Yule Bock
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

12 oz can at the 2026 (and last) Spring Albino Skunk Music Festival. Canning date: October 2025.

Appearance. Brown body with limited clarity topped with a tall but somewhat fizzy head.

This has a rather spicy aroma but tasting reveals conservative, subtle spicing, if any. I'm guessing that the spiciness comes from the hops.

Overall. Good choice on an unusually cool day in May in western South Carolina.

 

12 oz bottle, 2020 version, poured into a tulip glass. Dark ruby with a half finger head that moves to thin rim of lace expeditiously. Smell of malt and bready grains with a hint of spice. Taste is bread, hazelnut, and caramel malt. Feel and carbonation are medium light. Bocks are always welcome. Good quality here.

Clear, reddish-bronze with a half finger of light-tan head. Poor retention but decent lacing.

Sweet, malty aroma with medicinal cherry and plum the most prevalent aspects.

The taste is decidedly less sweet. A little bubblegum and butter is added to the mix, but the best of the fruitiness isn’t as strong as a musty, almost-woody element, and some stale, earthy, mushroom-like hops in the finish, which are joined in the aftertaste by a slight metallic impression.

Medium bodied and somewhat oily feeling, with sharp carbonation.

Not a bad concoction, but I prefer the look and smell to the taste and feel. The pull-top is also a fun addition.

 

On tap at the brewery .3 liter
Fantastic clear reddish amber with a finger of cream head
Bready yeast aroma, faint spices
A lot of subtle flavors, Apple, grape, gingerbread, molasses, light floral
Low bitterness, resilient carbonation,
Dry finish
Unique flavor combination unlike other Christmas beers.

 

 

 

 

 

Pour one and a half bottles into a half liter stein a clear deep bronze with a thinner white crown atop.Grainy aromas with mild caramel sweetness and some doughiness.Not overly sweet on the palate but there is some buttery caramel notes but enough grainy dryness in the back end.A solid bock beer that doesn't get to sweet like alot of American versions.

Clear reddish caramel color with a small head that disappears in short order. Sticky aromas of fruity grape, lots of dough, cherries, dried apples, and light peppery spice. Flavors of sweet bread, apples, and floral notes drying out fairly quick, but staying sweet. Slick and medium bodied. A well made Bock, but too rich for me to have more than one.

 

 

22 oz.

Pours a slightly hazy reddish amber color, white fluffy head dissipates to a lacing.

Aroma is of sweet biscuity malts and fresh grains. Slight fresh grassy hoppiness.

Flavor is of rich biscuity malts with some hop and cinnamon spice. Some brown sugar and a hint of citrus as well.

Medium to full body with tingly carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

A very good bock, great flavor and body and beautiful appearance. Truly a joy to drink and goes down very smooth. OMB consistently produces quality beers and this is no exception.

 

 

 

22oz bottle picked up at the brewery (Bottled 12-6-12). Poured into a .5L stein...

A: Pours a cherry-hued chestnut, with a light beige head; about half a finger of head dies down to zero retention.

S: Doughy; sweet malt; such a sweet malt / breadiness, its almost tangy.

T: Biscuit maltiness; almost has a biscuit with butter and molasses taste; bread crust; maybe a bit too sweet on the end with some syrupiness.

M: Full bodied and low carbonation; sweet.

O: A nice bock; a little too sweet on the finish, but other than that really tasty. I could have a couple of these, but the sweetness may get to me beyond that. Nice brew.