Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock - Hinterland Brewery Restaurant

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.11/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First of all, trying to get into this bottle was like trying to get into Fort Knox. The wax was like a some cross-linked UV cured urethane. Damn near had to make a trip to the ER after nearly slicing my finger off with the sharp object I was using to chisel my way in. Then after finally popping it, I got crumbs all over that I needed to be careful not to get in the beer. Some probably did. Hopefully no glass shards did. I may be making that trip to the ER after all if they did :<(

Tarnished brown body with a slight beige cap. Lacing comes in the form of rings....moderately spaced. The aroma is strong...I'll give it that. Heavy on the bourbon, which I like, and a slickly sweet aroma as well. Flavor is pretty solid overall. Sweet without teetering over that edge of cloying. Bourbon is noticeable. Fairly malty. Not a lot of depth, but it's pretty good with it's two edged sword of malt sweetness and bourbon. Lightly carbonated and medium bodied. Could use a little heft. Solid beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 03:53:03 | More by Bighuge

maximum12

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

First, to Hinterland: take a fucking road trip to New Glarus & get a lesson on how to wax a bottle. I needed seven minutes & three tools to get the stupid thing open. That alone will keep me from buying this, or another waxed Hinterland beer, again, because I'm fucking annoyed before I even peep the beer. Oh, hey, I see other people had this problem, too. 16.9 ounces of well-shaken beer.

Pour is a dull brown with staid red highlights, like a Willmar girl who hasn't been to the salon in too long. Carbonation is quick & done, despite the vigorous handling. Nice dopple nose with caramel, toffee, sweets, & a quick flash of vanilla. Pretty nice.

Bourbon Barrel Dopplebock is as thin as a starving mannequin. Mouthfeel is skeletal, watery & aimless. The base beer is a letdown from the smell: toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, but all washed out & lifeless because of the lack of a backbone. On the plus side, the lack of thrust makes it very easy to drink...perhaps my first session barrel-aged doppelbock.

A big step down from the nose to the mouth, & the base beer appears to be outclassed & pummeled into irrelevance by the barrel: it needs to hit the gym. Overall, just another mediocre beer. But that fucking wax...

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 03:38:09 | More by maximum12

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.59/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Lol at taking a long time just to open this beer. Why don't they just put a padlock on this thing?!

Mahogony brown colored. Somewhat fizzy khaki head.

The taste is kind of meh. It lacks the depth of a doppelbock that I was expecting. The bourbon flavors give it a nice boost, but it is still lacking a lot. Very woody and bready. Lots of malts.

The body is fairly thin, but I like how smooth it is. It has a great feel to it.

Overall, I will enjoy this one bottle and that will probably be it. If it had more dopplebock flavors (dark fruits, molasses, etc) this beer would be great. However, most of the bock flavors are muted.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 01:48:03 | More by mothman

Boto

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16oz. bottle: This one was tough to get into. The plastic (seemed harder than wax) seal needed some serious chipping to get past it. The beer pours a ruby tinged brown color. There was very little head on it, and it didn’t linger or leave any lacing. The aroma is nice. Some bourbon, but not overpowering. Hints of vanilla and chocolate. Some caramel also. More of a medium bodied beer. The taste is good. Chocolate and caramel malts. Hints of the vanilla and just a touch of the bourbon. Hints of dark fruits also. Very little sweetness to it. Tasty. Nothing really special about it, but it is still good.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 20:33:10 | More by Boto

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

after fighting with the wax and bottle cap for over 10 minutes i finally made a dent in the wax and was able to chip away at the cap and fold half of it over. what the fuck guys, i've seen better wax jobs on homebrews made from crayons!

poured a deep brownish red with 2 fingers of head and excellent retention. smells of vanilla, chocolate, subtle notes of bourbon, oak.. very mellow scents from a barrel aged beer.
the flavor is a delicious sweet wet pecan like profile up front, blended with a subtle bourbon vanilla and a faint hint of coffee. not overwhelming on the bourbon, which is good for a change - you get to taste the actual malty sweetness of the beer and the other delicious characteristics.

medium in body, lightly carbonated, slightly watery for a barrel aged beer.

honestly, not a bad beer at all.. very tasty. my only grudge is the damn wax.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 02:15:03 | More by facundoCNB

csiewert

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ok let's start with the bottle itself... If you want your beer to be enjoyed, make sure you can open it. The wax was so hard and brittle that it took 10 minutes just to chip it away so you could get some leverage on the cap... Then some wax inevitably made it into the beer itself... Unfortunately packaging is not a rating here, but I wanted to voice my opinion.

A - thin dark copper color, clear with a trace of tan head that dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

S - toasted oats, caramel and vanilla... Very sweet, but nicely apparent

T - this reminds me of maple brown sugar oatmeal... The vanilla from the bourbon barrel is up front, with a nice bready backbone. No off flavors here.

