Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock - Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had not seen this beer on tap for a while, so was quite happy to see it at Frisco's the other day.

The beer pours a dark brown color, more akin to glass of cola then beer. This beer has very good head retention and lacing, as one would expect from a beer with this pedigree. The beer smells all malty and grainy, with a sweet molasses, cherry and cola. Very, very nice. On the palate the flavors replicate the nose, with lots of rich malt. However, everything is in proportion with this beer, nothing is out of place. The beer is medium to full bodied, but is not the least bit heavy. There is a good clean finish, with some nice roasty flavors at the end. Very easy to take.... so drinkable.

As others have noted, this really is the mother of all dopplebocks. First had this beer on tap at Humpy's during the "fur rhondy" festival in Anchorage (99 or 2000, forget now), when it was first brought into the state. It was excellent then and is excellent now. Always a treat. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2007 14:30:16 | More by johnmichaelsen

DoubleJ

California

4.55/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I was shopping for beer at BevMo last week and saw a 330 ml bottle of this on sale for $2.49. Needless to say, I bought it. On to the beer:

It pours thick into a pilsner glass with a dark brown color. It has a very nice aroma of chocolate covered raisins and brown sugar. Similar taste too, and very well balanced. Not overwhelmingly malty, and a pleasure to drink on slowly. Why spend your money on a forty when you can enjoy this for the same price?

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2007 06:59:53 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally revisited this bad boy at the Brick Store in Atlanta.

Pours a clear dark brown color with dark ruby highlights. The head is two-fingers of cocoa-colored foamy goodness that slowly recedes into a wispy layer of bubbles on top and a medium-sized ring around the glass. Lacing is decent.

Smells of molasses with hints of chocolate and biscuity malts.

Tastes great. Molasses and sweet malts up front followed by more robust malt flavors, roasted and bready, ending with a hint of dark chocolate and a bit of bitterness. Very well balanced, very complex.

Mouthfeel is good. There's a good thickness that combines with a grainy carbonation that really goes down easily.

Drinkability is good. I polished off one of these in a hurry, and the complexity is such that I could have three of these and find something new in each one of them.

Overall there's not much more I can say. This is a very complex beer that is very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2008 04:07:02 | More by glid02

Gusler

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer is a deep garnet, almost brown with the head magnificent in size, frothy in texture and a beauteous light tan in color, the residual lace a satiny curtain to conceal the glass. Malt dominates the nose; sweet with hints of smoke, molasses like tones also present, could also say peat and brown sugar, quite a pleasure to “Sniff”. Quite sweet at the start, the top middling and rich in mouth feel, finish is modestly carbonated, spicily hopped, droughty lingering aftertaste. "One Hell of A Good" doppelbock and one that is always in stock in the cellar and DBF.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2003 08:31:10 | More by Gusler

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a very dark ruby red with a thin, fizzy dirty khaki head that quickly faded without a trace or lacing.

S: dark roasted nuttiness and caramel with a spicy dark fruitiness. A light scorched smokiness provides gentle complimentary support.

T: The initial flavor yielded a great, smooth smoky caramel with a nice fruitiness of apples. Extremly smooth with a light, dark sugary sweetness and rum raisins. Nice dark caramel sweetness that was very smooth and enjoyable. The rating speaks for itself.

M: medium-full, with a nice slickness and spicy alcohol fade.

D: Very nice drinkability with a spicy alcohol and fruitiness. Would easily go back for more. A prime example per style.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2008 01:32:17 | More by beerthulhu

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an EKU 28 snifter in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are fairly high given its high rating balanced against my usual disdain for bocks. A hanging plastic goat lends the presentation a unique characteristic. I like the cover art.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues were anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and okay retention - though the retention problem seems unlikely given the mere 6.7% ABV. Colour is a nontransparent solid black. Nothing strikes me, though it is appealing.

Sm: Chocolate, vanilla, caramelized malt, cream, and some toffee. Maybe some alcohol. A mild strength aroma.

T: Chocolate, with some dark malts as the foundation. Hints of cream and vanilla. Well balanced and built, if simple. A hint of nuts. Hints of roasted barley. Some mild layering, but nothing impressive.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Not creamy enough. Coarse enough to allow the flavours to come through without being unpleasant. Neither too thick nor too thin, but not perfect either.

