Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

http://www.ayinger.de/cms/index.php/celebrator.htm

Brewed by Brauerei Aying
Style: Doppelbock
Aying, Germany

The Ayinger brewery, founded in 1877, is located in Aying, Bavaria, Germany, and not too far from the city of Munich. The independently owned brewery has a number of beers that it produces but it is mainly its well known Celebrator Doppelbock that is their big seller.

Peter Liebhard had taken over from his father the family farm and estate. He, and his son Johann, figured that their servants, maids, and guests were bound to get thirsty now and again so they decided to establish their own brewery to cater for them. So, in 1876, Johann Liebhard took over the farm from his father and put into action their plan to open a brewery. The brewery was built the next year in 1877, and with technical developments in brewing and also the addition of a railway, the brewery expanded tenfold.

As Liebhard had no male heirs, he handed over the reigns to his eldest daughter, Maria and, her husband and his son-in-law, August Zehentmair, who continued the operation of the brewery and of the estate. Coming out of the First World War, was difficult for the brewery, but they managed it, with August having to take out heavy loans to keep up with the day to day running of the estate, the farms and, of course, the brewery.

After all the many setbacks, they progressed again in no small part to the technical developments of the brewery in the 1920’s. Bottle washing and a filling plant were purchased, a cooling vessel was added to their fermentation cellar, a beer truck would make transportation easier and with the popularity of beer in Munich, and with all the breweries in and around the city, yes it was a good time to be in the beer industry.

But of course then came Hitler and the Nazi’s. But it wasn’t only that. In 1936, August Zehentmair died quite unexpectedly at the age of 56, also without any male heirs. The eldest daughter, Maria Kreszenz, and her husband, Franz Inselkammer were next on the Ayinger throne. However, just like the first World War, the brewery under Franz Inselkammer, rebounded stronger, and with the post war boom, once again prospered.

Franz and Maria Kreszenz managed to have three sons Franz, August and Peter. In 1963, the oldest, Franz, took control, but he was also helped by his two brothers, a period which saw further expansion and modernization within the company.

Even today, the new brewery in Aying is still one of the most technically advanced breweries in Europe. Where we are at the present is that Franz Inselkammer III, a son, is in control of the company, the sixth generation.

Ayinger’s Celebrator, using purely local ingredients from Aying and the surrounding area, is considered to be one of the better doppelbocks on the market, having won a gold medal at the World Beer Awards in 2017 in “the Strong Lager” category, and also a gold medal at the World Beer Awards in 2015 in the category- “Germany’s Best Doppelbock”
For the internet geeks it was rated as the “Best beer from Germany,” on the beer rating site Ratebeer.com in 2014 and 2015 and the “World’s Top Strong Lager,” on the same site in 2015.
And if that wasn’t enough, the beer hunter and all round expert on all things related to beer, the one and only Michael Jackson called it a “World classic.”. With all those accolades, I just know that this beer is going to be a disappointment!!!

Just to refresh: a doppelbock (“a double bock”) is a strong lager originating from Germany, primarily consumed during the spring months to celebrate the end of winter. Bock means “billy-goat” in German, hence the goats that you will always see on the bottles. Doppelbocks are usually very malty, dark in colour, and and have a stronger ABV than an average lager.

Review: 0,33l. Bottle of Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock: ABV: 6.7% vol

Ayinger Celebrator is little changed from the doppelbock first brewed at Ayinger way back in 1878, using the same old recipe in today’s brews.

Nice brown bottle with a lovely old fashioned design and striking label, very nice. Also have a cheapish looking ornament, in the form of a plastic white goat, with it tied around the neck, which is a bit silly, but there you go. A goat of course representing the fact that it is a doppelbock.

On pour got a darkish brown coloured beer, almost black in fact with purple/reddish looking highlights, with a nice decent sized tan head, some good carbonation going on too, and overall the appearance looks pretty damn good. It all looks very appetizing, nice n frothy.

The smell is equally as good. Got a wide variety of smells, was very malty, got some fruity smells of raisins and prunes, and with strong hints of alcohol.

Loved the smell which was strong and pleasant on the nose.

Taste, got some nice creamy tastes and very filling mouthfuls. Nice hoppy aftertaste which can be felt at the back end, nice and manageable.

Can taste the fruits, and, of course, the sweet malts and caramel.

Nice enough, a slow burner and definitely one to relax with and sup.

If there was one negative is that I did get a little bit of dryness in the mouth.
The alcohol is also well hidden, very well hidden.

It’s alright, is very tasty for sure and I got a fulsome feeling. A nicely balanced beer with a lot of flavours to be had.

On the second pint the alcohol was finally hitting me, got the beery taste. It is 6.7% after all, but it is manageable and not overpowering.

Over all yeah its a good beer, not bad and a nice and tasty brew, very drinkable and not very sour or bitter.
Was a bit tipsy after the second pint, but it was easy enough to drink overall.