Bavarian-Styled Doppel Weizen - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Arrives from the tap with a fluffy, one-finger thick, pale tan colored head that is quite tight and creamy textured. The beer is a clear, hazy, gold-straw color that shows more of the same, though a litte lighter, when held up to the light. The aroma smells like an expressive HefeWeizen with notes of clove, soft banana, some softly tart wheat, hay like grain and sweet, honey-like malt notes. This is quite nice and at first blush reminds me a lot of New Glarus’ Weizen (though this is a bit lower in alcohol than that one, despite that one being labeled as a regular HefeWeizen).

Soft and creamy feeling up front, it picks up some carbonic prickliness towards the middle, but finishes with a linger, light viscousness that sticks a bit to the palate. The clove flavor really lingers in the finish, and there is also a spiciness to the finish that is accentuated by the phenolic clove character and even picks up a touch of peppery spiciness (though some of that is likely accentuated by the pizza I just had). Hay like grain notes mix with a touch of herbal-honey like malt character and even a touch of seeming herbal hop character. The hop character contributes a touch of bitterness that isn’t quite biting. Other traditional HefeWeizen notes of banana, a hint of tartness and a nicely rounded pale malt and wheat flavor also play a role here.

I doubt this beer was decocted, but it is big enough that it does mimic the rich malt character that traditionally decocted HefeWeizens achieve. This is definitely quite nice and I am really enjoying this beer right now. The phenolics can get a touch spicy and plastic like (perhaps) in the finish at times, but this is reasonably held in check. This has a surpisingly complex yeast character (coming from an American Brewery, hell even your typical German one) that I am really enjoying.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 02:09:47 | More by Gueuzedude

AZbelgian

Arizona

2.3/5  rDev -40.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

A - Pours a cloudy golden color with a small foamy white head.

S - Crisp aroma of banana with a hint of clove

T - True to the aroma, tastes of banana and clove are the most notable at first. This moves quickly into the strongest unfiltered flavor I've ever experienced in a beer. The flavor is tingly and biting on the tongue and overpowers and drowns out everything else. This lingers uncomfortably long on the tongue.

M - medium mouthfeel, unfiltered flavor gives it an undesirable flavor and an uncomfortable tingle

O - This beer would have real potential if the unfiltered character didn't overpower everything else. Overall I was not impressed. Some re-tooling on this one might improve it substantially.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 22:52:50 | More by AZbelgian

deebo

Minnesota

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

A-Cloudy, dirty light brown with white head

S-Banana esters, cloves, wheat, hefe weizen for sure

T-Banana bread! Yeasty, malty and heavy. Nice flavor

M-Pretty full bodied. Heavily carbonated, a little alcohol end note but never would have figured this beer was this strong. Well done!

D-A little heavy, but is definitely a souped up Hefe.

O-Nice flavor, strong wheat taste, heavy on yeast and malts. A really good beer, a good beer to start the night with.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2012 01:24:46 | More by deebo

CHickman

New York

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer review notes from 12/10/2011, on tap at Sapsuckers in Huntington, NY: pours cloudy dark orange color with a 2 finger foamy snow white head that faded slowly, leaving good spotty foamy lacing.

Smells of banana, clove, wheat, yeast, orange peel, coriander, lemon and sweet malt; nice funky combo of banana and yeast in the nose.

Tastes like it smells with banana, clove, wheat, yeast, coriander, orange peel, lemon, cinnamon, pepper, tea leaf, herbs, brown sugar, coriander, allspice, sweet malt and light spices; very tasty, very traditional and very complex at the same time-this is a tasty beer that has a hint of heat and lots of spices, making for a very sweet and intricate brew.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp, with high fizzy carbonation, a watery feel and a tart and sweet finish that is on the dry side.

Overall tasty and enjoyable, this was full of flavor and hid the ABV like a magician. A high recommendation for this style, this was quite easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2011 04:35:06 | More by CHickman

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A finger of creamy white head with good retention and tons of lace. Hazy gold body.

The nose is unassuming-- faintly sweet and boozy.

