Bock Thread (2025)

Thankfully, the rumors of its demise have been greatly exaggerated.

I feel lucky to live in an area that has at least a few people besides myself who regularly buy Optimator (and other Spaten products) and so stores keep ordering and the local distributor continues to have it available.

 

Took my spring break last week and stopped by Minhas in Monroe, WI.

Picked up some Huber Bock, amongst other things:


Appearance: Clear amber, good head.

Smell: Caramel, bit of cardboard.

Taste: Mildly sweet to start, then toasted bread, mild caramel. A bit of sugary note. Kind of fizzy mouthfeel. Finishes with more caramel sweetness.

Overall: Picked up a single at the Minhas brewery. Not too bad, decent toast/caramel flavor. Kind of a weird mouthfeel but no strange aftertaste. Worth a try but there are better tasting bocks out there.

 

Have you tried Schell's Bock Beer? If so, how would you compare it to Huber Bock?

Cheers!

 

Yes, it has been a while but I've had Schell's Bock. Schell's has a much better aroma, and gives more toffee/caramel flavor than the Huber. Huber is very "mild flavored" for a bock, I expect a little bolder flavor for bocks.

 

Given that it lists 5.5% ABV on the can, I wonder if this beer is more like an American Bock beer like I discussed in post #35. Maybe also brewed with adjunct (e.g., corn)?

Well, that is certainly the situation with German style Bock beers. From reading the description of Schell's Bock in BA it reads like this brand is an all-malt beer.

Cheers!

 

Another doppelbock for starkbierzeit.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian



Tasty as usual.

 

One of my few Across the Board 5s.

If I could only find it more fresh.

 

Hofbräu Munich Delicator 8.4%



Sweet, dark bread crust with some dark fruit. Has a bit of an alcohol bite, which isn't too surprising given the ABV. A really good doppelbock that has become one I look forward to every year.

 

I haven't seen this one before, tasty'n delicious!

Baphomet from Revolution, Chicago.

 

First maibock sighting of the season... it's now officially spring.

 

Do we know it's fresh stock?

 

I trust that @GreenBayBA knows better than to buy old stuff, although I'd buy a year-old Maibock without hesitation. I probably have 6-8 of them in my fridge from last year which I'll drink soon with the fresh ones.

 

I just recently came across Hofbräu Delicator. I don't think I have ever seen this one around Houston before. I happened to be at a favorite bar of mine, Under The Volcano. Which always has a surprisingly good selection of imports. What do you know, they had Delicator on tap...



Pours a dark reddish/brown color. A beige head forms with good retention and lace left behind.
The aroma is like walking into a bakery. Dark brown bread, toasted malts, some fruity ester like aromas in the background.
Taste wise, oh, this is nice. Baked brown bread, toasted malts, toffee and sweetness. Fruity esters become more pronounced as this warms, with a spicy caramel covered apple flavor.
A medium to full body, with an appropriate hefty character from the malts. Moderate carbonation that becomes ultra smooth. Really easy to drink. I can come back to this with ease.

Solid to excellent all around. The malt character is great and nuanced, balanced with the lingering fruity esters. Which should be expected from this German brewery. Really glad to come across this on tap, because I don't think I have ever seen this anywhere else. A well done and spot on example of the style.

Overall score is 4.15. easy A- for me.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4686/67626/?ba=champ103#lists

I will definitely be looking to get bottles of this if I come across it again.. Also, if you are ever in Houston, just go to Under The Volcano...and read the book

 

Well, I was just joking (note the emoji), however...

Take it from someone who regularly saves a bottle or two for the next season to attempt comparison, they don't all hold up very well.

A few years ago a local distro tried to pass off a stack of old HB they'd carried over from the previous Spring -- until an attentive consumer pointed out the "mistake."

I wouldn't have taken that old Maibock over the fresh stuff.

 

@champ103 -- HB officially started calling the Winter Spezial by its traditional name, Delicator, in 2024. Maybe you saw the WS in past years -- same beer.

 

Nope, I don't think I ever saw that one either...not that I remember everything I have had in the past, but I'm a pretty big HB fan, and don't think it was ever available around me.

 

Sad to say this is my first bock brew of the season, having a bottle dated L1784 (assuming Julian dating - packaged on 6-27-24). This is tasting very nice as baked bread and dark fruit dominate.
Cheers!
Tom

 

Available January through March! Maybe it's not as fresh as we think!

I need to find some quick!

https://lakefrontbrewery.com/beer/lakefront-maibock