9% ABV

Poured from: bomber

Appearance: cloudy brown with deep ruby highlights, thin effervescent head. A very attractive pour.

Aroma: A light sweetness underlies a gentle hop aroma.  It wouldn’t surprise me if STA used Noble Hops in their recipe, as it has some of the dark, almost earthy/grassy aromatics associated with Noble Hops like most Bohemian Pilsners. This smell could persuade lager drinkers to embrace a real beer!

Taste: Intimidator drops a rich, malty, almost caramel flavour followed by a hop funk.  It is slightly boozy, but not a harsh presence. The back of your throat delivers subtle fruity notes, with a dark, almost savory, cherry presence.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light and effervescent. It seems almost over-carbonated for the style, but that helps it to dance on your tongue.

Aftertaste: As is typical for a good doppelbock, the aftertaste is very clean with just a subtle sweetness.

As it warms: the sweetness emerges more along with the dark fruity notes. The after-taste is still very clean making this a surprisingly quaffable beer.

Overall: this is an assertive, muscular beer that carries its weight with aplomb, a sure sign of a confident and experienced brewmaster. If STA continue in this way they will take a well-deserved place in the upper echelons of craft brewers.

Suggested food pairings

This beer will go well with venison, rabbit, and wild game generally. You could also try it out with earthy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.