Andygator - Abita Brewing Co.

rangerred

Tennessee

3.31/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a pint glass out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours a slightly hazy medium gold with a small half finger white head. Not much at all in the way of head retention or lacing.

The aroma has lots of caramel with a slight hint of toasted malt and grass/hay. There is some light tropical fruit that plays in the background but caramel and toffee really rules here.

The flavor is quite a bit weaker than the aroma but still has the caramel/toffee notes up front. There is tropical fruit in the middle with some wet grass coming in towards the finish although it is light. Bitterness is on the light to moderate side with just a tiny hint of alcohol to go along with a slightly sticky finish.

Overall, it is a nice attempt by Abita but I am less than impressed. The flavors and aroma are just way too weak all-around and it is a bit boring.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:11:20 | More by rangerred

superspak

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into lager glass, best before 5/5/2013. Slight gusher upon opening. Pours fairly crystal clear golden straw color with a 1 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings down the glass, with a lot of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of apple, raisin, grape, biscuit, cracker, light pepper, herbal, and floral hops. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance of fruity ester, bready malt, and hop notes; with decent strength. Taste of apple, pear, grape, biscuit, cracker, light pepper, herbal, grass, and floral hops. Lingering notes of light fruits, biscuit, cracker, light pepper, herbal, and floral hops on the finish for a bit. Good balance of fruity ester, bready malt, and hop flavors; with solid robustness and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a slightly slick, smooth, and fairly crisp mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a good Helles Bock. Good balance of malt, hop, and fruity ester notes; and very smooth to sip on. A nicely enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 05:13:58 | More by superspak

MaximalC

Illinois

3.49/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours a transparent straw color with a respectable white head that recedes to a level that just qualifies as full surface coverage. Aroma is mild, smelling of honey, hay, and a faint, tropical fruitiness. I have no idea what a Helles bock should taste like, but it's much milder than I expected. There's a gentle, bready, honeyed malt flavor with enough earthy, herbal hops to balance it out. Some pepper is evident as well. The aftertaste is slightly medicinal, but mostly dry. The hops become a bit more aggressive as it warms. I must say that the alcohol is adeptly concealed, as I never would have suspected its 8% ABV. Present, tingly carbonation lends a lively mouthfeel that complements the flavor profile nicely. Despite the highly generic presentation and mild aroma, this brew was a pleasant surprise, yielding a drinkable, balanced character that belies its weight. Not exactly my favorite style, but a pretty quality offering nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 02:16:33 | More by MaximalC

Thistle3

Alabama

3.26/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

This beer is much improved by adding a half ounce of Woodford Reserve. The whisky rounds out the less attractive edges and adds the pleasing characteristics of bourbon -- a surprisingly balanced cocktail. Also surprising is the disappearance of the off-putting nose.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 23:14:21 | More by Thistle3

swoopdog

Arkansas

4.94/5  rDev +40.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A – Clear golden pilsner with a billowy two fingers worth of eggshell white head. Ridiculous carbonation streaming off the bottom like a champagne except in erratic bubbles. Not much lacing but there is some.

S – Not really nose heavy but there is some yeast and malts among some toasted earthy aromas. Pretty average smelling for the style and I could definitely use a bigger aroma.

T – The taste is superb a bit of peppery bite in the front of the tongue sort of takes you back at first but the malts give this some great sweetness and makes this almost too easy to drink. Pulling a small amount you definitely get a bit of fruit almost like grapes of plums also getting some green apple flavors at the very end of the tongue. Absolutely delicious but drinking a full mouthful at a time kills this one so I would recommend taking your time.

M – Medium bodied with a lot of crisp from the heavy carbonation and that peppery taste. smooth as a fruit and easier to drink than the darker Doppelbocks I have had.

O – Abita has done it again this thing is tremendous and really has set the bar high for Doppelbocks domestic and imported alike. This is much much better than the Celebrator from Ayinger which is rated as the top Doppelbock in the world. Definitely tasty and if you go slow it smooths out and leaves you with a very subtle bit of fruit that gives this tremendous drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 01:00:11 | More by swoopdog

cattersley

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Light cold, highly carbonated, nice head after poor.

