Online Tasting: Bocks (April 23-25, 2021)

Starting strong with Aventinus Eisbock


And I just added this review.
"11.2oz bottle with date code:"20 190 250620" June of last year?
Poured into a willie becher shows a hazy, reddish-brown body that glows orange when backlit with active rising bubbles. A generous 3" head of off-white mixed bubbles impedes emptying the glass in one even pour and recedes to a 1/8" cap that leaves the glass clean behind.

Dried fruit aromas abound joined by dark sugar and banana and the flavors match. Raisin, molasses, prune, banana, brown sugar, caramel, and booze are all found in each sweet, full, gulp.

Overall a heavy beer with obvious booze but instead of heavy starchy foods, I'd suggest pairing with greens and maybe roasted vegetables with balsamic and sausages."
What a pleasure and it is clearly in the booze bitterness end of the scale with virtually no hop presence.
Thanks @TongoRad

 

A pivot to local (Massachusetts) Dopplebock from Notch Brewings "Voll Projekt"
All those requisite dark bread elements, hints of brown sugar, earthy hops. A lighter and more delicate body that the earlier Spaten, Color is quite similar.
Cheers

Poured from a 16 oz can purchased at the brewery, into the big test glass.
A - Dark copper/mahogany backdrop, excellent clarity. Carbonation is determined, providing a beautiful white cap. Lacing through the experience is in descript.
S - Caramel, a bit of brown sugar, dark toast, earthy hops
T - Follows the aromatic lead quite well, a touch of pumpernickel and the faintest hint of beech wood malt.
M - Smooth on the palate, sweet and rich flavors, coat the palate, linger is semi sweet.
O - A true delight, malt rich and quite delightful

 

What is the reason for toning down your ratings for this Celebrator? How would you compare/contrast this bottle of Celebrator with your previous drinking experiences?

Cheers!

@MNAle

 

Starting big this weekend, although I could (and will) go bigger. I'll also go smaller, but this is a nod to last week's Lagavulin + Doppelbock thread, where I didn't have the time to try Ayinger's Celebrator with the Islay Scotch.


This beer is one I grab from time to time and wonder why I don't buy it more often. There are reasons, of course. After having a couple other doppelbocks in that other tasting, this one still stands out a bit. It's richer and more chocolatey than I got from the others. The chocolate isn't sweet - it's more of a high cacao percentage dark chocolate. Obviously, there's more of a roasted malt driving this one than the others.

The closest of the beers from last week to this was Spaten Optimator. I'm getting an ever so slight mineral note from this (got a little more in Optimator), and a character, if you will, I sort of associate with Ayinger.


FWIW - having the Scotch as a lead-in to the Celebrator was good (but not as good as the same with Optimator), and the other way around didn't work. @StoutElk_92

And we are off!!

 

I also wanted to include an actual Ayinger in here, alas I didn't want to go on a hunt after work (to a Lizardville), and my local-ish grocery had a decent Weizen collection that I've been wanting to dig in to. Perfect timing for this thread!

The absolutely drastic color differences aside (which are kind of mind boggling, considering how well regarding the Alpenglow is in my area), I find Vitus to be just absolutely silky gliding down the gullet, with a more delicate and mild wheat, and spice too, which is more like zucchini bread than biting clove. The Fat Head's is bolder, toastier, spicier and more assertive, and I'm actually finding it more comparable to Westvleteren than Weihenstephaner, with the recent reference point of having cracked one of my bottles of XII. But I actually think it may be closer to the dubble (VIII). It's still quite delicious, but next to a more traditional Weizenbock, it comes across more as a night cap or sipper.

 

Is this your first time drinking Celebrator?

Previously in this thread I discussed with @MNAle the topic of aroma for Celebrator. I have been drinking Celebrator a long time (well over a decade) but for me it is a once in a while pleasure since it is a pricey beer in my area. I did purchase a four-pack last December as a Christmas present to myself. I paid over 15 bucks for four small bottles. These beers were good but the beer just wasn't at the same level as previous drinking experiences (a couple of years ago) with a notable aspect being a diminished aroma aspect.

I find it noteworthy that you commented: "...the smell just didn't seem very intense or unique..." This was not the case in the past for me. Makes me wonder if there has been some changes at Ayinger as regards the brewing of Celebrator.

Cheers!

 

A Weizenbock can be pale or dark.

 

After posting a weizenbock last night in WBAYDN - Doh! - today I decided to go with my favorite: Aventinus Eisbock. A gentle giant of a bock, its 12% ABV is considerably masked by the massive flavor. A comforting Linus blanket of a beer with a malty, dried fruit goodness that is exemplary. Prost!

 

At one of the local breweries, Pinellas Ale Works (PAWs) a dog centric themed brewery and tasting room...drinking Maibock:



Sweet malty nose with some floral hops. Light caramel, sweet malt, baked bread; no bitterness, no hop flavors. Pleasant seminary sweet caramel malt linger...abv (7.2%) well hidden. I like!

 

I think this may be the first time I analyzed, or accepted, that. I know Weizen means wheat, but it still triggers in my mind as "white". lol...

 

Is it Bock time? I WANNA BOCK!!!

Bockadociousness? Bockalicious??? is this a thing... ?

Apparently it is! Good times! I am starting off with this puppy, and keeping it local for starters. Just up the road, and still rolling it out for Spring. Had this before, wont go too much into re-review but let's check this goat out!



Original Review Click Me!

Following up on my review. Really bang on... not much new to say (dang I am good! ), perhaps the color I think is perhaps paler than I remember, and yeah has that punch of heat/fussel in the end which is accented by a bit of overly hop bitterness.

Not bad, let's keep the bock rolling!

Cheers!

 

Hmm. No Bocks and the beer budget is flat... Gonna have to see what I can pull off by Sunday. Maybe some shenanigans again like I did just one time... Im going to search for a Maibock. Hopefully I can find one. Many thanks to @TongoRad for hosting.

 

Bock # 2

This fine - award winning local from Fatheads is an ass-kicker - smooth, heavy mouth feel and filling on the stomach! Soooo good though....if you have the opportunity to try this one - go for it - you will not be disappointed!

 

This is the lineup:



All but Augustine Maximator are available locally, although they can be a bit harder to find in the wild.

Hattip: @grantcty for most of these.

 

Finally here, and a WBAYDN cross-post of course.

Aecht Schlenkerla's Urbock. 6.5% of delicious, campfire bacon on ashes, fantastic malt backbone and character. Smoke for days, y'all. Perfect balance, clean finish (with smoke), head and lacing intact.... more, bitte.

I'll whip out the Doppelbock tomorrow.
Prost!
Great idea for this thread this weekend...