Bock Thread (2023)

That's what mine was too.

 

Almost 5 months in the bottle? Hell of a lagering time.

 

My local retail beer distributor has four-packs of the Ayinger Maibock but it is quite pricey. I was thinking about buying it despite the high price but if those beers were bottled last fall this will be an easy no purchase decision for me. Why do German brewers package beers intended for spring drinking in the fall? I would not be surprised to read that Ayinger packages their Oktoberfest beer next month (April) for a fall drinking beer.

Cheers!

 

WBAYDN cross post.....yum

 

Well we can assume the bottles were on a cold ship, then at cold port facilities and then cold delivery trucks, with minimal time in a warehouse, so that's close to ideal conditions for lagering, although in the bottle.

 

You forgot the Merchant du Vin factor in the equation.

 

Anyone else remember when this beer was very dark?

 

Speaking of Troegenator - Troeg's



Past review…
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/694/4109/?ba=SLeffler27#review

Today; not so much. Definitely more bready in aroma and flavor with far less fruit, although the fig and dates are here. Lest anyone misunderstands, it is still a very enjoyable beer, just not as previously scored. Oh and the appearance is far in away superior to this past review. Very pretty in the glass today.

 

Last of the 4-pack this afternoon.

Still not enamored by this one -- just too dry, hot with alcohol, not quite as luscious and chewy as many other Maibocks I find locally.

 

I know it's written in jest, but what is the statement hinting at? I remember back in the early days of craft and quality imports Merchant du Vin was a leader.

 

One more middle man -- on the far side of the country.

But yeah, MdV was a big fish in a small pond back in the mid-80s, but lately it seems like they're not quite on the ball (see above about importing 5 month-old beer that's supposed to be seasonal).

FWIW -- the MdV website info on the Ayinger Maibock says something along the lines of, "Brewed in fall and lagered through the winter."

What, in 11.2 ounce bottles on the importer's warehouse floor?

 

Your linked review was from 2012 so you likely do not recall the age of that bottle (or can?). Doppelbock beers tend to hold up well with age but over time the dried dark fruit flavors will increase. My guess is that the beer you drank, and reviewed, back in 2012 had some age on it.

I have a can of Troegenator in my fridge 'calling out' to me. I will be enjoying that beer soon!

Cheers!

 

OK



I really enjoy drinking Troegenator with the bonus being this beer is reasonably priced. I bought a 12-pack for 20 bucks.

Prost!

 

Wow, you’re good. Checking my personal log, I actually reviewed that beer August 2011. No bottle date recorded.

today’s has a date “freshest by - 071123”. I bet my expectations have changed over the past twelve years too. Still, I get one or two every year. And smile every time.

 

Cheers to you!

 

My Ayinger Maibocks are dated 17 Nov, 2022.

 

Actually, Jack I think that they do just that. I seem to recall the bottles dated around April for an August purchase here. Let me get one of my 2022 Ayinger Okto bottles and check the date code.

L2055 .. which translates to ... 24 Feb, 2022.

So it is even earlier than suspected. 6 months before it hit the shelves here. Or near me, anyways.

 

It seems like a real lack of effort on the importers. Do Germans care about freshness in their lager beers?

 

Could be worth asking if the beer sold domestically in Germany is bottled the same time as beer exported. And/or are domestic German Bocks and Octoberfest beers considered fresh if bottled 6/9 months early.

One might note, “Historically, Märzen (March in German) was brewed in the spring, lagered in caves (stored cold) during the summer months, and served in the fall.” - https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/styles/29/

Given that Octoberfest beers begin showing up on US shelves in July (or earlier), February bottling makes sense. Just my 2¢.

 

All of my HP and Paulaner were bottled around April last year, so yeah -- something like 5 months lee-time. Don't recall the HB time spread for their seasonals.