S - Not much, lager, and citrus notes.

T - Surprisingly light on initial taste, craft lager, a little more malt bill on aftertaste, all leaves soon after.

M - Very light on tongue.

O - Smooth as hell. I liked it very much!

THANKS IAN!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 21:13:02 | More by cattersley

mrweems

3.04/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3

Saw this in the store. Decided to try it. The name and type of beer doesn't give much insight to its taste. Tastes like a Pilsner but with a higher alcohol content so it has that spikey kind of initial taste. Poured beautifully and the head was tasty.

Not really my favorite type of beer, might purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:40:52 | More by mrweems

moistnugget

Florida

2.83/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Picked this up from a Sunoco that has a nice craft selection. (Who knew?) Golden amber appearance with a small white head. Head died down relatively quickly. Not very cloudy, honestly lighter than I had expected. Smell is nice, very fruity and aromatic. Sweet. Taste is nothing to get too excited about. Spicy, with herbal and hopped up tones, and a slight maltiness. A little sweetness there as well. Mouthfeel is thin, not much carbonation.

Overall, not too bad, but nothing special. It IS easy to drink, which seems to be the point (now that I read the back of the bottle.) If that's your joint, then maybe this is for you, but I like higher ABV's to demand a little respect. I probably won't be seeking this out again, sadly. I would add that most of the Abita that I've had as been great.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:48:37 | More by moistnugget

RickS95

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Looks like some Belgians I've had...slight hazy, pale gold. Not exactly cloudy, but enough stuff to make it almost opaque. The head is bright white and fluffy, but has no rentention.

Pilsner malts are the first thing that hits, but as it warms, the fruity esters start to come out. If I close my eyes, it's almost like there's some funky Belgian yeast. Lemon peel.

Pilsner malt and pepper dominate. There's subtle lemon notes, but the peppery flavor stomps it immediately.

Not an easy drinker, and that's probably the idea. It's hard to get past the bite of the pepper. A bit of alcohol in the finish.

It really tastes like a strong, peppery pilsner beer. Nothing strikes me as German, but ultimately, it's just too much spice to be a good beer. Has some good characteristics, but the mouthfeel just kills it.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 03:30:36 | More by RickS95

SGDJosh

3.95/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From notes taken on 9/7 at home:

A – light golden, yellow straw in color. Pours with a half finger of head on top which dissipates rather quickly into light lace on top.

S – Smells like Germany! Light malt, smells like a premium lager.

T – Smooth and crisp. A lot lighter than other traditional doppelbocks that I’ve had in the past.

M – Very light bodied with crispy carbonation.

O – Lighter than most but a very good Doppelbock. The alcohol is masked very nicely for such a light body. Full of malty goodness that drinks like a Helles Lager.

J

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 13:39:57 | More by SGDJosh

ubenumber2

Arkansas

2.95/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I found this to be an average beer , ok so Im a hillbilly from Arkansas , not sure how that lowers my rating ability , but this just didnt do it for me , the smell , the taste , the fullness of the beer just wasnt there for me. I like a lot of the beers out of LA, love all of the bayou tech stuff Ive tried , and most of the Abita , this one just wasnt special enough for 5 dollars for a 22oz bottle , and I also had to drive to Memphis to get it , so maybe that didnt help any , I mean I didnt drive over just for this , but picked it up with a batch of beers I wanted to try. Its ok , just not great

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 15:20:41 | More by ubenumber2

