Archive for the 'Ettaler' category
Ettaler “Curator” Dunkler Doppelbock
This is a pretty big jump from the beers that I’ve been drinking lately – seems like I’m always digging on the Belgians or the American micros these days, and I’ve been sadly ignoring those fine German folk. So, today I’m jumping into a good German doppelbock.
This one pours a dark, dark brown with dark chocolate and a bitter nut aroma. In the mouth, the beer is true to form. It carries a chocolatey sweetness with flavors of malt. Throughout the palate, however, there is a constant bitterness that rides the tongue and sticks at the back of the mouth. This bitterness makes the beer a bit more sophisticated, and slows the drinking considerably. The persistence of the aftertaste draws the presence of this beer out for well over a minute after each drink. I have to admit that I generally reach for a simpler, sweeter dunkel or doppelbock, but I can really appreciate the complexity of this beer and I feel like it is probably a better brew by most accounts.
Ettaler Kloster Dunkel
This beer pours a dark purple hue with very little head. It pales in comparison to some of the other dunkels I had tried. It doesn’t boast the delicious grape flavor traditionally associated with the dunkel-style. The aftertaste is highly metallic and a bit nutty. I am becoming increasingly disappointed with the brews from Germany, I think this is the 4th or 5th that hasn’t been up to snuff. The Franziskaner and Spoetzl breweries must be getting tried from pulling all of the weight.
