Seeyoulator Doppelbock - Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City
Style:
Doppelbock
Serving Type:
Bottle
Alcohol by Volume:
8.5%
Aroma:
Cedar aging is apparent on the nose. The combination of malty and cedar aromas make this beer smell like a Quadrupel or Barley Wine
Appearance:
Cloudy brown body with red tints throughout. Similar to an amber but a bit more brown in color
Flavor:
Rich and malty flavor, lightly spiced. The cedar aging leaves and aftertaste like a mild oaking in wine.
Mouthfeel:
Texture was thinner than I expected and a mildly carbonated
Overall Impression:
Seeyoulator, like the label says, is a departure from the traditional Doppelbock style. This beer has a flavor profile that blends malt, spice and cedar in an interesting way. The Seeyoulator did turn out a bit like a Quadrupel or Barley Wine. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys stronger beers. Not just beers with higher alcohol by volume but strongly flavored ones as well.
Going into the Seeyoulator you should know that this isn't your grandfather's Doppelbock. The name, which ends in the traditional -ator suffix, indicates that Boulevard is making a departure from the established Doppelbock style. This beer isn't a complete 180 by any means, it's still a big dark beer with a strong malty flavor. The Seeyoulator is also clever because of the reference to the most stereotypical of German idioms, aufwiedersehen. Literally, aufwiedersehen means, "until we meet again" or simply "see you later." In a sense that's what this beer does, it goes AWOL from the Doppelbock base but ultimately returns. Seeyoulator's most noticeable difference from other Doppelbocks is its cedar aging. This adds an flavor to the beer that is similar to the oak flavor wines pick up when they are aged in oak barrels.
The flavors behind the cedar are more traditional to the Doppelbock genre, but the combination of all of these flavors leaves the beer tasting more like a Barley Wine or Belgian Quadrupel. After the cedar, the strongest flavor in this beer is the spice. The cedar leaves the beer having an astringency that, when paired with the spice, creates a sensation of a much higher alcohol content beer. Based on taste alone I would say this beer was pushing a double digit ABV.
The rest of the components in this Doppelbock are pretty predictable. The sweet malts in the Seeyoulator taste like you'd expect, which works really well in bring the beer back from the extreme end of high ABV cedar/spice overload. This beer doesn't quite end but being balanced, but it's pretty close. The cedar is strong but not overpowering. The spice is a little harsh but not quite enough to push your tastebuds overboard. The malts tie everything together in a way that just works.
If you're a fan of Doppelbocks but aren't terribly strict regarding tradition, you should try and find a bottle of this beer.
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