Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock - Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a

A - Dark brown with good clarity. Small cap of dark caramel head holds a small cap. No lacing.

S - Smooth light chocolate malt alongside a dark nutty quality. Raisin, red fruit character. I get some sweetness inside.

T - Velvety smooth malt. Rich/dark caramel tones, with bitterless dark malts. Warms up slightly near the end joining forces with some balancing hop bitterness. Finishes clean.

M - Light side of full bodied, medium-light carbonation. Semi-sweet.

O - Rich smell to this beer followed by an even richer flavor. Very clean lager. Alcohol is relaxed enough to let other flavors shine. A little lighter than expected. Sweetness was minimal.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 01:56:37 | More by Jparker37

cosmicevan

New York

4.83/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

picked up locally. enjoyed from a bell's tulip.

a - brew poured a deep purple that settled as black in the glass with a small creamy almost belgian looking head. lacing was spotty and slippery and hardly held onto the glass at all.

s - YUM. dark fruit, nutmeg, figs, raisins. roasted and toasted malts. smells perfect to style.

t - FANTASTIC doppelbock. grapejuice, nuts, some brown sugar. some faint hints of cocoa.

m - awesome creamy feel with great carbonation.

o - overall, one of the best, if not the best doppelbock i've ever had. i love this style and am kicking myself for not trying this one sooner. i am blown away and in love with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 01:01:20 | More by cosmicevan

GMB

Japan

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock pours a black body that turns deep crimson red when held against a strong light source. A moderate pour and some vigorous swirling fail to produce any head to speak of.

The beer's nose is very nice: Roasted malts suggest molasses and chocolate; the yeast and alcohol contribute the smell of raisins and prunes. There is a faint tinny aroma at first, but it seems to disappear after the initial sniffs.

The taste follows the nose, but is much richer: chocolate and molasses. The taste of alcohol is nicely balanced; present but not intrusive. As the beer warms, the flavor of dark raisins moves to the fore and mingles with the buttery yeast-derived flavors. Imagine butter-braised raisins and prunes, molasses, and bittersweet chocolate.

The beer's body is full and rich, as one expects from doppelbocks. There is perhaps too little carbonation. Creamy froth would augment the appeal of these flavors.

The nice balance of alcohol-derived and roasted-malt flavors that one finds in Ayinger's Celebrator places it among the best representatives of the Duppelbock style. This is a delicious beer, and I'd gladly drink a more. Still, I hold out hope that one day I'll run across a rendition of this style that delivers at every level. This one didn't.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 23:28:32 | More by GMB

pkalix

California

4.65/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

i got a very dark (ruby around the edges) pour from this, with very little head on top.
the smell is of a very toasted, malted elixir, very reminiscent of an age long passed. i'm happy this stuff still exists, though.
the taste is sweet and dark and i absolutely love this stuff! i love the sweetly malted taste and the beautiful smell i get when i put it to my mouth.
i like the round feeling of carbonation with the thickness of the taste.
overall, although i have had a couple of these within the last year, i realized i hadnt reviewed one yet and i'm at a loss to explain the difference of the recent tastings versus the tastings of 20 years ago. this is certainly one of the best beers i have had in the last couple of years and the fact it comes from Ayinger doesnt surprise me.
20 years ago, the little goat hung from the neck of the bottle in a thicker, red and white intertwined rope; today's offering is a pathetic little red string i could floss my crowns with. yes, it was noticed. i still have several of these GOATS hanging from my DER BARON's mug from yesteryear and this pathetic little note confirms the cheapness the old empires have sunk to. and 20 years ago, though, i didnt like this beer much . . . . i'd love to find this stuff on tap...

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 02:33:38 | More by pkalix

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.83/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle served in a mug.

Review nr. 500 deserves a worthy beer!

