Triple Bock
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

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From:
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
 
United States
Style:
Doppelbock
ABV:
13.2%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 7.02%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
25
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 24, 2017
Added:
Nov 29, 2008
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 3.74 by alcohline_trip from Pennsylvania

Jan 24, 2017
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.96 by madelf66 from Pennsylvania

Aug 26, 2016
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Small format corked and caged bottle. Big thanks to ClockworkOrange for sharing this. The brew pours a clear mahogany color with ruby through the body and orange highlights on the edges. It is still looking except just a few bubbles collecting around the perimeter.

The aroma is sweet smelling almost like belgian candy sugar. Somewhat fruity with burnt toffee, caramel, raisin, molasses and a little booze.

The taste includes that previously mentioned candy sugar sweetness a bit burnt with raisin and molasses. Quite fruity to floral alcohol warmth and slight oxidized touch that gets faintly herbal across the finish.

This is a full bodied brew with a light amount of carbonation. It is boozy but sweet enough to hide the alcohol very well. This was a very enjoyable sipper. I would pick up a couple of these if they ever revisited it.
Dec 10, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

Nov 24, 2013
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.59/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Sampled April 2012
A steady pour into my Lost Abbey Teku glass produces a one finger thick, lightly browned, dark tan head. The beer is a concentrated brown color that shows opaque when held up to the light as I was pouring it I noticed that it was still quite hazy, despite sitting for all this time, and amber brown in color. The beer smells of concentrated, savory, almost umami laden malt character. It almost seems to have an oxidation character to this, but this might just be the dense, savory malt character. The aroma reminds me of salty dried plumbs, perhaps a touch of dried fig (but on the savory side rather than sweet side), and really smells like a dense, dark brown bread (I am thinking of a rustic, northern German Schwarz Brot). There is a touch of sweetness underneath the savory concentrated malt character, but this only comes through if you dig around; the sweetness really helps to accentuated concentrated fruit notes that definitely are reminiscent of prunes, and figs. I do thing that there is some oxidation character here

Thick and rich, and sweeter than I was expecting from the nose. This is definitely a sipping beer as I find myself stopping half way through my first sip just to let the beer soak in. The finish has touches of bitter cocoa, a linger molasses character (think the impurities rather than the sweetness), a hugely nutty, black bread flavor that moves the beer from sweet to a more savory character in the finish. The sweetness is never shaken entirely as it does linger on in the palate for quite some time. The sweetness really accentuates a fruitiness in the flavor that again reminds me of prunes and perhaps a touch of figs. The malt has a dry, toasted, brown bread, almost grassiness to it that helps to boost some of the savory character. The alcohol is actually quite well hidden here, especially given this beers strength.

Definitely a good attempt at this “style”, the malt character is definitely huge and concentrated here. I really like how savory the aroma is, though the flavor could be a touch less sweet than it is, but this is still quite an enjoyable, slowly sipping beer; a great way to spend a long evening.
Sep 30, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Oct 15, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by ububru from Pennsylvania

Jan 16, 2012
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A 375 mL (approximate size) bottle from Iron Hill. The accompanying 3-D blue/red glasses are somewhere around here. With a cork and cage.

A: The triple bock is dark, looking deep and mysterious with coffee/cola colors at the edges. The center of the beer is a morass of darkness, impenetrable. No head whatsoever, the bock sits with a disconcerting stillness; there is such a thing as too quiet.

S: Boozy, bready, fruity, strong. The triple bock packs quite a wallop in the nose. A mild smokiness runs through the bock, livening it up as it attempts to wear me down. The booziness creates a Belgian-like candi sugar aroma, very strong even from an arm's length away, that has prunes and raisins in spades. Blind, I'd call it a quadrupel or a BSDA.

T: Whoa! The sweet fruitiness, the raisins and prunes, strikes first with a syrupy provenance. That sweetness has, in its wake, the smokiness from the nose. The fruits can't hide the booze, the strength immediately evident. Brown sugar follows, adding to the darker sweetness that the bock can't shake. The breadiness holds the whole package together, keeping the fruits in check while providing the fuel for the strength. The stillness here, as opposed to other beers, benefits the bock. It focuses the rich flavors in one place, allowing them to take off. Very rich but very strong with the dark fruits lingering like a serious Belgian ale.

M: One bottle, hell this one is too big. Better in a nip bottle, this one may hurt in the morning. The two years of cellar time has done the beer justice, a complex rich drink.
Jan 16, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 11, 2012
Photo of DefenCorps
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I grabbed this at the Iron Hill in Wilmington close to two years back, and never got around to drinking it until tonight, 'cos I need to make room in my fridge for Hopslam.

In my snifter, this pours a ruddy brown, very clear and moderately carbonated. There a thin, brown head that's rises briefly before falling off to nothingness. No real legs either.

