Heater Allen Brewing 'Mediator' Handcrafted Dopplebock. 7.4% abv. 36.5 IBU. Black in color. Thin tan head. Moderate retention and excellent lace. Nose of dark fruit, sweet malt, raisins. Front taste of fruity hops, plum, stone fruit. Aftertaste of bittersweet dark fruit. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, tangy, semi thick.
This is an excellent beer, an a superb example of its category. The Doppelbock (Heater Allen spells theirs "dopplebock") was one of my first favorite styles of beer decades ago, and still holds a place in my heart and palate today. Mediator is a solid example, with malty tastes loaded with dried fruit, bittersweet, and some complementing hop presence. It feels big, but could be bigger, which is a small nitpick for an otherwise excellent brew. Highly recommended.
From the brewery:
"Mediator is what we call our Dopplebock. Dopplebock started out as a Lenten beer for the monks in Germany. During Lent they would forgo solid food and get all their sustenance from beer. Needless to say it was big beer with lots of unfermented dextrins. Once the public got a taste it became very popular. We call our beer Mediator because we think that a 22 ounce bottle is probably better shared than drunk alone. It's rich, toasty and malty, with a few plum notes on the palate and the slightest roasted character in the finish."
[source: heaterallen.com]
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