Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock - Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying

jwc215

New Jersey

4.9/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Comes with a cool plastic goat around the neck of the bottle and a highly decorative label.
Poured into a Celebrator glass.
Poured brown with ruby highlights, especially when held to the light. The creamy, slightly off-white two finger head slowly went to half the original size and remained for the long lasting drink.
The smell was a blanced mix of chocolate, caramel, and hints of rich coffee. There was a slight fruity aroma in the background that enhanced the delicious aroma.
The taste was superb. It was layers of rich, dark chocolate, robust coffee and caramel. As the drink slowly progressed, flavors of berry-like fruits came through to form an extremely well-balanced taste.
It was rich and creamy in the mouth. It reminded me of eating a rich chocolate cake with raspberry or strawberry filling.
If it weren't so rich/filling after a while (and not inexpensive) I would want to continue drinking these. It's one of my all-time favorites. Heaven in a bottle. Exceptionally smooth and delicious!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2006 18:15:21 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

330ml bottle, this was a favorite at an office party where I provided the input to the beer selection, a few years ago, at least now. Time to enjoy it while off the clock, I suppose.

This beer pours a moderately hazy, deep dark cola colour, with a multitude of foamy, bubbly, and somewhat creamy beige head, which leaves some solid spidery lace around the glass as it gradually settles.

It smells of musty caramel/toffee malt, softly bittersweet sticky molasses, muddled black fruit, bready biscuit notes, and floral, spicy hops. The taste is lightly roasted caramel malt, well-aged dark fruit, slick cafe au lait, ethereal chalky cocoa, a twinge of salty nuttiness, tobacco ash, and adequately bitter leafy, earthy hops.

The carbonation is quite mild, but hardly absent from its underlying duties, the body medium-full in weight, subtly rich, and decently smooth by the same measure. It finishes in a nicely balanced manner, the lingering malt complexities and noble hops acting like they've been through this a few times before.

Nothing surprising here - the effusive, long-running hype is more than well deserved. Call it what you will - the blueprint, the (almost) progenitor, whatever, this is a deftly rendered, crazily easy to drink, amped-up dark lager, for all your latent winter-despising needs.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 05:25:46 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked up a bottle at the Party Source in Syracuse.

A gorgeous beer with a bit thick head and lacing. The flavor isn't as rich as I'd like. It tastes of fruity licorice with back current and blueberry cobbler with a dry cocoa aftertaste. The mouthfeel here is fantastic, smooth and creamy with a bitter edge. Really wonderful balancing here. I'd like more flavor, but at the same time, it lacks the overpowering licorice root that other doppelbocks like Spaten's have that I don't care for as much. Definitely the best doppel I've had.

More cowbell (see below).

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2007 02:13:03 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I am drinking a 12 oz. bottle poured into my Lancaster Milk Stout tumbler. The beer is slightly chilled.

Appearance: The beer pours a deep midnight color. The edges reveal ruby red hints. It pours with a vigourous head that slowly dissapates.

Smell: Barley flourishes in the nose. The malts make themselves known up front. I also detect some licorice notes and even a bit of apple (green not red or yellow).

Taste: While the malts are present, they are not overpowering. I'd even go so far as to call them muted. There is a small hop presence, but not enough to register.

Mouthfeel: The malts are a little abrasive and they linger long after the beer has been swallowed.

Drinkability: Drinkable enough, I guess. The abv is not overpowering and the sweetness of the malts can make for a good drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2006 03:42:50 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Well, what can I say in comparison to Salvator, Sam Adams, and Moretti this Doppelbock was superior according to my taste buds. The deep amber tint of the beer shines through when the darkness of it when held up to the light. Aroma of this beer fulfilling by itself, but after tasting this malty treat I was truly fulfilled with pleasure. For the mouthful that each sip delivers it presents a heavy caramel, sweet plum, at the same time a pleasant driness if that makes sense. A very complex, but at the same time extraordinary offering that stands up to all standards of a great double bock. After how drinkable it was on tap, I can't wait to try it in a bottle to compare.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2002 22:09:41 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this years ago at Old C's in Boise but pickedup another bottle today.
Poured an amazing dark brown color. rich. Nose is toffee, caramel, chocolate, brown sugar with a roastiness. Taste is exactly what I want in a dopplebock. Nice mouthfeel, not too sticky, creamy but not too heavy. Drinkability is up there!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2008 12:14:05 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep mahogany cherry color--light does not shine through. Nice head with a little lace left on the glass as I drink this.

Very powerful caramel aromas; I like the touch of chocolate malt and hop. Still this is potently sweet smelling brew.

Perhaps the truest double bock in terms of taste...sort of the Guinness of d-bocks. While the caramel sweetness is present, it is not the main flavoring. There are chocolate notes, sinewy alcohol touches, and (quite surprisingly) excellent hop balance which I taste on the roof of my mouth as I swallow.

