The Doctor is one of Sawmill’s very first releases, and a craft classic amongst the dark lager styles. A big (6.5 per cent ABV) and rich lager with a flavour and aroma precisely balanced between the expressive dark malts, subtle berry and black forest hop notes, and fresh baked breadiness. The team at Sawmill report that the brewery smells like a bakery when a batch of The Doctor is underway, and indeed pungent pumpernickel loaf is the first note I grasped once the bottle was opened. By the nature of its unusual style, this is a beer that’s going to find intrinsically niche appeal, anyone approaching it expecting anything like a typical lager is going to find themselves manifestly confronted. But for those who know it, or are looking to explore the deeper reaches of the lager spectrum, this is an easy one to recommend. Trophy winner at the 2022 Brewers Guild Awards, incidentally.
