Aroma: “Toasty, malty sweetness in the nose. Little to no hops aroma. Some mineral or sulfur character. Melanoidins, chocolate, and baked cookies. Aroma seems a bit muted.”

Flavor: “Crisp hops flavor competes with the malt, but malt wins in the aftertaste. Smooth malt offers caramel, toast, and toffee. Hops flavors are a bit distracting but flavor is ultimately about malt. Alcohol lightens the body and is not overly hot.”

Overall: “Well made with nice malt complexity. This is a well-crafted beer with more hops flavor than most. A little thin in the body but a great middle-of-the-road example of a doppelbock. Doesn’t take many chances but hits most of the stylistic marks.”