M - thin, watery... Would expect something this to be a little thicker in mouthfeel

O - an average doppelbock... I think the bourbon barrel aging plays well, but the base beer was poorly executed

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:31:21 | More by csiewert

crusu

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

After chipping away at the cap it poured a nice copper brown- decent head.

Smells like candied sugar, coconut, vanilla, cherry and of course bourbon.

Taste as good as it smells with first warm hints of bourbon and toasted coconut followed by a nice hint of vanilla and maraschino cherries. As the beer warmed to room temp it had hints of raisin and plum. Almost like a Trappist?? Still had lingering notes of vanilla and caramel finishing with a nice gentle after bite.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 06:01:14 | More by crusu

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a brownish-red with limited head that did not lace. Wonderful aroma, full of candied plums and Bourbon Whiskey. Clean flavours. Sweet dark fruit, toffe, and Bourbon. Lovely, lovely Bourbon. Very harmonious. Vanilla, molasis, subtle char. A Bourbon beer that tastes like beer first, not the other way around. Overal a medium sweet sipper. Nothing over the top....not the best burbon barrel i've had, but a nice beer nontheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 17:50:30 | More by WoodBrew

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a dark brown color with two fingers of tan head that lasts for about two minutes, but doesn't leave behind much lacing on the glass. Medium-light body and carbonation levels. As an aside, the bottle had FAR too much wax on it, I really had to struggle with knives for several minutes to chip away enough of it to pop the cap off.

It has a medium dollop of bourbon flavor and aroma to it that seems well balanced with the caramel, toffee, and dark bready malts. Still, it's not quite at the intensity level of bourbon / wood that most other barrel aged beers I've had present. It's an easy-going BBL aged doppelbock, something I had no idea even existed up until now, and I'm not sure I'd seek this one out again when I can access bolder offerings on the shelf at the store for similar price points. And that thinner body is somewhat distracting. What this beer needs to do is maintain the balance levels of it's parts while turning up the volume knob to 8-10. Because right now, it's at 5.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 21:29:13 | More by WastingFreetime

yamar68

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice looking bock - murky copper/brown body, pretty still looking, a dense beige cap swells to fill the mug, good lacing.

Smooth dark caramel, root beer notes, subtle bourbon character, earthy malts, toffee, a pretty well balanced smelling beer.

Smoky charred oak, dull berry notes, maple syrup, brown sugar, fresh tobacco, slightly bitter on the tail end. Not too potent... very smooth, clean. Could use a bit more body. Not mind-blowing but tasty nevertheless.

Give it a go if you're curious.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:00:51 | More by yamar68

mjryan

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Whoa! Nice wax job. A beer that makes you work to get at it. I like that haha. Brown/ red beer. Wonderful aroma, full of candied plums and Bourbon Whiskey. Clean flavours. Sweet dark fruit, toffe, and Bourbon. Lovely, lovely Bourbon. Very harmonious. Vanilla, molasis, subtle char. A Bourbon beer that tastes like beer first, not the other way around. Overal a medium sweet sipper. Nothing over the top, just easy and well made.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 02:31:01 | More by mjryan

equi1ibrium

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - light amber, lacing dissipates quickly

S - malt, toffee, bourbon

T - mostly malt with the bourbon and fairly well balanced

M - not what i would expect for a dopplebock, very thin but not overly so

O - A nice brew from hinterland, but would rather drink a Maple Bock. Nothing I would go
out of my way for but can say I tried. The bottle is is wax dipped they say, but this is plastic dipped and very hard to open. Wax peels off, this you have to chip off.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 03:57:45 | More by equi1ibrium

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From 10/20/12 Tasting Notes... 16oz bottle in CBS snifter. Served slightly chilled.

A) This poured out a cloudy Nuttela brown, with about a finger of head, which quickly settled to a collar. Light lacing...

S) Quite bready, vanilla, caramel, and a little whiskey.

T) I got a good amount of malt out of this... Bready,lightly toasted, caramel, vanilla, earthy hops and alcohol.

M) A fairly light body, maybe just thinner than I was hoping. The carbonation was fine. A few rough edges from a mouthfeel standpoint. A decent woody/earthy aftertaste.

O) I like Hinterland, but I think this one needs a little tweaking to be really good, or exceptional. If you come across a bottle, give it a try. It's okay....

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 12:53:01 | More by RoamingGnome

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

$7.99 for a half liter Euro style bottle.

I agree with BeerFMAndy -- the waxed cap is attractive but was a dog to get off. I nearly impaled myself several times with a knife trying to chip away at the brittle plastic wax. Skip the wax next time.

A: nice, nearly clear, mahogany color, poured with a decent head that dissipated to a thin wisp of bubbles around the glass
S: definitely malty doppelbock with bourbon barrel noticeable but not overwhelming
T: I didn't think this would be a good mix but Hinterland did a decent job, the heavy malt backbone is still there with a decent and noticeable amount of bourbon barrel throughout
M: very smooth and drinkable for its ABV, but I couldn't see drinking more than a bottle or two at a setting

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:54:55 | More by wisrarebeer

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz wax-dipped bottle poured into a Hinterland tulip.
No date or info.

