9.A - Doppelbock (BJCP 2021)

Description

A strong, rich, and very malty German lager that can have both pale and dark variants. The darker versions have more richly-developed, deeper malt flavors, while the paler versions have slightly more hops and dryness.

Profile

Very strong maltiness, possibly with light caramel notes, and up to a moderate alcohol aroma. Virtually no hop aroma.

Good clarity, with a large, creamy, persistent head.

Very rich and malty. Hop bitterness varies from moderate to moderately low but always allows malt to dominate the flavor. Faint hop flavor optional. Most examples are fairly malty-sweet on the palate, but should have an impression of attenuation in the finish. The impression of sweetness comes from low hopping, not from incomplete fermentation. Clean fermentation profile.

Medium-full to full body. Moderate to moderately-low carbonation. Very smooth without harshness, astringency. A light alcohol warmth may be noted, but it should never burn.

Ingredients

Pils, Vienna, Munich malts. Occasionally dark malt for color adjustment. Traditional German hops. Clean German lager yeast. Decoction mashing is traditional.

Examples

Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel (dark), Ayinger Celebrator (dark), Paulaner Salvator (dark), Spaten Optimator (dark), Tröegs Troegenator (dark), Weihenstephaner Korbinian (dark), Eggenberg Urbock 23º (pale), Meinel Doppelbock Hell (pale), Plank Bavarian Heller Doppelbock (pale), Riegele Auris 19 (pale), Schönbuch Doppelbock Hell (pale), Staffelberg-Bräu Zwergator (pale)