Back Forty Bock
New Glarus Brewing Company

Back Forty BockBack Forty Bock
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From:
New Glarus Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Bock
Ranked #39
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,754
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 12.43%
Reviews:
153
Ratings:
551
Status:
Active
Rated:
Saturday at 12:39 AM
Added:
Oct 16, 2010
Wants:
  32
Gots:
  46
The “Back Forty” is property commonly found on the outskirts of the Wisconsin family farm. Here uncultivated acres wait prime for adventure- forts, tree houses, rope swings and first kisses! A place to run away, to camp, to climb, to build, to play. Not actually home but not too far away. That’s the Back Forty. The beer you hold is similar both dark and adventurous still smooth and familiar. Here’s a beer you can enjoy without pretense or explanation. Every mind requires some acres of possibility, space for dreams, the great escape, everyone needs a Back Forty.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cavanaghty:
Photo of Cavanaghty
Reviewed by Cavanaghty from Maine

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Thank you shan8454 for this one in trade.

Apperance: Darker brown color with a thin off white that lingered. Heavy lacing on the glass.

Smell: Smells of mostly malts.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth medium bodied. Taste is mostly malty with some bitter hops as well, almost breadlike too.

Overall: One of the better Bocks I have had. I would have this one again.
Aug 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of thebeers
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a very dark copper with two fat fingers of creamy-looking tan head. Decent retention and nice served lacing. Sweet, dark malty aroma of brown bread, molasses and a hint of creamed coffee. Similar taste. Full bodied and creamy with a light zip to the carbonation. Not bad.
Saturday at 12:39 AM
Photo of cyclonece09
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.99/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours deep red with a small off white head. Smells of sweet fruit and caramelized grain. Tastes of caramelized grain with very nice fresh fruit notes. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.
Mar 05, 2024
Photo of DarkLordScott
Reviewed by DarkLordScott from Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a light bronze or pale caramel colored brew with a nice one finger head. Aroma is strongly grain and bread profiles. Taste is clean, grain flavored with a strong vanilla twist at the end. This is a nice beer that could be enjoyed at any time of year and any time of day.
Mar 01, 2024
Photo of DoubleJ
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin

3.64/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I’m very tempted to say Bock 40 instead of Back 40 for reasons of beer puns. Let’s pour this out of a 12 ounce bottle, and go on to the beer:

Dark amber colored witch goes into brown at spots, but more amber than brown. Head drops to a beige lacing. Modest aroma of sweetened bread crust, vague fruit esters, dry and pleasing.

Compared to its stablemate Uff-Da, Back 40 is a lighter bock. Easy to drink and bringing enough malt in the body. Tastes has a more fruity aspect than the common toasted malt per style. Its drying body and light-medium feel with swishy carbonation round out the beer.
Feb 25, 2024
 
Rated: 3.71 by BarrelAgedG from California

Feb 23, 2024
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.87/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Etched on bottle is '023227073773A'.
Ruby brown colored body. Two fingers of khaki colored head, slowly recedes to a bubbly cap and high ring. Leaves behind web rings of lacing.
Aroma of toasted chocolate malts, caramel, and prune/raisin.
Taste is toasted chocolate/cocoa malts, caramel, and a little vanilla. Minor earthy hops and a touch of prune/raisin.
A little less than medium mouthfeel. A little chalky. Very good carbonation.
Malts are the main expression from this beer, with the first flavor being chocolate/cocoa, and a secondary sweet flavor of caramel.
Feb 01, 2024
 
Rated: 3.83 by jakea from Wisconsin

Jan 27, 2024
 
Rated: 4.17 by Krusader from Wisconsin

Jan 23, 2024
Photo of blkgeorge
Rated by blkgeorge

4.32/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
If there's such a thing as a 'sessionable' bock, this is it. Shiner and Point bocks taste like syrupy amber ales in comparison.
Jan 20, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by magikbagel from Wisconsin

Jan 12, 2024
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.71/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a completely clear, deep and dark bronze to brown color with darker tones. A massive light tan head that pillows and lingers. SRM of 21. (4.25)

Aroma: Moderate aromas of dark malt, brown bread, some earthy and roasted Munich malt aromas. (3.75)

Flavor: Moderate flavors of barley malt, brown bread, with hints of roasted grains and cocoa underneath. An earthy and Munich malt flavor linger. (3.75)

Feel: Medium-bodied, low carbonation. Finishes flat, dry, and clean. (3.50)

Compared to MKE Pinsetter 2/2024: Pours lighter, stronger head. Milder aromas. More earth, brown bread. Less cocoa, lactose, bittersweet and roast. Milder overall.

Overall: First try from this New Glarus Bock. It pours beautifully. Milder on the aromas and flavors though. Then the mouthfeel is undercarbonated and somewhat flat. Drinks clean which is nice. It's okay. (Rating: 3.71)
Jan 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.29 by Bartleby91 from Wisconsin

Jan 06, 2024
 
Rated: 3.71 by robotic_being from Illinois

Dec 25, 2023
Photo of cheeseheadinMinneapolis
Reviewed by cheeseheadinMinneapolis from Wisconsin

3.77/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2023 release, 12oz bottle.
Look: Transparent dark amber body. Nice tall head that leaves some nice lacing.
Smells stronger than it tastes.
Taste: slightly sweet malt, a hint of caramel, a little bread. A little toasted grain. maybe corn and a little cocoa in the background
Has a prickly bite to it in the mouth from the carbonation at first, then goes flat.

Old School lite duty American style bock
Dec 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by Slim_720 from Wisconsin

Sep 18, 2016
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
As a NGBC devotee, I amazingly have not written a review for Back Forty. While I remember having it at least twice before my BA career, my review starts now.

The best way to review Back Forty is to compare to its bock brethren, Uff-Da. While stronger and maltier and a richer mouth, Uff-Da serves to fortify the body for winter. Back Forty is similar but more spiritual, evocative of thoughtfulness and independence.... and as for beer, weaker, hoppier and medium-mouthed and bubbly. Yet malts are the main expression of Back Forty and the blend of chocolate and caramel are well-done. One of North America's world-class lager brewers satisfies again. Too bad distribution requires a trip to Wisconsin, otherwise my review would have come faster. Prost to the owners at NGBC.
Apr 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.49 by ZombPumpkin from Illinois

Apr 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by twb0392 from Wisconsin

Jan 07, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Magister_Beav from Vermont

Sep 05, 2015
Back Forty Bock from New Glarus Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 551 ratings