25th Anniversary Vanilla Doubledog - Abita Brewing Co.

neckbracesub

Indiana

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

Sadly, the best thing about this Vanilla Ale is its promising aroma. There is a nice and pleasant vanilla smell that lifts from the glass shortly after it is poured, but as soon as the drink hits the tongue it begins to be seen for what this ale really is: average. Pretty much everything about this one is just plain ol' average. From the mouthfeel, which is a bit too tingly and plain - to the aftertaste, which is not as sweet as you would hope from a brew like this, it is all nothing great to speak of.

I didn't dislike it so much that I thought I wasted my money. For the value of the bottle it was a decent buy, but I would probably never drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 17:10:43 | More by neckbracesub

cagocubs

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bomber into pint glass.

A: Pours black with a thick off white head that sticks around and laces slightly. Reduces to a nice froth.

S: Roasted malts, some vanilla and caramel sweetness, and even a little alcohol bite mixed in with faint hops.

T: I thoroughly enjoyed taste as I liked the overpowering sweetness. Great vanilla and creamy caramel tastes with the roasted malt and alcohol giving it a nice bitter and warming flavor.

M: Much lighter body than I was expecting. Good aftertaste with the alcohol giving it a warming effect.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 21:30:25 | More by cagocubs

RollBounce

New York

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Slightly thinner then expected, nice vanilla notes come out, not over powering, some creaminess, with coffee and bittersweet chocolate, vanilla is faint on the palate, cool bitterness that contrasts from the malty notes.

Overall, drinkable, but would have liked this beer thicker and sweeter, but that is just me. Comparable to Atwater vanilla java porter but less sweet.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 19:40:35 | More by RollBounce

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I picked up a bottle of Abita's 25th Anniversary Vanilla Doubledog for $6.99 at The Lager Mill. I have had a couple beers from this brewery before but have not reviewed any and I have had Turbodog before and thought it was ok, so I am interested to see what the double version is like, so lets see how it goes. 2011 Vintage. Poured from a brown 22oz bottle into a snifter.

A- I like the label on this beer, it looks classy and the two dogs in the background is a nice touch. It poured a nice muddy brown color that turned to a dark ruby amber color when held to the light and it had just about three fingers worth of slightly tan head that died down to a thin layer that stayed till the end and left lots of nice spotty lacing. This is a nice looking beer.

S- The first thing that I pick up in the aroma is a bunch of pretty sweet malts that impart a sweet bread and grainy aroma that is very similar to an English Brown ale. I also picked up a light cocoa, toffee, and vanilla aroma along with a slight nutty aroma. Not the most interesting aroma but it wasn't that bad.

T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma. It starts off with loads of the malts that aren't as sweet as they were in the aroma but still has a medium sweetness and imparts some caramel, toffee, brown bread, flavors followed by a light cocoa, coffee, and vanilla flavors toward the end. It had a low amount of bitterness and a sweet and malty aftertaste. The flavor of this beer is pretty simple and straightforward, it's ok but I can't help but think that the flavors were a little muted and that it could taste a little more roasty and robust.

M- Smooth, dry, on the light side of being medium bodied, and it had a slightly high amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is ok but the body and carbonation need to be tweaked a little to make it great.

Overall I thought that this was an Ok beer and a pretty average American Strong Ale. This beer wasn't too bad but I thought it was going to be more roasty and for stressing the addition of vanilla it really didn't make that big of an impression or stick out that much. This beer has ok drinkability, it was a little sweet but it still went down pretty smooth but one bomber of this beer is more than enough for me. What I liked most about this beer was the look, the color was nice and so was the head, lacing, and head retention, the combination made for one good looking beer. What I liked least about this beer was the flavor, it just wasn't that interesting and it didn't do a great job at highlighting the vanilla. This beer was priced nicely but I don't think I would buy it again since it couldn't hold my attention and I don't think that it really lived up to it's name. I can't say I would really recommend this beer but if you really like English Brown Ales, this may be worth a try. I wasn't too impressed with this beer and thought it was pretty average in almost all categories, I had Turbodog a long time ago when I was just getting into craft beer and I remember it being pretty smooth and roasty, I didn't get the same amount of roast out of this beer but it may be because I didn't drink to many dark beers back then. So far I'm not the biggest fan of this brewery, I have yet to be impressed with a beer from them, oh well at least this isn't as bad as Purple Haze, I guess I will have to see what else you guys are working with before I fully form an opinion, but so far I'm not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 04:52:07 | More by StoutHunter

jera1350

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Chocolatey brown look with a thinner body. Some fair foam and lacing.