ElCommodoro

Texas

4.48/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a surprisingly clear pale yellow colour. Not something I was expecting from something labeled as a "Helles Doppelbock."
The flavour was a surprise as well. Not incredibly sweet by any stretch. Surprisingly light. Thankfully, not overly hoppy at all. Perfect amount of hops here. Despite the lightness of it all, alcohol is incredibly subdued for 8%, but thankfully still discernible. But man, I could probably chug this down if I wanted to. Both due to the light, crisp flavour and the seemingly magically hidden alcohol content. This is not what I was expecting at all, but it's really quite good nonetheless. The only other thing I've encountered that claimed to be a "Helles doppelbock" was made by Samichlaus. That was 14% alcohol and a thick, sweet concoction. Amazing, of course, but in no way related to this. This is a totally different approach. I'm pretty sure I even taste wheat in this. This is far more on the Helles side, not so much on the doppelbock side, but in all the right ways. It's less bitter and a tad more sweet than most helles bocks and of course, it's got that doppelbock level of alcohol. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 09:10:24 | More by ElCommodoro

DavidEasterling

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Intitial pour releases a very nice arouma, lets you know it's there.

Average head and gets down to business. Minimul lacing.

Very good initial flavor. Wavers only if taken in improper amounts(gulps)

Overall very nice beer. Better when poured around and drank while with a group

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 03:48:51 | More by DavidEasterling

tdm168

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - copper with a huge, fizzy, dense, white head that has decent retention

S - apples, grains, grass

T - grains, alcohol, faint grass, faintly fruity

M - warm, smooth, well carbonated

This comes across a bit grainy to me. It's also a bit warm with an excessive alcohol warmth. The drinkability would be improved a great deal if it were toned down slightly. The flavor and body are mediocre. I would expect more from a Maibock.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 02:48:39 | More by tdm168

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.7/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Yellow with just a touch of haze and a 1.5 finger white head that dissipated quickly to a sheen on top, leaving good sheets of lace.

Yeasty with plenty of graininess, a little herbal or floral hops.

Taste is sweet and yeasty, herbal hops are light but notable and provide a bit of balance against the sweetness, along with some grain and bready flavors.

Body is pretty light and a bit slick, plentifully carbonated, and a bit warming from the alcohol. A sweet yeasty aftertaste lingers just a bit longer than I'd prefer, but it's still a pretty solid feel.

It's a pretty tasty beer overall, and a solid maibock.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 21:15:31 | More by AlCaponeJunior

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass

A: Clear golden with an big puffy off-white 2 finger head that stays...and stays. Curtain-y lacing.

S: Clean; citrus, malts, lemon.

T: Malty, smooth, rich. Bananas, bready. A light, lager start with more of an ale-like finish.

M: Light to medium, medium bodied, creamy.

O: A very different Abita offering. One of those "cutting the grass" session beers. Will do well in Mississippi when they bring it in July. This gator nibbles at your taste buds, then puts the chomp down for a decent Helles Bock. I bet it's even better on tap.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 20:36:02 | More by brewskifan55

TechTriumph

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From notes on 04/12/12:
Best by: 02/28/2013; Poured in a pint glass.

A - Over an inch of slight off-white, fluffy head with good retention; Crystal clear appearance with a golden color; Decent rings of lacing left behind

S - Pretty yeasty/bready smell with lightly toasted grains, cereal, light herbal hops, and a bit of sweetness; Extremely subtle hint of booze

T - Herbal and spicy hops have a decent presence - more than the aroma; Again, very faint booze presence that you really have to look for to find, though it strengthens as the beer warms to room temperature; Good bit of sweet bread, grain, and cereal flavors that linger in the aftertaste; Just a bit of hop bitterness steps up to counter the sweetness

M - Leaves the mouth a bit dry and sticky; Good bit of prickly carbonation; Lighter than medium bodied with a crisp and fairly smooth mouthfeel; Finish is slightly warming

O - This lager isn't one to bring lots of complexity or stand out from the pack, but with it's crisp, lighter body, it's certainly an easy beer to drink. The mouthfeel was the strongest point of the beer for me, and while a little light for the style, it still seemed to work pretty well. Overall, there are plenty of nice Maibocks out there to choose from, but this offering is a solid choice when in the mood for a lighter, crisper option.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 11:21:31 | More by TechTriumph

acevenom

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a large brandy snifter. Pours clear orange gold with a large white head. There are plenty of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. This appears to be well carbonated. Some lacing is left on the glass during consumption and the bubbles later become tiny. There are aromas of sweet malts, hops, and fruits. There are flavors of sweet malts, mild hop bitterness, and some fruit like apple or pear. It's bready. There is also some faintly perceptible alcohol taste. The mouthfeel is light to medium. The finish is crisp and dry. The carbonation is adequate. The drinkability is high. Overall, this is a very good beer. It is not the best of Abita's big beers, but it is certainly very good good beer in its own right. I feel Abita accomplished what it set out to do here.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:31:41 | More by acevenom

