Favorite Colorado Lagers!

That's actually my favorite Maibock...but it kinda isn't a Maibock. In Germany it's called Urbock and they sell it from May until nearly September. I guess a few years ago they rebranded it for our market as a Maibock, but it's a "normal" bock for all intents and purposes. They used to have a different extra-pale one, but it was discontinued. At least so I assume. I haven't had this year's version. Either way, I love it to death and it's one of my favorite beers from Munich.

 

Interesting stuff. I'm no bock expert, but I'm gaining interest. I'm glad to hear you think so highly of Hofbräu's Maibock, regardless of style this beer is delicious. Brown bottles are dope. Classic German flavors, tastes fresh and clean.

Here's a little background info on the beer:

Did you know spring’s signature brew is also one of Munich’s oldest beers? Yep, this oldie but goodie was created in 1614 due to the people of Munich’s demand for a newer and stronger beer. Brew Master Elias Pichler was the man who rose to the challenge.

Since the beer would have to travel long distances Pichler turned to the Einbeck brewing method. This called for heating the beer to a very high temperature which enabled it to ferment longer. After much experimenting Pichler finally succeeded in creating a flavor as strong as it was refreshing.

The people were pleased.

"Today Maibock is still made using Pichler’s 400-year-old formula and is recognized for its pale copper hue and malty flavor with hints of caramel. As with all of our famous brews it strictly adheres to the purity law governing German beers. This award-winning brew contains 16% original wort and an alcohol level of about 7.2% abv. We have Mr. Pichler to thank for that."

Source: http://www.hofbrauhaus.us/blog/maibock-s-magnificent-journey/

 

Interesting wording they use since they're kinda/sorta saying it's a normal bock. None of the others look or taste like that, although I recall getting a more typical pale bock from them 7-8 years ago. I want to say someone in the German forum posted a side-by-side, but I could be thinking of something else.
Over in Munich, most of them are pale gold and tend to stick around from April until maybe June if you're lucky. Frankly, I don't love most of them. They're mostly one-note to me, and I get sick of them after a few minutes. I feel the same way about most of the exports in town, too.
That one has caramel notes galore and tastes way, way closer to Salvator or Optimator than say, Augustiner or Spaten Maibock. They put it on at the Chinese Tower biergarten as Ur-Bock right after it opens for the season. It has still been on the week before September, which is the latest I've been (not-counting Christmas). For all I know they keep it on for the whole biergarten season. It's one of the only bock-strength beers you'll encounter at the well-traveled biergartens. They do full liters, too. I've been known to camp there for most of the day thanks to that beer.

 

According to my Untapped I had Ayinger Maibock on draft at Rhein Haus Denver two years ago. My notes suggest it was too sweet to enjoy much of. This is definitely not the case wth Hofbräu which is nicely hop balanced. I can't remember the appearance of the Ayinger - where does that one fall, is it more of a traditional Maibock, Domingo?

 

If you can still find/get the Cerebral Inhabited Form Dry-Hopped Oat Lager (I know I know... not a pure form) it's actually damn good. Tastes like a strong (7%), hoppy, wheaty Lizard King. Nice appearance, good balance.
I'll be baggin' that Upslope German Pils too, for the next couple of weeks. That thing is stellar for its ABV and one of the FEW good uses I've tasted with Loral hops in the mix.

 

I guess I should be a little embarrassed, but I've never actually tried Ayinger's Maibock. I've even been to Aying when was in season, but just never ordered one. I'd assume it's probably one of the typical examples based on photos, but I dunno. Generally speaking, I find that pale bocks tend to be straight-ahead sweet and 1-note. Just huge pale malt sweetness. Hop character is dialed back even more than normal for Bavarian beers, too. To me they're almost like a better malt liquor. Quite a few spezial/export/maerzen beers taste similarly one-note to me. A lot of folks love that, but I get bored with it. Andechs is the only place that makes pale strong beers I truly love.

 

Its pale. I have a clone lagering in the keezer right now since I can never seem to find it. As @Domingo said the BU/GU ratio looked a bit low so I naturally tripled the amount of hops. That was what I loved about prosts maibock was the obvious late hop additions giving it that nice floral nose.

 

I think I'm going to try and snag both the Ayinger and Prost Maibocks if I happen to see them. At least a single of each out of curiosity. I really like most of Ayinger's beers, although I do find that their bottled weissbiers don't really translate very well. On tap they're some of the best in that region. From a bottle they tend to be kind of bland.

Anyway, I'll probably also grab some more Maibock from Dry Dock since it's different from the typical pale ones that bore me. If the Hofbrau one is fresh, it'll be a definite purchase, too.

 

I have got to find the Prost Vienna. That sounds awesome.

I tried DBC's Vienna last week for the first time (Pretzel Logic?). It was damn good, I have no idea why I've passed it over for so long.

Slow Chill is really good.

 

Ayinger bottles dont come stateside. Only kegs. I dont drink out often so I had no alternatives.

 

VERY good to know. Glad I didn't try and hunt it down. Guess I won't be trying that one any time soon. I haven't been to Munich in May in forever and have no idea when I'll make it back.

 

I still haven't had Ayinger's Pils and would like to pick some up for this weekend's online tasting. I know how to read their date codes; if you don't, here is a good thread:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/ayinger-oktoberfest-bottle-date-code.584371/

My question is how well does the pils hold up in bottles? Obviously, I want to get it as fresh as possible, but that's not always realistic.

 

Ayinger pils might be the single best import pils we get in CO. At least that's readily available since Tannenzaepfle and Schoenramer only show up once in a blue moon.
The bottled version holds up just fine. Weird quirk - pilsners are rarely served on tap in/around Munich. Ayinger's included. Most of the times I've encountered it have been from bottles. I don't recall a difference between tap/bottle as long as they aren't really old.
Here's a weird caveat, though - I've gotten diacetyl from it more than once. Not every bottle, but just random ones. It isn't strong or horribly offensive, but it's occasionally there. Even on tap. Those pours are obviously NOT that great, but luckily most of them don't have it.

 

Maybe the best beer I have had. Total wine had fresh bottles two weeks ago.

 

One of these days I'm going to try to have a lager showdown with German bottles. I'd be curious how Jever, Tannenzaepfle, Schoenramer, Ayinger, Keesmann, etc. compare to one another when fresh. Mix in a couple of Munich-city bottles for fun, too. I've done a side-by-side with Herren and Tannenzaepfle and was pretty amazed how different, yet equally good, the two were. Ditto with Jever, which is probably the driest of them all but not really my jam. Similarly I'd like to do a comparison of helles beers from Andechs, Augustiner, Hofbrau, etc. Maybe throw in Stiegl or even a Beck's Gold for the hell of it.

 

When/where is this going down? Count me in

 

Just wanted to circle back to Upslope's German Pilsner. Has anybody seen this in the Denver metro?

 

I'll need to find a wealthy trading partner in Germany first Shipping back and forth over there gets expensive in a hurry.

 

They have it at the Safeway on 6th and Downing, so I assume it's everywhere. Really tasty. Best by date of 9-1-20.