Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock - Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -19.9%
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

Mark

California

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I'm sorry fellow advocates but I don't understand the high ranking of this beer. I admit it was my first Bock, but I usually don't need to have something grow on me. I knew right away that Belgian ale would never be a favorite, so goes with this. The beer was dark and seemed to have tinges of red, kind of a medium porter look. Head went adios in seconds and absolutely no lace to be found as the glass was drained. Smell was strong and sweet with toffee overtones. Taste was very sweet yet smooth, malt dominating. Thick mouthfeel is as I assume is right for this style, drinkability is O.K., but I can't see taking this style up regularly. I can think of many other beers for this dark winter night I would have rather had.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2003 19:36:08 | More by Mark

tar

Bahamas

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A nice looking bottle complete with a Christmas ornament if the season is right and your tree underdecorated. Pours a nice thick looking very dark brown--reddish when held up to light, with a nice tan head. A rich aroma of fruit (plums, prunes?), and spice. Tastes a bit of coffee and again has some fruit tones (raisons, prunes??) with some bitter hops in the finsih. Sweet and malty. Not a particularly smooth beer and a bit thin in the mouth. An alright beer, although I was a bit disappointed by it--I like Salvator very much and was expecting to really enjoy this as well, and while its still pretty good, I was not blown away.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2004 15:31:54 | More by tar

woemad

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From notes written a couple of weeks ago:

11.2oz bottle purchased at Huckleberry's in Spokane for $2.99. I picked it up because I hadn't had this beer for some time and was amazed to discover I'd never reviewed it.

Poured a super dark brown that took on a very slight ruby hue when held to the light. Decent sized tan head that dropped after a couple of minutes. Modest sheets of lace that slide down the sides of my pintglass quickly.

The nose is of molasses and mildly bitter chocolate. Not a whole lot else going on. Seems a little subdued for a doppelbock.

The sense of something that's a little too sedate for it's own good continues to the taste. The taste is mildly chocolaty, with a little balancing bitterness thrown in, but it's very mellow.

The mouthfeel is a little thin for the style. With a doppelbock I expect a meal in a glass - this ain't it.

Not a bad tasting beer, but nevertheless disappointing. Either this has been dumbed down in the couple of years since I had it or I've learned to expect more. Either way, if there's another doppelbock available, I'll be reaching for it before grabbing this one again.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2007 04:07:43 | More by woemad

JonMich13

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A = Poured black/brown with a tinge of amber. Very little head on this one and no lacing.

S = This had me hoping. Smell was very sweet and inviting. Nice fruity (plum, prune maybe?) with kind of a buttery undertone. Some malt there, too.

T = Not sure if this is typical, but had a very unpleasant sourness that suppressed what seemed like some potential trying to come out. I could taste some sweet fruity notes in the background, but this weird sour tartness overrode everything. Did I get a skunked bottle?

M = Nothing special. Low carbonation. Not too thick or chewy. A little wattery it seemed.

D = If not for the unpleasant taste, wouldn't be too hard to drink.

Not impressed by this, but hope I got a bad bottle. Will not be seeking it again, but if I come across it I will give it another shot to see whether I got a bad one this time.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2009 13:48:12 | More by JonMich13

AgentZero

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received in a trade from jlindros.

A - Not quite what I was expecting based on the whiff I got when I popped the bottle. Poured into a 22 ounce mug. Very brown that shines a nice red through the light. Three finger, yellowish-brownish-off white head tha dissapated very quickly with no lacing.

S - Sweet sticky smell, no hops. Definately some fruit going on there, plums or dates it seems mostly.

T - No hops, almost a little stout-esque here. A lot of roasted malts, mostly toffee with a sugary taste that coats your tongue.

M - Syrupy, light carbonation. Definately not light, more the heavier side of medium.

D - Pretty easy to get down, they syrupiness of this brew would keep it from being a session beer for me, and the sugary aftertaste makes it turn a little sour if you aren't drinking fast.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2009 17:28:32 | More by AgentZero

Azurescens

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz bottle with no bottled on or freshness date, but I'm not complaining because I get a cool plastic goat. Poured into a Mac & Jack's pint glass, reviewed on 4/26/11

A: Pours a deep dark brown with tan head dissipating to a collar that leaves little lacing around glass.