Dr: Very drinkable. I do like it, but I don't know that it's the best doppelbock ever brewed. If it is, that doesn't bode well for doppelbocks as a style in my book. I'd certainly have it again, ideally on nitro-draught.

High B-

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 05:43:40 | More by kojevergas

plaid75

New York

4.47/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Lark in East Northport, New York.

Poured a deep brown hue with a thin white cap. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a heavy cereal grain, nuts, caramel and pumpernickle.

The taste consisted of layer upon layer of multi grain goodness. Doughy and crusty pumpernickle bread came to mind with a lingering, yet dry, caramel.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style with a relatively dry finish.

Overall an incredibly enjoyable dopplebock. World class, but you already knew that.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2009 20:33:13 | More by plaid75

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark brown with brilliant ruby highlights. The light tan foam poured a little short, but quite dense, and produced decent lacing. Heavy malt aroma with some molasses and a hint of cocoa. Fruity notes of raisins and prunes. Light charcoal smokiness came out as it warmed as well. Bitterness was on the low side, balance was very much towards malt. Sweet, dried fruit and rich malt, not quite caramel but definitely caramelized sugar. Smoke character and light metallic iron lingers in the finish. Medium/full body with moderate carbonation and delicate alcohol warmth. Creamy texture with a bit of grain dryness. Great complexity yet still highly drinkable. Definitely a world class dopplebock.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2006 02:36:43 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.98/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The beer's dark tone and steadfast opacity give it the intimidating appearance of a guard dog, or maybe one of those angry, long-horned rams on its label in mating season. This is slightly ironic considering how its violet and ruby highlights are gorgeous and inviting. Its head, while thin, looks harder than marble stone (and is coloured like it too).

It smells like someone took the world's finest tawny port and improved it exponentially. The sweet, fruity notes of plum and grape are gracefully tempered, somewhat offset by a tremendously rich maltiness. This 'toast and jam' combination would make a memorable breakfast; even the best noses are bound to miss a feature or two. It's that layered.

I don't think you could find a better, more exemplary tasting doppelbock than Celebrator. The poised sweetness of a fig and prune compote is mushed into the taste of heavily browned bread crusts, which turn into a sooty, moderately bitter dark chocolate note on the finish. If ever a beer deserved a perfect score for flavour, truly, Celebrator is it.

There's rich, and then there's Bill Gates rich. This doppelbock is Bill Gates rich. Profound, full-bodied, uncompromising maltiness becomes heavily intimate with all parts of the palate, and refuses to go away even in the aftertaste. To suggest caramel is grossly overstating the quantity of sweetness, and downplaying the rich, luscious quality of it.

If you want to learn about German brewing, throw out the books and just stock up on Celebrator. Few examples pack as much punch per square sip or capture so elegantly the style's rich, nectarous qualities. Although the expression is used quite commonly, few things are actually "mouth-watering" - this is. Trust me, I feel myself drooling.

Brewers will make a lot of claims about the superiority of their beer on labels. Typically, these should be taken with a heaping tablespoon of salt. However, for Ayinger to call Celebrator "the finest double bock beer" is no exaggeration. It is unequivocally, undeniably the golden standard of the style; any attempts to replicate it or even to honor it only serve to advertise that fact and endorse the superiority of its brand.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 16:03:11 | More by biegaman

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark brown color with a bit of redness around the edges when held up to the light. Pours a finger thick head of tanned foam. Little bit of spotty lacing on the glass. Nose is filled with an aroma of molasses and a bit of breadiness. Taste is dark malty sweetness reminescent of...yet again molasses and a bit of caramel. Lingering taste left in the mouth similar to dark fruit. As it warms both the aroma and the taste have a bit of hop character without the bitterness. Only faintly picking up on the alcohol character. Thick chewy feel and moderate carbination but wow is it smooth. I honestly feel bad for waiting this long to try this beer, it really is an awesome doppelbock. The little white goat figurine hanging around the neck of the bottle is a bit cheesy but i'll admit I like it.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 23:06:52 | More by stakem

Brad007

Vermont

4.22/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown color with a head that doesn't stay around for long. Smells very malty and strong. Taste is much of the same except that it takes on a roasted, coffee-like essence that goes down nicely and leaves a good aftertaste. I really like bocks anyway and this one is no exception. It's nice, malty and strong to boot. Exactly what the style implies.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2007 01:34:58 | More by Brad007

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this (vom fass) at Ayingers Am Platzl, Munich on March 19, 2006.

