Will-Brau Ur-Bock
Hochstiftliches Brauhaus

Will-Brau Ur-BockWill-Brau Ur-Bock
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From:
Hochstiftliches Brauhaus
 
Germany
Style:
Bock
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 13.3%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
16
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 17, 2019
Added:
Dec 30, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by beerguy101:
Photo of beerguy101
Reviewed by beerguy101 from California

2.48/5  rDev -34%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Light gold color. Medium head. Aroma is malty and buttery. Medium body bock. Malts are sweet and very buttery. Hops are slightly bitter. Very sweet and buttery, possibly infected? Touch thin tasting for a bock. Mouthfeel is thin. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.
Oct 05, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.59 by emerge077 from Illinois

Dec 17, 2019
Photo of kinger
Reviewed by kinger from Ohio

3.69/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Bottle was on sale so this one may be past it's prime, regardless it was still enjoyable. Deep malty aroma with a slight kick. Light golden copper color minimal head and little lacing, but who cares about appearances when one tastes so good. Stronger than it looks this one is packed full of flavor . No doubt this is a bock, sturdy with a high malt presence. Mouthfeel is adequate, overall a roller coaster of a brew.
Aug 12, 2008
Photo of SwillinBrew
Reviewed by SwillinBrew from California

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Hollingshead (where you can buy the bottle as well). I'm just getting into this style and I really liked this brew.

A - a light golden color crossed with some honey. A smallish half finger of creamy white head was present and left a nice lacing.
S - sweet malts and mellow toast bread hit my nose leaving memories of sweet scents. Faint notes of some spice are present.
T - toffee and sweet malt are what come to mind with some subtle spice. It all balances well and kept me coming for more.
M&Dr - was on the lightly dry side and medium bodied. Very pleasant on the palate and thirst quenching. I could drink these all day actually. I'll be keeping a bottle of this in my frig.
Jan 28, 2006
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Fisrt off this flavor wise was not a back it was lighter and refrshing a good beer but a bock not sure about that.Poured a clear deep golden with a rather large white head that had some serious lasting pour,aromas are on the sweeter side some caramel and pizza dough.Flavors are light for a bock,some lightly sweet biscuit malt and caramel with a spicy hop finish that makes this brew quit appetizing.Pretty light for a Helles Bock but went down easy and is flavorful,I wouldnt seek out again I dont think.
Sep 25, 2005
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Dusty golden amber with a small, tight-bubbled cap that is somewhere between bright white and manilla. Ur-Bock looks like a darker, richer, hefe-deficient hefe weizen. There's almost no visible carbonation, yet the cap is demonstrating remarkable persistence. Unfortunately, very little lace ends up on the glass.

It smells a little like a wheat beer too. My knowledge of the bock style is still somewhat lacking, but this isn't what I expected at all. Fruity, bruised banana esters abound with what I swear is a wheat maltiness. In a blinded appearance test (not possible, I know) and a blinded smell test, I'd call this a hefe weizen every day of the week. It isn't as aromatic or as full of personality as it could be however.

It's drinkable, but it isn't outstanding. The sweetish pale malt (softly wheaty?) backbone is substantial and is the driving force for the entire flavor profile. It's still fruity, although peach and apricot are now as prominent as sugared banana. A subdued, but still noticeable, hoppiness provides just enough bitterness to pull the sweetness out of cloying range.

Th body/mouthfeel is medium-full, impressively smooth and somewhat slick, with very little carbonation. It's a highlight for me and improves drinkability quite a bit, but not quite to the same degree as the sweetness detracts from it.

Will-Brau Ur-Bock is interesting, if not overly compelling, beer. My previous five experiences with bocks have been disappointing, so I'd have to say that this is the best beer of this style that I've ever had. I have to believe that there are much better ones out there however.
Feb 22, 2005
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

2.83/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Presentation: 0,5litre brown glass bottle. A checkered red and white neck label states “Will-Bräu Ur-Bock” & “Since 1791”. The main label, which is the same checkered red and white display with the words ‘Will-Bräu’ in gold text, describes this as a malt liquor, really? LOL. No strength or freshness date listed.

Appearance: Pours with a decent white expansive Teutonic head, a frothy looking expanse that laces the sides well as it collapses to rather broken clumpy looking mess. Clear golden-yellow body that has some macro Lager traits. Looks OK but is nothing out of the ordinary.

Nose: Sweet malts, like a sugar laden Pilsner, biscuit grain mixed in with a soft buttery odor at times. Not much going on here really, gets worse as it warms. Serve this one cool.

Taste: Like the nose, this really did nothing to overwhelm me. Sweetish beginnings, light biscuit toasted malts, sweet and buttery, the middle is particularly laden with diacetyl. The ending is OK when chilled, but cloying as the Ur-Bock warms. Some hop bitterness in the ending when cool. Very average taste profile overall.

Mouthfeel: The sweet malts and buttery feel lend some support to a reasonably thin body that lacks soul. Gets thicker as it warms, but in a bad sticky way.

Drinkability: Super chilled it fulfills a decent role in quenching a thirst on a Sunday afternoon in Long Beach, but don’t let this warm too much, it soon becomes sickly, sticky and a tad undrinkable.

Overall: Keep this one chilled and it’s not bad, let it warm and it could well end up down the sink. Just another one of those “very-average-forgetful-German-brews-that-are-cheap-enough-to-try-once-but-not-again”.

Another mediocre brew from Hochstiftliches Brauhaus.
Sep 19, 2004
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

3.57/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The beer makes its escape from the 500ml brown bottle a slightly beclouded golden color with a modest creamy white head and after its disintegration, the lace forms a thin sheet to obscure the glass. Malt dominates the nose, sweet and fresh, also crisp and clean with the start nicely malted and a bit sweet with a light to middling top. Finish has pleasant hop spiciness with the acidity light to moderate and the aftertaste desert bone dry, a nice drinkable beer.
Sep 12, 2004
Photo of allengarvin
Reviewed by allengarvin from Texas

4.29/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Half-liter bottle I bought from beergeek.biz. I'm unfamiliar with the brewery.