S: Doughy dark malts with some soy sauce and a touch of molasses and spices.

T: Dark toasted bread-like malts, bitter herbal hops, burnt sugar and a hint of salty soy sauce.

M: Creamy and smooth medium body with some carbonation.

O: Decent beer, don't love it and don't hate it. Looks and feels good but I don't really enjoy the smell much. This tastes better than it smells but the soy sauce that I pick up in the aroma and taste definitely cost this some points. Fairly drinkable for a dark 6.7% ABV beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 01:57:50 | More by Azurescens

Quaffer

Nevada

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: This was a very dark beer that showed its true colors when held up to the light: a deep ruby red. The head was rough and tan and dissipated quickly. By the time I was halfway done with the beer, there was no head and not a trace of lace left on the glass.

Smell: The odor of raisins dominated this brew. Overall, it had a heavy, sweet aroma.

Mouthfeel: This beer was full, but not as smooth as I expected or wanted it to be.

Taste: This was a sweet beer, but not overly so. There was a little bit of malt sweetness, but more of a candy sugar taste. I could not detect any hops bitterness at all. There was a mild, sour "twang" on the finish.

I have had this beer before and this is pretty much how I remembered it. It is not bad, but I am not overly impressed with it either. I am not a sweet beer lover, or a big doppelbock fan. However, it is probably a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2003 17:32:47 | More by Quaffer

sopor

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I can sum my thought of this beer pretty quick: "Double Oktoberfest"

Now normally I don't like Munich, Vienna, or German Pale malts as are used a lot in Oktoberfest biers, but the flavors in this brew are rich and welcoming.

Looks like brown sugar and molasses showing ruby light under a tan finger of head. Smells strongly of German malts and a slight coffee bitterness.

Strong caramel and german malt with stinging carbonation adding to a bit of "twang". Hints of chocolate and molasses sneak through with a note of coffee roast bitternes.

Very drinkable for as much German Malt as there is.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 14:00:42 | More by sopor

Onibubba

Kentucky

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My second try on this beer. Had one about 6 months ago and was not impressed. Ready to give it another go. Pours a dark brown almost black with a beige short lived head. Still life in a glass. Smell is all malt all sorghum and molassas. Some notes of burnt sugar. Intriquing. Maybe my palatte has changed as this smells better than I recalled.

Taste is heavy with the sorghum. Sweet in a totally different way than the sweetness of a JW Lee or a Duchesse. It is not a cloying sweetness. There is a smokey or burnt sugar undertone which applies a sort of bitterness. It's all a bit much for me. The taste is certainly not "average," but I would be hard pressed to call it "good."

While it is heavy tasting stuff, it is surprisingly thin in the mouthfeel. No carbonation to speak of. To me, this is usually a good thing, but in this case, it feels somewhat watery to be honest.

This beer gets some high reviews and must be a good example of the style. I just have to conclude that dopplebocks are not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2007 13:52:03 | More by Onibubba

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
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

jeffthecheff

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark, reddish brown with nice head into the celebrator glass. Edges of the brew are lighter red and middle is black. I love when that happens.

Very nice strong smell of dark dried fruits from the malt.

Taste is not exactly my cup of tea, although I give it credit for its strong complex flavors. Licorice and burnt malt flavors come through. Keep this one out about 45 minutes before drinking, as its much better when its warmer.


Heavy mouthfeel with a bit of acidic aftertaste. I'm not digging the aftertaste so much, which also affects its drinkability. I sipped on this one for a long time, and I didn't feel like grabbing another. But if I liked the taste more this would be a good, easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2008 01:50:37 | More by jeffthecheff

beerhan

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a pint glass and split. I really could not get into this beer but It probably is great if you like this style. I pours a nice dark brown with a foamy head but then everything goes down for me. Tastes and smells way too smokey and I did not find this to balance well with the caramel maltiness that much. Overall I found it just too thick and not very drinkable for what it was.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 15:29:22 | More by beerhan

