Atwater Voodoovator - Atwater Block Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours brownish with light brown overflowing head. Smell is strong malty. Taste is a bit harsh, its fresh and carbonation is above average. There is strong malt and it is boozy, even a little woody and corny. Not so drinkable.Medium mouthfeel.Found at The Village Beer Merchant this week.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 03:29:53 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.6/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

During several of my previous dozen reviews of Atwater Block beer, I proclaimed this brewery one of the worst in America. This big lager is their strongest and is generally considered to be their best, so will it be the one to finally break the 3.0 taste score ceiling? Hey, maybe a snifter will help.

A huge escape of CO2 on crown cracking led to 1 part murky chestnut beer and 9 parts golden ecru colored cap. Looks like this might be the second overbubbled brew in a row. The head stays huge for a ridiculously long time, is Matterhorn rocky as it melts, and doesn't lay down much lace in the end.

The nose is doppelbock average (and that's being kind). It's appropriately dark caramel malty with some background nutty earthiness. Nothing to get too excited about and warming adds nothing of note. Okay, here is the moment of truth.

Voodoovator would have qualified as a disappointment if expectations had been even slightly high. How can these guys continue to brew/bottle such bland (and occasionally aggressively nasty) beer across such a wide range of styles? It really does boggle the mind.

Flavor intensity is shockingly low, as if there's a layer of cotton between beer and buds. Specifics include chocolate and dark caramel stored too long in a tin can, bitter nut skins, and a small shot of grain alcohol. Needless to say, there's no depth/breadth/complexity here at all. Only a lack of the aggressive nastiness noted above keeps the score from falling further.

The mouthfeel might be the worst of the worst. It's way too thin for the style and harsh bubbles seem to exist on the outside of the liquid rather than buried within, as they should be. Sorry, this is not a pleasurable experience.

My 13th Atwater Block review was no more lucky than the previous 12. Voodoovator is definitely not recommended. Actually, luck has nothing to do with the brewing of good beer. The process is 100% skill, which is where this outfit falls woefully short. Again... and again... and again... ad infinitum.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 13:20:01 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -13%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one served as the nightcap last night. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 01/30/2010.

The pour was average at best. Hazlnut brown in color with a small head that barely hung around for more then a few moments before settling back and leaving a bare top. Aroma of caramel, alcohol, touches of bready tones. As it warmed medicinal notes then took over and it was all down hill from there. Just not enough depth for me as the caramel and bready nature of it seemed to get lost on me and was replaced with a cough syrup like alcohol note and a slick, eatery feel. A bit hot as well as the last taste I remember was that of a cough drop like cherry flavor and a bit of roasted malts.

Maybe I got a bad bottle, but who knows. This one just was not doing it for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 21:36:25 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.3/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Picked this up in Michigan over the holidays. Served in a tulip.

Pours a dark brown with a bit of a reddish tint to it. Quite a gusher. Pretty big tan head with a bit of retention and a slight amount of lacing. The nose is pretty odd with some dark fruits and molasses plus a bit of cherry character. Seems like this might be unintentional. The flavor further adds to this suspicion and I'm thinking this bottle might be on the verge of infection. The cherry taste isn't really melding into the profile of the beer and there's a bit of a pucker factor beginning to form. Feel is full of prickly carbonation. Not impressed with this one at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 02:43:22 | More by Thorpe429

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A welcome break from most bastardized American versions of such a classy brew. VoodoVator at least measures up to the style pretty well. A muted aroma or syruy malts, fruitcake, caramel, and rum promises rich flavors and good drinkability. The flavors closely mimic the aromas, following up with a light peat-moss smokiness, and complex dark / dehydrated fruits (dates, figs) and solid toastiness. The feel is sweet, but not heavy. The alcohols are well hidden, but warming and sweet. The finish gets a little 'cola' like in it's sweetness and tackiness -- falling back on it's darker color. Overall, a very solid brew, but lacks the punch to be considered great.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2007 17:47:08 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Ten Stone in Philadelphia, I was able to enjoy a pint while seated outside in the late afternoon and this beer went perfectly. It's a dark brown in color, with a short head of frothy bone white foam. When held to the light dark mahogany, crimson, and even some thin glimmers of dark orange highlights appear. The retention was limited, but it is a fairly high alcohol beer, and for all I know it might have been a dirty glass (although there were no bubbles forming on the inside).

In the nose it expressed dark caramel with hints of chocolate, but not in a really sweet way, more of just a maltiness, and that carried over into the flavor.

It wasn't particularly full bodied for the style, but it had some girth; and the carbonation level was just enough to lend a little zest to the tongue.

Back to the flavor, it was well balanced, and dry, relying more on dark malt character than bitterness (as it should be). No hop flavor was particularly discernable, but there was some present in the background; and it finished with a quick fading note of dark, almost scorched caramel. I could tell that there was a bit of alcohol there, but it was very well cloaked in maltiness.

Nicely done!

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2008 16:47:34 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Atwater Block, VoodooVator doppelbock high-gravity lager

"9.5% Alc. by Vol. Open It!" Says the label. What did they think I was gonna do with it?

