Der Weisse Bock | Mahr's Bräu

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice dinner beer that went with most food. Complex: wheat and chocolate bitter with subtle fruity sweetness. Robust so can store for a few months. Clear expiry date on back of bottle with top ten picture. Bit too high on alcohol but satisfying neverthe less.

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3.87/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a weizen glass a deep tawny brown with some chunkies and floaties swirling in the bottom of the glass a foamy 1/2 finger tannish colored head atop fading into a creamy mass.Inviting aromas and quite complex notes of green apple and clove show thru most up front with hints of caramel and bitter chocolate as well and a lingering banana character,a nice mix of weizen and bock going on quite sweet with a bit of an alcohol zip to go along with a clovey,banana character its not boozy but the sweet alcohol has a presence.Solid nothing to complain about more of a winter season beer but its good no matter what season really.

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3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance – Super dark and cloudy dirty brown with good carbonation and a crazy head that I had to control at the pour.

Smell – The big, heavy duty yeast is matched by strong, sugary fruits. The prunes and Bing cherries jump out first, followed by other, lighter fruits and brown sugar syrup.

Taste – Everything stepped back a bit at the taste. The fruits from the nose were there, but the good yeast aroma lost some at the tongue. It was still very good though.

Mouthfeel – A solid medium in the body with active carbonation that was a little on the fizzy side.

Drinkability – This was an excellent example of the style and a definite “buy again.”

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4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep rich mahagony brown beer with a thick and creamy foam head that seems like it'll last forever. This beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized ... so it's not 100% clear.

Faint spice, soft malts in the aroma and a massive cold banana bread nose.

Smooth mouthfeel with an upfront dose of malty dextrin sweetness, with some esters. A warming alcohol and its spice melds with a sweet herbal-like hop spice (tea-like), more distinct banana bread and phenols/clove. Hops aren't bitter at all, it's all spice and how it plays with the mouthfeel with this beer. Crisp, dry with a prickly carbonation feel. Notes of dry chocolate around the edges and some fruit that combines to create a faint chocolate covered cherry flavour. Finish leaves a "root beer" -like flavour on the palate.

A most interesting, complex and tasty Weisse Bock. The depth of spice character is amazing. Without a doubt one of the best -- within the sytle -- to have hit my palate in years!

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4/5  rDev +2.3%

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 16.9 oz long slender Euro style brown bottle, a bottled on date on the back label. This was bottled on 01-10-00. Thin layer of brown sediment on the bottom of the bottle stay compacted while pouring. Mystical looking goat holding an over flowing beer glass and licking the foam over on the front label.

Appearance: Deep and rich brown colour with undertones of amber, slight chill haze which is a given factor to ales. Big bubbles of carbonation rush to the top and help keep a pancake like head for the duration.

Smell: Smell of freshly cooled banana bread, bit of spicy alcohol and huskiness in the nose also. Phenols are big with waves of clove and pepper. Obviously fruity with esters to boot.

Taste: Full malty body with a medium high carbonation that brings a refreshingly and slightly harsh crispness, prickly mouth feel from the carbonation that quickly goes dry. Big maltiness with cracker and vague rye flavours. Spicy upfront with both phenols and alcohol duking it out for domination, neither prevail though they seem to meld into one spiciness that holds true far into the finish. Hops are innocent bystanders and only add the element of balance the big picture of wheat bocks. Mild yeast flavour brings some earthy flavours. Dry rounded husk seems lightly toasted and lingers far and wide. Fruitiness is strong but vague in variety, only banana and tangerine can be picked out. Alcohol starts to kick in with a peppery flavour and a warmth. After taste leans towards husky with a bone dryness.

Notes: So complex and so dry, does not seem like a 7.2% abv brew being that the warmth comes late. This is certainly big enough to wash down a juicy corned beef Ruben on marble rye layered with Swiss cheese. Even better with some long aged cheddar and whole grain crackers.

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4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another nice find on tap at the Blind Tiger. Poured a hazy/murky shade of dark plummy brown with a soft puffy head, that showed moderate retentive powers. Sticky and fine lacing left on the glass. The nose was strongly fruity with a wiff of sourness and alcohol . This is a slightly sour, mellow, yeasty and musty concoction. Lots of complex fruit, spice and yeasty notes floating around. Interesting, sophisticated, old world brew. If you like a complex, strong German style Wiesse Bock, this one is well worth a try. I'd like to try a fresh bottle for a comparison.