Light cocoa nose with a touch of maltiness. A bit light with some mild hopping.

The taste is very approachable, but it is pleasant. Mostly a light milk chocolate taste backed by some subtle vanilla bean. The hops are noticeable as well, but not real strong.

Quite dry with a light-medium body.

Very drinkable beer that is enjoyable and doesn't bore or tire out the palate, but keeps the flavor going. I like this beer for what it is. Nothing outstanding, just clean and tasty flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 17:50:10 | More by jera1350

Dodt

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

picked this beer up at a local pizza place , decide to finally crack it open.poured from the bottle into a pint glass. a nice cola color with a malted colored head. aroma is a bit of coco and vanilla.
taste is mostly roasted malts and a nice creamy taste. this is a very good beer . i really wish this was available year round.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:08:58 | More by Dodt

Arborescence

Finland

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Black, almost completely opaque. Pours a thick, creamy head.

Aroma: Cream, vanilla, just a hint of malt and alcohol.

Taste: The vanilla beans dominate this beer, making it creamy and smooth, with just a touch of the underlying malt and alcohol present. Easy to drink, and very pleasant!

Mouthfeel: Round and soft, rather light, lush mouthfeel!

Overall: A 25th anniversary special edition by this New Orleans based brewery, this beer is supposed to be something different, and I guess it is — but I have not had the original Abita Turbodog that this beer is based on, nor any other Abita beers, so I can’t compare (yet!). Anyway, I like how smooth the beer is, and it’s not quite like anything I’ve had before. The whole vanilla beans that are added during the ageing process are obviously the source of all this. Certainly an interesting idea!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 21:29:45 | More by Arborescence

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet.

A: Fluffy off-white head rests delicately atop a dark mahogany beer that glints brilliant red in the light.

S: Loads of malts, brightish fruit; sort of like a brown ale. Not obviously good, but it grows on you. Toffee?

T: Caramel malts first, then soft -- and excellent! -- vanilla on the endtaste. The fruity character is here too, offering a splash of sweet cherry and tart pear, mingling with the toffee-sweet malt-heavy big beer that is the Vanilla Doubledog. Aftertaste has a touch of milk chocolate and the only trace of (Williamette) hops present in the beer.

M: Creamy-smooth, but surprisingly light for a 7% dark ale.

O: A solid beer; well above average. Still, not incredibly compelling or convincingly superb. A middling ale that merits your attention, if not your appreciation. Will not have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 22:39:42 | More by AgentMunky

FATC1TY

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a Bomber

A: Dark brown, not overly dark. Can see through it, more like a porter in color I think. Thin creamy head that left the glass, not much left on it.

S: Vanilla. Maybe some coffee, slight chocolate and toffee in there. Not a whole lot more. Roasted malty smell in there too.

T: Vanilla. Vanilla, and more Vanilla. Coffee comes in, roasted malty sweetness comes in and then is swept away with a bitter coffee taste that clean it up. I like it. Simple.

M: Good and creamy, slight carbonation, the right amount to feel right. They got it spot on.

Overall: I really like this. Good easy drinker, sweet enough to have whenever, but really rounds out to be a "anytime" beer. Doesn't over do it, but doesn't really do anything super special. I'd buy it again, especially since Abita is priced PERFECTLY.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 23:25:51 | More by FATC1TY

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked one of these up for a buddy of mine who is a huge Abita lover, he was gracious enough to open it up for us to try.

A - Pours deep dark brown with a nice one and a half finger tall off-white head leaving light lace down the glass.

