Allgäuer Cambonator Doppelbock - Allgäuer Brauhaus AG

WMBierguy

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dopplebocks are some of my favorite beers... I don't know if that makes me more or less critical of any particular example. Regardless, I found Allgäuer Cambonator to be a great representative of the style. Poures a malty, syrupy brown. Left a slight, chocolate brown head, and it left lacing down the sides of the drinking glass as I finished it. Has the traditional doppelbock flavor, but the taste of alcohol is very muted. The result is all the flavor of doppelbocks without the alcoholic aftertaste that accompanies many other doppelbocks... quite an accomplishment for a beer with over 7% alcohol. I highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2006 20:20:51 | More by WMBierguy

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-09-2013 21:49:07 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

cliff1066

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

01-04-2013 18:15:51 | More by cliff1066

beerpadawan

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

08-25-2012 21:07:55 | More by beerpadawan

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%

08-23-2012 14:55:22 | More by t0rin0

Chaz

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.2%

11-28-2011 00:37:46 | More by Chaz

MrVonzipper

California

3.48/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear cola brown with a 2 finger light tan frothy head. Very nice retention and good lacing. Substantial yeast sediment.

Dark malt and light caramel on the nose. Along the typical average smell of the style.

Flavor is predominantly just euro dark malt. Faint Caramel notes. Pretty rich. Faint dark fruits like raisin and figs.

Full bodied mouthfeel with medium carbonation.

Overall it's pretty good. Average drinkability. Nothing that'll blow any minds but a good cold fermented dark beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 00:18:41 | More by MrVonzipper

nickd717

California

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Gourmet Haus Staudt.

Pours cloudy dark brown with a lasting beige head and some lacing.

Aroma is sweet and malty with caramel, toffee, brown sugar, and dark fruits.

Flavor is also malty and sweet, but not too sweet for the style. Caramel, toffee, syrup, and brown sugar. Lots of great dark fruits, particularly raisin and date.

Fairly full body with a smooth mouthfeel. Not at all boozy.

This is a very good doppelbock overall.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 15:48:36 | More by nickd717

woemad

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1pt.9oz bottle purchased at Enoteca in Post Falls, Idaho, for $3.99. No obvious freshness date. According to the label, this is a “Dunkler Doppelbock.” Does that mean that a doppelbock not labeled “Dunkler” is going to be light in color?

Poured a dark, cola-ish color that takes on a more rubyish tinge when held up to light. Decent sized beige head with lots of lace left on the sides of my glass.

I smell dark, roasty malts and some traces of dark fruits. Rather yummy smelling but not over the top at all.

Tastes like toast, with brown sugar and some dark fruit notes. In the background there’s a little bit of pipe tobacco and some booze, which I wasn’t expecting from something listed as having an abv percentage of 7.2. Finishes somewhat drier than I’m used to with doppelbocks, but not in a bad way at all.

Somewhat creamy mouthfeel. Not quite as full bodied as some doppels I’ve known but it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s missing any depth.

Not bad at all for the price. This isn’t a great, essential beer but it’s pretty good. It definitely went well with a late-morning omelette on a day spent at home nursing a sore knee. If I were out at a bar I wouldn’t want to session this but as a one-off it was rather tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 23:06:51 | More by woemad

DIM

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

a: This was perhaps the darkest doppelbock I've seen. It poured with a large off-white head that faded fairly quickly leaving little lace in its wake.

s: I found sweet bread, brown sugar, fig jam, and a little chocolate. Not as rich as some, but very inviting.

t: Falls far short of the smell unfortunately. Starts off okay with flavors of sweet bread and toffee that lack the layers I found in the aroma. The sweetness builds to near cloying levels towards the middle. The finish has an off tasting lingering bitterness and a bit too much heat.

m: Oddly heavy feeling.

o: There are lots of great doppelbocks out there and this just isn't one of them.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 10:43:25 | More by DIM

falloutsnow

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I tried this beer a few years ago and didn't think particularly highly of it at the time. I thought I'd give another one a try (from Binny's in Schaumburg, IL).

Pours thick, big bubbles in a bone white head that's about 1 finger in height. Head collapses, lacing around rim of glass in a few spots. Beer is dark brown in color with amber highlights when held up to light.