Unlike the more famous Triple Bock, this is actually quite pleasant. Rich and fruity, this is rummy and has a moderate caramelized Munich malt character. Quite like a fruitcake, there's quite a hefty sweetness, sugary and raw, a blend of brown sugar and unrefined sugar (jaggery). The fruit is a blend of raisins and prunes, and letting it breathe emphasizes the prunes. No bitterness is perceptible, though the alcohol does lighten things up a bit.

One of the first things I'm struck by as I take a sip is how well the alcohol is integrated here. It lends a pleasant heat and helps lighten the palate, cutting through the intense sugar character here. In some ways, it's like a saturated sugar solution caramelized, with a blend of simple, brown and unrefined sugar and then steeped in raisins, vanilla, prunes and dates. The prune character is a bit distracting, especially as I keep drinking this. In some ways, it makes me think of the flavors present in a rum and Pepsi. The finish has a little bit of burnt sugar, prunes and drying alcohol. The burnt sugar is nice, as it provides a little bit of balancing bitterness, thought not much. Thick and chewy, this beer is too thick to hold its carbonation for too long, turning slightly still in a way that works. Solid stuff, a good sipper and good if you need a sugar boost. Reminiscent of the Bruery's anniversary beers, but arguably better (I inflated Coton's score so bad, I need to fix it). I'd recommend this.
Jan 14, 2011
Photo of 05Harley
Reviewed by 05Harley from New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Comes corked and caged with a 3D label. Even comes with your own 3D glasses.

No bottled on date on bomber.

Traded with Gran8man to get this one.

Appearance: Mahogany/brown in color with little to no head. Cloudy and unfiltered. Quite viscous which shows on the glass.

Smell: Tons of raisins and molasses up front with roasted malts. Has a similiarity to a wine, very sweet smelling.

Taste: Sweet with heavy fruit flavors raisins, dates and prunes. Alcohol noticeable.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy. Fairly smooth and finishes dry.

Drinkability: A definite sipper. Alcohol makes it's presence known. This beer for me is best served as a dessert or on a cool night next to a fire. One or two bottles and that's plenty.
Jun 06, 2010
Photo of wisrarebeer
Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin

3.56/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the bottle: OG 1.140, Color (DEG L) 16, IBU 31, ALC 13.2

A: extremely deep, near-opaque, dark brown color
S: noticeable alcohol, definite sweetness, almost has a powdered malt nose
T: taste was decent, hard to really place this beer into any specific category because of its lack of comparisons with other beers - is it an eisbock? , sweet, somewhat cloying but not OTT, could have used a bit more hops, but not much more, thick,
M: thick and viscous on the tongue
D: remarkably drinkable for the ABV and sweetness

Worth a try but not something I'd have too often.
Feb 18, 2010
Photo of PretzelCity
Reviewed by PretzelCity from California

3.82/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Been sitting on this one for a while now. Tonight was it's night. Poured out a deep dark brown with a thin tan head that quickly recedes to lacing around the glass. Smells of alcohol, raisins and dried figs. Taste is a little sweet with some booze and of course raisins and dried figs. Alcohol comes out in the finish. A bit of a sweet malt backbone, sort of reminds me of a tamer version of the Sam Adams Triple Bock, a little more developed. Decent balance, some good complexity reveals itself as it warms up. Pretty smooth, age probably helped this one out as the alcohol is still pretty hot but drinkable but not for more than a glass or two. Medium to full bodied, this is a decent beer but I wouldn't go out of my way to get another one.
Feb 11, 2010
Photo of slaintemhor
Reviewed by slaintemhor from Oregon

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I got to try a bottle of this in September of 2009 thanks to a friend who got it in a beer trade. The colour was a true ruby with no head at all. The aroma was sweet with plenty of toffee and a hint of phenols. On the palate, sweetness, lots of froth, toffee, caramel and even a hint of soy sauce.
Feb 10, 2010
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

3.87/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Received this brew from masterchiefmd as an extra not so far back. I've enjoyed the couple brews I've had from Iron Hill but I think this may indeed be my first Triple Bock. Haven't been brave enough to pull the trigger on Sam Adams monstrosity. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior tulip while watching the Twins vs. Yankees.

