Fallenbock - Erie Brewing Co.

Surprise, I'm back! No, I didn't give up this beer journal after only one crack at it. It'll take at least two posts to kill this aspiration.

Today's brew is privileged to be the first bock addition to the journal, as well as the first doppel, the first by Erie Brewing Co. of Erie, PA, and the first that presents my opinion differing from that of the internet beer reviewing community at large. I've read some harsh pannings of Fallenbock, but I'll say it twice over, I like this autumnal doppelbock and enjoy drinking it even deep into January.

Appearance: Rich walnut body, a little red and fully translucent when held to light.  A nice, springy tan head appeared and covered the glass well. The head stuck around for a few minutes leaving a nice lacing behind for the duration of the drink.

Smell: The nose struck me as much darker than the beer looked. Malt and nut jumped out of the glass, with a little bit of a roasted scent behind.

Taste: The taste followed the scent in perfect form, nutty and a bit malty. A very light hoppy boost balanced the flavors well. The taste was very different from my expectations of a doppelbock. Overall very smooth and light taste with a little bit of chocolate leading to a sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: After getting accustomed to drinking stouts and porters this felt more like a legit lager. It's a bit on the lean side for a doppelbock, but pleasant. A pleasant amount of carbonation helped the feel a bit as well.

Drinkability: I liked this beer chilled and a bit more once at room temperature and breathing. A good mix of slight bitterness without being hoppy and roasted malty sweetness really make for a drinkable brew. I think the problem with the beer is an identity crisis. It suffers from being called a doppelbock. With the mighty doppel people expect a flavor worthy of a title like "OPTIMATOR", "LIBERATOR" or "MAXIMATOR", something that mashes the caps lock into oblivion for you. Truly the Fallenbock is much more a very subtle, nice, dark(ish) lager beer. I wouldn't say that it's not as good as other doppelbocks, it's just different. With an open mind and an open mouth Fallenbock proves itself highly drinkable.
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Links:
Erie Brewing Co. Fallenbock Page
Beeradvocate Page
ratebeer Page