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

Hah!

 

I'm not a big IPA fan to start with and their lagers (to me) seem over hopped. They are a very good brewery and put out some excellent beers, but most just aren't to my particular taste.

 

At the Fat Heads brewery, I’m enjoying a snifter of their Otzi Eisbock. A 9.5% ABV Eisbock with an appealing honey colored body. Caramel and yeast hits the nose and the caramel and malt comes through in the taste.

Slight bitter finish complements the modest mouth feel (though there is a quick sweet palate wash after the bitterness fades). This is one easy drinker of an Eisbock. Cheers!

 

Moving on to my go to weizenbock, Vitus. I love the balance between malts, yeast and earthiness, while I rated the Ayinger Weizenbock higher something good about Vitus being less sweet keeps bringing me back to it.

 

You know I wasn’t going to have any German beers today, but Bock it you only live once. So here we are.

Erdinger Pikantus, new to me brew. Paired with my version of a German brunch. I know our friend from Germany educated us that their brunch equivalent is typically served with only cold food, but at least I got the beer part right, and let’s be honest that’s the most important part.

Pours dark mahogany with some caramel edges and dark amber hues when held to light. Large fluffy light tan head dissipates very slowly leaving some nice lacing. Aroma is wheat, mild fruity esters, floral and subtle spicy hops. Only very subtle caramel, no real dark fruits. Taste is a bit more caramel forward, dry on the finish, Nobel hop bitterness, with a pretty prominent minerality. Fruity esters are mild, and not much phenolic spice at all. Mouthfeel is medium body, it’s incredibly easy to drink. Overall, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this beer but it does lack to depth and complexity when compared to the other bock-style beers I’ve had this weekend.

4.5/4/3.75/4.25/3.75





Don’t let Monday ruin your Sunday. Cheers BA’s!

 

Joining in on the Bock tasting and enjoying an Aventinus. First time having the pleasure of enjoying this beer or this style in general. Went to my local spot and luckily managed to find a single of this.

Pours a cloudy, dark ruby brown color with two fingers of a dense khaki head. 4.25

Aroma is banana bread with raisins, slight clove, slight caramel, peach marmalade, brown bread, tobacco. 4.25

Taste follows the nose pretty well and brings more banana bread, clove, caramel, slight vanilla (?), slight peach and apricot marmalade, ripe plum, raisin, some leather, and some tobacco. 4.25

High medium body. Robust feel, yet well carbonated. Soft, slick, slightly sweet up front, dry on the finish. 4.5

I’m not entirely familiar with this style, but I do know that this is the go-to for it. I thoroughly enjoy this one. 4.25
Overall: 4.28
My interest is now peaked. I’ll keep my eye out for more Weizenbocks or just bocks in general going forward. I still have a lot to learn, so I appreciate these tastings to get me out of my comfort zone. Cheers!

 

We are indeed fortunate to have Ramstein local to us. I've always felt like their offerings are solid across the board, but the two Bocks I set aside for this tasting are excellent and might be their two best beers overall.

Ramstein Maibock & Winter Wheat Weizenbock


I planned to drink both this weekend but I'm getting a late start and I'll probably just get around to this one today. (The Winter Wheat is a 9.5% heavy hitter and will pretty much end my day if I attempt it after the Maibock).



Since @MacMalt nailed it with his review, I recommend that anyone who is interested just scroll up and re-read his. My thoughts and review of the beer echo his 100%. In the past, I've always grabbed a few growlers of this each Spring, but it's a treat to be able to get this in cans at the store now. Prost!

 

In the future, keep in mind that Weizenbocks can be dark (like your Aventinus) or pale (like Weihenstephaner Vitus for example). I only point this out so you don't get surprised or thrown off down the road.

 

Alright for real this time, this is going to be my last Bock of the weekend. Big thanks to @TongoRed for putting this tasting on. Up until about 2 weeks ago I had only tried a handful of Bocks ever, and this tasting inspired me to try new things which I have ended up loving.

Finishing with this classic, as I mentioned very early on this is a first ballot Hall of Fame beer in my opinion. Won’t post a review but this beer is phenomenal as always.



Damage from the weekend. I haven’t had this many beers in a weekend in a long time, thanks for the peer pressure guys!


