Ayinger Celebrator 750ML

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock 750ML is a Bavarian doppelbock lager brewed by Ayinger Privatbrauerei at 6.7% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Winner of Gold at the 2024 World Beer Awards for World's Best Strong Lager, this dark, malt-forward beer undergoes roughly six months of aging before release — a commitment to conditioning that few doppelbocks match.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.7%  |  Origin: Bavaria, Germany  |  Style: Doppelbock Lager  |  Brewery: Ayinger Privatbrauerei

Production & Heritage

Ayinger Privatbrauerei operates in the village of Aying, roughly 25 kilometers southeast of Munich in Upper Bavaria. The brewery produces Celebrator through traditional lager fermentation, then ages the beer for approximately half a year before it ships — a prolonged conditioning period that builds its characteristically full-bodied and velvety texture. Doppelbock as a style traces back to Bavarian monastic brewing, and Celebrator stands as one of the most recognized modern interpretations, earning a perfect 100 score on RateBeer and a 96 on BeerAdvocate.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Deep malt richness leads, layered with roasted coffee, toffee sweetness, and a subtle dark-fruit undertone. A faint herbaceous hop character emerges as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is smooth and malt-driven, delivering rich toffee dipped in chocolate across the front palate. Mid-palate, pronounced coffee and caramel notes develop alongside ripe apple and tart cherry accents. A graceful dark-malt roastiness and essence of barley anchor the peak, balanced by restrained bitterness.

Finish: Semi-dry and lingering, with residual toffee and roasted grain tapering gradually. The extended aging shows here — the finish is remarkably clean for a beer this malt-dense, with no cloying sweetness.

How to Drink Celebrator

Serve Celebrator at 45–50°F in a tulip glass or traditional stoneware mug to let the malt complexity open fully; pouring too cold mutes the layered toffee and coffee aromatics. While doppelbocks are best enjoyed on their own, Celebrator also works in beer-forward mixed drinks: a Bock & Black float (Celebrator layered over a shot of espresso) amplifies the coffee character; a Dark Lager Shandy with fresh lemon juice and a touch of honey lightens the body for warmer-weather drinking; and a Beer Old Fashioned — substituting a small measure of Celebrator for part of the bourbon — adds malty depth and dark-fruit complexity to the classic cocktail.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates world-class lagers
• Holiday and winter gatherings where a rich, warming beer fits the mood
• Pairing with a multi-course dinner as a dessert or cheese-course complement
• Introducing someone to the doppelbock style with an award-winning benchmark

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Celebrator taste like? Celebrator delivers rich toffee, coffee, and dark caramel flavors underpinned by graceful roasted malt and a hint of tart cherry. The finish is semi-dry with a velvety, full-bodied texture from extended aging.

How does Celebrator compare to Spaten Optimator? Both are iconic Bavarian doppelbocks, but Celebrator is generally darker in color and more pronounced in its coffee and toffee malt character, while Spaten Optimator tends toward a slightly lighter body with more evident bread-crust sweetness. Celebrator's roughly six-month aging period also contributes a smoother, more refined texture than Optimator's comparatively straightforward profile.

Is Celebrator good for sipping neat? Celebrator is designed to be savored slowly and is widely regarded as one of the finest sipping beers in the doppelbock category, earning a perfect 100 on RateBeer. Served at cellar temperature in a proper glass, it rewards patient drinking as flavors evolve with each sip.

Where is Celebrator made? Celebrator is brewed at Ayinger Privatbrauerei in the village of Aying, located in Upper Bavaria, Germany, about 25 kilometers southeast of Munich. The brewery draws on Bavaria's deep lager-brewing traditions and local water sources.

What foods pair well with Celebrator? Roasted pork shank or Schweinshaxe echoes the malty richness; aged Gruyère or Comté cheese matches the toffee and caramel sweetness; dark chocolate truffles amplify the coffee and roast character; smoked sausages complement the malt backbone; and apple strudel mirrors the beer's subtle fruit notes while contrasting its semi-dry finish.

What sizes does Celebrator come in? Celebrator is commonly available in 330ml bottles, 500ml bottles, and this 750ml format, which is well-suited for sharing.

Is Celebrator worth the price? Celebrator positions as a premium import doppelbock, and its half-year aging process, multiple international gold medals, and near-perfect aggregated critic scores place it firmly among the best values in the strong lager category worldwide.

Why Celebrator?

Few doppelbocks carry the cumulative accolades that Celebrator has earned — Gold at the 2024 World Beer Awards for World's Best Strong Lager, Gold at the 2025 Frankfurt International Trophy, and consistent top-tier recognition from the Chicago Testing Institute and BeerAdvocate alike. The roughly six-month aging regimen is the key production differentiator, delivering a velvet-smooth body that less patient breweries simply cannot replicate. At 6.7% ABV, it hits the sweet spot of richness without the boozy heat that plagues some stronger doppelbocks. For anyone building a serious beer collection or seeking a definitive example of the style, Celebrator is the reference point against which other doppelbocks are measured.