Bock Holiday
Rio Grande Brewing Company

The holidays came early for me when I discovered Rio Grande Brewing Company’s Bock Holiday. Fortunately, I live in Albuquerque and have regular access to this brew throughout the season. Without a doubt, this beer has been the surprise find of the year for me.
Poured a dark, translucent, amber from a 22oz bottle. The clear effervescent beer left an adequate lacing in my ½ liter glass mug. The smell was average with the scent of biscuits; but with no hint of the fantastic flavors that were to follow.
Taste was exquisite – especially considering that this came from a $2.49 offering. There was a complex mingling of toffee and malt. The flavors were sweet but not overwhelming. Later there was an obvious cola flavor which immediately reminded me of an Aventinus weizenbock. Mouthfeel was the correct balance of carbonation with a sweet maltiness that was never overpowered by alcohol.
Easily drinkable throughout and, perhaps, beyond the holidays. I’ll swear off of the $9.99 four packs of Celebrator and instead revel in this new found local doppelbock from Rio Grande.

Sampled from a 12 ounce brown bottle provided courtesy of a travelling friend.

Beer pours into the glass with a dark orange and almost no head, but a pale haze that catches the light and lends the beer almost a pumpkin glow.

Aroma is largely caramel malt with a sour vegetal odor coming clear through the edges. Almost no hop with a little corniness coming through.

Flavor starts with a large caramel corn start before disappearing into a sharp CO2 driven bitterness that dives into a strong mineral finish that agressively clears the tongue of any malt or beer.

As the beer warms and the CO2 evolves from the brew, the vegetal aromas drop in favor of the caramel corn which is also reflected in the flavor.