Drinkerofales

California

3.45/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear straw yellow, with a huge off-white head. The tiny bubbles leave a wall of fine lacing, and stick until the finish. Constant bubbles effervesce up the glass.

Smells of caramel, malts, booze, with an apple or pear like fruitiness as the beer warms.

Tastes as well of a fruitiness, and some bready malts, but it falls off right there.

Texture is smooth, medium bodied, but feels lighter. Slightly low carbonation, except for a light bubbly sting when it sits in my mouth.

I liked the beer, nothing about it was expected. Mostly missing is a hop component of any mentionable amount.

DOA

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 18:31:26 | More by Drinkerofales

kylehay2004

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: thin head on a clear golden-yellow body. Not very exciting.

S: sweet citrus, a little tangy with wheats, grains and breads.

T: light malt with pear, cherry notes.

M: light to medium body and high carbonation. Refreshing and crisp.

Overall: not very memorable although a memorable helles is challenging to make.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 01:41:37 | More by kylehay2004

srandycarter

California

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Clear straw, small white head leaves fast to ring. Lots of cling.

S - Malty, wheaty, euro hops prevail.

T - Very similar to smell. Delicate taste that hides the ABV rather well.

M - Light body, good carbonation and balance.

D - Very sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 05:17:08 | More by srandycarter

Jonmoore89

North Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +39%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have to say that I was very surprised to see such a low rating for this beer. I drank it on a sober pallet. Andygator poured a vibrant gold with a perfect two finger head. Although the head dissipated after two minutes to about a quarter inch, I did notice it had extraordinary lacing. The aroma was sweet and slightly hoppy with a hint of malt. Not too overpowering though. After the first taste I was very impressed. Floral, sweet, and smooth all the way to the end. There was a slight taste of hops left in the back of my throat. The medium body and crisp carbonation complement the taste perfectly. I will admit that this was my first doppelbock, thus I have nothing to compare it to. However, overall I would say this is certainly a new favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 22:32:09 | More by Jonmoore89

WMEugene

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear golden yellow color with a thick head that dissipates to a thin layer with pretty decent lacing.

S - Sweet fruit and citrus aromas. A little bit of light malty sweetness as well. A sweet lager smell.

T - Sweet fruit flavors mesh with a little bit of breadyness in the malts. A little bit of spiciness comes next. There's also some alcohol warmth in the taste, which is surprisingly nice.

M - A little thinner than I expected, but it is smooth and crisp. Carbonation level is nice. For its ABV, which really isn't hidden, it's pretty drinkable.

O - I like what Abita has done here. The idea of a helles doppelbock seemed interesting and the Andygator does a great job of being a drinkable and enjoyable beer. This isn't pretentious at all and is well worth your time if you want a hearty, sessionable imperial-style lager.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:06:23 | More by WMEugene

mikemoore8711

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Light brown/amber color with a good cream color head.
Smell: Good malty aroma.
Flavor: Good spicy flavor, with sweet taste and slightly bitter finish.
Mouth: Bold bodied larger, good carbonation.
Overall: I grade this beer an A. This is a very a good brew. With 8% ABV, the alcohol does protrude through the beer. This is a very bold lager with a sweet, spicy flavor. It finishes with the perfect hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 20:54:43 | More by mikemoore8711

zeff80

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a one-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left minimal lacing on the glass.

S - It smelled fruity with some cherry notes. Caramel and toffee notes, too.

T - Tasted sweet and malty with a strong caramel presence. Some spice and cherry skins.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied lager with a clean finish.

O - This is a nice bock from Abita. Good value at less than $5 for a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 04:08:37 | More by zeff80