We Drink Inside a Dream: Smoked Über Bock by Lazy Monk Brewing and Rauch Doppelbock by Dovetail Brewery

I found something...in Altoona...at Woody's...

 

Not too long ago - well, it's been a little while now because I am behind on my writing - Chicago's Dovetail Brewery made some of their Rauch Doppelbock available here in Madison. I believe it was the first time any of their Rauchbier came to town and thusly cause for great celebration. We should have had a parade. Before long I found myself in Eau Claire and made a stop at the Woodman's in Altoona where I found Lazy Monk's Smoked Über Bock and immediately bought some because you take Rauchbier when and wherever you can get it.

Lazy Monk used to be found down here in Madison over at Trixie's Liquor but I stopped seeing their beer there years ago. While it would be nice to not have to go to the Eau Claire area to get Leos Frank's tasty takes on Czech and German styles, I have nothing against regional diversity. In fact, I am all in favor of it. Up north, I see offerings from other breweries that also have no distribution here in Madison such as Valkyrie, MoonRidge, and Bloomer Brewing. And, just as folks in Eau Claire are deprived of Dovetail, we miss out on a whole mess of Minnesota breweries that are happy to ship to the Chippewa Valley. It is a really nice treat to head up north and find all of these beers that I cannot get at home. Vive la différence!

 

Fans of The Brewing Projekt would be pleased to see that Woodman's devotes more craft beer shelf space to them than anyone save New Glarus. They never cease to amaze me with their ability to come up with different beers by simply adding the same hops as their other beers but in a different order. Or maybe with a dash of lactose or marshmallow flavoring.

 

In addition to being blessed with not one, but two ruachbiers, I had never had either previously so I was in for something new times two. It was like a dream come true.

 

I briefly flirted with the idea of asking Leos Frank to do a cage match with Dovetail brewer Jenny Pfäfflin but decided that not everything in life need be a competition and that I would just enjoy the guaiacol goodness of each without any headbutts or clotheslines.

The first thing to notice is that these brews look quite different. Lazy Monk made a lovely amber beer that had some loose, light tan foam on top. Dovetail went the goth route with a Stygian brew that looked like it absorbed all light that dare go near the glass. It ended up being a deep, dark reddish brown and had a frothy tan head. Both of these big bocks were clear although the Über Bock allowed me to see some bubbles inside.

Not only did their appearances differ, so did their aromas. Über Bock smelled of honey, caramel, and some grass in addition to smoke. Rauch Doppelbock also had some caramel along with the smokiness, but it featured cherry as well. I couldn't discern anything hoppy.

Both beers had a nice fizziness to them which you need because doppelbocks are basically treacle otherwise. Each was also endowed with a big, rich, luscious, smoky flavor which I think was from beechwood but I am not yet a Cicerone of Smoke™ so that exquisite taste may have been courtesy of other woods. I tasted bread in both although it was stronger in Über Bock. Rauch Doppelbock had a little honey and stone fruit.

Each bock finished rather dry as the sweetness faded to be replaced by some hoppiness which was spicy - perhaps a bit more herbal with the Dovetail - that added welcome bitterness as well. Rauch Doppelbock comes in at 9.1% A.B.V. while the Über Bock was, in contrast, a paltry 7% (!) and the former had some boozy heat which made it a bit more astringent tasting.

I really enjoyed both of these beers greatly. They're rich and malty with a lovely smoothness that finds counterpoint in the fizz and hops. It's a pleasing interplay for my tongue. Plus they were chock full of smoky goodness.

Junk food pairing: I think these beers would pair perfectly with a mincemeat kettle chip but, since no one has bothered to make one, grab the biggest bag of Cheddar Cheese Bacon Combos you can find. Then slide them onto a skewer and garnish your glass in style.