There’s a wild ride coming up at work next week which I’m mostly looking forward to, but I know for sure there ain’t gonna be a lot of time for man’s best friend (or the dog), which make me kinda sad. But for now, it’s the weekend, and I’m in the mood for something a little bit special, beer-wise. I’ve had my beady eye on an intriguing bottle of Collaborator Doppelbock, part of the Wild Dog range of very limited edition beers from the Flying Dog Brewery out of Denver, Colorado, which has been hanging out with me since July, waiting for just the right moment to pop the cork and enjoy a mellow moment on the deck.

One of only 5000 bottles produced, this beer was brewed up as part of the Open Source Beer Project that Flying Dog are running, which kicked off with a regular doppelbock recipe and encouraged home-brewers from around the world to submit their suggestions for improving the recipe and creating something just a little bit special.

Worked out pretty well, I think – deep copper pour with an inch of brown foamy head, and an intense caramel-and-alcohol aroma that wafts you off to beery heaven as you raise the glass. With sticky lips, I appreciate the fat brown flavour full of malt and fruit and it’s hoppy, bitter character that provides a long, lingering finish. Substantial and satisfying, this is an ideal beer for an autumn afternoon, and one you’d keep coming back to if you had the opportunity.

Good stuff – would probably have had our highest accolade if it hadn’t been a) pretty expensive, and b) almost certainly unobtainable by now. Buy one if you see it, or head over to the recipe, and make your own! An ideal project for winter…

JBB6 Rating: For the Win