Shiner Bock | Spoetzl Brewery / Shiner
Brewed by:
Spoetzl Brewery / Shiner
Texas, United States
shiner.com
Style: German Bock
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.40%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
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.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 10-03-1999
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 4,201 | Reviews: 1,123
2.75/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
3.12/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
4/5 rDev +25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I've drunk a ton of Shiner Bock over the years. I used to spend way too much time in a bar that sold Shiner Bock draft for the same price as domestic. $1 a glass or $4 for a pitcher. Those were the days!
206 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I've drunk a ton of Shiner Bock over the years. I used to spend way too much time in a bar that sold Shiner Bock draft for the same price as domestic. $1 a glass or $4 for a pitcher. Those were the days!
206 characters
3.41/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good stuff
10 characters
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good stuff
10 characters
3.24/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.43/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
12 Oz Bottle poured into glass
Look - copper amber color with a small head of foam fades rather fast, little glass lacing not much
Smell - very little here some grains or rice. A slight freezer-burn aroma.
Taste - Malt and musty grains. Decent level of sweetness. Very minor hop bite. Carbonation is medium-high and drinkability is fairly high, not a filling beer. I'm not an expert, never really had a bock style before so i can't say how it compares. I can say the taste on this is thin and it is close to a light beer. I don't mind the taste but there tons of better options for the price.
Overall, a forgettable beer, not unpleasant but not something i would look forward to. I give this beer a B
701 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
12 Oz Bottle poured into glass
Look - copper amber color with a small head of foam fades rather fast, little glass lacing not much
Smell - very little here some grains or rice. A slight freezer-burn aroma.
Taste - Malt and musty grains. Decent level of sweetness. Very minor hop bite. Carbonation is medium-high and drinkability is fairly high, not a filling beer. I'm not an expert, never really had a bock style before so i can't say how it compares. I can say the taste on this is thin and it is close to a light beer. I don't mind the taste but there tons of better options for the price.
Overall, a forgettable beer, not unpleasant but not something i would look forward to. I give this beer a B
701 characters
3.16/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce can into a plastic beer mug. Shiner pours the color of strong iced-tea. Good foam retention. There is some decent lacing. As per usual I could not detect much of a aroma. The date stamped on the outside of the packaging was 10-19-18. The flavor of Shiner is typical malt and hop. There was just a hint of pepper at the back of the throat. Shiner is a smooth brew. It is crisp and has no annoying or lingering aftertaste. Overall a well crafted beer.
460 characters
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce can into a plastic beer mug. Shiner pours the color of strong iced-tea. Good foam retention. There is some decent lacing. As per usual I could not detect much of a aroma. The date stamped on the outside of the packaging was 10-19-18. The flavor of Shiner is typical malt and hop. There was just a hint of pepper at the back of the throat. Shiner is a smooth brew. It is crisp and has no annoying or lingering aftertaste. Overall a well crafted beer.
460 characters
3.93/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.29/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Had this one a few times before of course, but never in situations that were very conducive to reviews -- but I picked up a stray can at the local Kroger's mixed-six-pack section on my last visit, so now it's time to change that! Best-by date on the bottom of the can is 10/20/2018, so this is still reasonably fresh, especially considering that it's not a hoppy beer.
My first thought is "hey, this looks darker than I remember!"... though to be fair one of the two times I've had this beer before was straight out of the bottle so I didn't really see the color at all then. It's a nice dark reddish-brown color, with a thin layer of off-white foam on top that doesn't seem to want to fade away anytime soon. Quite clear, with lots of rising bubbles visible when held up to a light (or, as it turns out, held in front of the white background of this website on my computer screen!) And they managed to translate the bottle's design to the can very well, too; I almost like the look of the can more than the bottle, actually. Pretty nice-looking beer!
Smell is pretty mild, just kind of malty and "beery" at first sniff with a hint of some sweetness in the background. A little bit of an odd wet-grass/lake-mud sort of thing, almost... not sure how to describe it, but there's a slightly funky thing going on there. It's not super noticeable on the surface, though. I'm noticing that the smell becomes very difficult to detect at all after I've taken a few drinks.
Taste is pretty mild, but pleasantly doughy at first, with a bit of a grainy toasted malt thing in the background. Not as much of a "dark beer" flavor as I'd expect from the color, but not bad at all. The maltiness lingers a bit on the tongue after taking a few drinks. Starting to pick up a slight German/Noble hop thing halfway through, most noticeable in the burps for some odd reason. Overall, flavor is a bit weak for what I'd expect out of a bock... but then again, at only 4.4% ABV it's pretty much a "light" beer!
Feel is a bit thin, to be honest. Not unpleasantly so, but the fact that this less hefty than other bocks stands out more in the mouthfeel than anywhere else. The bubbles aid it a bit here, but it's not quite enough. On the positive side, this is definitely a very drinkable beer and I'm finding myself taking good-sized gulps of it every time -- I could easily have a few of these in a row, and it seems the flavors work better in quantity too (as in, tastes better on a big gulp vs. a small sip) so having several in one sitting is probably exactly what the brewers intended.
This is one of those beers that I was not really a fan of the first time I had it, but found it much more pleasant the second time around (pouring into a glass rather than drinking from the bottle REALLY helps this one) -- and the third time seems to have improved my opinion even more. This definitely seems to be a "greater than the sum of its parts" kind of beer. It's simple, easy to drink, and has an odd sort of charm to it. While I might not rush out to the store to buy more right away, I'm sure I'll end up drinking and enjoying it again at some point.
