This is essentially a strong bock (lager) beer, or Dopplebock style. And its made using at least 50% wheat malt (which is a requirement by German law for using the name Weizenbier).
And there is a fascinating naming convention for German Dopplebocks that means most end in ‘ator’. The name comes from the Paulaner monks of who brewed the very first dopplebock. They were allowed to drink beer during their time of fasting, so decided to brew a stronger beer with more body to help get through the fast.
They named their dopplebock ‘Salvator’, which was copied by many other breweries. Later the name was registered, so the other breweries decided to keep the names similar by creating name ending in ‘ator’. There are over 200 different registered beer names ending in ‘ator’ in Germany!
The beer will pour very still, but wait a few seconds and a Guinness-like settling will create a small head. There is a sweet malty body, hints of banana and pear, bready malt and a little wood character. The hops jump in as well and give a nice prickle to mouthfeel and break up the sticky mouth character.
A really interesting beer that will take a few sips to get your head around, but a beer that I’m sure you’ll ultimately enjoy.
This smoked dopplebock is a collaboration between De Molen and Poch's Cervesa Artesana from Spain
A delicious smoked dopplebock is the result of a collaboration between De Molen and Sound Brewery of Washing State USA
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
One of Emelisse's big hitters - a Dopplebock malt bomb, with a little hop bitterness and spice
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
The first White Label barrel-aged offering from the new owners and brewers of the Emelisse beer range
A smoked Dopplebock, rich in flavour but supremely balanced
A lightly smoked summer dopplebock - apparently it's how the 'Indian's celebrated the autumn!'
A traditional German brewery's take on a classic Irish Stout, brewed as a bock
A collaboration between De Molen and Reketye (HUN), this dopple bock features smoked malts and smoked paprika powder
Just the world's oldest wheat dopplebock from the weirs kings of Bavaria
Nothing to see here, just an apple strudel dopplebock from Uiltje
by Bayerische Staatsbrauerie Weihenstephan
From the world's oldest brewery we have the Korbinian dopplebock
A delightful dopplebock from the world's oldest monastery brewery
A smoked Dopplebock, rich in flavour but supremely balanced
An unfiltered pale lager, dry-hopped with Comet and Mandarina Bavaria hops for a fruity hop character
A smoked Marzen style beer from this little artisanal brewery in Upper Franconia
This Smoked Imperial India Pale Lager has lots going on, but all in this amazingly balanced and complimentary way
It's a big dark lager, in the form of an imperial stout. And it is delicious!
A very traditional German Zwickelbier - an unfiltered, unpasteurised lager