Navigator Dopplebock (Brandy Barrel Aged) - Ballast Point Brewing Company

Kaiser81

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Half pint at the Old Grove brewery location

A - Dark muddy brown with plum highlights. There is minimal head, and some nice lacing is left on my glass.

S - Brandy is noticeable, in fact, it kind of dominates the beer. I feel it's kind of one dimensional, as I can't get much else on the smell.

T - Malts and brandy blend nicely, but the brandy continues to dominate. There are nice floral notes on the finish.

M - Cab is nice, maybe slightly above medium. There's a nice heavy body with a nice and smooth finish.

D - Probably better than the original version, but not too much.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2010 00:48:11 | More by Kaiser81

Tom-Peters

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

04-29-2013 16:40:06 | More by Tom-Peters

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

02-21-2013 01:45:04 | More by rolltide8425

sludgegnome

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-09-2013 20:04:54 | More by sludgegnome

danwho

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-03-2013 17:32:41 | More by danwho

wattershed

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

12-18-2012 18:53:53 | More by wattershed

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

08-20-2012 02:47:14 | More by t0rin0

DoubleJ

California

3.3/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at Slater's 50/50 (Liberty Station), on to the beer:

This one arrived with plenty of anticipation, but lots of booze in the beers character took the beer down a few levels. The russet brown color with solid head retention was fine. The nose was fumes of alcohol mixed with lots of malt and raisins. It didn't quite have the super high level of booze as the aroma; there's enough of the body, consisting of raisins, touches of brandy, and some sweet bread, to overcome the booze. Nearly full bodied and boozy. It's alright, not what I had hoped I would taste. Good thing I stayed away from flammmable objects afterwards.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2012 03:02:54 | More by DoubleJ

DrFunkenstein

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

03-05-2012 00:38:05 | More by DrFunkenstein

John11486

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-21-2012 19:24:49 | More by John11486

cld253

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

02-18-2012 01:38:46 | More by cld253

dominic4beer

California

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

02-16-2012 05:41:55 | More by dominic4beer

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at tapestry in philly

Pours a semi-clear cherry/caramel color with some slight haze in the glass. Fluff of off-white head rests on top, leaving patches of lacing behind while retaining through some of the pour.

Stiff scents of brandy soaked wood and alcohol induced sweetness. Touches of cherry and raisin with some burnt sugar. Nice malt hints with a touch of vanilla.

Begins with dark fruits and raisin on the tongue. The barrel character is potent, but well integrated, mixing in vanilla and brandy with dark fruits and sugar. Touches of caramel and molasses flow into the malt backbone. Finishes boozy and warm with some lingering sweetness.

Decent medium body, well carbonated, slick and smooth on the tongue. Drinks really nicely, one of my favorite BP barrel aged offerings thus far.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 22:35:14 | More by xnicknj

Jspriest

Maryland

5/5  rDev +21.7%

01-26-2012 00:44:21 | More by Jspriest

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Here we go...

Beautiful clear maroon body with a still, flat cap. Looks light for a doppelbock, but it could be the tumbler.

Mild aromas. Bock smells. Dark bread, fruity yeast elements, some barrel (I believe the brandy).

There's a ton of oak in the forefront. Big brandy with residual sugars and poppyseed roll. Bready, beastly with booze, and big on caramel. Bigger flavor, smaller complexity. A little overdone.

Medium-heavy body. Medium-light carb. Terribly boozy for 8%.

I loves me a brandy-barrel aged ale, but this one was huge when it didn't need to be. Still worth ordering when ya see it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2012 02:10:18 | More by thecheapies

Oneinchaway

California

5/5  rDev +21.7%

11-20-2011 00:56:51 | More by Oneinchaway

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a 4 oz sampler of this at Bocktown.

This is by far my favorite offering from Ballast Point thus far.

Was excited by the idea of a brandy-aged Dopplebock.

Appearance and smell are all is as it should be. Medium, nutty tea brown tone, minimal head. Came out of the tap too cold to really give off a strong smell, but what's there is good.

Nice, round mouthfeel. Smooth.

Taste is vanilla, malty, doppelbock with a bit more booze from the brandy taste. The brandy is discernible but not enough to kill or negatively impact the bock taste, which is forward as it should be. Way less of a malt bomb than I expected.

There's a slight aftertaste, that I'm thinking is due to it being draft. It has a little bit if that 'on-tap' thing that brings the preservative taste up front. I suspect it would be absent with a bottle version.

Worth a taste for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2011 17:58:16 | More by radioscooter

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ballast Point : Navigator (Brandy Barrel Aged)

Pours a ruby brown color with off white, short livid head. In the aroma, brown sugar, molasses, brandy and malt sweetness. In the taste, vanilla, sugary malts, maple, vague suggestions of dark fruit, alcohol and brandy. Everything is well balanced, though there is little hop flavor beneath all of the complexities from the barrel aging. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, smooth and adequate carbonation. Overall, a tasty treat, and not so often do you find brandy barrel aged dopplebocks.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2011 17:37:38 | More by Stinkypuss

notchucknorris

California

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Ballast Point's Barrel Aged Day

A: Dark brown color with a 1/2 finger tan foam head.

