Name: Bockenator Brewing Company: Ross Brewing Company Location: Port Monmouth, NJ Style: Bock โ Dopplebock ABV: 8%
A tasty, dark lager with a sweet, chocolate twist.
From the Ross Brewingโs Facebook post announcing the beer:
๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐ฅ is our ๐ด% ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป-๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ! The beer style that inspired us to start brewing way back when finally sees a release under the Ross pennant!
Our tribute to all of the amazing German Doppelbocks we’ve had over the years, Bockenator has the ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ, which in turn are only accentuated by the ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ. Maintaining balance without being too sweet, with the ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฉ% ๐๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น, this is the beer ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐! Enjoy at your next feast or special occasion, or any other time you’d like an amazing beer. Prost!
Iโve been happy to see Ross Brewingโs growth over the past year despite launching their brand without a taproom and during a pandemic. When I learned they had a doppelbock in the works I knew Iโd have to grab some. This beer is brewed with chocolate, so I was even more intrigued.
The beer is adorned with cool label consistent with the clean branding of Ross Brewing along with the iconic goats symbolizing the bock style of beer on the can. But the contents of the can are always more important, arenโt they? Letโs dive in, shall we?
Yep, that looks like a doppelbock. Dark brown, slightly translucent, and a thin khaki head. I donโt get too much of an aroma outside of what Iโd expect. It smells like a malty beer.
First sipโฆI get some sweet malt and a crispy/snappy lager finish. I like this first impression of Bockenator. The chocolate comes through more each time I go back to my glass. Not coincidentally, the beer is warmer with each sip I take which, as we all know, allows the flavors to breathe and express themselves more.
That chocolate wakes up more the closer the beer gets to room temperature and consequently, Iโm finding myself enjoying the beer that much more. The chocolate also helps to smooth out the starkly crisp finish.
The folks behind Ross Brewing have continued to show their mettle, especially on a style like Dopplebock. Given one of their launch beers was a somewhat dark lager, I shouldnโt be surprised they brewed a tasty Dopplebock, another dark lager.
โLone Eagle Brewing has crafted and exceptional beer for their Fifth Anniversary, Congratulations!โ
What Lone Eagle says about the beer:
A strong, malty German-style bock with rich character, full of caramel, toffee, and toasted biscuit notes with almonds, further aged in a bourbon barrel for a warming effect full of vanilla and oak notes.
Iโve mentioned Lone Eagle Brewing often here at the Tap Takeover, afterall, they are one of the closest breweries to my house and prior to the Pandemic I was going there fairly regularly for the monthly board game night. Since they hit their Five-Year Anniversary this past weekend (July 24, 2021), I figured Iโd visit again. For their previous anniversaries, Lone Eagle has brewed a different barrel-aged beer theyโve called Jubileum, which is a Dutch word for โCelebrationโ or โAnniversary.” This yearโs anniversary beer is a style I like a lot, but is fairly rare: Eisbock. As it turns out (and something thatโs a theme of sorts), this is the 50th beer Iโve had from Lone Eagle, so that, combined with their anniversary and the quality of the beer, compelled me to review it.
Back in my Bock Beer post, I summarized what an Eisbock is: โThe โEisโ in the name is from partially freezing a dopple and extracting the H2O ice, which allows the alcohol to have a much more noticeable presence and a deeper brownish/reddish hue and an overall thicker beer. You could also say a Belgian Quadrupel is similar to an Eisbock, in some ways.โ In other words, the water is distilled, so an Eisbock is a strange beast. What about the beer Lone Eagle brewed for their fifth anniversary?
The beer is a dark, deep brown with hints of amber in the right light. The aroma is largely from the bourbon barrels, but there might be some additional sweetness from the malt of the beer. I found the aroma fairly restrained for a barrel-aged beer. Often enough, the barrel character can overtake the entirety of the aroma, but here it was more of an enticement.
The first sip is outstanding and complex. Iโve only had a couple of Eisbocks before this one and liked them a lot and this has some of those characteristics. The bready, caramel elements are on full display. There might be hints of marzipan as well, but the bourbon barrel is quite assertive, too. Not too assertive, thankfully but rather complementary to the heavy malt characterof the beer. Too much barrel character would ruin the flavor of the beer.
I found this beer to be slightly reminiscent of Trรถegsโ โBourbon Barrel-Aged Troegenator,โ one of my favorite beers of all time. This one might be a bit thinner on the body and slightly stronger impression from the barrel, but this is definitely a beer Lone Eagle should be proud to call their Fifth Anniversary Beer
One of the better Lone Eagle Beers Iโve had when all is said and done. Congratulations to Lone Eagle Brewing on 5 years!.
Rich Amber bock beer brewed with imported Munich and Pilsner Malts and fermented with a rare lager yeast.
This beer has a deep malt character and body with a hint of toffee in the aroma. The noble hops balance the richness of the malts and provide a complex profile that hides the 7% ABV.
