Organic Golden Bock
Bison Brewing

Organic Golden BockOrganic Golden Bock
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From:
Bison Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
Bock
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.61 | pDev: 14.13%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 14, 2011
Added:
Jun 14, 2006
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4 by Tabni from Florida

Dec 14, 2011
Photo of Zorro
Reviewed by Zorro from California

3.6/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Clear golden colored beer with a small white head and a slight chill haze.

Smells malty and sweet with a strong honey scent and a strong smell of hay. Additional scents of chocolate and almonds.

Starts out sweet and strong with the honey flavor. Hop bite is in the back of the throat and is strongly herbal and grassy. A bit of Carmel and mildly stout in bittering, this is nice but almost a sweet beer.

Mouthfeel is OK; the sweetness makes me think Syrup though.

An OK beer but a bit one the sweet side with a big honey flavor.
Jul 22, 2009
Photo of Spikester
Reviewed by Spikester from Oregon

3.22/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Amber with a small head that quickly recedes. No lacings.
Aroma is some apple juice, few floral hops.
Taste is pretty bitterly hopped followed by a prominent alcohol taste. Like someone poured half a shot glass of vodka in my glass while I wasn't looking. Some maltiness, breads.
Mouthfeel was alright for the style. Drinkability is a bit below average due to the obvious alcohol taste. If you don't mind plenty of alcohol in a otherwise light bodied beer, give this a try. It cetainly warmed me up!
Dec 31, 2008
Photo of Offa
Reviewed by Offa from California

3.42/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
This is fairly good but not great and is very similar to a richer, more interesting, better-quality Steel Reserve.

It's hazy brownish gold-amber with almost no head that immediately goes to a thin ring.

The aroma is meaty, pungent, dark fruity wine, old grapes, ripe grain, and a little bread crust.

The taste is as above, a lot of overripe apple juice that's gone alcoholic, overripe grapes, a meaty alcoholic character, a faint flowery element and some light bread and cracker qualities. It's not bad and is better warmer and without food. With food, the rough alcoholic element takes over and well colder, it is more one-dimensional and boring.
Sep 23, 2008
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

3.56/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into my Pilsner Urquell Czeck glass a dull honey-gold with a white one finger head that decent lasting power.Very clean aromas for a pale bock just a hint of honey and some toasted grain there,not a rich full flavored bock more of a lighter but flavorful one,at first sips I picked up some real sweetness like honey and caramel it melds more into a drier toaty finish.The noble hops in the aroma and flavor the beer proclaims doesnt really show thru much just a touch of leaf on the palate.Eh its not bad not really true to style but it was an easier drinker for the style.
Apr 26, 2008
Photo of baos
Reviewed by baos from Indiana

4.62/5  rDev +28%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22 oz into bicentennial Mason jar.

A: Very nice looking translucent light-blonde-copper. 2 finger head dies dawn to a nice half finger sheet with a patch of froth in the middle. Lacing look very nice. Love the color of this brew very nice to kick of the coming warmer weather.

S: Awesome pure clover honey with a touch of hop spice. One of the best smelling beers I'm sampled in a time.

T: Smells sweet but the flavor is beeswax, the smallest hint of clover flower and a nice spicy hop finish.

M: Medium top full bodied. Nice carbonation.

D: I wish I would have bought more bottles, but for $5.99 me can't 'ford too much der sir baoseth.
Apr 10, 2008
Photo of WesWes
Reviewed by WesWes from New York

3.67/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The beer pours a dark golden color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice malty scent that boasts of pale, Munich, and bisquit malts. It smells sweet with a slight alcohol edge. The taste is decent. It has a smooth pale and Munich malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes dry with a slight metallic off flavor. It's rich with a bunch of Munich malt sweetness. The alcohol is present in the taste, but it doesn't really warm much. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a pretty good drinking beer. It doesn't blow me away, but it's a solid offering.
Feb 05, 2008
Photo of theopholis
Reviewed by theopholis from California

3.1/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Appearance- Poured slightly hazy light honey color with a huge, frothy, head. The head had tons of staying powerand left behind a sticky lacing.

Smell- The aroma is quite subdued. A very mild, lemony malt sweetness. Maybe the barest shred of some noble hops.

Taste- Lots of breadiness and a tinge of honey malt. The hops are very floral, without being very bitter or overly "hoppy". Doesn't really taadte much like a bock, but it's very nice all the same.

Mouthfeel- Medium body, with a nice level of carbonation that pushes the hops to the fore-front.

Drinkability- Worth a try. Not a great example of a bock, not sessionable, but well worth a try.
Jan 24, 2008
Photo of bboven
Reviewed by bboven from Texas

4.05/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep cloudy golden, a bit light for the style but great head retention and nice lacing for a bock.

Smells more like a Belgian Blond than a bock, but good buttery sour fruit and yeast aroma, nonetheless.

Wow. The sweetness in the aroma is cut with a nutty, roasty flavor that balances nicely. Tiny bit of bitterness in the back from the hops.

I like the nice low carbonation in this beer, especially since most bocks go a lot higher. Makes it very smooth.

