Tröegenator Double Bock

Situated just outside downtown Harrisburg, Pa., Tröegs Brewing offers Tröegenator as a year-round staple in its impressive lineup. This multiple-award-winning brew, crafted with exacting attention to tradition, comes in at just over 8 percent ABV and compares favorably to the classic Bavarian examples of the style. The aroma is at once cleanly malt, yet enhanced by delicate fruity and spicy nuances, evocative of the Lenten season and conjuring up images of fasting monks. Riding just beneath the surface of the caramelly Munich malt, Pete found a faint herbal hop tang and some tantalizing fruity notes of raspberry and black cherry. On the opposite end of the sensory spectrum, Rick found the aroma awash with hints of coffee and semisweet chocolate. Both judges, however, detected a conspicuous alcohol presence underneath the other aromas. Dark amber, almost verging on brown, and throwing a sumptuous ecru-colored head, Tröegenator looks every bit the classic doppelbock. The clean maltiness of the aroma follows through into the flavor, but other flavors like Graham cracker, wheat toast and spicy hop contribute depth and complexity. To a man, the panel lauded the exceptionally clean malt flavor, and Tom was especially complimentary of the beer’s “non-boozy” finish in spite of its alcohol heft. Likewise, Nick offered high praise for the spiciness of the hops, which he said expressed themselves as “a light pumpkin pie spice.” A complex yet intentionally subtle and quaffable brew, Tröegenator deserves pride of place on any holiday dinner table.