Review: Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock

During my most recent beer shopping trip, I was thinking I should pick up some Paulaner.. so I did, I picked up their Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock. I never heard of this beer before so I'm assuming it's new to Manitoba. I find Doppelbocks are usually most common in my neck of the woods around when the snow starts melting but when it's still well below 0C out.. so mid March to early April. Well, while this seems to be new to me, this beer has been brewed for over 375 years, so 🤷🏻‍♂️

From the website: Our brewing history begins with this beer. And the history of strong beer in Bavaria – it was the Paulaner monks who invented this bottom-fermenting double bock. We have been brewing the Salvator for over 375 years – always according to the original recipe, which has been continuously refined over the years. The head is the colour of caramel and the beer is chestnut brown, combined with a seductive flavour of chocolate to give a pleasing intensity on the palate. Along with this comes the finest Munich malt, rounded off by a light note of hops in the background. Often imitated but never duplicated: The father of all double bock beers, whose names always end in “-ator”! 7.9% ABV

Appearance: Caramel-amber ale appearance to it, good amount of clarity to it. The body has a good amount of carbonation in it, while the head has a minimal off-white/beige head on top that's mostly near the glass with a sprinkling of bubbles in bunches.

Aroma: Sweet, good amount of caramel, brown sugar and raisin. It's a tad nutty, slightly earthy and has a slight perfumish aroma to it. Fairly straight forward Doppelbock.

Taste: The first thing I get from the beer is a surprisingly bitter hop presence that I didn't really get in the aroma - a bitter pine presence but also a bit of an earthy hop presence as well. The taste is sweet, burnt caramel, raisins and figs, slightly nutty. Good amount of booziness to it, but it shouldn't be a surprise as this is near 8%. Slightly syrupy mouthfeel and the aftertaste is raisin and a slight earthiness to it.

Overall Thoughts: Pretty much your typical Doppelbock - it's quite sweet, tad earthy and nutty. Did I say sweet? Yep. It's not a style I love but I never mind it either.

No comments: