Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

tectactoe

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Eccentric Cafe. Been wanting to try this forever in bottles, glad I just held off and was able to have it on tap, nearly right at the source. It pours some weird mix of brown, copper, and amber - a strangely unique color with decent clarity and a substandard, off-white head that fades quickly and leaves no lacing behind.

The aroma is full of that crispy, lager-style yeast that I typically always love to see (or smell, I guess) in my lagers. Very clean, uplifting, and refreshing, and I'm glad it makes an early appearance here. It's got a sweet and steel-tinted caramel aroma going on, too - this one is certainly heavy on the malts, as most doppelbocks are. Some light fruity sweetness in the background, although it's hard to pinpoint a specific fruit. Maybe plum or raisin? Caramel malts certainly steal the show here with a little bit of molasses - but as nice as they smell, the aroma isn't as robust as I'd have hoped for.

Bouts of caramel and toasted bread wave across my palate after taking a sip. Consecrator has a big "toasted" feel to it, through and through. Malts not only provide heaps of caramel, toffee, and molasses, but good amounts of bread and crackers, too. The lager yeast is strong in the taste as well, and really comes alive on the back end of the sip. Some lighter candied fruits eventually poke their heads in; plum, raisin, and dates, lightly coated in brown sugar and served with molasses. I was about to say "where are the hops?" when all of a sudden they rush in at the very end - musky, leafy, and almost ashy leaving a resounding bitterness in the aftertaste to balance the sweetness perfectly. Medium bodied, not sticky but a little oily and coating on the palate, medium carbonation.

Very nice and easily drinkable doppelbock. It started off "just okay" but I really enjoyed the latter half of the glass quite more than the first half. Maybe the warmth helped it to open up a bit - that's usually how it goes, yeah? I haven't had an insane amount of doppelbocks to compare to, but this one was pretty damn good. As good as Celebrator? Probably not, but a great take on the style nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2013 03:43:08 | More by tectactoe

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Nice brownie like coloring and strong bubbly head.

Weak aroma but after concentration I get sweet dried fruit and touches of malty chocolate.

The taste is quite sweet, with thin date, prune and candy fruits. Hints of chocolate, even a bit of malty toffees are disguised by the fruitiness.

I love a Doppelbock but find this slightly weak in taste despite the obvious bulk of malt used to achieve 8 percent ABV. No alcohol feel but easy and smooth this is good just not great.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 01:57:09 | More by KYGunner

ninaturner

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Amber/brown in color with a one finger head

Aroma: Toffee, caramel, and chocolate

Taste: Tofee roasted malts, caramel sweetness, and a bread like flavors

Mouthfeel: Light to medium mouthfeel which is great for this style

Drinkability: Highly drinkable in my opinion, but I know that it may not be as drinkable for those who do not like caramel/toffee tastes

Overall: I am not usually a fan of the Doppelbock style, but I absolutely loved this creation by Bell's

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 00:30:46 | More by ninaturner

cagocubs

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Bell's Brewery (Eccentric Cafe).

A: Pours a mahogany brown with some red tint. Minimal lacing or head retention.

S: Fresh earthy smell, with sweet caramel mixed in.

T: The combination of sweet caramel mixed in with the earthy hop/earthy tastes work well. Some brown sugary sweetness.

M: Fairly lighter body for this style. A little too light with the tingling carbonation.

O: A nice beer, but I wouldn't consider this one of Bell's keystone beers.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 21:49:22 | More by cagocubs

stewart124

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 03/2011

Poured into a bell's tulip. Dark copper in color with some lace and brown head.

Ripe grape notes and plenty of melanoidins in the nose.

Medium to full bodied with plenty of carbonation and smooth character overall. Very easy to drink. Loads of grape and dark bread from a rich malty grain bill. Some caramel and brown sugar sweetness that finishes very dry.

This was quite the treat but easily snuck up on me. It drinks like 8% but it was so delicious that I had to have more.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 19:29:52 | More by stewart124

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap at khyber in philly

Pours a clear ruby caramel color, thin beige head dissolves completely, leaving no lacing behind on the glass.

Touches of fruit in the nose with grape and plum, malty sweetness with bread and caramel, faint metallic note. Soft warmth as well.

A little sweet up front with dark fruit. Ripe grapes with plum and raisin, light candied touch. Thick malt backbone, a little sweet and bready with a dash of cherry. Light syrup and warmth in the finish.

Fuller medium body, higher carbonation, sticky and prickly on the tongue. A decent doppelbock, I enjoyed the fruit tones, and the alcohol was under control.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2011 15:54:32 | More by xnicknj

adam42381

Florida

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes taken on 8/27/11. On tap at World of Beer Fort Myers. Poured into a shaker pint.

Pours a dark amber color with a 1 finger greyish/off-white head. Decent lacing.

Smell: Caramel, dark fruits and figs. Fairly weak aroma.

Taste: Dark fruit up front followed by caramel in the middle before ending with boozy alcohol at the finish. Aftertaste is fairly sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a light amount of carbonation.

