Shiner Bock
Spoetzl Brewery

I would guess this is Shiner's #1 beer. It's practically a classic and a good representative of a Bock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

It's great if you're tired of regular cheap beer and want some cheap beer with flavor. My go-to cold-weather beer.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

Pretty light flavor, chill beer, pretty intense carbonation

It’s a great alternative to a traditional bock. Especially if you don’t have access to a stocked liquor store.

 

 

Better than most of the macro brews, but firmly in the macro brew camp. Definitely hits the spot after a day fishing (one of my go to beers for that).

 

Good ole Texas Beer. Better than the macros for sure

Poured from a 12oz bottle, undated

On the pour a relatively weak 1 finger head forms then dissipates to a ring around the glass. Despite that lively carbonation ensues. The color is darker than amber, solidly brown and crystal clear. Some lacing tries to form a few sips in, but fails.

Aroma is quite light with a decent amount of generic, yet clean lager smell. No hops are really present, which is expected, and some sweet dark malts hide in the back with a vague caramel vanilla note and offset the relatively bright and almost tart lager note. However the aroma is very mild almost bland. Nothing off though.

Flavor follows the smell, but brings more malts with less sweetness. Lager character dominates this beer with malt being more of a background experience, however it is present. Relatively light, and the flavor isn't all that dark or complex.

Feel is easy to put down, but not really a bock. Very light and more like an American lager. In that category however this would do very well. It's light but still maintains body and doesn't just disappear. Nice and bubbly with a decent bite. Still bigger than coors or bud, but nowhere near a real bock.

Overall this is a good beginner beer, to bring someone over from only drinking light colored non hoppy lagers to the darker side of things. Also good for someone who likes lagers and dark beers (mostly lagers) and just doesn't want to think too much. Not complex and closer to an American lager than a bock despite the color. More yeast driven than malt driven, but clean and nothing bad about it other than lack of complexity and inspiration.

Keeping in mind that this is an American Bock, and not a European style, expect this beer to be less aggressive on all counts.
A medium brown color, light tan head that doesn't last very long. Bubbly, like a soda.
Nose is light malt, no hops at all, which is actually good for the style.
Taste is a light roasted malt flavor with some raisin-like aftertaste. Just the slightest hint of hop bitterness but no hop taste at all. Very, very light body. Too much carbonation for my liking.
Judging this for what it is, it's an okay American bock.

 

 

 

 

L - Poured from a draft into pint glass. One finger light off white head. Deep amber color. Clear with no inclusions. Some lacing that fades quickly.

S - Sweet bready malt up front. Some caramel notes

T - Some bitterness up front, but the maltiness takes center stage. Fades quickly. The malt flavors seem like a little caramel and a faint scent of roastiness.

F - Medium to thin mouthfeel. Light carbonation from the draft pour

O - As a Texan, I’ve had this many times, but this is my first time since trying more beers for review. The taste is good, but being a bock, the expectation is for “more.” More flavor, stronger flavors, etc. It’s fairly mild overall, but that means it’s easy to drink. Like a lot of the regionally famous beers, it’s highly easy to drink a lot of them. It definitely in my regular rotation, and I’d recommend checking it out just to see what another regional standard tastes like.