Maine Bock
Oxbow Brewing Company

 

It pours a slightly hazy brassy color with a huge chunky head. The head falls to substantial islands and a hefty ring. Nice cling to the glass. Pretty steady stream of fine bubbles.

The smell opens with bready, biscuity, slightly sweet malty goodness. There's a hint of yeastiness, then the trio of floral, grassy, herbal hops. It's certainly malt forward, but it's nicely balanced.

It tastes of bready and slightly sweet malt initially. There's a yeast flavor, but it's more or less in the background. A moderate bitter replaces the sweetness and then the hops come to play. Flowery, grassy, and way out late in the taste a mild peppery spiciness. The flavor lingers a bit, but not for long. It ends up fairly clean and prepared for the next sip.

It's a bit above medium in body. Carbonation is gentle. A bit of astringency and slightly dry finish. The peppery flavor builds pleasantly.

Very well-made beer here. While on the heavier side, it's very drinkable. It's very nicely balanced between the featured malts and complimentary and very classic hops.

 

 

A: Pours a relatively clear medium bright golden yellow in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass and moderate bright yellow + pale copper + pale amber + pale burnt orange colored highlights. The beer has a three finger tall dense creamy sudsy foamy white head that slowly reduces to a medium to large patch of thick film covering approximately 30% of the surface of the beer surrounded by a large patch of slightly mottled thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of bready + biscuit + pale + grainy + caramel malts with a moderate amount of caramel + grainy sweetness. Light to moderate aromas of lager yeast. Finally there are just shy of moderate aromas of floral + grassy + spicy hops.

T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of bready + biscuit + pale + grainy + caramel malts with a moderate amount of caramel + grainy sweetness. That is followed by light to moderate flavors of lager yeast. Finally there are just shy of moderate flavors of floral + grassy + spicy hops which impart a light to moderate amount of bitterness which fades away quickly leaving a relatively clean finish.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp upfront with a light amount of dryness towards the finish. Relatively clean finish.

O: Relatively easy to drink with well hidden alcohol and a slightly fuller but still crisp + clean mouthfeel. Enjoyable with a well balanced solid malt backbone and classic hop profile.