The other night I spent 15 minutes perusing the beer selection at this heady little grocery store down the street. This is typical for me - I’m terrible at making decisions, especially when there is an incredible selection in front of me and every beer on the shelf will make me very happy. I picked up the Aventinus because I’ve never heard of it before and I am a huge fan of doppelbocks. Another reason is because it was $2.99 for a pint; let’s face it, sometimes you’ve got to choose with your wallet.

Thankfully for me, the Aventinus which Schneider-Weisse calls “Germany’s first Wheat-Doppelbock Ale”, was more than satisfying, it was unbelievable. I was blown away to find that this seemingly random beer to me has received a 99 on RateBeer and an A at Beeradvocate. True to many a German doppelbock this beer has the aroma of apples and cloves, maybe a hint of citrus. It pours a gently cloudy brown with a medium to thick caramel colored head. On first sip I got that very syrupy toffee flavor with a bitter kick on the finish. Not spicy, just slightly tangy.

This is an unbelievable brew, definitely not for throwing back six in a row but if you’re hanging around and just want to sip on a tasty beer with an admirable ABV (8.2%) then I highly recommend the Aventinus.

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a big fan of the black ale, I love stouts but don’t really enjoy porters. New Belgium’s 1554 pours a medium to dark brown color with reddish tints when held to the light. It has a very light tan and thin head (see picture) that dissipates within seconds. Aromas include chocolate, dried cherries and wait for it… mahogany. The flavor is light on the tongue with that smoky porter style finish. My problem with this beer and most porters is the lack of hops. I really like that bitter kick. Very little to medium carbonation and sweet but it’s no tripel.

Overall I’m really glad I tried it but based on my preferences I wouldn’t buy again. If you’re into porters and even stouts - give ‘er a whirl.