Heirloom Bock
August Schell Brewing Company

Pours a dark chestnut in color, with excellent clarity. Medium tan-head leaves plenty of lace as it falls.

Nose is rich and sweet, but also has some esters which suggest high ferment -- maybe the wheat malt sneaking in? There's more than just barley in this one.

Rich and sweet on the first sip, but also with a sharp tang and off-style character -- it's definitely not average or run of the mill. Light astringency, but enough biscuit malt and breadiness holding it all together. Light tang on the semi-sweet finish.

There's a light tough of "cola"-like flavor as it warms (worth noting that the regular Bock has a concord grape-like flavor in it -- not in a bad way, as it's a very light note) as well as some green grapeskin. Again, it's interesting here as it adds a new twist to the style, and is far from your average bock.

Very easy-drinking and a bit lighter in body than the average bock. Very, very smooth, and drinks like a beer of much lighter strength.

Their standard Bock is one of the best around, and this one is a worthy addition to the family, so I wouldn't mind if August Schell were to bring this one back at some time in the future.

 

Pours a nice dark coffee-caramel color with a head of 3 fingers that doesn't quit. Eventually it does recede to a finger but not without putting up a fight. Beautiful display.

Aromas of roasted amber malts, discarded citrus peels, caramel; trailing notes of chocolate, plum, more grain.

The flavor on this Bock is just fabulous. It's baked, toasty, crispy...rich with caramel/coffee, raisin bread, fading out with fresh hay, citrus, and mild acidity. It just wows you with greatness.

The feel is lit up with electric carbonation, leaving a wet and papery finish.

Overall, Heirloom is one of my favorite Bocks. I wish they'd come out with straight sixers of these all year long.

This beer pours very dark amber with a smallish head. The aroma offers up toast, marmalade, toffee, and caramel. The flavor starts with toasty note and some sweet toffee, followed by some mid black currant and bitter orange peel notes in the mid palate, finishing on a grainly, fairly dry flavor. The mouthfeel is balances between creamy and thin, hitting a nice moderate point. Overall this is very delicious beer, balanced, refined, and enjoyably all the way through. My favorite in the bock pack so far.

 

clear dark brown amber with a tan, 2-finger head. smells of both light and roasted malts. a firm yet restrained nose. very clean on the palate for a beer brewed with wheat, and it is hard to tell if the twang is coming more from the wheat or the roasted malt. in any event it is present but not at all overpowering. body on the lighter side, very clean finish. not much in the way of hops jumps out, but they are certainly there to clean things up and the beer presents a fine balance. another very good, and perhaps bordering on outstanding, beer from Schell.

4, 3.75, 4-4.25, 3.75, 4.25

12 oz bottle, poured into a at ~40 degrees F.

Appearance: Pours a clear burnished-copper red, and forms a couple fingers of beige foam head. Good head retention, which leaves intriguing amounts of lace and rings.

Smell: Thick, bready caramel malt, shot through with chopped walnut and Brazil nut, and tinged with a very mild fruitiness.

Taste: The flavors follow the nose closely, opening with a rush of caramel and bread sprinkled with nuts ere the introduction of a faint shadow of sweet cherries. Some herbal notes manifest here and there through the tasting process. As the beer warms, a tinge of unrisen yeast manifests towards the end of each sip, and the aftertaste lingers as a mix of bread, faint caramel, and that yeast.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light in body, with moderate carbonation, this drinks silky smooth.

Overall: As an admitted and unabashed fan of bockbier, I love this one. I'd drink it often, were it brewed and distributed anywhere near me.

 

 

Pours a dark reddish-brown with a light tan and creamy head.
The aroma is caramel and bread with a light spiciness.
Taste is caramel and raisin and dark bread with a nice, little biter finish.
Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.
Just flat out good.

 

 

Pours dark brown with a small beige head, which has nice retention and leaves nice lacing. The aroma has caramel, toasted malt, bread malt, and nuts.

Tastes pretty much like it smells with caramel, toasted malt, bread malt, and nuts. Has a nice mild sweetness.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink.

12 oz. bottle - Freshness date of 05 14 16:

Pours brownish-dark amber with a lasting creamy head. Lacing sticks.

The smell is of caramelized grain, bread, subtle floral/herbal hop touch.

The taste is of caramelized grain, nuts, general restrained fruitiness, slight wheat tang and some brown sugar. Sweet with a balancing floral/herbal hop touch in the clean finish.

It has a smooth medium body.

An easy-drinking bock. Sweet with enough balance in the finish to keep it refreshing.

Appearance: Dark amber, huge head.

Smell: Toffee, bready, yeast.

Taste: Mild sweetness, bready, mild toffee, mild tea-like finish.

Overall: Beer #3 in the herd of bocks. Heirloom bock is a good one, it is pretty neck-and-neck with the doppelbock as the winner in this pack. The wheat seems to show up in the nose and might help to give it a slightly different character. Pretty good stuff.