Live Oak Liberator - Live Oak Brewing Company

kbub6f

New York

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A new addition to the Live Oak lineup (though I think it was around several years ago). It's easy to overlook it, if you mistake it for the regular winter seasonal ("Liberation").

The beer is a nice, rich, clear brown with a yellowy-cream head. Sweet malty, nutty, grape juice aroma. The beer is full, rich, malty-syrupy and fruity. Some light chocolate. Finishes lightly bitter with a touch of alcohol sourness. It's a more aggressive style for Live Oak and they've pulled off a winner, I think.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2005 00:09:18 | More by kbub6f

Tiernan

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

05-19-2013 18:44:31 | More by Tiernan

Texasfan549

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-21-2013 22:07:06 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-18-2013 22:36:08 | More by kjkinsey

champ103

Texas

4.61/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

On tap at Barley Swine in Austin. I was surprised by this in many ways. First, that Live Oak made a Dopplebock, and second that it was such a low ABV (5.4). Normally, I do not complain about low ABV, though with this style I had to take a step back. This is almost lighter than regular Bock territory. I was not surprised at how awesome the beer turned out to be however...

A: Pours a dark, nearly opaque brown color. A two finger beige head forms with excellent retention. Sticky lace is left all the way down the glass.
S: A big old malt bomb. Toasted malts, bread and biscuit. Cereal grains. Light chocolate flavors. Very nice.
T: The malt takes on a whole new level here. Almost more roasted malts than toasted. A bit of sweetness, chocolate and caramel. Bread, biscuit and cereal grains. The middle is a bit sweet, but ends dry. Amazing, for more reasons than one. I am amazed they got Ayinger flavor with a much lower alcohol.
M/D: A full body and fine carbonation. So velvety smooth and creamy. This is like silk. I can drink this by the gallons. Just amazing.

While Ayinger is not a full on high alcohol bomb in the least. It is very impressive that Live Oak got the same big full flavors of that beer in particular with a much lower ABV. I am so happy to have come across this, and with DR 13, an early candidate for Texas beer of the year.

Note: I sent in the update to have Liberator and the Dopplebock listing I made a few days ago merged.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 13:41:25 | More by champ103

monitorpop

Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.8%

03-13-2013 05:32:26 | More by monitorpop