Smells of caramel, coffee, boiling malt, and alcohol. Slight hint of prunes as well. Still, none of these scents really merge well together and things feel a bit adrift.

Something is off here, at least in regards to doppelbock standards. This is definitely a sweeter-type doppel, but what I taste is dark, sugary malt, almost like a really heavy cola. A bit winey in flavor near the end. Cloying sweetness. Not really reminiscent at all of dark fruits, more of syrupy sweetness.

Finish is semi-dry. Body is thick, with a fairly low amount of carbonation.

I didn't find this particularly enjoyable, but it wasn't altogether awful, either. The taste is the major detractor, with the over-sweetness and slight cola flavors a real turn-off. I will probably stay away from this for some time, if I ever go back to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 21:20:39 | More by falloutsnow

womencantsail

California

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Gourmet Haus Staudt

A: The pour is a dark brown with plenty of amber tones to it. There's a large off-white head that sits on top.

S: Not an overwhelming aroma, but good. Some decent dark fruit notes such as cherries, dates, and raisins, but mostly dark specialty malts that provide a subtle roast and sweetness.

T: Starts off with a definite metallic tinge, but it fairly quickly fades to rather normal doppelbock flavors. Moderate raisin and date flavors with a decent caramel sweetness along with some molasses.

M: The body is medium with a certain creaminess on the tongue and moderate carbonation.

D: A nice doppelbock that was dangerously easy to drink. Wouldn't mind having this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2010 17:41:36 | More by womencantsail

bigsassyster

California

1.8/5  rDev -53.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

Nice body to it. average head.
Smell gave off some sweet smells.
The taste and drinkability were god-awful. It tasted like there were chemicals left in the bottle. I couldn't even drink half the bottle. It was the first beer I have ever put down, and not been able to come close to finishing.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 09:21:21 | More by bigsassyster

largadeer

California

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into a tulip. Appearance is dark brown with red highlights. A solid off-white head forms and retains well.

Fairly mild aroma, nutty and caramelized, slightly metallic. A bit of date-like fruitiness.

Toasted and caramelized malt flavors wash the palate first, follower by raisin-like fruitiness and a touch of roasty astringency. Full bodied, rich, fairly dry and bitter in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 01:13:03 | More by largadeer

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance - chestnut brown with no head at all

smell - cocoa, dark chocolate, cherries, malts

taste - similar to the nose, cocoa, malts, dark chocolate, cherries, malts, caramel, molasses

mouthfeel - medium body, low carbonation, smooth, slightly sweet

drinkability - good beverage that I will look to get more of in the future

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 03:14:26 | More by keithmurray

cagocubs

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Dark brown with a tobacco hue. Nice thick and foamy beige head. 2 fingers with fabulous lacing.

S: Fruit (banana) almost bubblegum. Some malt, earthy taste.

T: Nice taste.Good malts. Nice toasty taste. Citrus is present in the sip as well.

M: Very smooth with great carbonation and finish. Good example for a doppelbock.

D: high, not celebrator..but close.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 05:24:37 | More by cagocubs

danadeny

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice chocolate brown body a head the dies down quickly. Great smell of fruity banana, and a hint of amber malt and alcohol, smells refreshing. Ahhh it smells like a good moist banana bread. Awesome balance in the flavor with a hint of alcohol lingering at the end. Flavor starts as smooth deep amber malt, just a hint of sweet. The finish is a hint of bitter hops to balance. The lingering alcohol stands out, but surprisingly not much of the fruity banana smell comes through in the flavor. Mouthfeel it a blend of oily slick and refreshing watery. Drinkability is good due to balance and mouthfeel. The alcohol will creep up on you though. Funny thing I noticed on the label says that it contains malt liquor. Hmmm.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 04:16:10 | More by danadeny

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.1/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Got this at Sam's in Chicago this past summer. Poured with a medium light tan head which mostly dissipated and no lace. Color is nice dark, clear mahoganey. Aroma is fairly simple of dark, sweet malts, fresh, and little hop. Flavor's about the same. Body seems a bit thin for a dopplebock, but does have good carbonation. A little warming in the short finish. Ok beer; nothing special. Could do a whole lot worse. Could be a session if you didn't have any other choices.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2009 23:51:58 | More by drpimento

TLove

District of Columbia

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

(From Notes)

Underrated, big time. 500 ml bottle to Chimay goblet.