A: Pours a clear deep and dark amber color. Nutty. Forms a big beige and bit creamy head when poured. Medium retention and only few lacings formed and left in the glass

S: Very toffee. Roasted malts, brown bread ans Lager yeasts. However, it's quite fruity with notes of raisins and figs. Oak. Lovely

T: Sweet upfront. Toffee, roasted malts, caramel malts, brown bread, Lager yeasts. Notes of chocolate. Light hoppy/roasted bitterness in the end

M: Medium body. Slightly molasses. Medium to low carbonation. Aftertaste is roasted and light bitter

O: Excellent drinkability. State of art German Doppelbock

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 18:32:06 | More by eduardolinhalis

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Incredibly dark brown, looks black until held to light. Minimal carbonation and head. What head does form is off-white and creamy. Clear and still. Some nice deep reds as well.

Smell: Cocoa, chewy, nutty, roasted malts. It's liquid bread. Nice roasted character with some nice caramel malt sweetness. Incredibly bready. Fresh-baked brown bread. Backing bite of alcohol. Raisins and figs. Some minor grass. Fruity and malty.

Taste: Fruity esters mix with bready, sweet caramel malts. Cocoa, some milk chocolate, and a touch of nibs. Apple, caramel, alcohol, and roasted malt. Mild toasted edge. Some fig and plum. Brown bread. As it warms the alcohol becomes a bit more pronounced with the sweetness. Caramelized malts.

Mouthfeel: Minimal carbonation. Smooth and creamy with a medium body. Nice and clean.

Overall: You could live off this. It tastes of a meal.

Bready and delicious. If I had to drink this as my only meal, I think I could manage. Drinkable and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 01:14:21 | More by Goblinmunkey7

T100Mark

California

4.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2 ounce brown bottle. There was a small plastic goat tied to a string, hanging off the neck of the bottle.

Appearance - Dark brown/amber color. Light tan colored head that never entirely disappears.

Smell - Burnt marshmallow. Steak on the grill.

Taste - Black liquorice. Portobello mushroom. Teriyaki. Tobacco.

Mouth - Full bodied. This is not a shy beer.

Overall - Where do I start? This beer overwhelms the senses. Even by Doppelbock standards, this is a complex beer that is loaded with personality. I really enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 03:12:41 | More by T100Mark

Dave1999

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours pure black with no head and some bubbles fizzing on the surface.

The smell is dark rich malts, plums,rasins and treacle. There also a sweet smokiness to it.

The taste is much like the smell, rich and malty with dark fruits, raisins and plums. The depth in taste increases with every sip.

The mouth feel is quite thick and chewy with some slight carbonation.

Overall a decent beer but I think there are other dopplebocks just as good at a lower price.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 02:27:37 | More by Dave1999

Beelzebeer

Newfoundland (Canada)

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

330ml, purchased Fall 2011

A - Black, with light mocha head. About an 1", dissipates kind of quickly

S - Slight sour, tons of roasted malts. Coffee grinds, raisin, some plum for the top end.

T - Roasted everything. Some sourness at the beginning which I taste less as I drink it.

M - Dense, but quickly evading. Low carbonation, could do with a touch more.

O - Very nice. One of the best. Not my favorite style, but if someone was wondering what a doppelbock tasted like, this would be it.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:20:24 | More by Beelzebeer

WillCarrera

Illinois

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

12 oz bottle, poured into a pokal glass.

A- Pours a dark brown color with ruby highlights, produces a thin khaki head that leaves spotty lacing.

S- Nice toasted malt aroma with caramel and some fruit and raisins.

T- Big malty sweetness, toasted grain and caramel, some hop bitterness becomes more evident towards the finish, considerable booziness lends some sweetness as well.

M- Medium to full body, carbonation is nice but the feel could be better.

O- Doppelbocks aren't really my thing, if you like them then you'll probably like Celebrator, it's not a bad beer but there's something about it that isn't clicking with me.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 20:03:54 | More by WillCarrera

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: deep brown color with a sizable tan head that leaves some froth.

S: banana and dark fruits along with sweet malt

T: again fairly heavy on the banana, but has a nice sweet and malty taste to go with the roasted flavors.