Drinkability: Pretty good drinkability. I had no problem downing the pint, but I don't think I'd want to drink multiples in one sitting.

Overall: Pretty good beer overall. Not the strongest offering by Bell's by any stretch, but it's worth giving a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2011 15:51:07 | More by adam42381

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This Doppelbock was on tap at the Tap & Table one night when I stopped in. I had always wanted to try this beer from Bells but hadn't seen it around. I ordered a glass and as it was brought to me I couldn't help but notices it's really nice looking brown color. The head was nice and left a pretty good lacing down the glass. The smell of malts were on the nose along with some sweet aromas too. The taste is a little sweet kind of like caramel or brown sugar mixed with a roasted bitterness and some dark fruits also. The mouthfeel had a decent thickness to it. Overall I thought this beer was pretty good and would drink it again one day.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 20:56:31 | More by Knapp85

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Brauhaus Schmitz during Starkbierfest.

A - A glowing amber pour with a thin lacing ontop.

S - I thought this beer had a pretty faint nose. What was faintly detected was some sweet, warm, malty alcohol.

T - Chewy malty mouth and a sweet, warm alcohol. Hops in the background to balance the sweetness, and a warming alcohol present throughout. A grape gum/drink flavor sifting through.

M - A creamy nitrogen-like mouthfeel, medium bodied and silky. A warming, dry finish.

O - A fairly good Doppelbock, I wish the nose and flavor profile were more prominent.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 13:50:31 | More by BeerForMuscle

gatornation

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap @ busters

A-pours a mahogany mostly clear color with a tan film collar and not much head or lacing

S- is malty and bready with toffee ,caramel a touch of dark fruit

T- is sweet malts with caramel and toffee a dried fruit taste with a sugar sweet bread taste

M- mild carbonation and a sweet malt and fruit taste

O-its sweet and malty with some spice taste like a mild dubbel to me it ok but will not buy this one again...

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2011 22:42:37 | More by gatornation

AgentZero

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown beer with a finger of tan head that didn't stick around for long.

S - A lot of malt, with a touch of oak in there. Caramel, bit of roast, some nutty flavor.

T - Bit of a pumped up brown ale with nutty flavor and strong caramel. Some dark fruit completes this one.

M - Medium bodied, a good bit of carbonation.

O - Not a bad beer, good example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2011 00:43:30 | More by AgentZero

jsulko

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Firkin in Libertyville. Tall long beer glass

Color is a darkish brown with a off white head

Smell is of malt and spices, possibly a brown sugar smell

Taste is semi sweet with the malt and a fruity flavor. Alcohol appears to be pretty well hidden with a good finish.

This is a smooth drinking doppelbock. I would put it between Great Lakes and Sam Adams in my preferences.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2011 03:04:10 | More by jsulko

schleprock

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a ruby brown color with a nice head that disappears fairly quickly.

S- Malty prunish and bready smells hit the nose.

T- Tastes of caramel and malt with a hint of fruitiness.

M- Relatively smooth with low carbonation.

D- A pretty good beer although expensive at $8/glass where I was. That kept me from having more.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2011 04:19:51 | More by schleprock

notchucknorris

California

4.4/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First Bell's!

A: Deep amber in color with a one finger cream-colored head that lasts the entire beer.

S: Mostly malts and some brown sugar.

T: Brown sugar, caramel and some freshly baked bread. The balance in this beer is pretty good and it's sweet without being overly so. Mouthfeel is perfect for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2011 22:51:16 | More by notchucknorris

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served from tap into a shaker. Poured a reddish brown with a one finger off-white to tan head. There was no lacing evident througout. The aroma was comprised of yeasty malt, dark chocolate, and slight cream. The flavor was of bread, sweet malt, grapes, and a hint of raisin. It had a light feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this honestly reminded me of malty grape juice. With that said, I don't really know how I feel about this one at all. I think that if it would have been toned back on the grape a little bit this could have been a good brew. This would allow more of the flavors to come forward rather than taking a backseat to the grape.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2010 11:33:01 | More by thagr81us

ongbak

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just finishing off the last sip of this brew at the sidecar bar in philly. I gotta say its way above average of a doppelbock. Not to sweet, just enough to mix well with the malts to form a nice blend and depth of flavors(not too deep which I believe can ruin this type of beer). I recently had the celebrator german doppelbock and call me crazy, but I think this is a lot better.
Another plus for Bells brewery who in my opinion is one of the best breweries in the US.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2010 20:18:12 | More by ongbak

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Eccentric Cafe, 16 oz. in a pint glass.

Appearance: Nut brown color, with tints of ruby in the edges. The head has just a few islands by the time it is served and is off-white in color.

Smell: Sweet toffee, dark fruits, and light bready malt. Very modest and casual aroma.

Taste: The flavor is also a little bit softer than I would have expected from an 8% Bell's, but it happens. Soft toffee, nonspecific dark fruits, and a little alcohol provide most of the flavor. A dash of spices toward the end, but this seems simple, if not flat, tasting. It just never seems to go to the next level.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat lighter feel for a dopplebock. Would prefer something a little fuller. Medium carbonation, with a nice creaminess to it.

