Bock Thread (2023)

How about an Eisbock, for the season?

The 2023 release from local brewery, Pollyanna.

With their distilling license they are likely the only brewery in Illinois that can pull this off and they are proud. From Untapped:"
Eisbock is the apex of lagerbier. Our White Whale, Jötunheimr is an Eisbock Lager that we freeze distilled on a balmy -11F Illinois night to transform an 8.0% ABV Bock Lager into a 10.0% ABV Eisbock. Freeze distilled by our St Charles distillery."

(Sorry, I had to.)

 

Joining the fun with this classic! Cheers BA

 

903 Brewers Sherman Bock. From Texas. Where they pronounce bock with the letter W. We pronounce bock in my area like a sheep would. This is a nice beer. Perfect for a beautiful spring day like today. What in Sam Hill are pasture pastries, which the can says you should pair this beer with?

 

"Sometimes in winter..." - Oops, that's not on that BS&T album.
Errr.... Maplewood Brwg. & Distilling would like to have a word with you.

 

Jack,

I have this same beer in my fridge and it is new to me as well. I can't wait to try it. it sounds good. I typically don't break open any Maibocks that I have until after Easter, though. Doppels before Easter, Hellers and Mai's after Easter is my SOP.

 

Augustiner-Bräu Munchen Maximator


Since it is still Lent, and also because it is rainy and chilly, I decided to enjoy a doppelbock tonight. I chose one that I haven't had in a while (maybe since Lent, 2022) - Augustiner Maximator. I find this bock to be a bit too sweet and not chocolatey enough for my preferences for the style but it is a well-made quality Doppelbock.


1.5 x 333 ml bottles
Bottle Date: L 045212249
Glass: 0.5 L Festmug
ABV: 7.5 %


Look:
Mahogany brown with ruby highlights and a huge beige head. The head dissipates quite slowly. Lacing is quite good.

Aroma:
Rich malts, toasted caramel, and some candied dried fruits such as raisins, currants, figs, and dates. As the beer warms an underlying earthiness is noticeable.

Taste:
Same as the nose, but more pronounced across the board. The toasted caramel and the earthy notes are most prominent. The alcohol peeks through here and there and adds some warmth. The beer stays on the sweet/rich side, but the earthiness is enough to balance things out some and keep it from becoming cloying. Something seems to want to be chocolate or cocoa, but doesn't quite get there.

Feel:
Smooth and rich with touches of warmth. The body is medium-full.

Overall:
A well made and tasty doppelbock. Sweeter than I normally prefer them and missing or deemphasizing the dark bread and chocolate notes that I like in a doppelbock. But this is a quality doppelbock nonetheless.

 

My palate is similar, a tad too sweet for me too.

Prost!

 

Unfortunately, I don't even bother with them anymore for the exact reason you listed. Got burned on one too many bad cans over multiple offerings.

 

So, anyone in the Midwest (northeast Illinois or southeast Wisconsin, in particular) seen (fresh) Hofbräu Maibock?

 

Enegren ~ Maibock Spring Lager
Really good, must find more

 

Schlenkerla Eiche


Another Lenten night, and another doppelbock. This time Schlenkera's Eiche. This is a Christmas beer according to the brewery. But it is the only doppelbock that they make, so....


500 ml bottle
Glass: 400 ml chalice
ABV: 8.0 %

Look:
Mahogany brown with a 2 finger creamy beige head hangs around for a while, leaving good lacing.

Aroma:
Smokey and malty. The smoke is 'finer' or more rounded and even elegant (if smokiness can be elegant!) than that in other Schlenkerla offerings but it is prominent nonetheless. There is an understated note of brown sugar.

Taste:
Laid back but prominent smoke and also toasted grains. The hops assert themselves some, but just enough to dry things out and keep them balanced.

Feel:
Smooth and slightly creamy with a dry finish. The body is medium.

Overall:
A tasty Rauchbier that is a nice sipper.

 

So... it bypassed us here and went to Madison?

 

Wow, I came across newly stocked six packs of the beer in the cooler at a local store and upon checking these were all having a 025V date code. And these had to have been newly stocked from the distributor as I only recall seeing the Winter Spezial there the other week. Not sure who the HB distributor is around here but they intentionally stocked a seasonal using last year's inventory? Terrible. And I see similar for Weihenstephan beer (even saw beer from 2021 there today). It's probably the same distributor.

 

Remind me again where you are in IL -- the northeast IL distro tried passing off last year's earlier this year, but the beer guy at my Binny's caught it and refused delivery.

FWIW -- HB puts an uncoded label on the case boxes that clearly shows bottling date.

 

Southern Lake County (was visiting BG Woodman's in this instance) so likely the same distributor which would make sense because they appear to have been stocked with your Binny's refused delivery. Just passing it on to another retail location, a grocer in this instance who is certainly less savvy in this regard.

 

No doubt. Clowns. They tried it with Winter Spezial a couple years back -- and the Maibock again, just before that. Picture from 2020.

 

I have no clue who this guy is but he takes his bocks seriously by the looks of it.
https://untappd.com/user/MrLizard
By the way I had Sherman Bock on tap at a bar in WI about 1 month ago. I will give it a 3.31/5 overall.
I might lift my weekly limit of about 5 to 6 beer units soon, but I'm not sure yet