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Shiner Bock
Spoetzl Brewery


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Spoetzl Brewery
- Texas, United States
- Style:
- Bock
Ranked #95 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 74
Ranked #29,583 - Avg:
- 3.21 | pDev: 19.63%
- Reviews:
- 1,220
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Wednesday at 04:10 AM
- Added:
- Oct 03, 1999
- Wants:
- 108
- Gots:
- 1,354
SCORE
74
Okay
74
Okay


Notes:
Tip back a bock. Brewed with rich roasted barley malt and German specialty hops, this lightly hopped American-styled dark lager always goes down easy. Originally a seasonal beer, fans have demanded it year-round since 1973.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by superpete93 from New Hampshire
4.1/5 rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Great relaxing beer. Very mellow, great taste--though a little too much carbonation.
Jan 30, 2023Reviewed by ATL6245 from Georgia
3.59/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Clear, bright copper color. Frothy white head with good retention. Slow rising bubbles.
Aroma: Malt forward with toasted bread and caramel aromas.
Flavor: Malt forward with toasted bread, caramel and spiciness. Semi-sweet. Restrained bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied. Medium to high carbonation.
Overall: While I've had this beer before, it's been many years ago and long before starting to rate beers on BA. What a strange beer. It's not really a Bock because it is not nearly the strength or medium to full body of a Bock. Drinks more like a Munich Dunkel. Beautiful looking beer in a tall pilsner glass. Holds a head nicely but falls short otherwise. It's a good beer and I'll drink it more often. I believe the low scores are primary due to it being misclassified; therefore, disappointing anyone looking for a true Bock style beer. I believe it should be reclassified as American Amber Lager. And yes, I realize the brewery calls it Bock.
Jan 08, 2023Aroma: Malt forward with toasted bread and caramel aromas.
Flavor: Malt forward with toasted bread, caramel and spiciness. Semi-sweet. Restrained bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied. Medium to high carbonation.
Overall: While I've had this beer before, it's been many years ago and long before starting to rate beers on BA. What a strange beer. It's not really a Bock because it is not nearly the strength or medium to full body of a Bock. Drinks more like a Munich Dunkel. Beautiful looking beer in a tall pilsner glass. Holds a head nicely but falls short otherwise. It's a good beer and I'll drink it more often. I believe the low scores are primary due to it being misclassified; therefore, disappointing anyone looking for a true Bock style beer. I believe it should be reclassified as American Amber Lager. And yes, I realize the brewery calls it Bock.
Reviewed by LB666 from Germany
2.85/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
2.85/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
As a German staying for holidays in the US I checked this out because I liked the design of the bottle and I am a huge Bock beer fan. Unfortunately, the bottle does not show the ABV, which is in Germany by the way not even allowed by law. Buying the bottle I assumed that the Shiner Bock is of course a Bock beer. For me this is by definition a beer that has at least 16 degree Plato resulting in ABVs above 6,5%. I poured the beer into a glass and it looks great. Nice amber/brown color. Nice sweet caramel scent. However it tastes as watery as most of the US beers. I checked for the beer online here on this page and figured out it has just 4,5% ABV which is miles away from a Bock. However, I have to admit it does not taste very bad. It tastes just completely different to what I expect from a Bock. It is for sure drinkable and has also some good roasted aromas. I conclude that the shiner bock is a solid US dark lager beer but not not a unfortunately not a Bock Beer at all.
Jan 02, 2023Rated by farmboy21 from Illinois
3.77/5 rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I would guess this is Shiner's #1 beer. It's practically a classic and a good representative of a Bock.
Dec 01, 2022Reviewed by Hooded from Texas
2.42/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
2.42/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
24oz can poured into a Tulip glass.
Appearance is clear reddish-brown with 2-fingers of tan head. Retention is very poor.
Low strength of aroma. First, there's a very unfortunate soapy smell that is strongest. After that, there's some caramel, and malt.
Strength of taste is slightly above medium. The taste has a very light toasty flavor, some caramel and no alcohol which isn't surprising because it has far less alcohol for this style than most. The taste is so light that it doesn't seem like a Bock.
Feel is somewhat above medium in thickness. Carbonation and astringency are low. If this is a Bock, it should have a little more thickness.
Overall, I drank my share of Shiner Bock in college. It fails as a Bock.
Oct 17, 2022Appearance is clear reddish-brown with 2-fingers of tan head. Retention is very poor.
