Why can’t we have Cultivator anymore, Troegs?

There used to be a lot of clamoring for Glissade in these forums but after long enough time it stopped I stopped when I could get Cultivator maybe I will start again.

 

Always heard great things about Cultivator. I'm lucky enough to have some amazing lager breweries around here, but I'd still just love the opportunity to taste it once.

Someday...

 

A question on the Cultivator: why did they give it a Doppelbock name (-ator), but call it a Helles Bock? I should probably e-mail the marketing department.

 

‘cause it’s both.

 

Hmm...
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/styles/33/

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/styles/35/

Nope. Next answer.

There is distinct difference between a Heller Bock and a Doppelbock (blonde or dark). Chalking it up to marketing.

 

I miss this beer too, but unfortunately there aren't enough of us clamoring for it.

 

Agree to disagree my friend. Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me Aventinus isn’t a Doppelbock.

 

I love Maibocks/Helles bocks and always got Cultivator for my bar when it came around. But whoever said Bock is a death sentence for selling a beer is correct. My trick? Put them on the board as "German/German-style spring lager" and they move like hotcakes!

 

Probably because it's not profitable enough any more and the market isn't supporting it / that style any longer.

 

Second one on the Maibock list is mislabeled too..."Andygator"

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3/1565/

 

Take your common sense elsewhere.

 

Getting one. Thanks

 

Yup, I went shopping today and I asked the guys working if they had any Maibocks or Bocks in for the spring season. There was not one to be found unless you count Shiner Bock.

 

Depends, too, on the distributor. It doesn’t matter what a brewery does if the distributor won’t put any on a truck because they believe the volume doesn’t yield ROI.

 

Agreed.

I "bock" at this nonsense.

 

Not at all -- a Doppel Weizenbock, no less.

 

Mislabeled by whoever entered it here at BA, Abita calls it a Helles Doppelbock.

 

Do you get Von Trapp in PA? Not sure if you've tried it yet but their Bock Bier seasonal is really excellent and should be out soon, if not already. It is a great Traditional Bock (aka single bock), probably my favorite of the style for an American brewery or at least on par with that terrific Traditional Bock that was brewed in the SA Long Shot competition a long time ago (2007? @JackHorzempa can refresh my memory here).

I got some Genesee Bock again this year. It'll always have a place in my fridge for nostalgia reasons (Grandpa used to tell me stories of Shaefer Bock beer and how he looked forward to it every year around Easter...I like to think Genesee Bock would be slightly similar in flavor...even if it probably isn't lol) and because it's delicious and because it's cheap.

This just got me thinking about the "American Bock" style (Shiner, the old Yuengling Bock, Ballantine Bock, etc) and how it probably deserves it's very own thread. I tried searching for some good articles on the style (or sub-style) and have come up mostly empty.

 

I hope they get the Von Trapp bock. I bought out every Von Trapp beer they had over the last few months and none remain on the shelf . Which kind of has me worried..

Apparently whoever sells Genny in the area isn't shipping out the bock this year. Edit, I know the Genny bock is good because I drank 5 cases last year, true story.

I've been spoiled by way too many great bocks in the past to sink to drinking Yuengling/Shiner not saying they are bad but I'm looking for something better.

 

Not to worry about not drinking any Yuengling Bock, I'm pretty sure they discontinued it several years back....feel free to correct me here

 

They did, I was not a fan and that's putting it nicely.

 

I have never consumed the Von Trapp Bock so I have no input here from a comparison perspective. The Longshot Bock beer was excellent IMO.

There was an excellent article written by Chris Colby in BYO on this topic but I think you need to subscribe to BYO to read it.

Cheers!

 

And, to make all matters bockbier worse, the first beer on that list is also mislabeled. Always has been.

 

I think it was 2009? I think it was in that mix pack along with the Pliny the Elder double IPA clone.

I'm not even going to look and assume it's Dead Guy.

 

Tell us... What is the distinct difference between a Heller Bock and a Pale Doppelbock?

According to the World Beer Cup pale Doppelbocks don't exist. But Brauhaus Riegele clearly makes one.

According to BJCP the difference is a Maibock goes from 6.3-7.4. Doppelbocks are 7+.
The only difference that I see is the Maibock has a moderate strong malt flavor while the Doppelbock has a strong malt flavor and the Maibock is allowed a noticeable hop flavor but it's not required...

So how do I distinctly tell whether a beer has a strong or moderate strong malt flavor?

I will say the World Beer Cup style guideline allows Heller Bock's to be a higher ABV than they have for Doppelbocks.

Specifically when I had Andygator I would in no way call it a Doppelbock. It seemed to me to be a straight up Heller Bock. It did not seem to taste strong enough to be called a Doppelbock. I think that breweries call beers Doppelbocks when they're more traditional Bock's because they sell better because people associate Doppelbock with higher abv.

 

Distinct differences between similar "styles" don't really exist, since beers were not designed to fit into categories. They were brewed with available resources. People place them them in style buckets because it fills their diapers with warmth and comfort.

 

You can always hit up Troegs this weekend:

https://www.instagram.com/troegsbeer/p/Bv4wlpDhJ_3/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=19x87adl2mslc

 

With the beer prices in Boston, it might be cheaper for me to buy a plane ticket and pick up some Cultivator.

 

That's a definite disgrace...

 

Drove up to Troegs today and picked up a case. $37.49. Tastes great, as it always has.

 

I’ll buy 6 cases of Cultivator if Troegs cans/bottles it this winter, right away! It’s my favorite beer. It is a true German Maibock and I wish more brewers would make the style a staple. I like Dead Guy but it’s a bit too hoppy for me.

 

Rogue is the only brewery I can find in Western PA that brews year round Maibock.

 

Any Trader Joes nearby? They have a year-round Heller Bock brewed for them by Gordon Biersch that's pretty good to-style.