Bock Thread (2023)

Weltenburger's Asam has been around in MN recently, not sure if it's available today. It's good. Andech's is my favorite. But I change my mind on which one is best it seems. I think it's often which bottle is freshest or properly handled/stored.

 

I discussed this beer in post #320. From that post (with emphasis in bold):

“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.”

So, for my palate I perceived a flavor that I described using the word “toffee” which I presume is sorta equivalent to the term “caramelly” you used.

I suggest that beer can be both toffee/caramelly and dry if we consider the temporal aspect of drinking this beer. For my palate the toffee flavor was on the mid-palate of the drinking experience while the finish was dry.

Prost!

 

I'm a bit late to the party on this one. I assume this is Red Oak's winter seasonal since it has a drink by date of 5/1/2023 . I believe their beers have a 6 month shelf life so it's likely been out there for a while. It's still good but I'd really like to try it when it's much fresher.

 

It was recently available in the Twin Cities (Total Wine had it). According to their website, it looks to now be sold out. I would guess it may be hanging around at some smaller places still.

Edit: Looks like I missed Cheesehead's earlier response.

 

I don't see many bocks in my neck of the woods, saw this yesterday, a local Eisbock, this is a 1st for me of the style and it was terrific!

 

Hmmmm .... I agree - if we consider how the flavor of a sip of this beer changes over the time that it is consumed, the taste can have toffee and/or caramel and also be dry. TAs you described, the caramel and toffee seems to be more prevalent earlier in the sip. The dryness becomes more pronounced later on.

What you describe as "toffee" very likely is what I describe as "caramelly". I am much more familiar with caramel than I am with toffee.

 

It is available in the US. But it might be hard to find.

If you do find some, I would recommend to not drink it too cold. Cellar temperature (46-56 F) at the coldest. I prefer Asam Bock in the mid to upper 50s F myself.

Edit: I hadn't seen the earlier response(s).

 

Having the last bottle of a very expensive six-pack this afternoon and finally remembering what it was that was off with the Abita for me -- lot of vegetal DMS in the flavor with a bigger bitter hop note than I like for a Maibock.

The malts used are doing an admirable job of trying to be recognized, but that vegetal character is just too strong.

 

This ones always great. At 2 bucks a pop at some trader joes' how can i not

 

2 bucks a pop = an $8 four-pack? Not bad at all.

 

You are probably referring to the Mardi Gras that's in the post that you quoted but you're not clear on that. Or are you referring to the Abita Andygator Helles Dopplebock? I have a single of that one that I'm going to drink with dinner tonight, and I hope I don't have to put up with the vegetal character or DMS that you mentioned.

 

I am.

However, they're both from the same brewery, so...

Andy Gator is considered a Doppel? Okay -- yeah, I see they're (Abita) calling it that now. I think when it first came out it was a Heller Bock.

 

its 2 and change closer to 3 and a 10% tax

 

I found Abita's Andygator on a singles shelf and was thrilled to find it since the Maibock season is upon us and this is my favorite beer style (although Abita calls it a Helles Dopplebock). However, I wish I had found the date code on the neck of the bottle but it wasn't visible until I poured the beer today. The code is 21125 which I'm assuming means the 125th day of 2021, and I'm assuming that's a Bottled-On date. It was just an okay beer, mildly hoppy, well balanced with the malt, dry at the end, but it just tasted old. Hopefully more Maibocks are in my future.

 

Gilde Brewing Urbock, very nice beer!

 

Going back to this for a sec, did you have Curator from cans or bottles? I assume bottles, but the following might be informative. Coincidentally, I just listened to a podcast where they tried the canned version and found it to be soured. The hosts seemed to mainly lean in the direction that it was likely a issue with B United’s handling of the beer rather than the brewer’s… and in my experiences with the B United canning project, I would definitely lean the same way.

 

Bottles only. I gave the beer 3 tries, thinking maybe I had a expired or bad bottle. I found the beer to be consistent from the 3 bottles. It's just not for me. I could see how some people might like it. To me it was earthy and seemed to be a wheat beer.
I would not say the beer was really sour.

 

When did Schlenkerla stop vintage dating their beers? I always get annoyed not knowing how old they are

 

I'm not sure, but the place I got it has vertical 2011-2016 at least off the top of my head.

 

Good to know, thanks buddy!