M: medium-heavy body with a pleasant carbonation that is just perfect for me. Not overwhelming or harsh at all, but gives the body a bit of a lift, still leaving it feeling smooth.

O: excellent beer, but I'm not a huge fan of the style. For the price, there are better beers to be had. Had this one at a bar on a chilly night, and it was great.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2012 22:23:30 | More by Holland

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours out a deep dark (yet clear) brown with three fingers of fluffy tan head that lasts for several minutes, leaving behind some lovely curtains of lacing on the glass. Medium body and carbonation levels, silky smooth texture.

Smells of dark crusty bread and all kinds of milk and baking chocolate, faint aroma impressions of a comforting childhood mug of hot cocoa with mini-marshmallows floating on the top and birthday cakes... It's not often a beer actually makes me feel nostalgic, but this one does. Tastes of roasted malt, toasted bread (wheat, rye, & pumpernickel), molasses, light amounts of dark cherries, and light earthy noble hopping combined with just a pinch of smokiness.

I highly recommend trying this one. It's a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 03:28:41 | More by WastingFreetime

Danny1217

Florida

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

Dark brown color. Nice brownish head. Good retention. Smells of caramel, dark fruits, toffee, and sweet malty grains. Very malty flavor. Tastes of bread, cherries, caramel,and a bit of a roasted coffee character. Medium body, ample carbonation. Great beer. I'm sure I will enjoy it even more once I become more acclimated to the doppelbock style.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 21:16:14 | More by Danny1217

chiccabeer

Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is one of the best double bock beers. It has a milky smooth feel with a great flavor. It does not have a hard hitting flavor, but it keeps in a decent malty flavor that stays with you after you finish it. The smell is not intense, but smells slightly sweet. This is a good beer to have any time, but is slightly heavier so I would suggest you have it after a meal.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2012 23:11:53 | More by chiccabeer

Blackwolf

3.93/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to pint glass.

A- Dark caramel toned. a bit less than a fingers head, little to no retention. no lacing either.

S- Roasted malts, yeast, dark fruits, dark bitter chocolate.

T- Palate follows the nose a bit. Yeasty/Spiced bread, roasted malt and some toffee/dark bitter chocolate. some dark fruit undertones. Sweet and malty!

MF- Medium- medium/heavy body, smooth with a great medium carbonation. Finishes great with a dry warmth that sticks to your mouth. Feels like a belgian!

O- Not bad at all. I seen this beer a hundred times, never got around to it until now unfortunately. It is a great beer, but a bit too hyped up for my taste. The price was incredibly reasonable, so I jumped on it, and felt like trying something "out of the norm." Worth a try, but not to go out of your way for.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 05:02:21 | More by Blackwolf

Josiah2729

Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into custom ceramic stein.

Appearance: Dark brown with coffee brown creamy head and excellent lacing throughout.

Smell: Sweet dark malt, dark fruits, cinnamon.

Taste: Dark sweet bread, some dark fruits, dark spices.

Mouthfeel: Medium thickness, light carbonation.

Overall: Nice dark malty sweet beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 15:43:09 | More by Josiah2729

pmarlowe

California

3.93/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Doppelbock to tulip glass.

A: Pours a coffee brown with three fingers of fluffy tan head which slowly deflates over the course of a few minutes.

S: Roasted, sweet, dry fruity malt, toffee, chocolate malt balls, and nutty rye bread. In the secondary, dried fruit like pineapple.

T: Malt and more malt, roastiness, oxidization and a whiff of coffee, some fruity esters without the explicit fruit from S:. Finishes with that dry, lagery taste on the finish which I don't care for. Bone dry.

M: Medium-full body and medium carbonation. The carbonation feels great, smooth and almost crisp.

O: One of the references for the style. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 05:29:04 | More by pmarlowe

kscaldef

Oregon

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

Seemed like a good one to pop open on my birthday :-)

A: Rich brown color, displaying plenty of red when held up to the light. Good clarity. 1/4" head forms but recedes quickly. Minimal lacing.