Dark brown, nearly black, big creamy tan head.

Sweet, roasty, malt-driven nose. Caramel aplenty. Rich and toffeeish. Delightful.

Much of the same in the taste, though a bit short on the finish. A bit too medium in the mouthfeel. A bit too strong in the alcohol.
But, tasty, it's true.
Quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2008 10:19:49 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a rich, warm, malty scent that boasts of caramel and roasted malts. It's got a patent malt earthiness to it as well. The taste is good also. It has a smooth roasted and black malt taste. It's dry with bit of burnt toffee sweetness. It goes down easy and finishes with just a bit of warmth. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good drinking beer. It's got a complex malt bill and is full flavored.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2008 23:41:00 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at RFD in Washington D.C. Dark beer, whitish head, minimal to low carbonation. Smells like roasted malt, no real hop character in the aroma. Also no hops in flavor, that's OK for a doppelbock, just making a note of it. There is some smoke, more than I expected. High malt character in flavor. There is no aftertaste at all, beer finishes completely. Very drinkable, really like this beer. Mouthfeel is full and great.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2009 05:19:11 | More by drabmuh

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer poured very dark amber (near black) in color with a huge beige head that has good retention properties. A moderate amount of carbonation is visible.
S: There are light aromas of dark roasted malts in the nose along with some hints of caramel.
T: The taste is dominated by bready and roasted malts with hints of bittersweet chocolate and caramel; it's very difficult to taste any hop bitterness. The taste improves as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with lots of carbonation. There are some warming sensations from the underlying alcohol.
D: The beer is moderately filling but is not to difficult to drink considering its strength because the alcohol is well hidden from both the smell and taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 15:02:13 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a jet black color with a soapy, light brown, three-finger head that left heavy lacing.

S - It smelled of caramel, malt, chocolate and some grassy notes.

T - It tasted of a good caramel flavor with hints of chocolate and roasted malt. It also had a hop kick.

M -It was soft and smooth with a warm alcohol presence. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a very good dopplebock with a powerful ABV (9.5%). My first Atwater Block beer...I hope all the others are this good.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 01:06:46 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.48/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark reddish brown color, with a large dense off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains dark fruit, lager yeast, caramelized malts, some chocolate and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with sweet flavors of dark fruit and caramel up front along with some dark chocolate and coffee in the background. Then some bready flavors of roasted malts and lager yeast come in. The hops presence is very mild but brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: A little smooth and a little crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, strong kick, decent representation of style, it’s not a bad beer but there are better ones in the style that I would pick first.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 04:09:24 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours out as a brown color with a minimal fizzy head. The smell of the beer had a decent malt aroma with a slight funk to it. The taste had this wierd sour flavor to it. Perhaps this had some oak in it. There wasn't much of anything else besides some malt. The mouthfeel wasn't too bad, some light carbonation and medium bodied. I'd like to give this one another try sometime. It is worthy of another round.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 00:32:23 | More by Knapp85

Gavage

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: pours a dark brown color with a wispy head. No lace develops.

Smell: roasted malts and sugary sweetness comes out of the glass.

Taste: roasted malts, prunes, brown sugar, and some mild bitterness make up a weak flavored doppelock. Alcohol is mildly noticeable.

Mouthfeel: smooth and a bit thin throughout. Some dryness arrives at the finish. Aftertaste is long as the malt sweetness lingers a while. Lighter side of a medium bodied beer.

Drinkability: so-so at best. This one needs to be a thicker in body and mellow the alcohol a bit for a more drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2008 22:33:52 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours (almost) black with a thin head that immediately disappears, leaving a few, scant, fizzy bubbles that die off.

The smell is of some dark maltiness, some sourish/tart fruitiness - cherries is my closest reference (and a touch of molasses?). Vague.

The taste is of sweet molasses and cocoa powder with an odd sourish fruitiness. There is some balancing bitterness, though it's not bitter. I suppose the bitterness can be put into the "earthy" category, though "non-descript" would fit as well. The components of balance are all there, but the sweetness, bitterness and sourness do not really blend that well. They are a bit "all over the place". There is an astringency to it, to boot. Yet, it's not really that "bad", not your average DB either. "Mediocre" and "odd" fit it well enough, IMO. Not too crazy about the aftertaste.

There's an almost slimy slickness to it. It is medium-bodied, even on the fuller side. Odd texture.

Well, it misses the mark compared to the classics of the style by a mile or three. Although enough is "there" to go in that direction. Out of style, or different interpretation of the style, well - even there, nothing special. Not too fond of the sourness that doesn't blend particularly well. Still, it has something to make the oddness not "bad". The alcohol is reasonably well-covered. Finishing "one" is fine. But, wouldn't get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2008 23:09:02 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark-brown with an off-white head. The aroma comes off syrupy and sweet with caramel malt. I'm tasting apple right off the bat, but it's not really an overwhelming taste. It is surprisingly fruity as I'm also getting red grape and dates along with the cocoa and roasted malt. This beer seems to be missing the big Munich and licorice malt flavors. It's not bad, but not quite par for the style. It also feels highly carbonated at the first sips with fine bubbles but is also well balanced to make it drinkable. I'd call this worth a try if you want a different sort of doppelbock.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2008 03:16:58 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I remember trying to figure out why this beer was a couple dollars more than the rest of the Fathead's take out selection and always had a hard time figuring out why. After trying it out besides the higher alcohol I'm not sure why the price mark up happened but this brew appears a very dark ruby brown tone with alarge tan head formin thick and leaves behind even streaks of lacing. Aroma has a roasty cocoa powder, a bit muted or even dumbed down with mild fruit raisin and other dried fruits soaked in alcohol with a minimal herbal hop nose. Flavor is sweet and roasty in the malt department provides some cocoa powder and mild fruitiness the alcohol is actually hidden pretty well in the taste with a touch of caramel, but overall I'm not getting a real authentic doppelbock feel. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a harsher kinda abrasive carbonation touch of a sticky texture that tends to cling onto the palate. Drinkability is decent but I'm overall underimpressed and another factor in this beer is the need to watchout for the hidden alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2007 06:34:45 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark brown that looks cloudy. Small tan-nish head that keeps with a small film of head. Mild sugar on there. Smells like the candy they make bracelets out of that you bite pieces off. Then there is some wood on there too. Then there is some minor caramel notes. All of it adds up to very little really. Flavor is okay. Smooth, yes. Full of character, no. Sweetness rises up several seconds in and really sings on the tongue for a bit before it dies down. Just not much else going on really. Nothing interesting. Feel has a good carbonation and the liquid is good. But overall this is one not exciting dopplebock. Even the 9.5% alcohol doesn't really mean much when I don't feel motivated to finish it.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 03:43:27 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a deep, deep brown with a lrage dirty white head. Nose is funky and faint with a big grain smell. Not nice. Taste is rather ordinary, nothing really stands out on this one except caramel, Mouthfeel is astringent and uneasy on the palete. After having a great Einhorn Doppelbock this brew just does not measure up.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 04:23:55 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A blow-away head of 90% of the glass--too much and it lasts a very long time. Settles into a rocky froth. The color is reddish brown and appears to be clear.

The aroma reminds mostly of brown sugar. Low level of hop as expected.

Rich body balances the high carbonation nicely. This is bitter-sweet brew, with the malt sugars winning the battle. The swallow has the greatest complexity with some hop showing up nicely but gives way to a brown sugar finish in the aftertaste.

This is a rich beer with an impressive appearance. With an APV just shy of 10%, this is a beer with which to finish the day.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2008 18:07:00 | More by smcolw

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.33/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a two finger khaki head that fades quickly leaving a good lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Hints of a caramel nose, flavor is malty, with some caramel. Drying finish. Higher ABV is hidden. $3.15 for a 12oz bottle from Bert's Better Beers Hooksett, NH.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 22:20:14 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

(served in an American pint glass)
A- this beer pours a jet black body with a thin light tan head that stick to the glass.
S- this beer has a clean soft dark malt note with a roasted black hint that comes thru as the beer warms.
T- This beer has a bright apple flavor with a light chemical dark malt hint. Light roasted bitter hint with a tartness.
M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a big fizz finish and no alcohol heat.
D- This beer has a smooth light flavor but a bit thin. The apple flavor grows and covers all other flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 22:17:33 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

3.55/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ouncer w/o freshness/bottling information. Pours dark amber, under a short lived capand then leaves minor lacing. Lots of malty caramel in the nose. Malt bomb. Boozy w/ notes of more caramel, light cola and burnt sugars. Quite dry in the finish and on the tongue after the swallow. Eh, nothing special, but not terrible for those of us who enjoy a malty, sweeter brew

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 04:06:58 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Pours a big somewhat thick rich almost 2 finger head that sticks around for a while. The beer is super dark brown, almost black.

N: Lots of sweet malts, syrups, extract like aromas, a slight sour tangy fruit even, with off aromas. A little spicy rye almost, with touch of booze and lots of sweet malts.

T: Bleh! WTF! Some sweet malts, very sweet, lots of syrups and bad tasting extracts, just bad! A really weird almost rye extract and other weird bad flavors I can't really put my finger on. It has a weird tangy flavor too. GOD this is bad!

M: Medium body with decent carbonation.

F: Finishes with more of the really bad flavors, some bitterness (not hops), and syrupy flavors. ALso some tingly booze and not so tasty. Bleh, I'm thinking drain pour!

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 03:27:14 | More by jlindros

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice dark burgandy tone. Thin light brown head. Sporadic patches of lace are created on the walls of the glass as I drink. Aroma's malty and rummy. Not particularily strong for a Dopple though. This is a solid tasting dopple bordering on very good. It just doesn't have the richness and complexity to be called great, but it's good. Nice malty tones with breadiness resembling bread pudding create the base. Alcohol is hidden very nicely. Hard to believe we're looking at close to 10% here. Nicely carbonated and medium to medium-full in body. Nice drinking Dopple and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2008 04:25:52 | More by Bighuge