Heller Bock
Goldfinger Brewing Company
- From:
- Goldfinger Brewing Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- Maibock
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #14,820 - Avg:
- 4.06 | pDev: 7.64%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Tuesday at 11:36 PM
- Added:
- Apr 30, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
This Heller Bock features the freshest German hops: Tradition, Hersbrucker, Mittelfruh, and Saphir. The result is a pleasant malt sweetness at the forefront, supported by a fresh hop aroma that balances floral, fruit, and herbal hop qualities. It exemplifies the regenerative power of springtime nature supported by a robust 7% abv.
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Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a nearly clear golden color with a frothy off white head that provides moderate lacing and a nice foamy cap on the body of the beer. Gorgeous Maibock.
The nose is equal parts spicy herbal hobs and wheat bread, with a little floral hops as well. That’s precisely where the taste lands, with the spicy herbal hops and the bread the co-stars of this beer.
The mouthfeel is medium and fairly crisp, perfect for this world class Maibock. Goldfinger has an equally world class lager game.
Tuesday at 11:36 PMThe nose is equal parts spicy herbal hobs and wheat bread, with a little floral hops as well. That’s precisely where the taste lands, with the spicy herbal hops and the bread the co-stars of this beer.
The mouthfeel is medium and fairly crisp, perfect for this world class Maibock. Goldfinger has an equally world class lager game.
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
3.77/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2025-12-12
16oz can served in a stemless rastal. Canned 5/5/25, with low confidence due to low print quality. Picked it up at a Binny's somewhere around Naperville sometime around summer, been lounging in my fridge quite some time.
Pours mostly clear light brassy amber, small even skin of head with some pretty strong legs. Smell is earthy, hint of dark fruit, lots of fruity yeast esters. Maybe some wet hay, definitely some grain.
Taste is heavier on the earthy bitter and heavier on the dark fruit, lighter on the grain. Moderate sweetness that's kind of hard to pin down. Not honey, but in that direction.
Mouthfeel is thickish, smooth, soft. Pretty nice beer.
Dec 13, 202516oz can served in a stemless rastal. Canned 5/5/25, with low confidence due to low print quality. Picked it up at a Binny's somewhere around Naperville sometime around summer, been lounging in my fridge quite some time.
Pours mostly clear light brassy amber, small even skin of head with some pretty strong legs. Smell is earthy, hint of dark fruit, lots of fruity yeast esters. Maybe some wet hay, definitely some grain.
Taste is heavier on the earthy bitter and heavier on the dark fruit, lighter on the grain. Moderate sweetness that's kind of hard to pin down. Not honey, but in that direction.
Mouthfeel is thickish, smooth, soft. Pretty nice beer.
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois
4/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz, canned on 5/5/25
L: fluffy ivory head caps a clear & effervescent golden body
S: pale grain, honey, white bread, herbal hops
T: doughy white bread, honey, biscuit, white grape, grassy & herbal hops
F: fuller side of medium for body, moderate carbonation, balanced and semi-dry finish
O: never a bad lager from Goldfinger
Oct 07, 2025L: fluffy ivory head caps a clear & effervescent golden body
S: pale grain, honey, white bread, herbal hops
T: doughy white bread, honey, biscuit, white grape, grassy & herbal hops
F: fuller side of medium for body, moderate carbonation, balanced and semi-dry finish
O: never a bad lager from Goldfinger
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.06/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 ounce can into a pilsner glass. Canned 4/29/24, 7/29/24.
Pours a clear, classic golden color, with a half inch foamy head and light foamy lacing. Active carbonation. Aromas of malt, light yeast, wheat, peppercorn, a little bit of a citrus aroma. Flavors of malt, wheat, a light herbal hop bitterness. Has a light honey- like sweetness, and a little peppery spiciness, especially in the aftertaste. Smooth, a very good lighter body, well carbonated.
Nice. Maybe a little sweet, but enjoyed the bit of peppery aroma and flavor. Very enjoyable.
Sep 13, 2024Pours a clear, classic golden color, with a half inch foamy head and light foamy lacing. Active carbonation. Aromas of malt, light yeast, wheat, peppercorn, a little bit of a citrus aroma. Flavors of malt, wheat, a light herbal hop bitterness. Has a light honey- like sweetness, and a little peppery spiciness, especially in the aftertaste. Smooth, a very good lighter body, well carbonated.
Nice. Maybe a little sweet, but enjoyed the bit of peppery aroma and flavor. Very enjoyable.
Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois
4.1/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
5/27/24 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) - Can Notes: Purchased from Beer on the Wall 5/22/24 for $4.55 at store temperature, refrigerated upon returning home until opening. 16 oz canned on 4/29/24. 7.0% ABV, Heller Bock. German Tradition. Hersbrucker, Saphir, and Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops. Brewed and packaged by Goldfinger Brewing Company, Downers Grove, Illinois.