S: Sweet fruity aroma, actually reminiscent of a belgian dubbel or quad. Some toffee and caramel. Slight banana esters

T: Bready and roasty, but avoids any bitterness or acridity. Moderately sweet.

M: Medium carbonation. Full bodied, but still quite drinkable.

O: Gets good marks for being practically the definition of the style (although the aroma seems a bit off style to me). That said, maybe the style doesn't really appeal to me, or there's some "intangible" missing, but it doesn't excite me at all.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 22:24:47 | More by kscaldef

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a tall head thats quite dense. The color is rich auburn as in deep auburn.
Aroma is mostly sweet malts with a toffee smell.
Taste is smooth and malty with sweet malts dominating. There is a sutle anise or molasses taste in there too.
There is a bit of alcohol in the taste too but the abvis 6.7 I don't know.
Good though, real good.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 22:50:19 | More by micromaniac129

ONUMello

Ohio

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

11.2oz bottle poured into a pils glass
A: Dark walnut brown with a one-finger head that quickly settles
S: Nutty, creamy, molasses, coffee
T: Molasses, cream, roasted malt, a slight hop bitterness towards the finish. A hint of fruit esters. Complex, balanced and delicious.
M: Medium to full bodied, rich and smooth.
O: This is pretty damn good. Tastes great, balanced, complex, and way too easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 04:09:20 | More by ONUMello

Ilafan

Minnesota

4.73/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really like this beer. It has a nice stout kind-of-taste of coffee, caramel, and dark chocolate. It pours dark and is very rich. Love the head on this, too. The smell of roasted coffee and chocolate entices my taste buds very nicely. Yeah! Hey, even the label design is cool! I love this dopplebock!

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 20:04:12 | More by Ilafan

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

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

A: Black. Small but well retaining beige head.

S: Caramel, dark malts, hints of chocolate.

T: Bitter, dark, caramel, chocolate & hints of coffee. The aftertaste is slightly on the Belgian side.

O: I'm rather indifferent to this beer style but I'll give it a solid four.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 09:08:15 | More by Hoppsbabo

surcorx

Illinois

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

A: Rich coca cola caramel tones. Short creamy light dark head. Mild perfect carbonation for Doppelbock.

S: Sweet malt and caramel. Incredibly complex, rich smell.

T: Rich yeast, with roasted caramel. Mild bourbon notes and toasted bread. It's amazing. Doesn't have many peers.

M: Very smooth and creamy. Medium body and strong. Extremely drinkable. I just want to keep drinking this.

O: This is a work of art! Nothing is in excess. Well balanced, complex yet completely drinkable. Expensive but worth it in every way. Good luck finding it.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 23:25:14 | More by surcorx

chimaylvr

Rhode Island

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

Served in Sam Adams "tulip' glass, no freshness date

App: dark chocolate hue, half finger foam which dissipates quickly but leaves saturn ring around glass throughout

Smell: Variety of roasted coffee beans, peat and earth, hickory beef, sweet spice

Taste: complex roasted malt profile, like a great IPA with hops but only malt, molasses first bourbon finish

Mouthfeel: not sticky for complex malts but buttery and smooth; not puckering but comforting like a fine dessert, a little chewy even

Overall: there's not much to knock here, rich like a Belgian without the spice, not too sweet like an overblown wee heavy; at a respectable 6.7 you can have one or two more because you're gonna want another, a real winner....enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 05:10:28 | More by chimaylvr

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.73/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

All doppelbocks bow to Celebrator. With over 2,000 reviews now, there is nothing left to be said about it. I will say that the one thing I particularly like about Celebrator is that, despite its thick & sweet flavor profile, it doesn't feel overly sticky or chewy which is something other doppelbocks I've tried would benefit from. All in all it's just a fantastic beer that quickly made its way onto my top 20 beers list.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 17:38:41 | More by TheRealBigC