S - Smells of toasted caramel malt, chocolate, vanilla, toasted nuts and a touch of earthy hops. Smells kind of similar to turbodog with some added sweetness.

T - Starts off with a bunch of chocolate and vanilla sweetness quickly giving way to hints of toasted caramel malt, toasted nuts and a dash of earthy hops. This one has a ton of vanilla going on. Finish is a mix of sweetness and a touch of booze, lingering for some time after consumption.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Soft, sweet feel that lingers on the pallet for quite awhile after consumption.

O - I enjoyed this one. Throw in the low cost of $5 a bomber and I was really digging it even more. It had some good flavors and was easy to drink my share. Might have to grab another one before it is gone.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 17:57:11 | More by orangesol

Giggy

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Chestnut brown with hints of red when held to the light. An off white to grey colored head that forms after the pour but doesn't last.

S: Subtle, nutty, chocolate, malts, earthy

T: Hazlenut, chocolate, coffee. The vanilla comes out after the swallow. Nice aftertaste.

M: Medium body, smooth and creamy. Goes down easy....

O: Good beer but not a great beer definitely worth the money. Love the vanilla.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 00:46:21 | More by Giggy

nickfl

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with two fingers of light tan foam on top of an opaque, dark brown body. The head settles slowly and leaves nice lace.

S - Dark, sugary notes of caramel, molasses, and brown sugar. Some licorice and coriander in the background.

T - Dark, brown malt up front with notes of vanilla and caramel that show up in the middle. The beer finishes with more caramel, molasses, and lingering mocha notes.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - This is about what you would expect based on the description. Lots of semi-dark sugar with a heavy handed vanilla character and a maltyness that is actually quite reminiscent of regular Abita Turbodog. This isn't anything worth getting excited about or stocking up your cellar with, but its a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 07:28:34 | More by nickfl

Thingus

California

3.03/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Live tasting, bomber into a glass...

Appearance; pours a dark, dark brown, when held to light, the edges are a translucent mahogany brown... A vigorous pour yeilds 2-3 fingers of pale khaki colored head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving pretty moderate lacing and a thin film...

Smell; I'm not getting much here, an odd, sweet, almost chemical vanilla smell, it's really subdued however...

Taste; has a cream soda vanilla quality goin on, with hints of cocoa on the finish... Not as complicated as I expected given the description...

Mouthfeel; bright and lively on the tongue, again, very reminiscent of cream soda...

Overall; not bad, but certainly not as complex as I had hoped or expected... Tastes like a malt liquor cream soda, not necessarily bad but not really my thing...

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 03:54:10 | More by Thingus

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a translucent dark brown, not quite as dark as a stout, but more like a nut brown. About half a finger of creme white foam settles on top.

S: Vanilla bean is apparent on the nose but surprisingly faint with sweet caramel malt following and not a lot else.

T/M: Bubbles are sharp on the tongue but not overbearing and the flavor is as muted as the aroma; hints of vanilla, chocolate and a soft maltiness lend a reasonable sweetness, similar to a chocolate stout.

I expected something much more brazen but instead I got a smooth and mild treat. I’m still happy, just surprised.

TheBeerAlmanac.com

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 03:14:53 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

felipe2toes

California

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep dark chocolate brown with a thick frothy white head. Head recedes into crust and more bubbly froth, with lots of lacing.

Initially, the smell reminded me of coca cola--kinda sweet and syrupy. But there are vanilla notes and toffee as well.

Tastes of cocoa powder and vanilla with lots of roasted malt. Medium bodied creamy mouthfeel with a clean bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 22:34:02 | More by felipe2toes

kbuzz

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into my trusty tulip glass. "Best by 10/2/12". I really dig turbodog (which is supposed to be the base beer here), so we'll see how this turned out.

A: Pours a dark mahogany brown...reddish hues as it enters the glass. A nice fluffy two finger light tan head forms and hangs around a bit...nice amount of lacing.

S: Not much going on...some slight vinegar notes and some slight yeast ester. Not a very "bright" smelling beer. A touch of muted caramel malt sweetness, no hops whatsoever.

