Beer Review: Abita's Andygator Helles Doppelbock

Today's beer came to me on a recommendation from a friend when I expressed a renewed interest in the mighty doppelbock. The style of beer isn't nearly as popular as it should be, including in my own home. Most people seem to stick with familiar varieties of beer: pilsners, stouts, pale ales, etc. I feel like a good bock gets lost in the mix of great but common beers, so I've been making it a mission to find a few great bocks. This one comes in a dark bottle with the image of a gator implying that danger lies inside, but I found a smooth drinking experience instead of a fearful time.

This beer poured with one of the thickest heads of any beer I've featured in here so far, and a very light, slightly transparent body. In fact, in many ways this beer is a "first" for this blog. This is by far the smoothest and lightest beer I've featured here, yet it stands strong at a relatively potent 8% alcohol by volume. As I'm not usually a drinker of pilsners and the like, I could easily see this beer being something I'd keep on hand to share with friends who typically drink lighter beers but would love to try a new treat. This is on the milder side of the doppelbocks I've had in the past, yet it still retains enough bite to keep me intrigued. This isn't ready to jump to the top of my next list of purchases, but it's definitely something I'd keep in mind when I want a smooth drink to sip casually.

If you're a light beer drinker, I recommend giving the Andygator a shot as your introduction to a slightly more bitter experience. If you drink more bitter beers but have nothing to drink with your friends who are immersed in the world of pilsners, share this with them and you'll find something in common.