This is a thinner beer than I expected, but it really doesn't detract from the superior flavor. This beer is too potent to rapidly consume, but it does go down easily. Seek out and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2005 02:27:07 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.65/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is my first doppelbock. Poured into a Celebrator glass, pours a dark brown with a very nice head which disipates pretty quick, but leaves a very nice lacing. Has a sweet malty scent. WOW, I really love the taste of this brew, light body and very social drinkability. I would recommend this brew very highly. Speaking of recommending, I recommended this to a lady at the liquor store yesterday, but once she saw the price of $2.45 a bottle (4-Pack) she said she was going to Wal-Mart instead. ROTFFLMAO

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2005 19:13:27 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a three finger light brown head that fades quickly no lace. Almost black color. Light carbonation and heavy bodied. Molasses nose. Starts with a sweet molasses flavor, hints of roasted coffee in finish. Great double bock. $2.45 for a 11.2oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 22:17:07 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

(Served in a Pilsner glass)

A- This beer has a dark brown body with just a hint of light showing through in the thin part of the glass. The head is a big creamy light tan that last for most of the beer. The carbonation is lots of tiny champagne bubbles.

S- The smell of dark roasted malt and caramel are strong even during the pour. Some dry pale malt with a hint of Munich malt comes through with the big sweeter malts aswell. There is a nice soft sulfur and green hop bitterness at the finish.

T- Notes of smooth toasted and roasted malts with some dry crisp pale malt notes are nice. The taste is smooth and crisp with no sweetness in the taste. There is a slight coffee or bitter grain note in the finish. As it warms it has a nice toffee nutty note in the finish.

M- Medium-light mouthfeel with a smooth but watery texture.

D- This beer has a very smooth soft quality to the grain bill. The finish is dry with a soft hop note. The flavor has just enough malt complexity to leave me wanting more but not enough to make me satisfied.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2006 02:29:45 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz brown bottle with a plastic trinket goat tied around the neck. No freshness date, not to worry as this brew has a longer shelf life that normal beers.

Appearance: Dark and intense looking of a mahogany colour, a big frothy tan head lays on top that literally sticks around as long as the beer is there.

Smell: Whiffs of mild molasses and faint caramel entanlge with a dark bready aroma. Slight spicy alcohol, herbal hop and light toasted malt as well.

Taste: Huge chewy malt of light molasses and toasted bread with a sharp twang of an even hop bitterness and spicy alcohol. Some dried fruit comes through as well as some hop leaf flavour. Does not dry much in the end ... lots of residual sugars, lingering dark sugars and fading grain in the end.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth and creamy the modest carbonation after a sturdy pouring struggles to break free from this thick bodied brew.

Drinkability & Notes: This is the mother of all Doppelbocks ... nearly perfection in a bottle. Mellow yet towering, humbly complex and just a down right beautiful brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2002 14:05:35 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Small bottle, pours dark luxorious mahogony in color, with a dark tan head, showing respectable retention. Leaves moderate spotty and sticky lacing. Nose is of bananas, caramel and soft ripe fruit. Taste follows through with notes of caramel, vanilla, toffee, a slight oakeyness and a hint of smoke. Tasty, soft, and complex brew. World class and readily available beer. Go get some and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2006 02:47:41 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle into a pilsener glass.

a - Pours a deep dark brown color with light carbonation and 1.5 fingers of light tan head that has nice retention. Leaves some light lacing on the glass; looks perfect.

s - Smells of dark sticky sweet fruits, some sweet malts, roasted malts, and caramel malts. Very enjoyable.

t - Tastes of smooth roasted and caramel malts, as well as sweet and dark fruits.

m - Medium body and light carbonation, very smooth and easy to drink. Perfect feel to it.

d - Overall I thought this was a great beer and an amazing doppelbock. It had a great feel to it and was very easy to drink; I felt like I could drink a lot of these. It also had a nice sweet, dark fruit smell to it, but it wasn't too sweet. Would definitely have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2010 18:21:09 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into large oversized snifter

A: Dark charred brown color with almost no light through, thick frothy 1 finger head with good retention

N: Nose has some sweet dark malts with a little alcohol, deep fruits like raisin and a cramy scent

T: Taste starts with the rich malts and raisin, then moves to a strange dark biscuit like almost chocolate powder with a Christmasy taste that I can't figure out, more rich deep molases like syrupy taste, a slight sweet buttery candi sugar taste like caramelized bananas with walnuts

M: Mouth is very thick and frothy as well as syrupy as it coats the mouth

F: Finish is sweet but not too much, leaves more of the burnt brown sugar taste and toffee, makes my mouth water like crazy for more

Final thoughts: Not heavy on spices like I thought it would be, but lots of deep earthy fruits and rich malts, as well as caramelized sugars and fruits, surprisingly very drinkable for a double boch and celebration style beer. I can see why its so highly rated. I'm glad I can get ahold of this stuff easily. I'll be drinking a lot more in the fall.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2009 00:47:25 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle from BigLove as part of The Blue & Gray BIF. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed 3/4" of tan head over the dark amber brew. Head lasts well, with average to good lacing. Aroma is incredible, sweet malts, and nuttiness like you wouldn't believe. Taste is just what the nose portended, although maybe a little less so. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both incredible for the style. A standard for dBocks, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2005 02:44:18 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at the Drafting Room...
Appears a mahogany color with a lush, light tan head. The head refuses to fall and it leaves lots of streaky lacing around the glass.
Smell is of a malt lover's paradise. Fruity cake, caramel, cocoa, raisins, coffee, and anise.
Taste is of the same wonderful aromas that come through along with some mild smokiness and nice German hop additions.
Mouthfeel is smooth, medium bodied, and rich with a perfect amount of carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2006 02:06:02 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

5/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a very dark clear brown brew.