A: Ruby black, off-white head, some retention, nice lace.

S: Malt bomb! Bread, caramel & nut.

T: Raisin, prune, chocolate, roasted nut, burnt caramel, slightly spicy (tettnanger hops?), nice bittersweet balance, dry finish.

M: Moderate to full body (surprisingly light for the depth of flavour), moderate carbonation.

D: Very good.

(I've reviewed this before, but not on-tap in Germany).

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2006 22:50:03 | More by Derek

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A truly great brew and my favorite doppelbock for many years.This is the first time I've reviewed it though.

This beer pours a rich looking dark chocolate color with garnet highlights. The head is a pale brown pancake head that fases fairly quickly to a thin covering.

The smell is a nose full of malt with some winey, fruity undertones. Maybe macerated cherries? A slight smokiness seems to be there as well.

Taste is wonderful-molasses and caramel with some dark fruit notes and some spice as well. Not at all sticky, though, just big and dry. Some burnt grain on the finish.

Mouthfeel and drinkability- somewhat dry for this style, but very full, nicely balanced, and perfectly carbonated. Very tasty stuff- one is never enough.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2006 07:26:50 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pour into New Belgium Globe glass

Pours a thin light tan head, that fizzles down quickly. No lacing noted. Color is a dark dark ruby red (almost black).

The aroma has some what of a fruity smell to it. Almost like a banana and clove aroma. Taste is very smokey. It's a very hard flavor to distinguish, but it resembles some sort of grape that may have been roasted or something.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Leaves a very dry aftertaste in the mouth. Carbonation level is low.

Overall, this wasn't something that appealed to me very much. I had much higher expectations for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 00:30:03 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

5/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Somehow I managed to find this beer on draught here in Columbus (at the Refectory). There simply cannot be a beer that I will enjoy more than this.

Served at a perfect temperature. Unbelievably easy to drink, with a light smooth malty flavor that was not too sweet. Balanced perfectly by the alcohol ratio. Just a whisper of chocolate in the aroma and flavor as well. Very dark with a medium thick beige head that diminished rather quickly, but who cares, because it was between me and this amazing beer. Now I am working on getting the Celebrator glasses from the restaurant after the beer is out of rotation.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2002 08:28:04 | More by Dogbrick

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz from Bucket O'Brew for about $3.75 (I think).. shared grudgingly with Brenda.. the lion's share from my New Belgium goblet.

One Finger Light tan head dies fairly quickly leaving behind a suprising amount of lacing... deeep brown brew... only reveals walnut/deep ruby highlites when held up to a bare bulb.

Dark bread and subtle molasses are the name of the game.. some dark caramel... only a touch of dried fruit comes through.. figs I guess... as it warms it reminds me of a cold mocha coffee without the sugars.

Flavor is complex dark malts.. and a waft of raisin and a little more dark caramel... light but present nuttiness... not alot of chocolate or coffee, just a touch. For me, the complexity lies in the dark malts.. very tasty... subtle noble hops are easily overlooked... I always walk into Celebrator remembering a bigger body, but the body is really just a solid medium with a creamy carbonation and mouthfeel... with warmth comes a touch of smokey/mild peatiness.

I know that what I am enjoying is world-class, although my simplistic palate is not refined enough to really describe it..

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 08:11:26 | More by JohnGalt1

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Super thick glowing dark brown color with deep red ruby highlights, light brown head of tight frothyness thats about a finger high, faded fast, gets some minimal spotty and stringy lace.

Smell is tangy fruitish dark malts, quite a rich full nose with hints of ginger, brown sugar, favorable cookie dough, lightly roasty/toasty, some toffee, with dark fruit of plum and raisin notes.

Taste is a ton of nice tangy dark malts, a bit of caramel and toffee up front, middle twinge of chocolate and slight hops into the finish which is mostly dark fruits and toffee with incredible lingering qualities of twingy, fruity malty tanged dryness.

Feel is medium bodied, buttery smooth and lightly textured with a light tangy dryness in the finish. Very nice drinkablity, heavenly smooth and excellent creamyness makes for short work of the 12 ounces, need another.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2003 21:30:35 | More by tavernjef

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark chestnut brown in color, with a beige head that stands in at over an inch in height, leaving considerable lacing on the glass.

