Aroma: “Medium malt aroma with some dark melanoidins and biscuits. Roast and toast with hints of tobacco and a little smoke. Earthy and complex. No hop aroma. Alcohol is evident but stays in the background.”

Flavor: “Hops bitterness balances the nice sweet malt in the initial sip. Malt is all caramel and cocoa nibs with melanoidin character. Light hop flavor is out of style but interesting and keeps malt in check. Light astringency and alcohol burn in the aftertaste.”

Overall: “Enjoyable, but I want more malt complexity in a doppelbock. Simple malt profile is not quite Euro-class but makes for fairly easy drinking. Crisp hops character is almost as evident as the malt. Hoppier than normal but great complexity.”