Smell is malt and a fine perfume. Smell is a bit sweet with some molasses smell.

Taste is all dark malt with a mild bitterness at the end. Spicy but not like a dark Belgian. The alcohol is well hidden and warms your whole body as you sip it.

Mouthfeel is perfect, a rich brew with a level of carbonation that tickles your tongue.

Super excellent Drinkability, a pleasure to sip anytime.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2004 01:59:33 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a dimpled mug.

Pours a dark brown with some ruby highlights around the edges and a big 2+ finger widths of creamy tan head that retained down very nicely into a still fairly large layer that left thick swathes of lace down the sides of the mug. The aroma is caramel sweetness, brown sugars, raisens, just the tiniest waft of alcohol.

The taste starts out with a blast of sweetness and thick malts (with just a touch of hop bitterness) that gives way to just the lovliest flush of cocoa powder and dark fruits. Finishes thick and sweet on the lips. The mouthfeel is a rich, creamy feel with just a touch of warmth.

Wow, wow, and double wow! This is by far the best Doppel Bock I've had yet with just a ton of rich yet clean flavors and an incredible drinkability. It's definitely one of the tops in its style!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2008 17:50:58 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep dark black/brown, with a big fluffy offwhite head, that settles down with generous lacing. Smells earthy, dark malts, little sweet, dark fruits as well. Malt body really coats the tongue, dark cherries, molasses, sweet malt, irony taste. Full and creamy on the mouth, perfect carbonation levels, this is definately a world class brew!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2005 03:39:19 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer goes "Glug, glug, glug" as you pour it. It lays out a hefty tannish brown head that has some staying power. Color is very dark ruby, but not black. Aroma is wonderful. Incredibly intense malt tones and a nice sweetness detected.
Taste is good, but a little lighter than I expected. Note that I said, "lighter than expected." This beer does have some depth and complexity. But the body is not as heavy as I expected either. Don't get me wrong, this is a great brew. Great tastes of molasses and sweet malt. A nice yeasty flavor. Some breadiness. No hops detected, but there must be some to balance the malt load of this. This is in the elite class of Doppels in my opinion (along with Bell's Consecrator, Spaten Optimator, Sammy Adams and Sprecher).

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2002 21:39:05 | More by Bighuge

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draft at Teresa's in Wayne, PA

Pours a very dark brown with foamy tan head that forms a lacing that lasts throught the whole glass. Malty aroma with hints of chocolate, toffee and roasted coffee. Very quaffable, smooth and easy to drink with malty chocolate flavor, caramel, toffee, and roasted malt.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2008 23:04:19 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.93/5  rDev -33%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Hey doppelbock's just aren't my style. Pours like some dark rust. Smell is a little more intriguing, not a turn off, very earthy, alcohol smell to it. Tastes like a combination of a rauchbier and trader joe's doppelbock. Meh. No hop presence, just some thin malt and alcohol to it. German mead.

All that dark fruit, belgian yeast? and alcohol just isn't a fun experience for me. YMMV. Don't take my score seriously, its just my score.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 17:26:51 | More by Beerandraiderfan

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

21st Oct 2012: Cafe De Grendelpoort in Valkenburg is now in ABT Allientie van Bier Tapperijen, the Dutch bar group of friends who promote good beer. Every month they have an on-tap beer (in each of the bars) never before seen on tap in The Netherlands. My luck was in because this lovely beer was the chosen one for Oct 2012.

I had quite afew during my three night stay in town: There are enough reviews of this on here already, but it is a cracking brew and I thought even better on-tap than the bottled version. Having it poured into the correct stemmed vase-like glass adds to the enjoyment as well.

Just a joy to find it on-tap!

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 08:57:24 | More by BlackHaddock

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
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

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: ?

I have had this on tap and in bottles, but as to when and where I first had it, I do not remember. Probably Eulogy or something.

Cherry cola color, hazy and thick, with a decently-sized tan head that recedes quite a bit but still leaves a good coating of lace on the glass. Malty aroma, caramel, roast, cocoa and dark fruits. Taste of sweet malts and caramel, roasted grains and nuts, raisins and figs, a touch of chocolate; malt-dominant, but I still pick up a faint hoppiness in the finish. Medium-bodied, flavorful, and highly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 03:38:41 | More by Rifugium