Taste is sweet, rich wheat... some hop spice rounds off the finish. Some fruit character as well.

Feels rich, thick.

Good weizen; I was nervous Lagunitas would fall short in this sort of endeavor.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2011 00:25:12 | More by zaphodchak

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a traditional weizen glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a hazy tangerine or orange color with a thick frothy head that recedes slowly and leaves patches of lacing for much of the beer. Sipping leaves interesting patterns of lacing.

Smell: The aroma is a nice mixture of clove, banana and a hint peppery spice.

Taste: The flavor is pretty much as expected from the nose with a full rich set of flavors that are dominated by the clove and the banana but still show some spice.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied with a fair amount of soft carbonation for much of the beer. The finish is medium long, begins with the sweet spicy flavors of the typical Weiss beer and fades into spiciness.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: Sipping is easy and one follows another quite naturally. My overall impression is of a good workman like beer that I’d be willing to have again. But that said I prefer this combination of flavors when the whole package is more subtle and less aggressive.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2011 22:46:18 | More by drtth

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

on tap at khyber in philly

Pours a hazed light orange color with some golden yellow hues. Thick, frothy white head rests on top, retaining well while leaving patchy lacing on the glass.

Plenty of banana and clove in the nose with some peppery spice. Hints of honey and caramel with bready notes. Somewhat sweet with a hint of warmth.

Splash of spice and banana up front with a light sweetness. Clove and pepper combine throughout the profile. Nice bready backbone with toasted malts and sticky honey sweetness. More banana and fruit tones towards the back end. Finishes with a touch of alcohol heat and spice.

Medium body, slightly higher carbonation, sticky and lingering on the tongue. Drinks pretty nicely, a little sweet for me, but still a tasty brew.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2011 02:51:35 | More by xnicknj

champ103

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Petrol Station in Houston, TX

A: Pours a hazy golden/orange color. At first a one finger white head forms, but recedes to nothing in a second. Light lace is left behind.
S: Up front is buttery malt. Sweet caramel malts as well. Grainy and husky. Some alcohol in the nose. That is about it.
T: UP front is similar to the nose. Buttery malt, grainy, husky. Lightly sweet with some caramel. Wheat and some fruit esters come in towards the end. Banana and slightly tart apples. Citrus like hops finises everything off.
M/D: A medium body that is very smooth. I wish it was a bit more dry and crisp. Easy enough to drink. I can detect some alcohol, but overall a good sipper.

Not bad at all. Certainly not my favorite of the style, but enjoyable and worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2011 01:24:23 | More by champ103

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dull copper orange with a yellowish hue. Poured with a thick, frothy, off-white foam that slowly reduced to a thick cap that left thick sheets of lacings on the glass. Belgian yeast and wheat malt aromas, with tropical and orange citrus, banana and spice. Rich, creamy smooth, clean feel. Wheat malt and belgian yeast backbone, with biscuit and banana flavors through the middle and a touch of spice at the end. Very light citrusy flavors lie beneath. Finishes semi-dry with a light biscuity, yeasty aftertaste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2011 18:40:16 | More by IronLover

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Pony Bar, NYC. 8oz pour into mini nonic style glass.
Looks fantastic...hazy/cloudy deep orangey honey color with a nice thick head. Smells fantastic, orangey, weiss typical but alcohol is obvious.
Taste...you guessed it, fantastic. Absolutely packed with flavour. Aroma matches taste...easy finish with the high ABV. I absolutely loved this brew. Great personal twist on a beer staple.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2011 01:13:11 | More by DrinkSlurm

JizackFH

New York

4.22/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Sunswick 35/35 in Astoria, NY on 11/17/11.
Review taken from notes.

