Minneapolis Town Hall Resuscitator Doppelbock

Doppelbock is a storied style, steeped in legend (most it about goats) that has lost some connection with the younger craft brew crowd, wowed by barrel-aged this and sour-that. Doppelbocks, or double bocks, are strong dark lagers originally brewed by monks for their Lenten drinking, liquid bread to maintain them through the fast. I like doppelbocks, but I find that once I tag a few of the pertinent flavors, that I don't have much more to say about them. Well, so what, I still enjoy them, even if I stop short with the flowery phrases. And so, we turn to...

Town Hall Resuscitator Doppelbock. All the doppelbocks gotta be -ators, going back from the original, Paulaner Salvator, as well as Ayinger's Celebrator. Not sure if anyone's done one with this name yet. You're making a doppelbock, you're going go through the dictionary, look up all the -ators, check to see if anyone's made a beer with that -ator, this -ator. Or do it the digital way. And I'm wondering if they've done this before. After almost 18 years, they must have done a doppelbock, but this same one, with this name? Let's do some research…Research over: there was a Liberator doppelbock, years ago, which I reviewed in February, 2004. The beer with this name is brand-new, and seems to be unique. (now I'm left wondering: How many years has it been since they've brewed a doppelbock? Barrel-aged week and fun & funky infusions are awesome, but I feel you need to have room for an annual doppelbock. Just me, I guess.)

Enough of that, let's get to the nitty gritty on this one.

Appearance: clear, bright reddish brown coloring, with a a large, lasting, off-whitish head.

Aroma: deep and malty from the onset, rich and full of caramel and toffee notes, molasses, too. Sweet, for sure. Hops lay low, malt is triumphant there.

Taste: There it is, again, bouncing off the palate, the rich caramel malt hard at play. Dark fruits, plum, raisin, too. And chocolate takes a bow, as well.Chocolatey, nougat-y, all the good stuff.  Mmmm. yeah, mmm. Nicely balanced, calm and cool. Tasty. Love it.

Here's the full information from the website: "Resuscitator Doppelbock, 7.6%, Resuscitatot was brewed traditionally from six different German malts including Munich, Vienna, Pilsner and Melaniodin to impart a more bready sweetness as well as a subtle acidity. We varied from tradition slightly with a late kettle addition of German Hersbrucker hops which lends a mellow green herbal flavor. True to tradition, it was fermented with a German lager yeast strain, producing low esters and fruitiness."