How easy to find is Genesee Bock?

Same. But Genny Cream Ale is pretty boss.

 

Beer doesn't just magically appear on the shelf - if a wholesaler doesn't pick up a beer (even thought they might carry the brewer's standard line-up) or the retailer doesn't order it, it's not going to be there next time you check. It could be the store carried it last year and the stuff didn't move, or the distributor didn't specifically tell him it was in stock this year.

Tell the retailer you're interested in the beer, and, if necessary, have him order it for you (you may have to commit to buying a case). He'll check with his Genesee wholesaler and, if available in your region, he should be able to get it for you. Once in stock, you should buy it - retailers don't care for the "Oh, I already found it somewhere else..." reply in such a case.

 

come to Rochester, it's sold in every Wegman's. I have the remainder of a 12 pack in my fridge right now.

 

Same here. A lot of people dismiss Genesee as being cheap, crap beer. I'm not a fan of regular Genny, but the Bock is pretty good. And it makes a pretty good Bock Mac & Cheese.

 

I was told by the owner of a beverage store by me who stocks a lot of Genesee Bock that the current formula behind those great cans is the retired Genesee Red. I'm a big fan of Genesee's stuff particularly the Cream Ale & the Bock, which is pretty easy to find this time of year around these parts. Hell, I'm still finding the Heritage Series which has the 12 Horse Ale that has a nice dry finish like the "Dry" beers of old I imagine. I have to give props to Genesee for embracing their roots even in this sorta hipster retro beer era, it's a win just seeing the return of the 70's Cream Ale cans.

 

Genesee claims their bock dates from 1951 but they might mean simply it been brewed continuously starting then, since I've seen post-Repeal ads for it that predate that year. Always possible - likely, in fact - that the recipe has changed over the years. They list their current Bock at 5.2% and most sources put retired Red at 4.9% but with TTB tolerances and via the miracle of high gravity brewing, anything is possible. (Never had the Red and went 30 years between the old Bock of the '70's and the one of the last several years, so I can't comment on it from personal experience).

Not sure which era "Dry beers of old" you're talking about it - the post-WWII ones (ex. Rheingold Extra Dry) or the late '80's-early '90's fad. I gave up on 12 Horse in the late '70's when it switched from a darker UK-style ale to a faux-Canadian style "golden ale". I was sad that they didn't return to that pre-'80's version when they revived it --- or even further back to the '30's and '40's when it was described in ads as a "dry-hopped, full strength stock ale".

 

Until the Heritage Series I'd never had 12 Horse Ale but I have to imagine sadly, that the 70's version had a lot more character than this "golden ale" version which to my palate is simply a drier variation of the regular Genesee. As for the "dry" beers of old, which is before my age of drinking I just remember seeing Bud Dry ads and things like that from years ago.

 

We get Genny and the Cream Ale down here. Good beers, at a fair price. 12 packs of both are crowd pleasers. Never seen Ice or Bock. Would be interesting to try. Wish they would come in bottles, have only seen in cans. They made a Red? wow

 

As an upstate New Yorker now living in Texas, I'm envious of anyone who can get a 12-pack of Genny Bock for $7.99. (heavy sigh)

 

When it comes to American Macro lager, Genny is the best of the bunch

It's everywhere in Rochester. My wife's go-to session beer.

 

Depends where you live and what decade it is.

 

Do you get ANY Genny where you are? When I moved there from NY, I couldn't get anything that they brewed.

Living in PA now, I have an extremely hard time getting my hands on Genny Bock - every time I ask someone if they can order it, they look at me like I've got two heads and then ask me if I'm sure I don't mean Yuengling Bock. This is why I dislike the local (to me) liquor laws - the owners don't seem to be all that knowledgeable, and a little condescending of anyone who's not trying to buy PA beer.

 

Kirchner in Lancaster is the master distributor,they have it (cans only). I have seen it in york as well. For some reason it doesnt go to the Phila market and a few years back i bought some in MD but they dont get it either.

 

I don't like regular Genny but like Cream Ale, 12 Horse and Bock most of all.

 

The last time i drank this was when i was a kid stealing sips of my uncles' beers at christmas. That said i loved their old ads with the wild horses running through the snow in the mountains.

 

I can get Genesee Cream Ale here in Conroe (just north of Houston), but the neighborhood Specs charges $7.99 a six-pack. Ridiculous.

 

Throw some bacon in it & I'll be over