This beer pours a nice golden yellow color. It has a nice finger of white head resting on top. The head has good retention, and it leaves a nice sheet of lace behind on the glass. The nose starts off with some nice wheat and caramel aromas. There are some notes of clove, hops, banana, bread and a touch of booze. The taste pretty much follows the nose. There is some bread malts, banana, and caramel in the forefront. There are also flavors of clove, allspice, a bit of citrus, and a bit of alcohol. The finish leaves some lingering sweetness, banana, booze, and spice flavors on the palate. This has a medium body and good carbonation. It goes down smooth and has a nice feel to it. There is some tingly spice and some nice sweetness. There is also a small mild hop presence. I found it to be nicely refreshing. This has good drinkability. I think it is a really nice beer, and different from what I usually see Lagunitas do. I would definitely buy more of this one, and I recommend trying it out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2011 19:55:48 | More by JizackFH

Brianmerrilyn

New York

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Polished off one of these at the Bronx Alehouse after my shift at The Yardhouse last week. Poured into a goblet glass...

A: A quite cloudy/hazy grapefruit color w/finger plus wide lacing head. A much lighter weizenbock as compared to an Aventinus or even Sam Adams Winter lager....the yeast cloud is impressive indeed.

S: Spice & clove at first then hops which does not surprise me w/Lagunitas...why not throw more hops into the recipe...Clear malt & booze undertones but not offensive at all

T: Following nose quite spicy almost in the style of a tripel. The yeast, clove or even banana character are masked by the hop-follow up & then the nose stinging booze infusion.

M: Medium to thick with cloying nature in the back jowls. While light as compared to other styles, the cloudy yeast nature prevails.

O: A great take on the style & a California influence in my humble opinion. Not on the sweet side but more of spice then minor hop bomb & boozy follow-through. James Langstine, the owner of the Bronx Alehouse mentioned this was Lagunitas' first shot & I look fwd to downing the next & thereafter>>>

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2011 01:17:52 | More by Brianmerrilyn

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap 11/19/2011 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy gold color, with a short white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains wheat, bananas, spices, light caramelized malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with a strong wheat flavor followed by sweet flavors of citrus, spices and caramel. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy and the hops presence is good for the style creating a good balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a nice flavorful and solid beer to drink for a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 01:48:27 | More by TheManiacalOne

BeerIsland

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was fortunate enough to stumble on this beer on draft at the Bulls Head in Lititz today. A lot of BAs have recently listed them in the top lager echelon although the Pils was the only exampler generally available in PA. The DW is an excellent beer in the aggregate; some might even consider it restrained in flavor and general presentation. Refreshingly, an amped style didn't accentuate the supporting flavors along with the basic malt/hops effects. I APPRECIATE brewers' abilities to pack ABV into a balanced flavorful product without wresting the drinker into submission. The general smoothness and drinkability (mea culpa)of this item is a real achievement. I wish more of their lagers were available out here.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 20:19:20 | More by BeerIsland

DIM

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -28%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

a: This cloudy, murky looking golden straw color. It was served to me with a small, but long lasting, frothy cap.

s: Lots of bananas and cloves along with some bubblegum. There was a little too much medicinal heat.

t: Sweet up front with plenty of banana and bubblegum character; it was a a little citrus-y even. The finish had a dry, sharply herbal medicinal quality that made my pint a bit of a chore to finish.

m: Relatively big and chewy.

o: Lots to like from these guys, and at reasonable prices. This one was a miss for me though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 20:05:40 | More by DIM

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

At Alewife.

A: The weizenbock is hazy, golden brown with an emphasis on the golden side. No head.

S: Wheat comes through with plenty of strength, airy but intense. Clove and banana are plentiful. The strength is noticeable, sweet with a hard edge. Spiciness, thanks to the yeast, keeps the clove and banana lingering but Belgian aromas manage to sneak in as well.

T: Ample yeast flavors, enough to stand out amongst the bold wheat base. Citrus leads to banana and clove, a mild aniseedy flavor. Wheat is strong, clearly doppel-y. Not very refreshing though, very flavorful in an odd way.

M: Sweet and big, the yeasty flavors much bigger than expected.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 00:33:29 | More by akorsak

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a honey amber color with fairly good head retention and lacing. The nose is all weizenbock goodness, with considerable bananna, light honey, light clove and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, this beer is rather amazing. There is considerable brown sugar, caramel, bananna and underlying spice. The sweetness is almost too much, but ultimately it wasn't too bad. There is considerable underlying spice in this beer, and mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly soft. There's almost a caramel candy flavor to this beer, that I can see might not appeal to everyone. The 9% abv. is very well integrated into the flavor profile in this beer... I can tell the alcohol is up there a bit, but the beer is not at all hot or heavy on the palate.