A - While wax-dipping a bottle can certainly increase it's attraction, it can also hinder the beer. Case in point; this wax is so brittle it chips and breaks, nearly falling into the beer. My recommendation? Use a knife (carefully!) to cut around the base of the cap, then pry off. Once safely aside, the beer pours a gorgeous deep mahogany color which, despite it's dark nature is clear. A short-lived tan head caps the pour and dots the tulip in specks of lace.

S - Bourbon is immediately apparent through this beer but by no means is it boozy, in fact, Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock uses it's time in the barrels to juxtapose the malt's interaction. Rich caramel and Munich sweetness dwell in the background of this smooth lager but become more open as it warms, blending wonderfully with the charred oak and alcohol warmth.

T - Lost in translation, the rich maltiness of the aroma thins out considerably in flavor, imparting it's nuances but not the full breadth of their capabilities. Amber-like toasted malts trickle in some breadiness while light caramel and Munich sweetness barely come through. Wood paneling is a bit more reminiscent of an old basement rather than typical barrel aging, though this seems to have spend much less time in barrels judging by it's respectably light traces of the spirit.

M - Hinterland's Doppelbock does a fantastic job of minimally aging the base beer for an outcome that's not a pure booze-bomb rife with alcohol heat. But what's not so fantastic is the thin feel of the base doppelbock which would normally be a rich, malty, and sweet German lager. Hinterland get's it right with the crispness and cleanliness of lagering though, and that's quite admirable. I just wish the beer had a fuller body.

O - There's a fine line to walk when one barrel ages beer. To be too thin? Or to sway into utter booziness... It becomes hard to please everyone, but Hinterland does a great job at walking that line down the center, letting their doppelbock breathe and open with an aromatic spirit nose but the base beer just seems rather...flat, regardless of barrel aging. A doppelbock is a rich, hearty style; "liquid bread" to the monks, and while this beer is very nice, it doesn't quite reach that status. Look for this version to be much more drinkable and less filling, a terrific fall treat!

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 23:57:56 | More by BeerFMAndy

ncketchum

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Chimay chalice, cellar temp

A - pours a cola brown with off-white head

S - bourbon, malt, toffee, vanilla

T - good amount of the bourbon comes through, then some sweet toffee, malt

M - fairly thin, a bit of alcohol burn in the end

O - this is a nice offering from Hinterland, glad I got a hold of a bottle. This makes me want to try more of what they have to offer.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:35:28 | More by ncketchum

scones

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Ok, so before reviewing anything, I've got to agree with the other guy who made the comment about the wax. THEY. USED. WAY. TOO. MUCH. The thing took me probably 10 minutes just to get the cap off, and now I've got all these little black wax shavings on my desk. Sure, it's a nice touch, but jesus jones back it down, Hinterland.

As for the beer when I was actually able to pour it...

Appearance: Deep dark copper brown, with maybe a finger of thin white head. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Definitely get a lot of bourbon straight out the gates, followed by the standard barrel smells of vanilla and oak. A little bit of syrupy smell too.

Taste: Less bourbon than the nose, but definitely present. Sweet and malty, but not as flavorful as I'd like. I mean I really like the flavor, but it's a little weak, almost watery.

Mouthfeel: Too thin. The carbonation is fizzy, not rich, and overall it is lacking in body. I think this is the most disappointing part of this beer - it's like I'm drinking a really really tasty Coors Light or something.

Overall: Good, not great. I'd certainly drink it again, but I doubt I'd buy it again for $6 a pint. Although, this might be a really good session beer - you have to spend so much time fiddling with the wax that there's no way you could get hammered on it.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:21:16 | More by scones

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Auburn, brown with a tan head and small spotty lacing.

S - Wet oak, vanilla, light bourbon notes and sweet caramel malts.

T - Toasted bread with sweet caramel malts, hint of brown sugar, vanilla and light bourbon notes.

M - On the thin side of medium with light carbonation.

D - Need to work on the waxing of the bottle. Took me almost 10 minutes to pry the wax off. Seems a little thin and watery for a doppelbock and could use a little more complexity from the bourbon aging.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 02:57:27 | More by brewcrew76

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pint bottle poured into a Brewers pint glass

Appearance- Copper color with a small amount of white head that dissipates quickly into a small film above the beer.

Smell- I get a sweet cherry smell with a small amount of a charing smell and a slight hint of bourbon.

Taste- Similar to the nose minus the cherry. Very nice toasty/roasty flavor with a bourbon finish. They do a very good job of making the Doppelbock the star of the show, with a small but great supporting role played by the bourbon.

Mouthfeel- Medium body with light carbonation, very easy on the palate.

Overall- They did a nice job here incorporating classic doppelbock flavors with the bourbon barrel twist. If this was not barrel aged it would be a run of the mill doppelbock, but the bourbon barrel aging does just enough to make this a good complex beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 13:06:22 | More by BrownAleMale