Bayou Bock
Covington Brewhouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was very excited about this beer. Being a medium to dark beer lover from Louisiana, I was ecstatic to see a Covington Brewhouse Bock in my local supermarket.

A- Pours from a 12oz. bottle a beautiful hazy golden color with serious carbonation, quite contrary to the other reviews of this brew, it poured a 2 to 3 finger head in a standard tulip. The head didnt last long and left medium lacing. I do have a 3 week old batch.

S- Very malty and hoppy. I'm not getting any fruit or citrus notes, but maybe a slight corn or grain scent.

T- On the forefront is a very enjoyable malt flavor followed with the ever slightest bitterness. There is a hint of sweetness, perhaps even a touch of citrus. Not getting the corn flavor I was on the scent.

M- The mouthful on this beer screams drink me. A very smooth medium weight with a hair of dryness at the end. Very carbonated, but not to the extent of feeling the fizz-burn.

O- I'm rather pleased with this brew. For 7.99 on a 12 pack I don't feel robbed. I was originally expecting a darker more robust flavor, but after that wonderful mouthfeel, all my expectations were useless. Anyone looking to getting into the darker beers from say a pilsner will find this a perfect gateway.

 

You can call it light gold or polished copper but either descriptor works for this very appealing color tone. Moderate cap and very little lacing, much like some British Ales.

Aroma is on the richer side of the malt spectrum without stepping over into cloying sweetness territory. Little hops apparent, just a hint, but at 15 IBU that's to be expected.

Taste is ahh, that's good. Having been let down by earlier versions of this label this new one from their revamped brewery is in the WOW category. Rich malt on entry but it's a clean malt without over sweetness or the slight bitterness of mid roasted malt. Rich like a perfectly made pastry that doesn't go overboard in any direction. Just one hop variety is used, German Perle, and just enough of that to offset the malt while still presenting a mild hit of spicy, floral background. Much like the painted backdrop in the one room set of a one act play, it's ever present without intruding into the main action taking place on stage. Promoted as a food beer by the brewery I believe they have a winner.

Texture is full. Over the years I've had some Maibocks that seemed sorta lumpy in their heaviness but this one is full while singing the high notes.

This is far, far better than the earlier versions put out by Covington Brewhouse. It is so much better in fact that it's not an exaggeration to say it's a different beer entirely. I understand this one is gaining in popularity in the local places as a good accompaniment with food and can see why. It simply works that way on so many levels in that it won't be overcome by hearty, smoky bbq dishes, spicy Cajun or Asian, nor will it dominate a simple Fettuccine Alfredo. I can confidently state it works well with hickory smoked bacon cheeseburgers. I rank right it up there with Bells Amber with a bit more flavor and a lot more punch.

 

 

Looked and smelled great, too strong on the taste, which killed it for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malty with a nice finish. Much less watery than other bocks I've tried. More like a dopplebock.