Interesting stuff, no doubt... not sure how much of this I could drink but this was an interesting, tasty treat from Lagunitas.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2011 19:29:17 | More by johnmichaelsen

clayrock81

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a cloudy gold w/ decent head on top of a mixed aroma, picked up piney hops and yeasty spices and then I get this sugary sweetness smell as well. For a smooth, creamy beer, I find that it also has a somewhat heavy body and this beer surprisingly packs a punch. It is real sweet, a good almost candy sweetish, yet the wheat/yeast twang give it a crispness and plush fruit (banana/pear) taste and then a citrusy, hoppy bite grabs hold as well (and a touch of peppery clove) . My notes/tastebuds are scattered b/c it took me a few sips to notice all this. Despite my scattered notes it is well-crafted and balanced not just spotty/all over the place. The sweetness is even more hammered home after every sip b/c this beer finishes crisp thanks to lively carbonation and the 9% sneaks up b/c it is well-hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 17:01:45 | More by clayrock81

argock

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a 10oz mini-imperial nonic at Beer Run (Charlottesville, VA).

A: Hazy lemonade yellow-brown with short tightly bubbled white head with a couple of thin random lace formations.

S: Strong banana bread aromas with light herbal lemon and fairly boozy berry alcohol

T: Very raw alcohol character off the top but the banana, clove, and bready maltiness come through and create a very warming, comforting flavor profile.

M: A great example of the tangy, slightly sticky but also thick weizen feel with the warming alcohol.

O: More proof that Lagunitas can do a pretty good job with most any style. This isn't in the league with Schneider Aventinus or Weihenstephaner Vitus, but there is nothing wrong with the delicious weizenbock. A little on the hot side (also a feature of most Lagunitas big beers), but I would definitely take the chance to lay a few of these down and see how they turn out -- especially at the Lagunitas price point.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 23:38:53 | More by argock

Smurf2055

Washington

3.36/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from growler into a Carlsburg Weizen glass.

Murky straw with about a finger of white head.

Honey, straw, wheat and yeast make up the aroma.

A little bit of booze, more bitter than a normal weizen, I guess that’s the bock speaking up.

Crisp and clean, very drinkable. Just a bit of an aftertaste.

Very satisfying, but not an extraordinary weizen.

Serving type: growler

05-28-2013 00:42:35 | More by Smurf2055

Ego

New Jersey

3.49/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

eyes...
high sizzle in my fizzle, audible white bubbles crackle into nothingness in the matter of some moments, gurgling pools of carbonation appear on the now clear surface, slightly orange tone and easy to read the through, that is pretty much all of that...

nose...
spicy alcohol, coriander, some juicy fruit tone, banana tone... pretty on for the style

taste etc...
much like the odor... fruity flavors with a bit of yeast/spice, lots of lively carbonation as a distraction for the heavy ABV, medium body that wants to sway heavy... but manages to stay rather light, the alcohol can be distracting at times flavor wise... the flavor is pretty consistent, nothing huge, nothing bad, it drinks pretty easily considering the ABV weight, definite stomach warming on this.

verdict?
this will punch you and you might barely notice, supremely nice mouthfeel but overall a bit lacking in character in terms of "wow" factor (love those catch phrases yo... word)

music @ now : solution .45

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 04:20:23 | More by Ego

blackie

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

bomber, Liquor Depot, Rock Springs, WY

a: bomber poured roughly into a stubby chalice, a short head quickly falls to only a thin layer, the beer itself a slightly clouded honey amber in color

s: caramel malt sweetness on a full wheat body, bavarian yeast brings heavy notes of clove and intense banana, big bubblegum, a variety of candied fruits, grassy citrus hops

m: carbonation on the higher end of the medium range, prickly on the tongue, body medium with some slick sugars

t: body loaded with wheat and a hefty dose of caramel malts, sugars run through the midpoint, lots of ripe banana and clove that lingers well into the finish, grassy hop flavors, heavy on the yeast output throughout, some alcohol, long finish

o: a nice enough doppel weizen, satisfying malt structure, aromatic clove and banana, well structured, like this

