Celebrator Doppelbock

I'm not going to lie: I bought a bottle of Celebrator Doppelbock primarily because of the ridiculous little ram ornament hanging around the neck of the bottle.  My absurd consumerism aside, this was an interesting brew well worth picking up.

 It's also got a fantastic label.

Celebrator hails from Aying, Germany, where it is brewed by the Brauerei Aying.  It is sold in 330mL bottles and clocks in at a muscular 6.7% alcohol, to earn it the somewhat amorphous distinction of a "strong beer".

It pours a slightly cloudy mahogany colour and is capped by a frothy tan head.  There is some lace, but not as much as expected.  Celebrator features a yeasty, malty aroma, with notes of fig or raisin.  Similarly, the flavour is very malty.  There is a lot of sweetness contained in an odd combination of tastes ranging from raison to licorice.  There is very little bitterness, except for a tiny jolt in an aftertaste that also features some yeasty sourness.

This brew is a bit too malty for my taste, but there are enough interesting flavours to make it well worth a try.  It isn't an extremely drinkable pint, but it will keep your palette on its toes.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.