S: I spent a while trying to figure out what it was that I was smelling. I guess it was brandy, but I got a lot of dark fruit and grape bubblegum. Kind of a strange smell but not entirely off-putting.

T: The taste was a little on the weak side with a good amount of brandy and some fairly muted malty notes. I feel like the brandy overwhelmed the beer a touch in this one. Still, not bad at all.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 00:32:26 | More by notchucknorris

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Notes from San Diego trip.

A- Dark brown ale poured from the tap. A silky tan ring forms atop the beer but no real head. Lack of lace entirely.

S- Brandy bomb, a ton of plum/dark fruit brandy notes fly off the beer. Like something I would cook with. Sweet juicy, fruit brandy. Very strong aroma.

T- A bit more balanced with the actual beer flavors here. Again a ton of brandy though with brown sugar, banana and nutty hints backing it.

MF- Silky thick body with alcohol warmth. Sweet overall feel.

Brandy bomb with big dark plum notes throughout, it really picked up a lot from the barrel. Somewhat hidden Doppelbock backbone.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 23:53:05 | More by cbutova

augustgarage

California

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap @ Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood - served in a snifter.

Dark taupe (? - it's pitch black in this bar) body with a lasting finger of creamy film. Thick soapy lacing, nice retention.

Brandy is sharp in the nose - tons of candied fruit, plums, figs, etc.

The flavor follows the nose closely with dark fruit, moderate bitterness, substantial heat, and a malty finish all well integrated though the barrel takes over a bit.

Creamy, medium-bodied, a touch oily.

Really lacks the rich maltiness I associate with the style, and is devoid of melanoidins. Tasty none-the-less...so it's difficult to downgrade too much for missing style notes.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 23:31:23 | More by augustgarage

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Oakquinox

A: The pour is a fairly dark amber color with a slight murkiness and a small off-white head.

S: Fair amount of brandy aroma with a nice dark fruit character. Sweet malt notes of caramel and toffee and a little bit of breadiness. There is a hint of boozy warmth, but some good vanilla and oak.

T: Nice brandy flavor with a touch of fruitiness to the beer. Some darker fruits like plums and black cherries, and sweet caramel malts. Oak and vanilla add a good flavor to the beer and enhance the brandy character.

M: Medium in body with a moderate level of carbonation.

O: I haven't had the best luck with Ballast Point barrel aged beers, but this was pretty solid.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2011 03:57:58 | More by womencantsail

Gmann

New York

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a chocolate brown color with a small airy tan head that quickly dissipates into nothingness. No residual head to speak of. The aroma is of a sweet malt, some candied cherries, some honey and pepper. Not as strong as I would have expected. The taste is much deeper than the aroma. A woody dark malt combines with some carob and chocolate notes. There is a candied dark fruit sweetness, mostly cherry or grape. The is a slight touch of a band aid alcohol vapor presence from the brandy barrel. The feel is light but not watery with prickly carbonation; sweet throughout on the palate with a bit of a belly burn from the ABV. This is a very tasty dopplebock, though it seems to be a bit thin and the abv needs some mellowing.

Note: The feel thickened as it warmed which helped give the brew a more robust feel and the head had some staying power, though still not a great appearance.

Serving type: growler

12-06-2010 00:40:25 | More by Gmann

kflorence

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at URBN Pizza in North Park (San Diego, CA). A bit steep at $8 a glass, but at least it lived up to it's price tag!

A: Poured a dark, opaque brown (almost black) in color with a lovely inch of frothy, tan foam sitting on top. It was served in a goblet and looked very appealing.

S: One of the better smelling beers out there. You can definitely detect the brandy on the nose, but there is also a sweet malty overtone, some roast, dark fruits and a chocolate confection twang. On first sniff I would say almost a desert beer, but not quite. Brandy, alcohol and other deeper notes become more prominent as the beer warms.

T: Very pleasantly surprised at the flavor and balance of this beer. I expected it to be overly heavy and perhaps even a bit too strong for my tastes, but I was pleased to see that it was overall very enjoyable. You get the sweetness of the brandy without the astringent alcohol flavor, and it meshes very well with the malty, dark fruity and roasted backbone of a doppelbock. The original was very solid, but I think I might like this one a bit more.

M: Great body and carbonation levels in this one. Not overly syrupy, but definitely on the medium-heavy side. Very smooth.

D: While this is definitely a dark, higher ABV beer, it goes down surprisingly easy and isn't brutal on the stomach. Went great with the pizza, too.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 00:43:02 | More by kflorence

rtepiak

Poland

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a beer that is for certain the end of the night. if beer is the deluded malty verision of hard liquor this is the evidence. this beer tastes and has the consistency of something that sat in brandy for long periods of time. nose is brown liquor. something that is about 12 percent but actually 8. not particularly warm though. nose is literally nothing but brandy... the palate is sort of warm and molasses. it is more brandy palate than doppelbock. great quality as a lager but the lager is deeply hidden.

this is the perfect autumn cooked duck beer. carmelized squash, apple, and the likes of autumn fare. some nutmeg would make it a pumpkin ale its so malt oriented.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2010 06:49:05 | More by rtepiak