Bock Thread (2023)

Well, that's surprising -- they seem to be bottling earlier this year.

Years past, all of the HB Maibock was bottled in early January of the year released.

The bottle I have left over from last year is marked 025V.

Stay tuned. I'll be on the hunt tomorrow.

 

Jacks Abby re-released Saxonator by surprise (mine anyway) last Thursday. I had it on draft and it was a little drier than I remember with less dark fruity flavor but a very drinkable and delicious malt bomb doppelbock.

 

Oops, almost forgot to post this final Korbinian from the cellar. Always stellar!



Cheers!

 

Rather than being an unreliable narrator, I used their beer finder and swung by a store near me to check the code. It was the same as below. I feel like the Maibock has been in stores by me for a while, but maybe my memory is off and it was Delicator.

 

You've been using "Delicator," and I know that's basically what Winter Spezial is, but are you seeing actual bottles labeled as Delicator? And not just in the small print on the back label.

 

Nope. Picky, picky. It's just the name I think of first when I think of that beer. Do you do the same? It appears they label it Delicator (rather than Winter Spezial) for US draft/keg... just to keep us on our toes.

 

Only when I reviewed it for BA -- mostly because the first incarnation of Winter Spezial sent to us was a Heller Bock and I reviewed it back then. Didn't want to lose the review.

And not picky, just wondered if maybe HB was exporting something new -- I believe there are reports of Delicator being a different ABV than Winter Spezial, but it could be old reports.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4686/87762/?ba=steveh#review

 

This beer is solid. In a city made famous by German brewing tradition, expectations are high. If Lakefront Brewery's version of this beer is the Robin Yount of the city's Maibock offerings, this is the Rob Deer.

 

We need to have a conversation about Shiner Bock versus Point Bock. Tom Landry versus Vince Lombardi. Legends.

 

Point made a really good Maibock a few years ago -- really miss it.

 

@cheeseheadinMinneapolis is probably going to have the distribution truck drop off a pallet of this beer at his house before they arrive at retail locations. This beer is delicious!

 

Harrisburg HEAT indoor soccer home games versus Kansas City & Milwaukee on 1 & 2 April, if you need an excuse to send yourself to Harrisburg | Hershey. The tour on Saturday, 1 April might be quite illuminating.

 

I have just saved this image to my flash drive.
The next time I go to Laschet's Inn on W. Irving Park Rd., I will manage to show this image to a staff member there.
I envision him, after viewing the image, walking 30 feet away from me {I will be seated at the bar.}, and then exclaiming an "AARRRGGGHHH".

 

This is a nice Maibock. It is brewed in Manitowoc, WI.

 

Unless the bartenders at Laschet's have really devolved over the years since I've been there, I have the feeling they won't give two shits about some other bar's beer list.

Hell, they didn't care about Resi's and it was across the street.

 

A new one for me today -- since I'm not seeing too many Maibocks on shelves this year.

Noon Whistle Maibock. Another Maibock that seems to want to rely on over-attenuated alcohol to be its main character (see how proudly displayed the ABV is on the can). But it's also a little too harshly bitter in its hopping.

That said, it's certainly drinkable, but just doesn't have that luscious malt backbone I expect in a good Maibock.

 

It's a bit odd that Sierra Nevada isn't offering Maibock this spring as it did the past two springs. I wonder if that says something about sales (and high shipping costs).

 

I don't think SN started selling it online last year until May?

 

Good observation. The dates of reviews suggest just that.

 

I just discussed a new (to me) Bock beer in the NBW thread:

Happy National Bock Day!



Well, technically National Bock Day was last Monday (March 20th) but I will be celebrating today. And today’s new beer is a twofer when it comes to celebrating since it has he words “Mardi Gras” in the brand name: Abita Mardi Gras Bock.

I am cognizant of Abita Brewing Company but frankly I have not had many of their beers. Below is a short ‘biography’ of the brewery:

“The Abita Brewing Company is a brewery in Covington, Louisiana, United States, 43 miles (69 km) north of New Orleans. Abita was founded by Jim Patton and Rush Cumming in 1986, in downtown Abita Springs, Louisiana. The original location in downtown Abita Springs is now the Abita Brew Pub.”

With an opening in 1986 this is one of the early craft breweries. Congratulations to Abita for operating for 37 years!

Served in my Sly Fox Goats Races/Bockfest Willi Becher glass:

Appearance:

Pours a copper amber color with a BIG white head.

Aroma:

It is dominated with a toasty dark bread aroma but there are some hints of toffee as well.

Taste:

The flavors follow the nose with mostly toasted dark bread but also some toffee sweetness in the mid-palate. It is a pleasant rich, malty flavor. There is low/moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel:

Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer. I found it to be a good Bock beer to celebrate (belatedly) National Bock Day.

Cheers!