30th Anniversary- Charlie, Fred And Ken's Bock
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Second in the anniversary brews from the brewery I practically grew up with. Lucky to finally find this one in my area.

If anyone doesn't know, the Fred on the label of this one is Fred Eckhardt who wrote the Treatise on Lager Beers for home brewing -- long before the micro revolution. Fred's a great person to have a couple beers with, if you get the chance.

Poured into my Rodenbach Grand Cru tulip.

The more I sample this beer, the more I think I'll assess it as a Pale Doppelbock, not a mere Helles Bock. And Maibocks top the scale at 7.5, or so, ABV. At 8.3, this brew is more Doppelbock.

A -- Clear, deep amber -- pretty much orange, with a thick, light tan, slow settling head.

S -- Hmm -- piny and fruity with a spicy finish and vague alcohol. Mildest of bready malts fighting through the esters. Not the best nose for a lager, but there's nothing offensive.

T -- Bready malts that turn sweet and toffee-like on the tongue, spicy hops in balance or even tipping the scales. Hot, pepperiness from alcohol in the finish. Some mellow peach-like fruitiness in the aftertaste.

M -- Mouthfeel is smooth, nearly syrupy, and body is on the heavy side of medium. Finishes to the dry side.

D -- I'm torn between 4.5 and 5 here, but I think the ABV sets it back. Nonetheless, this is an interesting experiment in taking what is supposed to be a clean, flawless style right to the edge and not falling into the abyss of "extreme." I think the esters from the yeast are a little overpowering to the malt character that I like in a good Bock, yet there's a cleanliness to the overall flavor that doesn't fatigue the palate. A very nice beer in a great experiment from the pioneers of the revolution.

L for a aged lager thought would be clear but had slight haze deep amber color
S: pure sweetness and booze
t: was worried with the smell taste would be same but does not have burn or alcohol notes. Carmel and dark rasin fruit cake some alomost stout like notes
M low carb and sticky Sweet
o great as 7oz pour on draft and great sipper

 

 

Bought a few of each one of this series & kept them (cellar, racked) for future reference. This one really paid off!

Poured with nice carbonation, but not too much. Color is light caramel, aroma is subtle. No oxidation in smell or taste, and the beer has mellowed quite well. Any cloying sweetness is gone, with a nice malt profile remaining; very nice balance with the hops, which obviously have receded in the profile. A very enjoyable beer, and I'll be sharing my one left with a special friend (who can appreciate it).

After seven years, this beer has aged very well. If you've got a properly kept bottle, you can open it with confidence for a special occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintaining phenomenal carbonation after all these years. Color was in between concentrated orange and light auburn. 3/4" white head. Aroma went with the noble hops, pepper, lemon, floral tones.

Tastes like spring, its floral openings, the mild noble hop, the bready malt that isn't toasted but thick enough to carry an above 8% abv like it isn't oppressive. Its a diversionary road for Sierra Nevada, but still an enjoyable one. Any of the caramel bread notes are unsweetened, not overly cooked or roasted, just bready, doughy.

Keeps all the lemon bread and earth from weighing you down. Well made.

Had a properly aged bottle from the cellar. Beautiful burgundy pour with a solid finger of white foam. Smells strongly of toasted and caramel malts, good candi sugar accents with floral hops. Taste immerses you in all the dark fruits, with some booze warmth, toast, biscuit, and caramel malts, toffee, earthy spiced and floral hops round out. By far the most complex maibock I have ever had yet so clean and impeccably balanced. Crisp body, clean feel, deep darkness and complexity with the maltwork. Not sure how this is rated so low, it is a wonderful creation, though perhaps the 2 years of age helped out

 

 

Deep hazy burnt orange with notes of gold. Fluffy head of tiny bubbles. Highly oxidized noze (as it is 5 years old), toffee, caramel, sweet malty notes. Smooth and sweet, marmalade and caramel with underlying earthy notes. This beer has aged well, and is quite delicious. Perhaps a year ago on so would have been the primo time to pop it.

 

 

From notes. This pours a clear golden amber with a rich frothy head. The aromas combine malt with hops and maybe a faint touch of fruit. The flavors combine nice malt esters ride into your mouth on top of rich caramelly malt sweetness. It has a little more hops than a German Helles bock but the hops nicely balance the malt sweetness and help make the whole thing work. It is easy to drink. They need to make more of this.

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into an enlarged snifter. This was bottled in 2010 so has over 4 years of age on it.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, caramel color with a hint of red. Pretty murky looking. Leaves an off-white head of a finger or two that lingers a bit before fading to a white later atop the beer. (3.75)

Smell: Some nice must/peat, caramel, bread, spicy yeast, big malt character. Nice balanced aroma which is big on the breadiness. (4)

Taste: Balanced caramel flavors, yeasty bread, some mild spices: cloves and pepper, lots of malt, toffee, that musty/peatiness, surprisingly some light floral hops. Really high drinkability, nice finish - not much of a lingering aftertaste. (4.25)

Mouth-feel: Fairly full, thick body with a low but present carbonation. Works really well with the flavor.

Overall: Wasn't sure what to expect with this but its a really well balanced helles bock and the age has imparted some positive flavors which I enjoy. Sweetness is there in good balance and really plays well with the breadiness from the malts. The hops are mostly faded but still play a minor role. I'd definitely drink this again. (4.25)