A nice, light brown color renders a creamy, light tan head and a little bit of lacing. Smells of dried fig, roasted chestnut, and caramel, with a strong emphasis on the high ABV (7.2%). Taste is emblematic of smell in this case, with more sweet and round tastes than smoky. Round figs come through with dark fruits and sticky, soft texture of this doppelbock.

Medium to heavy carbonation. Crisp and a touch watery in the mouth, but finishes nicely, rounding out the flavor balance in the back of the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2009 19:49:00 | More by TLove

roadhouse

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle into a pils glass

Pours a clear chesnut brown color with some red-orange highlights. A one and a half inch cream colored head forms on top and settles down as a cap which retains throughout, leaving some minor lacing.

Aroma is of caramel, toffee, raisin, fig, and slight chocolate. Pretty standard for a Doppelbock really, but damn good.

Taste starts off sweet with caramel and toffee with some toasty maltiness in there as well with raisins, perhaps a hint of cherry, coming in the middle. In the finish there's a bit of chocolate flavor that comes out with the raisin making it very tasty.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth and creamy going down, and rather easy to drink since it tastes so good.

An underrated Doppelbock in my opinion, the flavor profile of this one reminds me of Celebrator. God I love Doppelbocks.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2009 06:42:12 | More by roadhouse

KI9A

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark ruby, clear. Fast head, nice lace.

S: Molasses. Sweet, inviting.

T: Molasses and bread, obvious German Dop dark fruit. Nothing bad..

M: A slightly bit thinner than it's German counterparts, Celebrator, Tucher, ect.

D: I like a nice Dop every now and then when the weather is warm, more often of course, during the cold months. I'd consider this again, as a change to the heavyier dops.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2009 01:37:32 | More by KI9A

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in dimpled mug. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: Clear, dark brown with faint reddish color (mahogany). Tan head starts out about ½ inch thick and goes slowly, leaving behind lacing.

Smell: Sweet roasted malt with touch of fruitiness and dark toffee and no real hop presence

Taste: Initial taste is the dark molasses sweetness of the malt followed by a growing bitterness in the aftertaste as the malt tapers off.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation, with medium body and a medium long finish

Drinkability: One would be fine but would switch easily. Not the best doppelbock but a good one and worth coming back to.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2009 02:51:31 | More by drtth

tmoneyba

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from Keg Liquor, IN.

Poured dark brown color with an average frothy light brown head that was lasting and produced good lacing. Moderate complex sweet malt aroma. Medium body with a smooth sticky texture and soft carbonation. Moderate sweet flavor with with a moderate sweet finish of average duration.

Good drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 22:46:32 | More by tmoneyba

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Hollingshead Deli in Anaheim, 17 oz pour into a dimpled mug.
Slightly hazy brown with reddish orange highlights. White head fades slowly leaving solid sheets of lacing. Fruity aroma with caramel, toffee, malts. Malt dominated flavor, slightly chocolate, caramel, and some mild hoppiness to finish. More full bodied than expected, very smooth, alcohol is hidden. Well made example of a doppelbock, highly enjoyed.

Kenny the bartender told me to enjoy, because this was the last keg, and the brewer will no longer be exporting to the States.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2009 19:39:49 | More by BigBry

TheMistler

District of Columbia

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with more effervescence than anticipated, and displaying off-white head of many bubble sizes. Settles to a thin but creamy cap that tops a nutty brown concoction, nearly opaque but not quite there. Decent lacing.

Prunes and dark fruits, raisins not exlucded, to the nose. Brown sugar. Hints of cinnamon, which I like, as I'm somewhat obsessed with cinnamon.

A malty, dark fruit taste profile as well, but not necessarily sweet. There is some nice spicing. Caramel. Roasted grains. Slight alcohol presence, with a spice and "dulling" quality that actually fits nicely into the taste profile. Some hop bittering mingles with the malt-party crowd.

Crisply carbonated with a cresting prickliness, this drinks easier than some doppelbocks. Pretty nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2009 00:59:20 | More by TheMistler