Smooth Hoperator - Stoudts Brewing Co.

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +19.6%

03-04-2013 03:15:42 | More by WoodBrew

jaxon53

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-15-2013 23:00:10 | More by jaxon53

bigbluebeerguy

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -24.4%

06-12-2013 02:20:50 | More by bigbluebeerguy

Rheaume17

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-10-2013 16:30:56 | More by Rheaume17

Chaney

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty outstanding Doppelbock served in an Elysian snifter.

A: Dark, rusty amper color, but fairly clear in its disposition. One finger head.

S: Cherry Jolly Rancher.

T: Incredible malt backbone here with a mild, sweet bread quality that was pretty awesome. After the huge sip, I got a big chug of white pepper and yeast.

M: Much more carbonation for this style than I'm used to. I usually think of Doppelbocks as port-like. Not this one.

O: I can see why this one is so highly rated. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 04:07:27 | More by Chaney

beerfinder

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This is has a nice hoppy flavor which is odd for a double bock. I enjoyed this one alot. It is vey smooth. Usuallly I find double bocks tough on the palate. But not this one. It has the carmel taste along with the hops. I know its been around for years, but this is the first time I saw it on tap in my area.

Serving type: growler

06-06-2013 15:42:16 | More by beerfinder

Gww1864

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

06-05-2013 02:14:32 | More by Gww1864

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

06-03-2013 03:34:55 | More by BeerForMuscle

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

06-02-2013 18:57:00 | More by djrn2

acurtis

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%

06-02-2013 18:55:42 | More by acurtis

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

06-01-2013 01:23:40 | More by ThePorterSorter

Giantspace

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-27-2013 04:54:41 | More by Giantspace

JMScowcroft

Vermont

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Stoudts Brewing Co. - Smooth Hoperator - 12fl oz bottle

Look - Pours a clear maple syrup golden tinted brown and a hint of amber with a massive foamy head. Lots of sticky lacing. This is a beautiful looking brew.

Smell - Tangy sour yeast, malt, and some citrus hops. Mouth-watering in that regard, light but has a bite. Reminiscent of IPA meets Belgian-style but not as heavy, should be a bit heavier.

Taste - Smooth malt intro, then a yeasty blast and a metallic citrus hop creeper that is more on the bitter side. Almost like a bad apple cider this is overly tart. Too thin.

Mouthfeel - Tangy, sour, and slightly metallic yeast smashed into hops lingers. Medium bodied as in this brew should be thicker than this. Not boozy, but not great on drinkability either.

Overall - Interesting fusion (a hoppy doppelbock) but I am not sold on this one. I was excited after the pour, then lost some interest during the aroma phase, and it was all downhill from there, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 13:49:02 | More by JMScowcroft

aminobutyricacid

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -30.7%

05-25-2013 16:21:21 | More by aminobutyricacid

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-23-2013 21:01:53 | More by InspectorBob

Hendry

Vermont

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Kinda bought Smooth Hoperator alongside Stoudt's IIPA on a whim. Not realizing this was a Dopplebock upon purchasing, the beauty of beer shopping with other people's money (splitting the cost with buddies for out-of-state-varieties) allows one to stretch out the budget with a wider variety with less risk (getting hung with mutiples that don't meet the credentials of a second purchase).

The rich,creamy two finger head that rests atop the deep ruby hue stays put until settling down to a permanent cap with average lacing in the snifter style glass.

The nose is aggressively sweet and yeasty, behaving like a concoction brewed closer to Belgium than Germany (more so than U.S.A. especially), which is the birthplace of the Dopplebock. There are indeed some malts present in the aroma, but this is a sort of hopped up mongrel that defies description.

The taste is sharp and very European in the way of yeast delivery, but again, I'm thinking about Brussels rather than Munich (certainly not Pennsylvania, U.S.A.). There is an immediate sweetness of malts followed by a confusing and unexpected blend of aggressive yeast and hops. The long yeasty aftertaste is slightly apple-cidery and unusual, if not unique.

For my taste, this is a Dopplebock that is unsure of it's own identity: the yeasty kick seems more trapist inspired rather than what one would typically imagine from a quality German Dopplebock (such as Ayinger). While worth a try for those that appreciate Belgian yeastiness, this is one of those beers that makes me appreciate splitting six packs with friends so I don't have to look at 5 more bottles for the next year.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:14:31 | More by Hendry

Bill235

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-09-2013 21:46:31 | More by Bill235

HipHopinHooligan13

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-05-2013 15:17:09 | More by HipHopinHooligan13

Tim

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-25-2013 00:12:04 | More by Tim

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-19-2013 02:29:56 | More by DrunkinYogi

Cdunk11

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-12-2013 23:45:43 | More by Cdunk11

Immortale25

Florida

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Due South Brewing Co. snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a reddish dark amber color with a 3/4 inch tan head that retains pretty well before it works its way down to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a mostly full sheet of surface foam. Sudsy lacing leaves a thin ring behind on the glass.

S- Fresh piney hop aroma with some faint citrus notes. Good cereal grain sweetness. Smells more like an IPA than a Doppelbock. Overall, quite earthy.

T- Bitterness comes on strong and has little malt backing it given the color. Taste is slightly metallic and one-dimensional. Just bitter hops that are redundant and lack the citrus and sweetness from the aroma.

M- Sticky, borderline syrupy with a harsh bite from the hops and not much body. Medium carbonation.

O- The aroma is such a tease considering the rest of the beer's characteristics are closer to mediocre. By the way, they totally missed the chance to call this Hoppelbock. That would be a better name since the hops in this are anything but smooth.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 01:55:26 | More by Immortale25

dcbeers

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-07-2013 16:38:30 | More by dcbeers

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

03-24-2013 05:26:04 | More by onix1agr

TheBigBoy

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -37%

03-15-2013 21:23:28 | More by TheBigBoy