.

Leading off are dark fruit flavors are a bit too juicy for my liking and they have a tangy bent that doesn't jive. The middle finds hints of faint, earthy hops and decay. Toasted grains and bread pick up on the back half, but not enough to salvage this one.

The first aspect of the feel that come to mind is a pervassive booziness that stays long on the finish; it isn't gnarly hot, per se, but the modest heat doesn't subside. The body is medium-thin and a touch on the watery side.

Overall impression - Could be worse, but I'm not particularly impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 01:35:54 | More by Ryan011235

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

355ml bottle, from a grocery store in Waikiki. Waves currently crashing outside on Kona-area beach, screwing with my beer appreciation environment-ometer...

This beer pours a clear, dark reddish amber hue, with two fingers of dense, cake-like foamy tan head, which leaves a few broad streaks of lace around the glass as it quickly recedes.

It smells of raisin-heavy dark fruity malts, some secondary, but still prolific caramel/toffee, and a mild nutty chocolate twinge. The taste continues with the big dark fruity malt, a bit of toasted bready yeastiness, and very subtle earthy, leafy hops. A slight warming pervades once things near room temperature.

The bubbles are quite sedate, lending well to a medium-full body, that is quite smooth, with silky tendencies. It finishes fairly sweet, the prune and raisin malt seeing just faint challenge from the tingly hops and booze warming.

A pretty decent doppelbock, nice and sweet, and balanced, mostly, with a deftly integrated elevated ABV. I would recommend this, especially if the weather wasn't so, well, tropical.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 05:45:26 | More by biboergosum

tdm168

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - dark brownish amber with a red hue; half of an inch of thick, soft, brownish head; great retention

S - musty, caramel, yeasty, toffee, faint chocolate, very faint dark fruit

T - chocolate, caramel, dark fruit, faint cherries, faint alcohol, toffee, lingering bitterness in the finish

M - medium bodied, smooth, a crisp carbonated finish, a bit warm

This is a pretty decent beer. The flavor is solid, but the bitter finish doesn't mesh well with the rest of the profile. The nose is also pretty decent, but it has that traditional euro musty note. Overall, it's definitely worth checking out

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 23:29:09 | More by tdm168

kylehay2004

Florida

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

A: half finger head on a deep amber hazy body.

S: sweet caramel and chocolate malts and cocoa.

T: malts with dark fruit and lots of dark chocolate with some toasted malts.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: This is a nice beer but a little less spicey than I like for the style. Still a good beer to have routinely.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 01:28:22 | More by kylehay2004

Dave1999

Virginia

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

Pours a dark brown/red with some a small amount of bubble and tiny bit of off white head.

The smell is malts, treacle and dark fruits like raisins, plums and figs. There's also a bit of alcohol on the nose.

The taste is big on sweet malts, prunes, grapes a bit of alcohol and little bit of bitter grassy hops.

The mouth feel is smooth and slick with a medium body and very little carbonation. The also a bit of a tingle from the alcohol.

Overall a pretty enjoyable beer with a high abv. The abv is hidden slightly but the taste and nose definitely contain some alcohol. Not the best dopplebock I've ever had but is reasonably easy to find.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 23:16:35 | More by Dave1999

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: dark chestnut brown body, trace off-white head,
mild lacing

S: roasted malt, nutty, caramel

T: same as the nose, hint of ripe fruit,
mild boozy finish

M: med body, smooth mouth

O: Very nice beer. Would get again
and also recommend, but there are
American craft doppelbocks that are superior.

VERY NICE, WORTH TRYING!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 15:26:29 | More by BeerLover99

ChrisPratz

4.2/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Less thing a finger of tan colored head. Reduces down to very thin lacing that doesn't cover uniformly.

S: Sweet malt scents, and some dark fruits. Also getting some grape; reminds me of Juicy-Juice from when I was a kid. Interesting.

T: Maltyness coming thru at first, then makes wear to more of the dark fruit flavors. Picking up figs and dates and a hint of plum. But like the nose, I swear I can taste Grape Juicy Juice. Its weird but its reminding me of being a kid haha. Very slight bitterness right at the end that gives way to a very minimal alcohol note. All around very enjoyable.

M: Very mild carbonation, leaves a crisp cleaning flavor on the palette. Despite the higher ABV, alcohol doesn't leave a very dry feeling.

O: Overall very enjoyable. Not what I was anticipating, it was much more enjoyable then other Spaten brews.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 23:21:33 | More by ChrisPratz

Luigi

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out a rich clear brown color with ruby/garnet highlights. Fluffy light brown two/three finger head with good retention and thin lacing around the glass.

The aroma is full of sweet malt. Caramel, toffee, a hint of rep grape peel, and a fruitiness from the alcohol sweetness as well.

The taste is just a more intense version of the aroma. But, I do get a grassy hop that does not come out in the aroma. Most of the hop comes from the semi dry finish.

Medium bodied, and a little slick on the tongue. Not the thickest doppelbock out there, so makes for easy drinking when you want malty goodness.

