1. 13 July 2010 · 05:42 PM ·

    Celebrator Doppelbock - Ayinger Brewery

    The heaviest of my work days are finally over and I accomplished most of my to do list with plenty of time to spare.  What better way to celebrate a job well done, then with a nice cold Celebrator.  Corny I know, but it seemed fitting.

    I walk into my front door after purchasing a 4 pack from ValuMarket.  The ice cold air conditioning hits me, and I can hear my room mate having a very in depth conversation about politics with a house guest.  I snag my favorite glass from the kitchen cabinet, place 3 of the 4 bottles in the fridge, and head to my room to quietly poor my good beer.

    As I reflect upon my day and stare into the dark brown lightly headed beer.  I can already smell the sweet malty aroma of dark grain.  A quick hint of coffee flows into my olfactory sense, and I cannot help but smile.  One of my favorite grains to use in brewing are ones like black paten malt, and dark crystal, which bring with them sweet and warm coffee like aromas. 

    Suddenly I am reminded of early Sunday mornings, where my whole family would make Belgian waffles and cover them in sugary syrup.  The morning was busy but comfortable, with a very unique combination of people and food.  Much like I couldn’t restrain myself back in the day, I could hardly wait to taste the complexities of flavors in the Celebrator.

    The taste is a bit misleading due to the strong sweet aroma.  As I drink, I can see a bit of a reddish hew, and taste more definite hints of dark roasted coffee.  It’s not heavy in your mouth like a stout, but feels thick and slightly creamy.  As the thick feeling subsides into a clean feel you can taste the bitterness of dark malt.  The bitterness from hops are discernible, but it is more than obvious the hopping schedule is not mean to be the talking point. 

    Despite the silly play on words I may have made multiple times today, it still was a good choice and end a very accomplished day.  Darker malts, and darker beers remain to be a favorite of mine, and probably always will be.  The complex malty flavor are great for my taste buds, which are always looking for something interesting to try.  It’s an easy drinker for anyone looking to adventure outside of their comfort zone.  Though slightly confusing in aroma and taste, not a single bit of the Celebrator was disappointing.

    So go ahead, crack open a good beer, and celebrate.