Alright that’s it for me. It was a fun weekend. Appreciate all the Bock and forth and knowledge gained from this thread. Cant wait til we’re all Bock again for the next tasting. Keep on Bock’ing in the free world, and until we meet again, Bock on!

 

Very interesting. Good to know...thanks for the info!

 

Three Bavarian juggernauts bringing up the final beers of the bock tasting for me.

Ayinger was by far the most aromatic, with tons of dark fruits and dark bread crust in the nose and mouth. The Augustiner was more a blend of yellow raisins and breadiness. The Andechs was a in the middle of the other two, flavor wise. It was the only one that smelled like fresh grain (perhaps it w was the newest, I'm not sure). All three were great though.

 

Finally jumping into the Bock fest. In scanning thru some of the postings i was reminded of some of my favorite German brews including Aventinus and Celebrator. I'll definitely need to revisit those someday soon!

Since i am still at my rental in my transition to our new house in Western NC, i am trying to limit my crazy hunting and gathering ways and with that said was able to pick up the Troegenator at the local grocer. Been hearing about it on BA over the years when residing in AZ so i thought it would be perfect to have and i am happy to report it scratched the Bock itch!

Cheers,
Tom

 

Welcome to the NFL!

 

Ahhh . . . What a glorious glass!

 

Ok, well we have hit the ugliest beer of this tasting for me, Schilling Beer Co's Fabulant.

This beer looks like... water with things in it that you wouldn't want to drink. And it's another beer that thinks that stillness is a virtue. The nose seems to suffer from this lack of effervescence, though I guess it has the requisite banana and spice.


The taste is like an amped up hefeweizen, which I guess is the point. There's perhaps a little extra spice or alcohol that throws things ever so slightly out-of-whack for me. So, looks aren't everything, but this beer's personality doesn't truly shine, either.

Even though it is from a different bock style, I more enjoyed Brücius from the same brewer. So, I have one more for later, one I am sure I will enjoy.

 

I had the same impression this year with my Christmas treat. I thought it was me.

 

Enjoying a local seasonal favorite.
Berkshire Brewing creates a really good Maibock.
In the distant past it was to sweet, in the last 4-5 yrs completely dialed in
Excellent malt expression, just enough noble hops to balance and a shift in the water
treatment (IMHO) have all added up to a spring treat.
Do good

A - Blended copper, straw color, wonderful clarity, a gentle lager train of slow
carbonation rises, no cap, nice ring.
S - Malty biscuit, pumpernickle cracker, a touch of brown sugar, faintest noble hop flora.
T - Wonderful malt display, not heavy handed, light touch of sweet then a delightful semi dry finish.
M - Full palate coating, gentle exit and malty finish.
O - A seasonal favorite, this years is quite good, balanced and delicious.

 

Bock-land for me today will be all Minnesota. Two maibocks and one traditional bock.

First up is my third bock from what I earlier described (in the idea submission thread) as a Minnesota treasure: August Schell Brewing Co. They released 3 bock beers this year, and none were a doppelbock!

Schell's Limited Batch 001: Maibock
(THIS IS THE PILOT SPEAKING)
Bock - Maibock
ABV 6.3%
IBU: NA



This beer (as the label says) was brewed on their pilot system.

Crystal clear golden color with plentiful carbonation bubbles topped by a white, thick, fluffy-cloud head with OK retention. It leaves thick, sticky lacing as the head recedes.

The aroma is bread dough with sweet floral.

The initial taste is floral and bright, with a distinct slightly toasty bready malt underneath. There is an earthiness to the taste, as well as a touch of sweet bread. A fairly high level of bitterness arises in the middle and intensifies in the finish, leaving a bitter aftertaste. The finish is dry and bitter, balanced somewhat by the breadiness from the malts.

The mouth feel has good body, and yet the hops and carbonation keep it crisp.

Overall, a crisp, floral, and bitter take on the maibock style. Too bitter for a maibock for me, though - as in the IPL style rather than maibock style - but otherwise, a well done and a refreshing spring beer.


L: 4.0 | S: 3.75 | T: 4.0 | F: 3.75 | O: 3.75 | Rating: 3.87