Appearance- Pours a super duper dark brown with a very modest dark tan head. Not a cap to be found but a super small collar remains that's too lazy to leave any lacing.
Smell- Big and malty and although I've never had a Triple Bock, it smells exactly as I imagined. Lots of caramel and brown sugar and just a touch of sweet milk chocolate. Some dark fruits as well consisting of prunes, plums and caramel covered raisins. Almost even has a dark Belgium candy like scent as well.
Taste- Big intense flavors as a lot of sweetness and fruitiness seems to pop out of my glass. Malty and dark there is a semi bitter roastiness and some sweet milk chocolate. Burnt sugars a plenty and some deep dark molasses. Loads of rum soaked raisins, black cherries, over ripened prunes (lol?) and Fig Newton filling. Sort of candyish too as I get a bit of cotton candy, bubblegum and red licorice. Really just a crazy plethora of flavors. I get a bit of warmth in the finish but the 13% is hidden extremely well.
Mouthfeel- Big, thick and super rich. The carbonation is fairly spritzy considering the heaviness of the body.
Drinkability- Well I wouldn't be able to put down more than 1 of these per month but it's a good sipper. I do not like sweet beers whatsoever but I can appreciate this for what it is. Thanks much MC!
Oct 31, 2009
Photo of naproxen
Reviewed by naproxen from District of Columbia

4.07/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
My first thought after my initial sip was entirely regarding how nonabrasive a 13% triple bock could be. While indeed a sipper, I found no alcohol burn in either the aroma or mouth. Even more, the entire body of this beverage is much lighter than expected, almost too thin. This is entirely overshadowed by the lovely flavors that come at you from this beast: raisins, chocolate, a touch of creamy caramel, and even maybe the slightest soy hint, but nothing to cry about. A 375 will split lovely between two appreciators to cap off the night I promise.
May 05, 2009
Photo of hwwty4
Reviewed by hwwty4 from Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to akorsak for this one.

Poured a 375ml bottle into my New Belgium globe. This beer pours a oily dark mahogany, with a subtle beige head that eventually made its way into a ring around the glass leaving no lacing. The aroma is dark fruits - dates and raisins, a bit of salty soy sauce, molasses and just a slight acetone aroma that seers the nose hairs. The flavor is big and bold. Huge raisin and plums with molasses, soy sauce, cherries, a bit of vanilla and a nice warming alcohol burn at the finish. The mouthfeel is full and oily, coating the mouth with a big raisiny sweetness but still finishing incredibly dry. Iron Hill's makes some really solid beers and this is just one in a long line.
Apr 10, 2009
Photo of PittBeerGirl
Reviewed by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
13 oz bottle won in one of Leftmindedrighty's LIFs. Thanks for the opportunity to try this great beer!

A-Body is a transparent very dark mahogany color.Pours with a 1/2 finger foamy off-white head. When held up to the light one can see the transparent dark red hues shining through.

S-Nose is on the sweet side with a thick molasses coming through first. This is followed by caramel, toffee, a hint of chocolate, and alcohol.

T-Sweet molasses, caramel, and toffee are upfront with a nice smooth malty backbone. The finish intensifies the initial flavors and adds a big alcohol heat to the mix. What lingers is sweet molasses, a hint of caramel, and a big alcohol heat.

M- Low to medium carbonation and somewhat thick body.

D- This is a great beer and reminds me more of a Scottish Ale than a dopplebock because of its heaviness, heat, and sweetness. The 13% definitely contributes to the nose but isn't overpowering. What was surprising to me about this brew is that the alcohol only adds a nice warmth to the overall flavor rather than astringency. A very nice touch. This makes me want more from Iron Hill.
Mar 04, 2009
Photo of joepais
Reviewed by joepais from Maine

4.32/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks Dim
I poured this bottle into my Pilsener glass it produced a two finger tan head, on top of a reddish brown body. The head trails off to a thin lace.

Aromas of sweet fruit are the first thing that hit me. Then I get some molasses and grapes Wow this is not what I expected I really like it. The flavors follow the nose but with some alcohol burn to it as well. This thing is going to be a sipper I can tell. It is sweet like a desert wine. With its dark fruit qualities as well. It has a medium feel to it in the mouth with nice carbonation to it as well

Like I said this is a sipper and the small bottle is enough for one sitting. An interesting brews my first from the brewer and I know it won't be my last
Mar 01, 2009
Photo of bort11
Reviewed by bort11 from Missouri

4.32/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Big thanks to leftmindedrighty for this one. 3D label and 3D glasses. How kick ass is that?

13 oz corked and caged bottle, poured into a pilsener glass. mild light tan head quickly recedes. No real lacing, but that is expected with a higher ABV. Color is a dark brownish red, sort of like the color of cherry or red grape skins. Very solid color, only a slight highlight is seen when held to the light.

Smell is a rich sweet aroma. Lots of dark sweet bread, red plums, cherries. Taste has some chocolate character with cherry finish. Sort of like a cherry cordial. Alcohol is masked by the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is very thick and chewy. Quite filling. Carbonation is sparse, though it's not really missed. This is a great dessert beer. A very slow sipper to be enjoyed
Jan 17, 2009
Triple Bock from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 25 ratings