Bock Thread (2023)

Not sure if this has been posted yet but DFH has a Maibock right now. Looks like it can only be purchased onsite, though, and I am not too sure about the milk balls ha ha:

The historic Lewes cannonball that went missing in February is Bock and we’re celebrating its return with the release of ‘Balls Back Bock’!! Our off-centered riff on the traditional Maibock beer. Balls Back Bock was brewed with over 7,349 malted milk balls blended with local malts & classic Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. Now available in the Tasting Room & Kitchen (on draft) and to-go in 16 oz. 4-packs from the shop!!
https://www.facebook.com/DogfishHeadTastingRoomAndKitchen

 

When I first read "milk balls" I immediately thought of Whoppers:



But it turns out the folks at Dogfish Head actually went 'centered' here and used the centers for this beer:



https://sports.yahoo.com/dogfish-head-brew-time-national-085631281.html

In an additional 'twist' here, yesterday (April 7th) was a day to celebrate the repeal of prohibition for beer (i.e., 3.2% ABW beer returned on April 7, 1933) and during prohibition a number of breweries produced malted milk as a product to keep the businesses going vs. completely shutting down.

I would be willing to drink Balls Back Bock if it was for sale at one of my local beer retailers.

Cheers!

 

Honor, respect, and envy. @steveh.

 

Not to mention a good grip.

 

Taking chances.

 

It was shared in the below post that Sly Fox is Including their Goat Race Maibock in a new variety pack and it's one of the best packs I have seen in a while with no IPAs and four beers I actually want:

Southeastern PA - news, releases, updates, etc. (2023)

 

Enjoying a doppelbock on this lovely afternoon. Cushwa Brewing - Liquid Bread

 

Flat-out awesome beer. Haven't seen it for a few years...Korbinian, and Andechs Doppel...my top two doppels..

 

Been drinking Silver Branch's Golden Goat Helles Bock. Awesome easy drinking, good for coming back from fishing while it's still a little chilly.

 

Fever Dream come true?

 

I'm gonna bring the Salvator conversation into the Curator conversation and talk about the idea of beers changing over time and originals. The last time I had Curator, I thought it was a little unpleasant. I found it to be very fruity. I definitely did not have a "this isn't a Doppelbock" reaction, but I'm also the type who defaults to the thinking that German monks who have been brewing since 1609 have more entitlement than me when it comes to deciding what a Doppelbock is like. (I'm not implying that the opposite reaction is improper.)

There are two versions of this beer. The version for the German market is 7% ABV. It does not contain wheat. The version for the US market is 9% ABV. Importer B United claims that “over the past years many of the classic bottom-fermenting Doppelbocks have been adjusted to make them easier to drink, we have begged the monastery to re-brew for our U.S. customers its authentic recipe which was created in the years after 1330 when the monastery was established.”

Does this US market beer resemble a beer from 1330 when the Ettal Abbey was founded (about 300 years before the their brewery was founded)? Um, sounds like ridiculous puffery to me. The label for the beer states “brewed using the original 1609 recipe.” I guess they weren't being too specific when they claimed elsewhere that the recipe "was created in the years after 1330." Yeah, I guess 1609 is technically after 1330. Does this US market beer resemble a beer from 1609 when the abbey brewery was founded? Um, this still sounds like ridiculous puffery to me... just less ridiculous than 1330. (I have to give credit to @jesskidden for my use of the word puffery. )

The Ettaler website states that Curator has been brewed since 1900ish.

Salvator supposedly dates to the 1600s (the same century as the Ettal Abbey brewery founding). By the the late 19th century (about the time that the Ettaler website claims Curator dates from), other brewers were brewing their versions of Salvator (treating the name as a beer style). Legal action to trademark the term resulted in the end of "Salvator" as a style name... and the "__ator" names eventually began as a consequence of this action.

At that point in time, Salvator was a 5.5% ABV beer with low attenuation. According to the Paulaner US site, Salvator has been "brewed for over 375 years - always adhering to the original recipe, with only a few refinements over the years.” Yeah, I bet only a few refinements. More puffery. An official browser translation of their German site comes up with a slight variation: "For more than 375 years we have been brewing Salvator according to the traditional recipe and have refined it every year." Yeah, that oddly sounds a little more realistic.

 

Sounds dirty, too, don't it? (Given the frequency of immature meme usage 'round here, sure to be an attention grabber. ["Grabber" also sounds...ah, whatever])

 

@zid -- any deep research on Salvator from around 1980 when I had my first? Can't really comment on the 19th century.

 

The Salvator stuff is all @patto1ro 's work. In this 2008 post he mentions a personal observation about the color getting paler over the last 15 years - which echoes your thoughts. Coincidentally, the comments on that post include Kristen England (who authored the clone recipe in @JackHorzempa 's earlier link) stating:

... to which Ron replies: "I'll second Ettaler as a good Doppelbock."

@cheeseheadinMinneapolis - maybe what you don't like about the beer is what Kristen England likes. I wonder if Kristen England has had the German version of Curator or only the American market version.

 

Cellar pull for Easter yesterday.

2012 Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche




Delicious, delectable Doppelbock

 

LOL, Interesting at least we agree that Ettaler Curator is different than the rest.
Maybe some more people should give it a taste and weigh in.

 

Yep, an awesome beer. My favorite doppels are Korbinian, Andech's Doppelbock Dunkel, and Weltenburger's Asam Bock. If we consider Schneider Aventinus a doppel (the word is on the bottle/can) then I'd have to include that as well.

 

I do. A Weizendoppelbock or Weizenstarkbier.

 

Abita Mardi-Gras

Tonight I decided to try a new-to-me bock - Abita's Mardi Gras. I tend to find Abita's bocks too sweet for my liking but Mardis Gras claims 31 IBUs. So I thought that this might not be too sweet.

I found Mardis Gras to be OK. For my preferences, I find it to be too caramelly sweet and too dry at the same time. If that is even possible.


12 oz bottle
Glass: Tulip Snifter
Temp: 48-54 F
ABV: 6.5%


Look:
Deep, rich copper color with a 2+ finger foamy off-white to light beige head. The head stays for a _long_ time. When the head does start to dissolve, it leave quite good lacing behind.

Smell:
Sweet and malty. Caramel and toffee with a good dose of bready malts. Some fruitiness. Very mild notes of hay and even a touch of earth.

Taste:
Starts off with toasted bready malts and melanoidin. These are quickly met by a surprisingly firm earthy bitterness that is a touch spicy. The bitterness is not overpowering but it is definitely noticeable. The sip dries out quite a bit but still finishes off-dry and more than a bit malty.

Feel:
Almost clean but a tad slick and maybe touch syrupy. The body is medium-light.

Overall:
An OK bock. Not sure if it fits the Maibock profile (maybe it does?) but a credible effort nonetheless. Definitely better than other Abita Bocks that I have tried, which tend to be much too sweet for my palette.

 

We seem to be right in tune as I would add Aventinus as well to my list..Never had Weltenburger's Asam Bock but based on our similar assessments I clearly need to find this...is it available in the U.S.?