Chicagoist's Beer of the Week: Capital Brewing's Blonde Doppelbock

By Karl Klockars in Food on Apr 29, 2011 7:30PM

One would think that today of all days would be the perfect time to dip into a Fuller's ESB or an Old Speckled Hen.* In fact, as you read this your humble author is very likely feeling the effects of some celebratory morning mimosas and a couple glasses of rum punch, not to mention the sherry trifle and the watercress finger sandwiches. (Royals should get married every Friday.)

Instead, we're using this BotW to acknowledge an event a little closer to home. You may have heard the tale of one Mr. J. Wilson of Iowa, who ate nothing all the way through Lent and subsisted only on a few pints of dopplebock beer per day. Since it was good enough to keep him going for a month (he broke his fast on Sunday), we thought we'd give it a shot for an afternoon.

We picked up a 4-pack of Capital Brewing's take on the style at Gene's (who you may recall from this BotW) for just under $11. Yeasty, wheaty banana bread comes straight off the nose and it pours a beautiful copper/amber with a light creamy head. Despite being a German style of beer, the blonde flavors are overwhelmingly Belgian - the banana and yeast carry into the flavor and are rounded out with raisin and white rum. Sparkling and light-bodied with a well-hidden 7.8% ABV and just a touch of sticky, I doubt this particular bock could carry me through forty-some-odd days of Lent, nor would I like to try. (Besides, the new La Folie is out.) But for a day's work, it's a good pick.

Since Wilson will likely never want another dopplebock, we're happy to raise a pint to him and proclaim Capital Brewing's Blonde Dopplebock Chicagoist's Beer of the Week.

*Would someone in Chicago please stock Old Peculiar? Please?