Low strength of aroma. First, there's a very unfortunate soapy smell that is strongest. After that, there's some caramel, and malt.
Strength of taste is slightly above medium. The taste has a very light toasty flavor, some caramel and no alcohol which isn't surprising because it has far less alcohol for this style than most. The taste is so light that it doesn't seem like a Bock.
Feel is somewhat above medium in thickness. Carbonation and astringency are low. If this is a Bock, it should have a little more thickness.
Overall, I drank my share of Shiner Bock in college. It fails as a Bock.
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
3.81/5 rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Light copper with a 1/2" off white head, which fades to a wisp. Light lacing.
Aroma is sweetish, toast, light caramel.
Taste is slightly sweet, malty, toasted caramel.
Thin to medium, light carbonation. Semisweet finish.
This is a pretty good Bock.
Oct 09, 2022Aroma is sweetish, toast, light caramel.
Taste is slightly sweet, malty, toasted caramel.
Thin to medium, light carbonation. Semisweet finish.
This is a pretty good Bock.
Rated by sodavisions from Michigan
3.03/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
It's great if you're tired of regular cheap beer and want some cheap beer with flavor. My go-to cold-weather beer.
Oct 09, 2022Rated by Chocolatefreak from Tennessee
3.75/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
An easy drink. Light bock taste, feel & smell. Overall, I like the bock style and need to drink more to give it an accurate rating.
Oct 01, 2022Reviewed by Brook82 from Ohio
2.91/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.91/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Truth in advertising here, almost to a fault. Copperish color, a tad off whit foam head that disappeared within a minute or so. N lacing. Aroma was soapy (hence the clean, crisp taste?). Taste was muted of any dominate ingredients. Easy drinking, then n feel. Would drink another if offered, doubt I will purchase again.
Aug 20, 2022Reviewed by DerTexaner
4.98/5 rDev +55.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.98/5 rDev +55.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
A great Texas-take on a German-style beer, which is more lager, than a traditional German Bock beer. Lacing was decent. Smell was very much bread-like and malty and not at all hoppy. Goes down smooth and easy. If you're looking for a more medium body beer that is great to enjoy on a hot day.... this is your beer. And yes.... every drop is still very much brewed in Shiner, Texas. Their brewery tour in Shiner is pretty cool.
Aug 11, 2022Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania
3.79/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Undated bottle. Nice clear dark ruby with a brief off-white head. Tastes a lot like a lager, but with roasted malts and a bit of caramel. Mouthfeel is light and fizzy. No bitterness in the taste or in the finish. Overall, an easy-drinking "lite" American take on the style.
Aug 08, 2022Reviewed by jkrich from Florida
3.68/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from an undated 12 oz. bottle: beautiful, clear garnet red with a quickly receding, foamy white head.
The aroma is somewhat subdued with "lager-like" aromas of spicy malts and faint hops.
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is that this is quite light and subtle to be an authentic "bock" beer that tends to be full-bodied and somewhat thick; however, this is a good ole American style version that is a thirst-quencher for hot summer days in Texas as well as the rest of the USA. The initial flavor is slightly tangy with malts and hints of molasses. The hop complement and zesty carbonation keep this one refreshing and quaffable. I almost detect a little rye in the aftertaste. At 4.5 % ABV, this one has a lot of flavor. The body is thin and the carbonation is quite high with a slick mouthfeel. I should drink this more often. Good buy from Wal-Mart.
Jun 29, 2022The aroma is somewhat subdued with "lager-like" aromas of spicy malts and faint hops.
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is that this is quite light and subtle to be an authentic "bock" beer that tends to be full-bodied and somewhat thick; however, this is a good ole American style version that is a thirst-quencher for hot summer days in Texas as well as the rest of the USA. The initial flavor is slightly tangy with malts and hints of molasses. The hop complement and zesty carbonation keep this one refreshing and quaffable. I almost detect a little rye in the aftertaste. At 4.5 % ABV, this one has a lot of flavor. The body is thin and the carbonation is quite high with a slick mouthfeel. I should drink this more often. Good buy from Wal-Mart.
Rated by RamseyHeadrick from Canada (QC)
3.45/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pretty light flavor, chill beer, pretty intense carbonation
Jun 26, 2022Rated by AlbertBales
4.18/5 rDev +30.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev +30.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
It’s a great alternative to a traditional bock. Especially if you don’t have access to a stocked liquor store.
Jun 19, 2022
Shiner Bock from Spoetzl Brewery
Beer rating:
74 out of
100 with
4519 ratings
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