From Sep 2007

This pours from Growler a clear reddish brown with a huge tannish head of foam that is very long lasting. Near the end of my first glass, there's still a solid layer and it has some nice lacing. Beautiful looking beer in the glass.

The smell is of caramel malt with some smoke and chocolate and a bit of vanilla.

The taste is malty but not too sweet and has some smoke, dark fruit(fig mostly) some dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla and...this is with my drinking it directly out of the fridge so I'm going to let it warm up some and see what happens.

While I'm waiting for it to warm, I have to say at this point, for being 10%abv, it is *very* well hidden. I get just the slightest bit of warming after the swallow and that's it. Pretty impressive.

Ok, it's warmed up some now and I get some more smoke(just the right amount, imho) and more malt and more chocolate and overall, this is one fine smooth drinker. I could see myself sipping on it all day long but...I'm going to cap it and save the rest for tomorrow.

Bottom line: I liked last year's version but thought the smoke was overpowering the other flavours. This batch, I think, brings out the best in *all* the flavours and for that, FCB, I salute you. I can't wait to try a bottle and see how it compares. I highly recommend you try this DB if you see it in your area!

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours hazy dark ruby red color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with some light streaming carbonation. Aromas of huge caramel, toffee, toast, brown bread, brown sugar, light chocolate, raisin, fig, date, wood smoke, tobacco, nuttiness, and smoke/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready/smoked malt and yeast fruitiness; with great strength. Taste of huge caramel, toffee, toast, brown bread, brown sugar, light chocolate, raisin, fig, date, wood smoke, tobacco, nuttiness, and smoke/toasted earthiness. Minimal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, toast, brown bread, brown sugar, light chocolate, nuttiness, raisin, fig, date, wood smoke, tobacco, and smoke/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/smoked malt and yeast fruitiness; with zero cloying sweetness on the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very smooth, creamy, and lightly slick/bready mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with zero warming present after the finish. Overall this is an incredible smoked doppelbock! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/smoked malt and yeast fruitiness; and dangerously smooth to sip on for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.

bomber from Supermarket Liquors - Fort Collins. Nose is lightly smoked bacon, lightly burned candisugar, and some caramel. Clear rusty brown with a big, heavy lacing beige head. Flavor is sweet caramel malt, with light smoke and very light bitterness. Smooth as silk.