We collaborated with our friends at HVG, a German Hops Grower's Cooperative. This beer is an expression of the beautiful aroma of German Hops.
Appearance: Poured 3/4 of the can and then topped off. Quickly subsiding breat white leaving a creamy cover across the entire goblet's golden clear base. Sustained mild carbonation. 3.75
Aroma: Mild pleasant aroma of bread, malt, clove and wheat. Different takes with each sniff like a magic eight ball. 3.75
Taste: Sweet, led by malt and clove, bread pudding, wheat as well. Stronger sensation than the aroma, equally shifting with each take. Giving it about 10 minutes to warm further, it settles into a malty sweet corn, would say closely resembles certain malt liquors I enjoy (looking at Colt 45 here). Taste score bumped upwards accordingly. 4.25
Mouthfeel: Sweet, medium creamy feeling body, gentle carbonation adds contrast and depth. Drinks below to near the 7% ABV. Getting sweetness overall, but enjoyable for my sweet averse beer preference. Sweet malt and corn finish. 4.25
Overall: Perhaps I'm enjoying this for unexpected reasons, but this resembles a European Strong Lager or American Malt Liquor, and I like it like Mickey likes Life cereal. I'm not well versed in Maibocks, and generally are not into malty beer, but whatever magic Goldfinger and HVG did with this one, I am into and want more. 4.25
May 27, 2024We collaborated with our friends at HVG, a German Hops Grower's Cooperative. This beer is an expression of the beautiful aroma of German Hops.
Appearance: Poured 3/4 of the can and then topped off. Quickly subsiding breat white leaving a creamy cover across the entire goblet's golden clear base. Sustained mild carbonation. 3.75
Aroma: Mild pleasant aroma of bread, malt, clove and wheat. Different takes with each sniff like a magic eight ball. 3.75
Taste: Sweet, led by malt and clove, bread pudding, wheat as well. Stronger sensation than the aroma, equally shifting with each take. Giving it about 10 minutes to warm further, it settles into a malty sweet corn, would say closely resembles certain malt liquors I enjoy (looking at Colt 45 here). Taste score bumped upwards accordingly. 4.25
Mouthfeel: Sweet, medium creamy feeling body, gentle carbonation adds contrast and depth. Drinks below to near the 7% ABV. Getting sweetness overall, but enjoyable for my sweet averse beer preference. Sweet malt and corn finish. 4.25
Overall: Perhaps I'm enjoying this for unexpected reasons, but this resembles a European Strong Lager or American Malt Liquor, and I like it like Mickey likes Life cereal. I'm not well versed in Maibocks, and generally are not into malty beer, but whatever magic Goldfinger and HVG did with this one, I am into and want more. 4.25
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
4.43/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - The beer was golden yellow with visible carbonation and a fluffy white head.
Smell - The bitterness came through in the nose with notes of lemon.
Taste - The initial taste was creamy malts, It had notes of lemon and a pleasant hop bitterness. There was even a bit of pepper spice before the creamy malt finish.
Mouthfeel - The beer was full bodied with a pleasant creaminess.
Overall - An excellent maibock.
May 25, 2024Smell - The bitterness came through in the nose with notes of lemon.
Taste - The initial taste was creamy malts, It had notes of lemon and a pleasant hop bitterness. There was even a bit of pepper spice before the creamy malt finish.
Mouthfeel - The beer was full bodied with a pleasant creaminess.
Overall - An excellent maibock.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.38/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap. Crystal clear golden body, large white head. Grassy and slightly floral hops with doughy malt and decently bready yeast make up the aroma bouquet. Taste is much the same with some light minerality and hop bitters added, yeast is slightly more grainy than bready too. Feel is springy and light, highly drinkable with plenty of texture from yeast and hops, malt anchor is great. The wife loved it
May 19, 2024
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.38/5 rDev -16.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev -16.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
See-through orange appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big off-white head; nice lacing remained.
Sweet corn & honeyed wheat notes in the nose.
Sticky medium mouthfeel.
Sweet corn & honeyed grain flavors; booze heat emerged as this warmed.
Even for a Maibock, this was too sweet, sticky & boozy for me to really enjoy. It's drinkable but I wouldn't seek it out again.
May 17, 2024A rough pour yielded a big off-white head; nice lacing remained.
Sweet corn & honeyed wheat notes in the nose.
Sticky medium mouthfeel.
Sweet corn & honeyed grain flavors; booze heat emerged as this warmed.
Even for a Maibock, this was too sweet, sticky & boozy for me to really enjoy. It's drinkable but I wouldn't seek it out again.
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