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a thick opaque black with a tiny tiny mocha head that didn't even cover all of the beer. The smell is primarily of figs and prunes. There might be some skunkiness in there too.
The taste was also very sweet and like figs. It had some hops to balance it, but not quite enough, giving it sort of a taste that I associate with the smell of the cat food I used to give my cats. So, I'm not really a fan. But it was an alright, decent beer. I don't usually ever say a beer is overly sweet because I like sweet beers, but sometimes they just are. And this one was. Too sweet, that is.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 07:43:27 | More by ElCommodoro

tjthresh

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle. Poured a beautiful mahogany with a creamy light brown head that clings well to the sides of the glass. Aroma is not at bold as I expected and that’s a let down for me. Prunes and chocolate chew are the major player. Flavors of smoke, chocolate, prune juice. abound. Full body.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2006 15:59:25 | More by tjthresh

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

3.4/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Got a 330mL single of this apparently epic brew at Harvest Fine Wine in West Hartford CT for $3.18. Served cold in a chilled goblet.

A hard pour of this dark brown brew gives a reluctant 1/2" of creamy tan head that settles quickly to a thin layer. A generous level of carbonation is seen clinging to the inside of the glass. The nose is spot-on, thick and bready, brown sugar, some earthy nutty kind of aspects, banana. The feel is only moderately thick, fairly dry, with a fairly aggressive carbonation. Taste is kind of muddy- some earthy bitterness, burnt molasses, maybe some anise... all lumped together, none of it is distinct. Taste is much less interesting than the smell. Finishes with lingering bitter earth, mostly dry.

Pretty mediocre in my opinion, certainly nothing special. More like a dunkel than a doppelbock, especially in the lack of sweetness or body. Can't believe it rates this highly.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 23:22:20 | More by BeerNinja007

danielharper

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Purchased from Woody's Smokes and Brews, Franklin, TN.

Not a big fan of Dopplebocks. Take that as you will.

This beer pours dark with a thick off-white head. Very black body, but with a reddish tinge at the bottom of the glass. The head is thick and dissipates slowly.

I found it to have a roasty, matly aroma with complex flavor notes, almost licorice-like in quality. Enjoyable.

Overall taste was very similar, although I thought it was a bit more complex, with notes of coffee, chocolate, nuts, as well as the aforementioned licorice. It also had a bitter finish and aftertaste, but not unpleasantly so.

Mouthfeel was medium, with not much else to report, and drinkability was decent. Average scores on both fronts.

A note: After drinking this beer, I happened to wander past my fiancee, who got a whiff of me and was intrigued. She's not a fan of beer in the slightest, but I think the maltiness piqued her interest. She gave me a closer whiff, then started her own "tasting" by kissing me lightly on the lips several times, each time coming back with different flavors that she liked. (She's into wine and good food, and is probably a "supertaster".) She found licorice, coffee, pistachio nuts, and even bubblegum on me, and was getting more and more into it before suddenly reeling back and realizing that some unknown "beer" taste had just wafted into her consciousness, and now she was unable to enjoy the other flavors.

Does Ayinger make cologne or mouthwash? I can only wish.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2005 00:41:37 | More by danielharper

jujubeast6000

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed 10/17/2007 (bottle):

Pours a dark brown red color body, with some head, a tannish color. Belgian aroma, dark fruit, sugary, malty. Dark roasted flavor, wood, little dark fruit. Roasted aftertaste. Some alcohol, porter-ish. Okay for a porter-like taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 14:55:37 | More by jujubeast6000

dotsonjamesg

Arkansas

3.35/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bocks to me are just...eh, bleh. They aren't bad but I have never been truly impressed with them. I have never had an "A" graded bock so when I found "Ayinger Celebrator" I was curious. I wasn't sure if I was willing to pay $12.40 for a four pack of beer, especially for a bock. I have no problem throwing that money down for an four-pack, or even a single 22oz, of Imperial Stout but I just can't imagine paying that much for something with such little alcohol content and flavor.

I figure if this brew has such a good reputation, it must be worth trying it at least once. I just hope I don't get let down. Seeing the goats on the bottle reminded me of "Beerfest." "If you can drink Ram's piss, you can drink anything!"

Appearance: Poured a dark, filtered, cola brown with a dense of white head with moderate little, to light, retention and about the same for the lacing. The froth left on the side quickly dissipated and slide off the walls of my pint cup fairly quick. Not impressed.

Smell: The nose is pretty light and crisp with some earthy tones and bitter maltiness hidden in there. The brew is not very aromatic or impressive.

