Left Hand Brewing’s TNT Weizen Doppelbock

beer-left-hand-tntOne can easily make the claim that Left Hand Brewing‘s Milk Stout is one of the greatest beers ever made. It’s a perfect blend of richness and creaminess, counterbalanced with just enough bitterness to keep it all on an even keel. Once it gets cold outside, there are few beers more enjoyable.

Sadly, such is not the case with their limted release, the TNT Weizen Doppelbock. Now, I love me a good German dopplebock. The Celebrator Dopplebock is one of the few beers out there worth the somewhat outrageous price of $10.99 for four bottles. However, this TNT is something you really need to avoid. I figured, “Hey, I like tea. I like beer. What could go wrong?”

Much like some coffee stouts taste like someone added Folgers crystals to some beer, and get what should be perfect astoundingly wrong, the TNT is just a total failure. You’d think that the combination of Chinese tea and German beer would be a blending of crisp notes with herbal fullness. Nope. Lapsang souchong is a smokey tea that makes this bomber taste like someone took a bottle of beer and dropped in a bunch of teriyaki beef jerky. I’d take a sip, and get a split second of the glorious fall flavor I associate with dopplebocks, only to have it overwhelmed by this Liquid Smoke flavor that had me nearly unable to swallow.

I had about five swallows – barely making it past the bottle’s neck – before I poured it down the drain. Don’t make the same $8 mistake I did. Go drop the same money on a sixer of something you enjoy. The Free State Octoberfest is out now, and is a far better investment.