T/M: Caramel malts steal the show here...but might be overused. Some yeast breadiness. Slight vanilla, subtle malt character and even just a bit of cherry pit toward the end. Mouthfeel is solid. Very creamy - medium to full bodied. Carbonation is appropriately on the high end.

O: The taste is a little better than the nose, but not by much. This is an average beer, no better, no worse. Just a slightly more complex brown ale, really.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 19:03:22 | More by kbuzz

DovaliHops

California

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown that appears crimson red when held up to the light. Medium, off-white, cream colored head that diminishes quickly. Scent is sweet, roasted malt and barley. A nice amount of vanilla with just a bit of chocolate. Taste is initially sweet vanilla with milk chocolate. Tons of malt flavor with a hint of burnt toast. More vanilla in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a smooth, creamy finish. Drinkability is high. Overall, this is the best beer I have ever had from Abita. I have never been a fan of them, but this one is good.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 07:39:02 | More by DovaliHops

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a DFH snifter. Great looking brew that brings the soapy lace starting way up at the top. Eventually this turns into a crackly spiderweb. Nice retention from the foamy tan head. Dark brown down below with chestnut highlights.

Speaking of nuts, there's a pronounced nuttiness in the nose, with a milder chocolate background presence. The vanilla is fairly subdued, allowing the earthy Willamettes to assert themselves. The vanilla taste is a touch stronger, but well-integrated into the overall flavor profile. Very nice balance of roast, chocolate and earthy flavors, with s small sting of bitterness at the swallow. On the thickish side of medium bodied, but plenty lively. Light toasty and nutty notes linger.

This is certainly a change of pace from your usual hop monster strong ales, and a nice one at that. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 00:19:28 | More by PDXHops

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.08/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip glass. Has a great finger and half of tight brown head. Dark brown color.

Faint smell of roasted barley. It smells good, but it's just so faint.

Balanced taste of malt and hops. Neither stands out. The vanilla comes in the latter half; a good addition at the perfect strength. A nice, mild bitter at the end.

Smooth, medium body, moderate carbonation.

Great looking beer. Average taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 00:05:59 | More by Fatehunter

JaredKent

Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: This pours a beautifully, rich brown color. The body of the beer is pretty dark though, just bordering on the edge of brown and black. There is about a finger’s width of offwhite head on a straight pour that lingers throughout the entire tasting. Around a 30 SRM.

Scent: My first impression on the nose is of strong malt. Strong, roasted malt that reminds me of a Dubbel or even a Quad. I’m getting a bit of dark raisins as well, possibly from a dark Caramel Malt, possibly 80 or 100. Following that I get a bit of chocolate. This is light, but it carries a hint of creaminess similar to what you’d get with lactose, possibly coming from the vanilla. A slight touch of hops brings a bit of well-rounded floral aroma to the picture.

Taste: The taste on this is pleasant. A bit of raisin up front from the caramel malt, with a touch of biscuit and toffee. I get a bit of the chocolate, but not as much as on the nose and definitely not the same creaminess to accompany it. In the very back is a hint of the vanilla, not enough to overpower it and not quite enough to shine through. Immediately following the vanilla is a bitterness to round it all out.

Mouthfeel: The body on this is light. I’d almost go as far as to say too light. With such rich flavors I wanted a bit heavier of a mouthfeel. This felt almost watered down. The carbonation was medium, exactly where I wanted to see it, but the mouth didn’t live up to what I was expecting.

Overall: This was fantastic and disappointing all at the same time. The flavors were great and the vanilla really pulled everything together. Unfortunately I found that the flavors disappeared rather quickly. The first few sips were full of warm, inviting tastes, but the last half of the glass was pretty flavorless. The vanilla was there, but not quite as prominent as I would have expected, especially from a beer called Vanilla Doubledog.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 01:44:04 | More by JaredKent

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer has a dark black body with microbubbles trailing up the sides. There is a thick tan bubbly head on top that last a good bit.