Taste: Bitter malty sweetness in the beginning that moves in to a subtle vortex of complexity. Hints of vanilla, chocolate, and fruit are subtle but still present. Light, malty, vanilla-like, bitter-sweetness lingers on for a bit after each gulp.

Mouthfeel: The medium body and low, yet smooth, carbonation really the brew go down easy.

Drinkability: In terms of alcohol content and flavor, its not worth a second try. I have another three from the four pack and I think that is going to be it for me. The brew itself is drinkable but it doesn't have a unique bite, nor is it high in alcohol. There really isn't any reason why I would buy this again.

Samuel Adam's had a lot more flavor, alcohol, and was cheaper. Plus I got twice as drunk for 3% less. Boo to Celebrator!

Germany aint got shit on American brewing!

Cheers!

-James

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 02:01:34 | More by dotsonjamesg

gregb13

California

3.35/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Cool bottle with a souvenir plastic goat aruond the neck. Looks like Coke with a tiny head and lacing. Not especially impressive, decent carbonation. Smells of dark, dried and candied fruit. Taste: caramelized sugar, raisins, dark bread (pumpernickel/rye), booze. Bittersweet aftertaste lingers slightly. This is pleasant but extremely overhyped. I would not jump through hoops to get it.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 06:54:43 | More by gregb13

Bruiser81

Kansas

3.33/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This brew poured dark brown with a deep ruby hue around the edges when held to the light. There was a big fizzy head that disappeared quickly which both surprised and disappointed me. The aroma is sort of tannic with a hint of sweetness and alcohol. Upon first sip I immediately thought this brew was going to be too sweet, however it doesn't finish that way. The middle is of alcohol finishing up with a little bit of hops to balance all that malty sweetness. Overall I was disappointed with this brew especially after all the good reviews. I think I'm starting to notice a trend, I don't care to much for this style of brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2003 18:58:48 | More by Bruiser81

Naes

New York

3.3/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance is brownish, black with hints of red showing through. The head is huge, sticky and milk chocolate colored.

The aroma is of super fermented malt.

Flavor is a complex blend of malts followed by a sugary sweetness. I think it tastes much better than it smells.

Moth feel is medium bodied and smooth.

An easily drinkable beer, but I would like to follow it with something different.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2005 04:55:45 | More by Naes

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

In Johnstown again for work so I went to Tulunes Southside Saloon....again! My second beer on this evening was the Celebrator Doppelbock from Ayinger. Not a Doppelbock fan so my grade for this beer will not be as high as others. The color was a ruby clear amber. The aroma had hints of honey and malt. The taste was very tart and sweet. Not a huge fan of the sweet malts that are generally put in Doppels. Due to the sweetness, the mouthfeel was rated lower than other beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:40:09 | More by WoodBrew

Winter

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Celebrator pours black in color with mahongany hues. Its creamy tan head only lingered briefly before fading. The body has a syrupy cling to the side of the glass. Aroma seems to consists of dark fruit, fig, feint chocolate malt and mineral water. Mouthfeel seems thinner than I'd expect from a doppelbock, but borders on being medium-bodied. Taste was somewhat of a disappointment and hard to pin down. Flavors of coffee, malt and alcohol are combined with a raisiny finish. Celebrator isn't as sweet, malty and flavorful as other doppelbocks I've tried in the past. A bit of a let down.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2003 07:55:19 | More by Winter

TPSReports

Alabama

3.28/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours completely opaque -- which I expected. What I did not expect was a lack of head. I poured this baby into a chalice, and I was greated with a minimal short lived dark brown head that settled into a small island in the middle of the chalice with a ring around the edge.

The aroma of this brew is unusual to me. Granted, I am no expert of Doppelbock's, but this is definitely different. I'm not sure exactly what the smell is -- stale roasted peanut shells, maybe. But lighter. Yes, I am confused and the beer is right here in front of me.

The taste is interesting. Much lighter than a stout, which is what I was somewhat expecting to taste. Apparently, I should have less preconceived notions. In any event, the taste is not complex. It is straightfoward without much depth, to my palate.

There is little carbonation feel, and the density is light and floaty -- not milky or creamy on the tongue.

I have three more of these in the cellar. I will drink them at some point or trade them with some friends who have a higher apprectiation for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2005 01:23:45 | More by TPSReports