Ah, Spring. Birds are chirping. The sun is shining. Love abounds! It is a time for renewal. In particular, it is time to renew your enjoyment for drinking beer outdoors. Luckily for you, the brewers of the world have been generous enough to provide you with a beer to welcome you out of the den after your long hibernation – bock beer. Just as the blooms of rejuvenated plant life serve to awaken your senses of sight and smell, so too shall the flavor of bock beer awaken your sense of taste.
Beer tastings of a specific style or seasonal release almost always include at least one selection that tastes so bad, it is a challenge to choke down the rest of the glass (but it IS beer, after all, so it MUST be fully consumed!). This tasting is an exception to that norm, as all seven beers were a delight to drink.
Hofbrau Maibock
The Hofbrau Maibock is the lighter style of bock beer knows as “helles,” thus it has a brilliant golden color and a medium body. The aroma of this beer is so pleasant – it generates imagery of frolicking among amber waves of grain. This beer is uber-delicious – it possesses the trademark grainy flavor of the maibock style, but it is also well hopped which serves to elevate this beer from good to great. At 7.2% A.B.V., the Hofbrau Maibock packs a wallop and is fun to drink. This is a beer that is good for all occasions, but may be difficult to find outside of springtime, so be sure to stock up! Ayinger Weizen-Bock
This wheat/bock hybrid from Ayinger is a prime example of German supremacy in creating supreme beer from basic ingredients. Brewed under Germany’s Purity Law, this heaven in a glass contains nothing but the true elements of beer with no superfluous additives. It has a perfect golden haze, a level head, and a fruity, citrusy aroma. The delicious, creamy flavor of this beer is like drinking a liquid banana. At 7.1% A.B.V., the Ayinger Weizen-Bock has plenty of oomph. The carbonation level is high, and it has more body than a typical wheat beer, which causes the yeast and fruit notes to be much more pronounced. Simply put: this beer is delicious. The label on this beer contains a drawing of a goat holding a beer in front of the brewery…who says the Germans have no sense of humor??Bells Consecrator Doppelbock
This delicious doppelbock has a deep, distinctive reddish-brown color and a thin head. While this beer has the malty character you would expect from a doppelbock, it is very well balanced and drinks ever-so-smoothly as a result of the aging process employed by the brewer. The finish is dry with a hint of grain. The same thought recurred following each sip: “Damn, that’s good!” With two goatheads on the label, and the use of a traditional doppelbock name (ending in “-ator”), it is clear that Bells respects brewing tradition and honors it by producing a fantastic beer.Anchor Bock Beer
The Anchor Bock Beer is an attractive beer with its deep, dark brown color and its thick, creamy head – it looks like a beer cupcake. This very tasty beer is super sweet and loaded with caramel and toffee notes with just a hint of orange zest. Brewed with a combination of barley and wheat malts, this is a full-bodied beer with a long, sweet finish. This thick and rich masterpiece is very well made – you can actually taste the effort and care of the brewer. Consistent with the expectations of the dunkelbock style, there is no roastiness or burnt quality to this beer – just smooth malty deliciousness. Red Brick Helluva Bock
The Red Brick Helluva Bock is a strong maibock which holds true to the style of this heavy-duty lager. In fact, this particular beer could serve as the standard for the style. With its golden color and unmistakable grainy flavor, the Helluva Bock is meant to be enjoyed over and over again. Yuengling Bock Beer
This dunkelbock possesses a deep rusty color and a frothy head. While the malts are the dominant element of this beer, the malt level is not overpowering, and there is some hop interplay to balance it out. There is a hint of soft roastiness. The finish is dry and bittersweet. The Yuengling Bock Beer has a good body and good flavor. The label shows a goat lapping beer out of a glass. Lucky goat. Fort Collins Brewery Maibock
While this beer is called a “maibock,” it looks and tastes more like a dunkelbock. Sitting in the glass, this beer has a perfect amber color and a wonderful, sweet aroma. While there are some hops on the nose, there is no evidence of hops in the flavor which is dominated by malts. This beer has a smooth, soft mouthfeel and a sweet, long finish. Very tasty!Enjoy your Spring! Enjoy your beer!