3,150 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Had this one a few times before of course, but never in situations that were very conducive to reviews -- but I picked up a stray can at the local Kroger's mixed-six-pack section on my last visit, so now it's time to change that! Best-by date on the bottom of the can is 10/20/2018, so this is still reasonably fresh, especially considering that it's not a hoppy beer.
My first thought is "hey, this looks darker than I remember!"... though to be fair one of the two times I've had this beer before was straight out of the bottle so I didn't really see the color at all then. It's a nice dark reddish-brown color, with a thin layer of off-white foam on top that doesn't seem to want to fade away anytime soon. Quite clear, with lots of rising bubbles visible when held up to a light (or, as it turns out, held in front of the white background of this website on my computer screen!) And they managed to translate the bottle's design to the can very well, too; I almost like the look of the can more than the bottle, actually. Pretty nice-looking beer!
Smell is pretty mild, just kind of malty and "beery" at first sniff with a hint of some sweetness in the background. A little bit of an odd wet-grass/lake-mud sort of thing, almost... not sure how to describe it, but there's a slightly funky thing going on there. It's not super noticeable on the surface, though. I'm noticing that the smell becomes very difficult to detect at all after I've taken a few drinks.
Taste is pretty mild, but pleasantly doughy at first, with a bit of a grainy toasted malt thing in the background. Not as much of a "dark beer" flavor as I'd expect from the color, but not bad at all. The maltiness lingers a bit on the tongue after taking a few drinks. Starting to pick up a slight German/Noble hop thing halfway through, most noticeable in the burps for some odd reason. Overall, flavor is a bit weak for what I'd expect out of a bock... but then again, at only 4.4% ABV it's pretty much a "light" beer!
Feel is a bit thin, to be honest. Not unpleasantly so, but the fact that this less hefty than other bocks stands out more in the mouthfeel than anywhere else. The bubbles aid it a bit here, but it's not quite enough. On the positive side, this is definitely a very drinkable beer and I'm finding myself taking good-sized gulps of it every time -- I could easily have a few of these in a row, and it seems the flavors work better in quantity too (as in, tastes better on a big gulp vs. a small sip) so having several in one sitting is probably exactly what the brewers intended.
This is one of those beers that I was not really a fan of the first time I had it, but found it much more pleasant the second time around (pouring into a glass rather than drinking from the bottle REALLY helps this one) -- and the third time seems to have improved my opinion even more. This definitely seems to be a "greater than the sum of its parts" kind of beer. It's simple, easy to drink, and has an odd sort of charm to it. While I might not rush out to the store to buy more right away, I'm sure I'll end up drinking and enjoying it again at some point.
3,150 characters
4.04/5 rDev +26.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.43/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.5/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Has a nice sweet hop smell. It doesn't really taste hoppy, which is great for me. It is a little sweet but not cloying. It has a very light apple taste (or some fruit close to apple). It has a light-medium body, is very smooth and lightly carbonated. This is probably the most refreshing beer I have had. It also has the current distinction of being my favorite American beer and probably in my top 3 beers, next to Harp and Weihenstephaner original.
Edit: I increased my initial scores as the taste seems to change as the beer gets warmer (it was around 80 degrees f for my last 2 sips) but it is still delicious.
621 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Has a nice sweet hop smell. It doesn't really taste hoppy, which is great for me. It is a little sweet but not cloying. It has a very light apple taste (or some fruit close to apple). It has a light-medium body, is very smooth and lightly carbonated. This is probably the most refreshing beer I have had. It also has the current distinction of being my favorite American beer and probably in my top 3 beers, next to Harp and Weihenstephaner original.
Edit: I increased my initial scores as the taste seems to change as the beer gets warmer (it was around 80 degrees f for my last 2 sips) but it is still delicious.
621 characters
3.26/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.77/5 rDev +18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.57/5 rDev +43.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.97/5 rDev +55.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
The FIRST beer I ever took a sip of in high school because my mom preferred this for some reason. Literally so good now that I'm older and I get a chance to drink it on my own. I love love love this beer the taste is crisp and smooth! One of the only beers I can drink before a meal or after.
292 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
The FIRST beer I ever took a sip of in high school because my mom preferred this for some reason. Literally so good now that I'm older and I get a chance to drink it on my own. I love love love this beer the taste is crisp and smooth! One of the only beers I can drink before a meal or after.
292 characters
3.04/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
3.27/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Had more than a few over the years, most recently poured from 12-oz. bottle, gift from brother-in-law, into nonic pint. This beer looks nice in the glass, and there’s nothing particularly wrong with it.
204 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Had more than a few over the years, most recently poured from 12-oz. bottle, gift from brother-in-law, into nonic pint. This beer looks nice in the glass, and there’s nothing particularly wrong with it.
204 characters
2.25/5 rDev -29.5%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.25
Pours a deep ruby red color, there is an half a finger of off white head. This is nothing special and would not recommend it.
125 characters
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.25
Pours a deep ruby red color, there is an half a finger of off white head. This is nothing special and would not recommend it.
125 characters
Shiner Bock from Spoetzl Brewery / Shiner
Beer rating:
3.19 out of
5 with
4,201 ratings
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