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:11:30 | More by blackie

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Incredibly strong in taste and effect's Lagunitas' calls this beer Bavarian-style, but aside from Schneider Aventinus, this type of "imperial" strength double wheat beer is rare in southern Germany but is right on cue for newfangled American microbrewery creation.

The beer opens with a viscous pour that shares amber-orange hues with rust-stained reds and browns. Hazy in its portrayal, the beer pours only a mid-statured head that dissolves relatively soon and leaves minimal intermittent lace behind.

Complex aromas are chocked full of banana and clove character. The fruit and spice battles it out over a base of caramel, toast, baking bread, and cookie dough. Peripheral scents of citrus oranges, lemons, apples, figs, sultans and apricots give rise to the fruit aromas while white pepper, white wine-like acidity, herbal hops, vanilla, and mint keep the aromas varied and even keel.

Flavors are lead by sweet malts that are partially of caramelly pale malt but richly bready from wheat. Powdered sugar allows a candied-type of flavor to rise and support all of the yeast fruit-spice interplay to come. Fruit esters are lead by banana but also bring in the citrus, tropical and orchard fruits which seem to amplify the sweetness. But the rebuttal of clove, earthy hops, pepper, mint and rummy alcohols offset the sweetness and fruit and grow in intensity as the taste comes to closure.

Full bodied, the beer's ample carbonation wraps around the dextrin-rich wheat body and an ordinate amount of residual sweetness for bread-like fullness from early to middle palate. The beer quivers slightly late, allowing the spice pang, alcohol warmth, and fleeting sweetness to offer up a hint of refreshment to the palate even though the beer eclipses 9% abv.

Ultimately, I would like to see a bit more of the "bock" beer to show. This could balance the beer further and give the beer a toastier dryness to make the sugary sweetness much less of an issue. It's a very complex beer as is and will likely win over the most skeptic wheat beer omiters.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 17:47:10 | More by BEERchitect

laituegonflable

Australia

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a vibrant orange colour, burnished in tone. Head is thinned out, quite white in colour. Lace is OK, not very impressive. Looks nice though, could use some more head.

Smells sweet and a bit fruity, kind of sour at times as well. Big banana aromatics with red apple and pear rounding out. Slight savoury note as well and a big boozey whiff promising good times. Maybe a touch too green, it does smell a little tart, but I am still very interested in drinking this.

Taste is spicy, sweet and fruity. A potent cocktail indeed. Banana base with nutmeg, lots of nutmeg. Golden syrup, biscuity and some fruit notes on the back - pear and apricot. Light in flavour but lots of deep complexities to their light flavourings. Fruity, sweet and really quite gooey. I like, but I do feel a bit more spice would really jazz this up to eleven.

A bit blah on the mouthfeel. Full, and syrupy, not much texture. It's just a big sticky thing.

Nice big wheaty blob. Sweet, but nice spicy phenols give it some excitement, and it's the exact sort of sweet blend I really enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 10:45:43 | More by laituegonflable

4000qtrap

Missouri

3.89/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Source/Serving: 22oz bottle

S: Tons of juicy and ripe burro banana. Moderate smooth clove/spice with hints of lemon, sour orange, tropical fruit, and wild herb. Alcohol is peppery and punchy, but smooth.

T: Smooth malts with toffee, prune, raison and added complexity of banana and a general juiciness to the ripe, red fruit. Mouthfeel is very full. Wheat comes through nicely. Sweetness subsides in the middle, evenly balanced and balanced by booze. Finish is somewhat dry and breast crust - with moderate-low levels of herbal hoppines and a lingering wheat note.

Notes: A dynamic doppelbock with a tropical twist.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:43:07 | More by 4000qtrap