Is there better versions of this style... yes. But, I have always enjoyed any brew from Spaten. And this classic brand of doppelbock is no different.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 03:21:15 | More by Luigi

scootny

New York

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A light khaki head with a dark ice tea color brew. Spots of lace here and there and nice retention. Smell is caramel and toffee with buttery notes. Lots of toasted grains with a light roasted coffee. Taste follows suit with molasses and warm brown toast. Very nice roasted grain malt body. Sweet caramel as well. Hops are dry and nicely bitter with a light herbal flourish in the crisp finish. A touch of leafy oiliness lingers stretching it out a bit. Feel is a bit light but nicely weighted with a decent amount of heft and a smooth light creaminess in the back of the overall crisp feel. A nice Lenten beer and a good version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 01:34:02 | More by scootny

FullSailAle

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Previous Beer: WoodChuck Granny Smith Hard Cyder.

First taste: Dry, bitter, rich and full. This beer was very satisfying to me but not my first choice in a sampler pack; this is good for a second or third beer.

Middle of the bottle: Smoother and tastier than I expected.

Last Drop: Bitter as the first but looking forward to the next; Grolsch Premium Lager (Grolsch Importers Washington DC) or Franziskaner Weissbier (Hefe-Weissbier, Imported by Spaten USA).

Recommendation: Not hard to drink easy to enjoy and appreciate. Have one or have six at 7.25% Vol. Its easy to enjoy in a bottle or on tap.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 06:03:53 | More by FullSailAle

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A-dark brown. slightly translucent. cream colored head that disappears

S-smells like syrup with a hint of molasses spice

T-comes in with an odd taste of dark grains and molasses syrup. it's a weirdly aged taste that i'm not fond of at all. matching after-taste.

M-medium carbonation with a very dry finish

O-this is one of the least drinkable german beers that i've had. something about it doesn't sir right with me. its fairly harsh and seems to be very off balanced. i think the molasses syrupy taste to it is just too much.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 01:56:50 | More by AdamBear

gabedivision

New York

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to a SA Imperial snifter

A- Pours a clear deep reddish brown, with a 2 finger head that slowly disappears until there is almost no trace of retention left.

S- Rich maple malts, figs and cherries.

T- Caramalized toasted grain, dark fruit, dry red wine finish.

M- Medium bodied, low carbonation, malty, dry.

O- I love Optimator, great year round beer. Tasty full of flavor reasonably priced and always available.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 02:53:03 | More by gabedivision

depechemode1983

Texas

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

Dark brown in color with deep red hues when held to the light. The head is a thick light brown foam with a frothiness to it. Retention is excellent and lacing is decent. The nose is very sweet. Lots of light toasted malts, maple syrup, caramel, and brown sugar in the aroma. Still there is an upfront brown sugar sweetness only this time with a more pronounced toasted grain character. Hops balance through the middle and take it to a bitter/sweet finish. Full bodied and soft on the palate. Carbonation is done right and feels refined. Extremely tasty, affordable, and available. This one is worthy.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 02:31:38 | More by depechemode1983

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Green bottle with gold foil into standard pint. Served fridge temp.

A: Pours deep amber with reddish highlights and two fingers of light caramel colored head that receded into a good millimeter thick foam cap that is leaving good lacing. It looks good.

S: Malty and slightly medicinal. A touch of hops on the nose. Lighter smelling than I would guess based on the color.

T: Not sure what is going on here really. Kinda dank roasty flavor. The hops is a little piney. Leaves a unique aftertaste like slightly bitter dried fruit (raisins mostly). Not bad but kinda weird.

M: Feels good in the mouth. Smooth and light like a lager should be, not watery like American macros. Best part about this beer in my opinion.

O: Pretty av erage brew, doesn't make you say "wow!" more like "eh not bad" so it gets an "eh not bad" 3.0 overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 08:45:44 | More by N3rdM3t4l

beer256

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I tried this beer at a german pub in South Carolina and i thought it was great. I had two 16oz. glasses,the smell was nice with a variety of aromas pretty typical for the style. A touch of molasses and a lot of sweet malt.The taste is delicious and addicting. .A fantastic Doppelbock, I'm definitely going back for some more!

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2012 06:19:43 | More by beer256

gleemonger

California

4.49/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy, reddish brown - difficult to see through. Small off-white head that dissipates quickly.

Dark fruit, barnyard hops, sweet malts.

Initial tastes are in line with the aroma - dark fruit, hay hops and some malty sweetness, though it's much more subtle and balanced. Not super complex, just a great balance of these elements.

Pretty thick, smooth, lightly carbonated.

Really good one. Not my favorite overall, but nails the classic flavors in a good, basic way - not super complex. Definitely recommend over most attempts.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 18:00:28 | More by gleemonger

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

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

Consumed 3/28/12

Appearance: Brown, with some hints of red - small beige head, fades to a ring and leaves spotty lacing

Smell: Pretty typical for the style, with a variety of aromas - slightly burnt, grains, bread, bread crust, some light fruits (apples?), some spiciness

Taste: Follows the smell - caramelized malts and some slightly toasted/burnt flavors - multigrain bread and bread crust - some dark fruits (mostly raisins), some spices - slight touch of alcohol, as well

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, nicely carbonated, easy to drink

Overall: A great, but not excellent, example of the style

This is a solid Doppelbock, with all of the attributes typical to the style. Malty, with toasted, caramel, and bready aspects. This is worth a try, and I bet it would be good with food.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 06:06:50 | More by angrybabboon