Review: Half Pints' Isolator Doppel Bock


Been a few years since I've last had Half Pints' popular Isolator Doppelbock beer! Doppelbocks are sweet, caramelly, dark fruity bocks that are heavy in alcohol and are great for warming up the body on cold cold prairie nights. This year, it made its return to my local MLCC after two years of it not being available here, as supply/demand means Brandon is too small of a fish for most breweries (but with First Draughts in Brandon Sun will hopefully help push beer lovers around Westman into trying new beers - and so far, it's influencing my own friends and family!)

Isolator has 8.6% ABV, so it's going to be quite strong. $6.77/650ml bottle - so it's great for sharing or for yourself if you're having a stay home and relax kind of night while it's drenching snow outdoors. 17 IBUs so not that bitter.

Appearance: Incredibly murky cherrywood brown, a decent amount of sediment, burnt caramel beige head.

Aroma: Sweet sweet caramel malt followed by dried raisins and dark fruits, brown sugar, quite a sweet connoction.

Taste: Medium amount of bitterness from the hops, though pretty mellow for the most part, sweet burnt caramel and alcohol really making its way throughout the beer. Very sweet, dark, notes of brown sugar, fresh chocolate chip cookies (without the chocolate chips), raisins and other dark fruits. Lightly syrupy to the palate like their Demeter's Harvest Wheat Wine.

Overall Thoughts: Easily one of the best Doppelbocks in Canada, very flavourful and quite reasonably priced. Tasty, sweet and warms the belly up a bit. Next week I head into Winnipeg to try to hoard as much Demeter's and La saison de la ceinture fléchée as possible!

Bonne Journée Louis Riel!

www.halfpintsbrewing.com/brew.php?id=13

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