Der Schwarze Bock
Kraftbierwerkstatt

I'm not sure, but I think I got this beer in German Advent pack from Costco in November 2023. Sampled in early '24. Pretty good beer as I don't think I've had a German beer I didn't like. 14 IBUs

A solid bock...

As I continue to try German beers months ahead from my trip I hope to take this year, I am amazed at how finely crafted these German beers truly are. A well made bock with great dark caramel coloration, decent scent, a light but smooth mouthfeel and a malty taste round out this offering...

Poured from an aluminum can, stored in a refrigerator at 38 degrees. The ale/beer was poured into an insulated pint glass. The beer was allowed to warm a bit before tasting it.

Look – Exhibited deep brown color when poured. A modest head.

Smell – caramel

Taste – carmal. Good flavored beer consistent with its description.

Feel – Medium body

Overall – I enjoyed the beer Will buy again.

 

 

Review: 2214
Name: Der Schwarze Bock
Brewery: Kraftbierwerkstatt
Location: Boblingen, Germany
Style: Bock
A.B.V.: 6.2%
Canned: (B.B.) 05/2026
Date: 05 Oct 2024
The next German beer up for review is Der Schwarze Bock. I poured the beer into a tulip glass at 44 degrees. The pour created a frothy, foamy, one-fingered, light tan head with fair retention. The quick dissipation left no lacing on the glass. After the quick dissipation, a foam ring encircled the glass. The beer is not just dark brown but a rich, captivating shade with deep ebony red hues charting at SRM 32 and has some opacity. The beer's appearance is average for this style, but its unique color is something to be appreciated. I would have enjoyed seeing a longer-lasting head.
Nosing the glass, I smelled a bit of skunk, a musty basement, roasted malts, char, lightly roasted coffee, and bready. The malt complex had char, toasted bread crust, malty sweetness, and earthiness. Lastly, I smelled some phenols from the yeast and a touch of banana and medicinal.
The flavors start with a bit of musty skunk, cloves, bready, lightly roasted coffee, damp basement, and char. As the flavors evolve, the malt profile becomes more prolific, with notes of malty sweetness, earthiness, molasses, caramel, roasted cereal grains, and more yeasty phenols. The yeasty phenols have cloves, bananas, and medicinal flavors.
The body of the beer is medium and medium carbonation. The beer's mouthfeel has a somewhat bitter finish, a bit tannic and dry.
A trend I am noticing in these German beers thus far is that they have these Hefe yeast vibes of banana and clove. So far, this is my least favorite beer of the bunch. The beer lacks balance and harmony. It is not a terrible beer, but it is sweet to my liking, yet it does finish somewhat dry.

 

 

Single 16.9oz can part of the Costco Advent calendar $49.97
14 months before best by date
Smells of cola, caramel
Dark brown color
Medium-heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Taste of caramel, roasted malts, molasses
Overall a fairly good Bock.

 

Appearance: brown in color with brilliant clarity, pours a low tan head with good retention.
Nose: rich baked bread crust malt aroma, brown sugar and a little molasses, low spicy hop aroma.
Palate: medium carbonation, strong alcohol, medium bodied, baked bread crust and toast malt flavor, low bitterness, low spicy hop flavor, brown sugar, finished sweet, lingering brown sugar and baked bread crust. Good quality.

 

Day 22 Best, Doppelbock Umm

 

 

Color is very dark and opaque. Head foamed a bit on pouring and dissipated quickly.

Smell is pretty minimal outside of a faint hint of sugar.

Very gentle carbonation, which I tend to prefer with a thicker mouthfeel that lingers around the mouth between sips.

It's got a sharp syrupyness that surprised me on my first sip. I like the length that the flavours linger without any unpleasant aftertastes.

I like this the more I drink it and find it's much better in a tulip glass than the can.

Pretty tasty...noticed that it wasn't as "fizzy" as American beers- less carbonation. Reminds me of Oktoberfest beers, malty and mild, nice brown color. My wife liked it, and THAT is saying something. Got it from an advent calendar, number 1, so 23 more German beers to try!

Got mine from some advent calendar from costco, its beer #1 of 24 this month and starting off we are starting strong.
Never have I ever been a fan of or found too many bocks I may have liked, but this one is pretty solid, Nice brown earthy taste with a subtle nutty or malty profile. Beautiful dark brown color with an average beer smell. Reminds of me any good autumn brown ales I've had, delicious. A shame I'll probably not see this one again.

 

Maybe this last round of Covid did something to my taste buds but it starts off great like a normal bock, but to me it finishes a little sour/fruity.