S: Toasted malt, sweet caramels, smoke. Very inviting, this smells like a world class doppelbock, which it certainly is.

T: Extremely tasty, with a subtle rauchbier / smoke flavor about it. A pleasant sweetness sneaks in among the smoke and toasted malt, but only enough to make the beer delectable, not cloying in the least. Toffee and bread with a splash of dark fruit are in there as well. This beer is so delicious and still very accessible, which I find very pleasing.

M: Medium to low in both body and carbonation. The beer is smooth, velvety and creamy on the palate, with alcohol content well disguised.

D: One of the best doppelbocks on the planet. A must have for any beer connoisseur.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 03:01:06 | More by Huhzubendah

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.78/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This comes out of the tap a deep, opaque sable, almost like a stout or porter rather than a bock. Rich, malty aroma has undertones of chocolate and roast coffee. Flavor is smooth and malty, with some hop bitterness and a mocha undertone. There are hints of sweet, nutty and caramel flavors as well. Texture is smooth and pleasing, making for one lip-smacking bock.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2008 00:09:52 | More by Cyberkedi

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.
Dark brown in colour with an off white head. Good retention good lacing.
A very malty beverage, an alcohal twang and some roasted notes as well.
Goes down incredibly smooth.
A good Ayinger beer to say the least. Ive never had a bad one.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2008 11:13:01 | More by Stinkypuss

ccrida

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

330ml bottle poured into my Delirium snifter, Celebrator is a pitch dark garnet with a small tan head. I've had this many times in Ayinger's designated flute, and it looks better that way, but for some reason I don't have one!

The smell is rich and sweet, yet soft, dark fruits and toffee

Taste is big and thick, super malty but not to sweet nor rich, a fantastic balance. Caramel and roasty, Ayinger's is the benchmark dopplebock, period. A truly great beer.

Mouthfeel is very creamy, the body on the heavier side.

Drinkablity is almost to high. Man have I had more of these then prudent on more then one occasion. Really missing these on draught from the Sharp Edge right now!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2007 10:23:33 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance – The head came up, lasted and laced, but the body is the story here. This is that deep, dark, rich color that all good Doppelbocks possess.

Smell – The darl malt, bready yeast aroma is here in spades. There’s also a deep molasses scent that fills the room. Some loose fruits and a scent of alcohol complete the package.

Taste – This is monstrous. The molasses comes out in force, laced with brown sugar and alcohol along with deep, roasted, mature yeast flavors.

Mouthfeel – This is a bit bigger than medium-bodied and very bitter from the unsulphored molasses flavors. It has a lingering aftertaste, which seems to be a trademark of the style.

Drinkability – This is a terrific representation of the style. It is more complex than most and is a real treat.

Update – I have this occasionally and decided to review it for 2004. This really is a big, complex example of the style and I guarantee will top the list of any blind DB tasting.

Update – I cellared a 2004 vintage and popped it in the spring of ’06. The body held up well but was right on the edge of being spent. The molasses matured times two and the overall mouthfeel was incredibly smooth. It was sweeter than the style standard after being laid down for two years but boy was this some fun to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2003 03:15:13 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

Kentucky

4.38/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown (not quite opaque), small but lingering tan head. Has that "signature" doppelbock taste and smell. Roasted and toasted malts, chocolate, bit of smoke. Rather dry and light for the style. Velvety mouthfeel, medium-bodied like a porter and crisply carbonated. Fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2007 19:39:32 | More by largadeer

avalon07

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle to a flute glass. Has a dark brown color, with almost no translucence. There was a little head that didn't last especially long, but left a little lacing around the glass that had a brownish color.

Strong but not overpowering smell. Very malty with hints of older, dark fruits.

The most apparent aspect of the taste was the presence of coffee - at least to me. It was somewhat similar to a stout in this respect. Also, there were some sweets, possibly caramels and some yeast as well.

Had a nice amount of carbonation for solid mouthfeel.

Overall, the Celebrator is a drinkable beer. It goes down very smooth, without an obnoxious aftertaste. Surprisingly not a beer that weighs you down.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2008 16:20:17 | More by avalon07

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured almost black into a Celebrator glass, with a off white head, that went away quickly. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, and small amout of alcohol. Smooth taste including coffee and chocolate. A very nice double bock, used to be the good old stand by, but the alcohol was a thing to watch with this one.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2007 17:42:24 | More by OWSLEY069