Schnee Bock
Schlossbrauerei Au-Hallertau

 

 

 

 

From: John's Grocery, Iowa City, IA
Date: Best before 2012-10-15 (uh-oh)
Glass: Ayinger Celebrator doppelbock glass

Schlossbrauerei (castle brewery) Au Hallertau's Schnee Bock is an excellently drinkable doppelbock that while perhaps a bit prune heavy, this is still a rather delicious doppelbock that is bursting with dried fruit flavor and background depth of cocoa and toasted bread. A beer that I could see myself drinking often, though at $5 per bottle, it would have to be an occasional treat. Also has a cool label, featuring a male goat-like gargoyle with imposing horns and sinister eyes resting atop a snow-covered castle/village.

Pours a 1cm tall head of beige-colored foam, made up of medium-sized bubbles, for a sponge-like appearance. Retention is average at about one minute, the head fading to a thick ring around the glass with ultra-thin foam-lace atop the body of the beer. Lacing is good, with a dense collection of small dots clinging to the sides of the glass. Beer's body is a dark amber brown to nearly black in color, with light revealing somewhat brighter amber-brown hues. Carbonation visible through the transparent body, low in number and activity.

Aroma of prunes, black dried figs, brown sugar, and dark chocolate. As a malt lover, these are quality, desirable scents.

Overall flavors are of heavy sweetness as from dark caramel and prunes, with supporting flavors of dried black figs, raisins, and a touch of dark chocolate. Front of palate tastes heavy sweetness from dark, syrupy caramel and prunes with additional supporting flavors of brown sugar and raisins. Mid-palate detects flavors of prunes, dark chocolate, dark syrupy caramel, black dried figs, raisins, and a very slight, clean hop bitterness to balance the flavors. Back of palate experiences prunes, dark syrupy caramel, black dried figs, raisins. Aftertaste of mild hop bitterness balancing out some light caramel, brown sugar, and toast-like flavors; somewhat surprisingly, the prune and raisin flavors are subdued or not present.

Beer is medium-heavy to heavy in body, with carbonation of medium-low intensity, resulting in a slightly foamy (1/3) and smooth (2/3) mouthfeel. The lightly foamy beer presents itself as an effortless, delicious sipper. Closes dry, with very heavy stickiness clinging to the lips and palate.

 

Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, honey, jam, and bready aromas. Taste is much the same with slightly sour fruity and toast flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a sour aspect in the aroma and flavor that is interesting.

 

 

 

 

This is a nice doppelbock, bot outstanding, but excellent, enjoyable, with a good balance of drinkability and character without being too sweet.

Very dark chestnut, almost black, it has a small tan head soon thinning to a foamy ring, a few wisps of lace.

Aroma is a nice almost quintessential doppelbock aroma, meaty stew and prunes, brandied bread, some port.

Taste is dry, toasted dark bread, brown bread, brandied fruit, plus a faint earthiness. It has some sweetness and a little bitterness, but is fairly dry for a German doppelbock, and very nice. Feel and body are light but solid and firm.