S- The soft flinty pale malt blends with chocolate notes and a touch or black roasted malt underneath. The finish has vanilla hints with a gentle green hop character that starts to push through as the beer opens.

T- The taste of chocolate tootsie rolls is rich with some vanilla cream note to follow. There are some chocolate malt flavors but they remain in the background.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a tight fizz finish but no alcohol heat.

O- This beer has some nice light character with a good chocolate and vanilla flavor making it very sessionable even for the 7 % ABV. It reminds me of a chocolate cream soda without as much carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 15:00:58 | More by rhoadsrage

schlimenhaumer

New York

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 1 pint 6 oz. standard pressure cap bottle into a nonic pint glass at low altitude.

A: Semi-transparent dark ruby color with a minimal off-white head that leaves a small amount of lacing.

S: Caramel malts are the most prevalent, with a bit of chocolate and hints of vanilla.

T: Sweet caramel malts give way to some bittering hops and a twinge of vanilla and booze on the finish. Not particularly complex or interesting, but not bad.

M: Medium-bodied and wet with a little bit of carbonation. Doesn't do much to complement the flavors.

D: Dominated by sweet malty flavors, this one isn't particularly interesting. Although it's not hard to drink, the flavors and feel don't keep you coming back for more.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 04:45:40 | More by schlimenhaumer

JRdaSconnie

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

P: bomber out of fridge allowed to warm a bit. Served in Cuvee des Jacobins tulip.

A: Deep dark blackish brown with ruby edges in light. Nice tan head, 2 fingers that drops to foamy ring with min lacing.

S: Not a lot here to me. Some faint caramel, maybe breast malt.

T: Again, not the bounty of flavor I'd hoped for. Some caramel sweetness, not much toffee at all. Little pointed dark roast grain. I'm not great at hop recognition but I think I get a little earthy Wilamette spiciness.

M: I love big, sweet bombs with thick moutfeel and this is not one of them. Pretty thin body, more viscosity would have helped make this feel as hefty as I had hoped it would be. Carb level is nice though, helping to tease up a little more caramel flavor.

O: Disappointed mainly. Like I said, I like sweet bombs like Southern Tier makes and this falls way short. Glad I tried it but would not buy again. Also glad the bomber is split with the Mrs. because a full one would bore me by the end.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 02:17:15 | More by JRdaSconnie

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A frothy kahki head sits dominantly atop. The pour is cola with chili powder highlights coming off dense black in the vessel. Micro-effervesce bubbles bead up on the head along the outer parameter of the glass. Thick, milky lacing coats well.

S: Aroma is soft roasted chocolate malts, light dry hints of vanilla bean. Rich cocoa, hot chocolate like with marshmallows. Light moderate show of strength.

T: The flavor is rich chocolate malts, light dryness of vanilla beans. Williamette hops show brief and intermittent flashes of fruitiness and spiciness. Hints of dark licorice, warm biscuit, banana yeastiness with some smoky pine. Fruit cake and figs along with a toffee sweetness rounds things out.

M: Aggressive carbonation dances on the tongue with a fizzle of soda pop. Medium bodied turning creamy with a soft burnt chocolate roast that lingers about with alcohol.

O: A nice chocolately roast treat especially at the warmer end of the drinking spectrum which highlights the vast complexity it has to offer. Smooth flow of flavor very good standing.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 01:32:26 | More by beerthulhu

mdaschaf

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes. Thanks to Bo for bringing this one.

A: Pours a murky brown color with a small tan colored head on top. Not much retention with minimal lacing down the sides.

S: Very sweet aroma. A good bit of vanilla, toffee, caramel, and a little bit of chocolate.

T: Similarly sweet, almost a reminds me of cream soda from the vanilla. Underneath there is a little bit of caramel and chocolate, but the vanilla is rather strong throughout.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. A little too sweet for my liking.

O: Decent beer, but if I want an overly sweet beer, I will reach for something from Southern Tier, which, despite being incredibly sweet, has a bit more to it in terms of mouthfeel and backbone.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 18:35:51 | More by mdaschaf