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4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours brilliant chestnut under a 1” light tan foam cap that clings to the side of the glass. A touch of wine aromas and flavor, tart sherry, a touch of chocolate, and then the initial sweetness finishes dry and tart.

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3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Deep caramel brown hue with a big viscous tan head leaves behind heavy patches of lacing. Aroma: Butterscotch sweetness very rich with an air of smokiness. Taste: Sweet fruit undertones sharp sweet malted wheat and the peated malts used here are great I would call it a near smoke beer. MouthfeeL Silky big chewy mouthfeel medium to full bodied brew in my opinion. Drinkability: Extremely unique weizenbock that I'm glad I picked up the smoked malts added to the experience but didn't overshadow the dark weizen bocks key characteristics.

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3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased from Green's on Ponce in Atlanta.

Pours a chestnut brown color with a two-finger light tan head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of caramel and grassy wheat first and foremost with mild spices and even milder banana aromas lurking in the background. As it warms the wheat aromas intensify a bit and become more tangy.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Deep caramel and wheat flavors up front are joined quickly by hints of over-ripe bananas and less quickly by good amounts of spices. Midway through the sip hints of mildly sour soy sauce come out before a mildly sweet ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a solid thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is alright. I finished the bottle however I'm not sure about another.

Overall this was a much more caramel-oriented weizenbock than most others that I've had. Don't expect loads of spices and bananas in this one however it remains worthy of a shot.

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3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle. Found this in a supermarket in a small town in far North California. Full on banana esters, heavy yeast and clove. Spciy, with some lemon tang. Great relief to have a good whaet beer after the run of ban wheats i’ve had. Tasted more like a dunkle weisse, than a weizen bock to me. Still really elegant stuff.

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4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can't find the date on this one.

Purchased @ Julio's Liquors, Westborough Mass

Price - $5.99/bomber

Appearance: Hazy deep amber color. Thick head if poured too aggressive. Not much sticking to the sides. No lacing.

Smell: Spices and Banana come to mind with this one.

Taste: Definate malt up front with a hint of Lime almost tangy. As it warms it gets a little peppery.

Mouthfeel: Crisp dry finish. Alcohol well hidden at 8.5%.

Drinkability: A worthy weizenbock. Not my #1 choice in the style but very good never the less.

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3.7/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Big fluffy off-white head offers fairly good retention and a nice Belgian-lace. Brownish in color with amber highlights. Less hazy than expected, but there are some larger particles in suspension suggesting the yeast cake had been quite compacted - probably an old bottle. The aroma is limited with some caramel-like maltiness and a bit of a bready character. There are some very light notes of brown sugar and citrus, matbe some spice. The body is somewhat thin but the high carbonation level compensates in the mouthfeel. The flavor is restrained with a lighty sweet malt character. Very basic, no real fermentation characteristics seem to come through. Gently balanced hop bitterness finishes slightly dry. Although this beer is from Bamberg it doesn't seem to display the characteristics normally associated with the region. This may just be an old bottle that's lost some of its complexity.

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4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3.19/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark, almost completely opaque ruddy amber colored with an underwhelming head that fleets quickly. No Lacing to be found, only a small veil of micro beads that float atop the surface. Light sediment is suspended throughout.

S - Sweet caramel, figs, and raisins. Also a hint of the wheat backbone in the end, slight nuance of yeast

T - Quite sweet up front with caramel malt taking most of the spotlight. The finish has a tinge of clove and a light spiciness that offsets the sweetness somewhat. Not nearly as complex and rich as I was hoping.

M - Mouthfeel is a bit thin and could use a bit more carbonation. This really lacks the big bodied punch I expect from a good Weizenbock.

D - I found this Weizenbock to be quite one dimensional, and a bit too sweet for my palette. It does a good job of hiding its ABV, albeit without much complexity. I will easily finish the bottle, but doubt I will ever pick this one up again. A decent beer, but one of the least interesting Weizenbocks I have had the chance to try.

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4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tremendous brew, redolent of chocolate-laced banana bread. Deep and dark, this is a weizenbock to spend a romantic evening with. What? That was weird? Fair enough. Regardless, take my word for it and snag this one should you ever see it, particularly on draught.