I'd drink more of this for sure. The only problem is that Bison has so many other good offerings; it's hard to choose!
Nov 10, 2007
Photo of jettjon
Reviewed by jettjon from Florida

3.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the 22 oz bomber with no evident freshness date into my Sam Adams glass (thanks, guys!), it’s a hazed apricot color with a tiny amount of precipitating carbonation. Thick merrangue cap fades slowly leaving lots of clingy lace. Nose of sweet malt with hints of lemony citrus and bready yeast, not too impressive but not bad. Tastes of semi-sweet malt with a citrus hops twang, good malt-hops balance. A bit of alcohol evident. Mouth is semi-creamy and rich with low carbonation profile. Slightly crisp, slick and wet; quenching. Drinkability is solid; this is a tasty and enjoyable brew that can be quaffed in volume, though the 7.5% ABV sneaks up on you.

Overall: A solid bock/strong ale, worth a try.
Sep 29, 2007
Photo of Floydster
Reviewed by Floydster from California

2.73/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
22 ounce bottle from Cooke's shared with my dad

Golden yellow pour with a pretty thick head that stuck around for a while

Taste was OK, a little hint of sweetness and not too hoppy

Could not really drink much of these even though they are light

Pretty cool that it is an organic beer though
Sep 12, 2007
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

4.46/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had this in NC,

Poured an effervescent amber with 2+ fingers of cream colored head.

S: Some grainyness & fruittyness

T: Huge breadyness & honey malt, plus some herbal hops up front. Lemony hops, a little straw & metallic hop notes in the middle. Finishes cakey with loads of hop snap (herbal & floral) & a hint of boozeyness

MF: Chewy with low carbonation & perfect balance

Drinks great for the abv. One of the best maibocks I've tasted
Aug 09, 2007
Photo of Redrover
Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This organic beer comes in a brown bomber. No freshness dating, but some pretty good information on the label.

As advertised, it is gold with an off-white head.

The nose has more hops than I expected. It there is also some grains and a bit of dough.

The taste is sweet with subtle spicing. The 7.5 percent is well hidden. There is some toasted malts and some hard candy in the background.

The mouth is solidly above average. Drinkablity is tougher. Good beer but it is a one per night beer for me.
Jul 30, 2007
Photo of kwakwhore
Reviewed by kwakwhore from North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Golden pour with a small white head which doesn't last very long. Caramel scent but not very heavy. Malt and hop flavors are there, but hard to separate, you get hit by them simultaneously. Refreshing and not very heavy. Not a bad beer for this time of year. Alcohol is not too obvious but I imagine I'll feel it after 22 oz. Not a beer I'd go out of my way to find, but I would drink it again if I came across it.
Jul 07, 2007
Photo of Neehan
Reviewed by Neehan from North Carolina

3.91/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very pure dark gold with a thin head, but excellent retention. Smell of a fresh lager with a few hops mixed in and a pleasant smokiness. Smooth in the taste with a light smoky finish. Exceptionally crisp and refreshing. Another underrated and under-the-radar brew by Bison.
Apr 22, 2007
Photo of cbn
Reviewed by cbn from Florida

3.6/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Slightly hazy gold, amber highlight , few thin streams of small bubbles leave an interesting design on the surface of the brew, no head whatsoever.

Buttery malt body carries a thin spicy aroma. Hints of coriander, tobacco and liccorice rise through a buttery toffee core.

As above the flavors follow the aroma, combining the sweetness of the malt with the hop and yeast bite yeilding an interesting root-beer like flavor.

Fairly thin yet smooth, coating the tongue, slightly biting at the edges.

Take it easy, this one slides down a faster than most.
Mar 31, 2007
Photo of atsprings
Reviewed by atsprings from North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a nice hazy pale orange with a decent frothy head. The aroma was nice and malty with some honey and a slight hint of earthy hops. The taste was nice and sweet with caramel malts. There was also a good earthy hops backbone providing a good balance for a bock. The beer was slightly heavy and lowly carbonated. There was a slight alcohol presence, but nothing intolerable. This is a very enjoyable bock.
Mar 30, 2007
Photo of scruffwhor
Reviewed by scruffwhor from Illinois

4.42/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Appearance- Pours a one and a half finger head. Beneath the foam lies a great hazey honey drenhced amber with some transluscent copper tones. You can still see some of of the bubbles through this viscous looking lager.

Smell- One of the creamiest smelling bock's I've ever had. Lots of medium strength malts hit the nostrils with this one. Sometimes I think of cream soda.

Taste- The creaminess holds true throughout the entire tasting of this beer. I love it. This would be so seesionable if it wasn't for the abv. %.
Dec 07, 2006
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
22 oz'er with label espousing organic recipe. 7.5% ABV.

Pours with a solid vitreous golden clear straw topped with a frothy spumescent ivory cap leaving drippy lace foamed up.

Brisk honeyish nose. A tad Earthy.

First swigs: Toasted grain with a sweet sugary near maple syrup. Toasted grain imparts a vanilla cake. Middle flavor circles around a Golden Grahams cereal.

Full bodied for the bock style. Clean finish with an easy caramel aftertaste.

Last swigs: A lager that seems llike an ale.
Nov 28, 2006
Photo of ElGordo
Reviewed by ElGordo from Oregon

3.03/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a bright golden-amber hue topped by about an inch of creamy, stark-white head. Nice lacing on the glass. Fairly weak aroma of pale and caramel malts, with a touch of noble hops. Palate is also a bit muted - pale malt and noble hops, with a good bit of astringency towards the finish. Body is a little thin, especially for a stronger beer. A touch of creaminess throughout, with some alcohol warming emerging on the finish. Didn't know what to expect from a "golden" bock, but whatever it is, it's rather average.
Nov 07, 2006
Organic Golden Bock from Bison Brewing
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 24 ratings