Spaten Optimator

For a late lunch I had a Spaten Optimator with my Wiener Schnitzel at the Heidelberg in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan.  It was at this noble establishment that I first fell in love with dark beer. Later on, it was in this same place that I first fell in love with the girl who would be my wife. 

It was so enjoyable to take our children there now. We were happy to see that very little has changed in the past 25 years.

Optimator is a fantastic dopplebock with the bold malt flavors and a lightly refreshing bitterness of hops. In between the sweet of the malt and the bitter of the hops, there are layers of flavors like raisins and the recalled memories of fresh baked bread.