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3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From the bottle at Spuyten Duyvil, Brooklyn. Cloudy (as in unfiltered) dark brown, enthusiastic white foamy head with some glass lacing. Malty, slightly fruity aroma, not that distinctive. Flavour was malty and of fruit, raisin, and even banana and a hint of spices. The finish was semi-dry with slight alcohol warmth.

An enjoyable beer, unexpectedly strong in alcohol.

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4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a coca cola color (before I swirled in the sediment, then cloudy) with an off white head, biege, and lots of action.

Sweet molasses and florals smell with a roasted malt aroma.

Molasses and dopplebock malt taste with a wheat grain background and multi floral flavor.

Medium to full bodied, resinous and slightly buttery feel, with a crisp comfortable carbonation.

IMO this is more of a doppelbock with a wheat background/finish, similar to Aventis, and I like Doppelbocks particularly this type.

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4.42/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a .5L bottle to a pint glass the liquid is a a dark brown with good carbonation.

The smell is big caramel malt with a wash of alcohol and a clear smoky aroma.

The taste follows well, a very nice bock, with chocolate notes in a huge malt bill, some alcohol mixed with a nice smoky flavor close to a scotch ale.

The mouthfeel is big with good carbonation.

The drinkability is great, I will be looking for more of these.

Prosit und Zum Wohl, MK

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4.27/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle. Pours clear mahogany/ruby with a billowing light beige head. Hiuge banana and clove on the nose, with a bit of graininess and tang from the wheat. The wheat character is much stronger in the taste. Banana and clove are still there, along with some other spice. A bit of hop bitterness, which is surprising. Slightly roasty, dry finish. Thick, almost creamy feel with perfect carbonation for the style. This is great; drinks way too easily.

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4.32/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The goat on the label looks pretty psyched to get his own beer...

Pours with strong carbonation into a weisse glass. Once the yeast is swirled, four fingers of foam rise and slowly settle. Faint aroma suggests tart green apples, and light gingerbread.

Taste is lively and fruity, similar to a Belgian dark ale. There's a strong nuttiness that comes across, some caramel, and vague clove. The effervescent mouthfeel mixed with the slightly sweet esters support this comparison, while it's wheaty fullness diverges from Belgian territiory. Despite the richness of flavor, this weizenbock is light on the palate.

I've had exceptional bottles and older ones that may have diminished in quality, so be sure to give it a second chance!

One .5L bottle is satisfying, but I wouldn't refuse a second.
Recommended!

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4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in a weizen glass. 750 ml bottle that says the beer was bottled on 02 04 04.

Appearance -- Very impressive in my tall weizen glass. The head is just incredible. Easily over three fingers. Very creamy and not going anywhere anytime soon. The head is actually kind of annoying because I can't reach the beer. Have to wait for it to go down just a little bit.

Color is a hazy light brown. Small bubbles are visible rising from the bottom in thin columns. A very nice beer to look at!

Smell -- Smells like a heavy oat kind of cereal to me. The kind of oat cereal that is very dense and heavy when milk is added. Dark fruit bread. Brown sugar.

Taste -- Tastes kind of like a sweet bread. Reminiscent of a heavy oat cereal. Pretty mellow.

Mouthfeel -- On the light side of the medium spectrum. Very light carbonation.

Drinkability -- I would drink this beer again if given the opportunity. I found it to be quite mellow for the style although it may just be that I bought an old bottle. The bottle I purchased was the last one and it must be pretty old given the bottled on date in early 2004. I'd like to try a fresh one to compare with. I'll have to wait and see if the store gets more in.

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3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured from the bottle into a Libbey style pilsner glass. Sure why not.

Deep burnt red body color. Hints of chestnut brown on the edges. Deep tan colored head, pinhead sized bubbles with about two fingers tall. Minimal retention and settles to a thin collar, and clear topped puck.

Aroma has nice soft clean notes of milk chocolate. Banana esters, light phenolic clove and nutmeg, almost lightly shaven and touched upon the nose. Nicely subtle and balanced.

First sip provides a very unexpected feeling. Sharp and gaseous carbonation with very wet body. Light body and carbon dioxide flavors take away what few touches of chocolate there are. Much of the banana flavor is long lost and there is no creamy character or density here.

A passable brew, but quite a bit of a letdown.

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