Birch Bock (Pilot Series)
Alaskan Brewing Co.

Birch Bock (Pilot Series)Birch Bock (Pilot Series)
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From:
Alaskan Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Doppelbock
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.62 | pDev: 13.81%
Reviews:
55
Ratings:
121
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 15, 2017
Added:
Aug 30, 2011
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  10
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gavage:
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.52/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: pours a light brown color with a short wispy head that falls apart quickly.

Smell: sweet malt and brown sugar is most noticeable by the nose.

Taste: very sweet malt profile, as brown sugar and ripe dark fruits are up front. Bitterness is mild and alcohol is mildly noticeable too.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp up front, smoother argue finish. The sweetness lingers on the tongue for a while.

Overall: I expected a little more from this beer, as it just was not as satisfying as I expected. One bomber bottle was more than enough for a session.
Oct 07, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.36 by SaxmanRick from Minnesota

Nov 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.85 by WastingFreetime from Wisconsin

Jul 12, 2015
 
Rated: 2.93 by arvidkoval from Alaska

Dec 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by nathanmiller from New York

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by pkkosmatka from Minnesota

Nov 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by yemenmocha from Arizona

Oct 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.54 by rab53 from Washington

Oct 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by MonkeyBread from Nevada

Sep 28, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by kkesty from Minnesota

Sep 16, 2014
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4/5  rDev +10.5%
Nose: Malty combined with spicy birch syrup
Brownish garnet amber with a slight chill haze under a 2" finely bubbled light tan head. Persistent. Lacy.
Palate: Birch syrup spice, rich malts, some fruitiness from the syrup, mild hop bitterness on the finish.
Big rich body, average carbonation, creamy and smooth with alcohol warming.
Sep 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by SlightlyGrey from Minnesota

Aug 30, 2014
Photo of laituegonflable
Reviewed by laituegonflable from Australia

3.41/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a vibrant red colour, slight fizz. Head is an off-white ring around the edge, decent lacing. Looks OK, but listless.

Smells like bubblegum. Massive sweetness incongruous with the look - lots of banana, cake batter and apple juice as well. Fruity, light and sweet; needs more grounding for me.

Taste is a bit more toffeed, but otherwise it's all the same notes of the nose, so points for some congruity at least. Banana, bubblegum, some spice notes - nutmeg and maybe some clove - and a nice vanilla note at the back, which sort of assimilates all the others into a bigger whole at the back. Slight metallic edge, but I still think it's a bit sickly sweet at the start. Decent, but really into this.

Fairly smooth with a proteinous body. Bit of spice at the back; quite nice.

Interesting beer, and a well-constructed palate. Not to my taste at all, sadly, but I can see others really enjoying this.
Aug 05, 2014
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a red-orange amber with active carbonation. One finger fine light tan head with good retention and lacing. Looks nice. Aroma of sweet malt and a hint of birch beer. Flavor is sweet and caramel malt, toffee with a rather dry birch syrup finish. Low hop levels. Medium bodied with a bit of creaminess. A interesting, but low key, take on a doppelbock. The birch syrup counteracts the malt flavors somewhat, so it seems like it could use a bit more malt flavor as a doppelbock. Still interesting and enjoyable to drink. (Reviewed in 2012, moved here from a duplicate listing in the archive section, since this seems to be the main listing).
Apr 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by jzlyo from Iowa

Feb 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by dwitt24 from Washington

Dec 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Nov 22, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by NodakEric from Minnesota

Nov 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by derkfromwi from Wisconsin

Nov 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by jaydoc from Kansas

Oct 19, 2013
Birch Bock (Pilot Series) from Alaskan Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 121 ratings