Drinkability: Nice, smooth, and drinkable, but I like my higher ABV beers to have some bite. Not bad, but it could use some work to really get me into it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2010 22:15:25 | More by KickInTheChalice

chickenflea

Florida

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

On tap at the brewery Underground Bluz.

Appearance - Beautiful, sparkling clear ruby brew. Small, creamy, khaki-colored head. Quicly dissipating. Thick and oily in the glass.

Smell - Rich and malty. Notes of alcohol, caramel, prune and raisins.

Taste - Hearty, rich and sweet with loads of raisins, light molasses, caramel and candy sugar. Perfectly bittered for balance.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied with a super heavy, oily mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Lengthy, bittersweet finish.

Excellent! Reminiscent of Dogfish Head Raison D' Etre on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2010 22:31:54 | More by chickenflea

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty transparent mahogany with a decent light yellowish-beige head. Aroma is malty and strongly spicy, mainly of cloves and cinnamon. Pleasantly spicy flavor is mainly of cloves and malt with a hint of caramel. Texture is very smooth, a bit thick, edgy and rather fizzy.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2010 00:28:06 | More by Cyberkedi

Contagion

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

It pours a rich ruby red and brown color. A thick frothy head formed that faded quickly to a film on the top of the beer and then to nothing. There is no lacing. The beer itself is clear. Light and images have no problem passing through.

The first thing I noticed when smelling it is that it has a very sweet smell. It's almost like a barleywine like scent. The sweetness contains a fruity scent or raisins, prunes and tart cherries. A caramel malt scent balances it out. There is also a hint of alcohol that can be detected. The flavor is very much like the scent. Caramel malts with a touch of tart cherries. There is also an earthiness to it that that helps round out the flavor, making it more palatable. There is a slight alcohol taste to it, but not bad based on the fact it is 8% ABV.

This is a medium bodied beer with a touch of creaminess to it. There is a good level of carbonation so that it keeps fresh, but is also easy to drink.

Overall this is a nice doppelbock. It's a little sweeter than what I prefer, but not bad. With an 8% ABV I don't know that I would want to drink too many of them, but it is a good one to sit back on a hot summer night and enjoy one with some friends.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2010 01:04:15 | More by Contagion

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky, muddy coppery brown color with no head, lacing or retention. Smell is of sweet carmel malts, roasted nuts, brown sugar and hints of plum. Taste is carmely sweet at first sip, mellowing out to nutty, pruney, rasiny and slight brown sugary and biscutiy profile with a decent amout of bittering hops on the end. Medium to full bodied, slick and oily on the palate, lacking carbonation. Not a bad beer because it manages to avoid being cloyingly sweet, but nothing too memorable compared to others in the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 14:17:35 | More by rfgetz

Tone

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, red color. 3/4 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of yeast, sweet malt, pale malt, and slight hop. Fits the style of a Doppelbock. Mouth feel is smooth and clean with a low carbonation level. Tastes of yeast, sweet malt, pale malt, slight hop, and a slight hint of citrus. Overall, a good blend, body, and aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 22:27:26 | More by Tone

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Brass Rail Deli on 3/8/10.

A - Clear reddish bronze body with lively carbonation and one-finger frothy beige head that reduced to a quarter inch of retention, leaving some stringy lacing along the glass.

S - Sweet and malty with a tinge of alcohol and a distinctive dark fruit tang - the way a Dopplebock should be. Some light earthy hops also emerged from the background, adding a bit more depth to the aroma.

T - Initial flavor combines lots of caramel and toffee sweetness with a tangy dark fruit presence and subtle alcohol notes. Finishes with a dinsinct toasted grainy malt character with a hint of herbal, earthy hops.

M - Medium to full bodied and chewy with a syrupy texture and moderate carbonation. Finishes with a hint of alcohol warmth and residual sweetness on the palate.

D - Solid Dopplebock overall, though perhaps a tad too sweet overall. With that said, I found this to be a very good representation of the style with a round, chewy mouthfeel.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2010 21:31:24 | More by ffejherb

mwa423

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very clear milk chocolate brown with a finger of slightly off white head.

S - Lighter smell than most doppelbocks just some dried fruit and sweet malt.

T - Taste is very sweet and rich, lots of dried fruit, a tiny bit of alcohol taste on the end of the tongue.

M/D - Mouthfeel is full and rich, no burn from the alcohol only some flavor. This is a dangerously smooth drinking doppelbock that can certainly warm days in the ides of March.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2010 21:29:32 | More by mwa423

Wheelinb

Missouri

3.13/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I am a big fan of many beers from Bell's and this one was new to me. When it came I got a distinct malty smell. The color was really deep and rich with very little head. However, I found the flavor to not be quite to my liking. I lean more toward a strong, bitter, hoppy flavor. This beer was a little sweeter than I tend to like and more malty. It was great to sample, but I doubt I try this again. On the other hand, my wife loved it as this is more of her style of beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2009 14:00:21 | More by Wheelinb