Appearance: Pours a golden straw color, with some cloudiness. A lighter color than most bocks.

Aroma: Huge toasty, bread-like aroma. Very pleasant.

Flavor: Again, reminiscent of a thick grainy bread, very sweet and malty, with bitterness on the low end. Good body, medium carbonation. Finish lingers, with some nice warmth from the alcohol.

An interesting bock that feels old-fashioned to me. I wish it were sold in this area!
Aug 27, 2004
Photo of RoyalT
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance – Slightly cloudy and brownish-orange in color with a rather small head.

Smell – Light malt aroma with a big sense of butter. This one smells creamy and smooth.

Taste – Nothing but buttery, caramel malts to this one. This bock is very one-dimensional, as a bock should be.

Mouthfeel – No carbonation and medium-bodied. This one was exceptionally smooth and creamy.

Drinkability – I thought this hit the style pretty well on. It was a nice treat.
Dec 06, 2003
Photo of GCBrewingCo
Reviewed by GCBrewingCo from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Light gold color with a head that forms quickly and lasts. Aroma of sweet malt and just a hint of alcohol. The flavor is complex with sweet malt yet good bitterness and a caramel alcohol finish. Very well balanced. The body is medium and very appropriate for this beer.

I generally think of a Bock as being a little darker than this beer, it works well as a Helles Bock.
Nov 30, 2003
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A rich, sweet, grainy, and somewhat bready malt aroma is immediately noticeable upon pouring. It's quite welcoming, and even a bit complex, with a distinctly grainy and somewhat bready malt; and a combination of some floral hops and a touch of light alcohol that appears almost honeyish. The body is a slightly hazy golden amber and the head is a short cap of creamy ivory foam. Initially it leaves some nice lacing, but that eventually diminishes to a patchwork of sticky spots. In the mouth it's full and smooth across the palate with just a slight tingle on the tongue from its very fine, moderate carbonation. The flavor delivers all of what the nose promises and more with some toasty malt character and a bit of light caramel becoming apparent mid-palate. It finishes surprisingly dry with some mild but leafy, floral and even slightly spicy hops before a subtle wash of alcohol cleans things up. It's very drinkable, despite that fact that it's strength will creep up on you, and I highly recommend it.
Oct 02, 2003
Photo of marc77
Reviewed by marc77 from California

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Crystal clear golden amber in hue. Covered by a vanilla white, well retained creamy head that leaves frothy lace. The aroma is a rich, well rounded egalitarian consortium of sticky, floral honey, buttery melanoidin derived toffee, and mildly herbal hops along with secondary notes of candied red apple. Appetizing aromawise. Bready, slightly toasty sweetness hits the palate at first, then focuses into a nutty, almond paste filled croissant impression, which in turn transiently settles into a clean, simply toasted, grainy Vienna presence. Subdued hop flavor both floral and leafy sets in mid palate and adds a lightly green, herbaceous contrast. Hop bitterness is well integrated and appropriately functional, serving to offset residual sweetness judiciously, lending superb overall balance. Moderate in body, with a gently dextrinous mouthfeel. Well aged, yeast must surfaces late along with a hint of sherryish notes of oxidation. Finishes with fading, agreeable impression of stroopwaffles. (Dutch waffle - like thin caramel filled cookies... they're delicious!) A well balanced, deeply malty, yet soft hellesbock. Will Brau Ur-Bock's true potential was unfortunately hindered by its apparent age. If found fresh, this could be a true classic... I'll still easily prefer it over most US microbrewed versions. Very tasty!
Jun 05, 2003
Photo of Darkale
Reviewed by Darkale from Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
My favorite beer store has a long shelf of German singles, and I have avoided it for far too long!

Aroma is yeasty and slightly sharp. The head is moderate, slight lacing, with a light orange colored body.

Taste is creamy, with a thin maltiness and a smoky, brash, slightly sour aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is frothy and spicy.

This is an enjoyable beer. Tingly, brisk, and complex.
May 24, 2003
Photo of DarthMalt
Reviewed by DarthMalt from Virginia

3.71/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Still something essentially "beer" about those Bavarians.


Artisenal, clay-crock chill haze apparent. Obviously a quality brew.

Tighty-whitey head.

Cap crack releases an ester/phenolic banana puff that'll chase you across the room. Very artisenal! Phenol/ester whiffs melt down into luscious candy-apple and DEEP DEEP honey-oak aromas (Quite titillating in a natural, 1970s, 38C sort of way). Complete with seed and apple-skin tannins hitching the ride, but solely as a complement to the fruit-malt body.

Zingy carbonation lives and dies in the immediate foretaste, while sugary malts pan sideways and full fruit blossoms on the crest of the tongue. Oak notes pervade throughout.

This is a fabulously authentic tasting brew! Nobody stateside even comes close to making a beer as fundamental and complex as this.

Zum Wohl! (Or whatever the hell it is that Bierman9 says)

Prost!
Apr 24, 2003
Photo of mickeymac
Reviewed by mickeymac from California

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is an interesting Bock that comes with a cool-looking red and white diamond patterned label. It's pale in color, almost like a pilsener. Despite the light color, it has the traditional Bock smell and taste. It's fairly sweet, with enough hops to keep things interesting. Let it warm a bit, and toffee flavors become noticeable. It's a bit hard to find, but it's worth grabbing if you run into it.
Dec 30, 2002
Will-Brau Ur-Bock from Hochstiftliches Brauhaus
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 16 ratings