Aroma: Big malt aroma with rich melanoidins. All about the malt: no hops, no esters, no sulfur. Nice waves of malt: cocoa, toffee, caramel, plums, and raisins.

Flavor: Clean, rich malt with just enough hop bitterness to balance. Rich malt sweetness gives way to a pleasantly dry finish. Hops are lightly applied. A touch of carbonic burn and alcohol with some light oxidation.

Overall: A classic doppelbock. Alcohol is well hidden behind layers of complex malt, but it all comes together in the finish. Very nice, though the hop bitterness grows with time, detracting from the overall impression. Great lager profile—tastes classically European.