Two weeks in a row with Maibocks! What do I think this is, May? Well, yes, it is May and I figured Iโll make up for not having reviewed a Maibock prior to last week with back to back Maibock reviews. As it so happens, they are both delicious beers. This time around, Iโm reviewing one of the more highly sought after Maibocks in the country (at least by beer drinkers who enjoy the style), a beer that ranks very highly on Beer Advocateโs overall Maibock list (#7 out of 100). Iโm referring, of course, to Ramsteinโs Maibock Lager, from High Point Brewing, arguably one of the best German-inspired breweries in the country. This beer, for years, has been a brewery only release available for growler fills and on-site consumption. However, Ramstein/High Point started canning some of these releases over the last year, rather than having them be growler-fill only. My parents visited the brewery a few weeks ago and my dad saved a can of the beer for me, so I figured Iโd give it a review since I havenโt had any Ramstein beer in a while.
With that preface out of the way, letโs get into Ramsteinโs Maibock Lager, shall we?
The beer pours a beautiful slightly translucent amber with maybe a pinky finger thick white/tannish head. Mild aroma of malt, but mostly this Maibock smells like beer. Thatโs not a knock by any means. Essentially, this beer looks and smells the part of what I expect from a Maibock.
Ramsteinโs Maibock Lager passes the taste/first sip with flying colors. The beer delivers everything I expect and hope from the beer. This beer is extremely malt forward and the hops are minimal. I would say the overall flavor of the beer just about makes this beer a chugger. Knowing the beer has an 7.5% ABV; however, is what prevents this beer from that achieving chugger status.
What I like best; however, is the clean, sweet finish. I intimated in my review of last weekโs Maibock, May Day that some Maibocks can exhibit a slightly bitter, almost earthy finish that is off-putting. Like May Day, Ramsteinโs Maibock Lager crescendos with a sweet caramel finish that brings everything about the beer together harmoniously. The beer has such a full, balanced flavor that quenches the thirst but also makes you want to go back for more.
I visited Ramstein/High Point once, a few years ago around my birthday for one of their other world class releases. This Maibock Lager is a beer worth seeking, especially if your tastes lean towards Lagers and Bocks
May Day was brewed to capture the crisp floral aromas of a beautiful spring day. The subtle golden hue of this traditional Maibock gives you flavors of freshly baked biscuits, slightly browned toast followed by a delicate floral aroma leave your tastebuds dreaming about another sip. Aroma/Taste: Floral, Biscuit, Toasty.
Iโve written about bocks and reviewed several bocks, but this is the first Maibock Iโm reviewing here at the Tap Takeover. Maibocks are the traditional German spring beer (Mai translates from German as May, after all), and are slightly maltier, slightly hoppier, and usually more amber in color than most lagers. Not many American breweries are crafting Maibocks, if anything, the doppelbock is (Iโm guessing here), the most popular of the bock styles. When Jersey Cyclone announced they were canning May Day as both a celebration of their second anniversary and spring, I had to give the beer a try. Unfortunately, I couldnโt make it to their Anniversary celebration, so letโs look at the beer.
Let the celebration begin as we dance around the maypole and I crack open Jersey Cycloneโs MayDay!
The can pops nicely and pours a golden/amber into the Jersey Cyclone Willi Becher glass. It certainly looks the part of a traditional Maibock, at least compared to the bakerโs dozen of Maibocks Iโve enjoyed including the one that started it all, Hofbrรคuโs Maibock. Thereโs a mild aroma of toasted malt, but nothing too pronounced.
How about the taste/first sip? I get what I expect from May Day, the beer exhibits sweet malt flavors (not unlike a Mรคrzen), with some floral hints throughout the overall flavor of the beer. The mild hop presence associated with the style comes in at the finish for a very slight bitterness and a bit of spice. I also get something I can only call nuttiness? Maybe thatโs toasted bread or crackers? It works and is mostly on point for the style. The ultimate finish I get is a smooth, very pleasant caramel-esque sweetness. On the whole, May Day resonates with other Maibocks/Helles Bocks Iโve had over the years. In other words, May Day is a very solid interpretation of the style.
I had a second can the following night. Something Iโve been learning and which I’ve mentioned here at the Tap Takeover is that I feel like Iโm able to enjoy my โsecond experienceโ or pint/can/pour even more because I have a better idea of what to expect. That is very true with Mayday, I wasnโt trying to figure out the tasting notes, I was expecting them and they delivered quite nicely.
I also want to point out the can art of this beer. The label really captures the spirit of the beer. The image depicted is the traditional Maypole, a central motif in spring celebrations in Germanic nations. One of the first posts I wrote here at The Tap Takeover was about โSeasonally Appropriateโ beers, between quality of the beer, style of the beer, release of the beer (May 1st, which is when Maypoles are generally erected), and the label, Jersey Cyclone completely nailed this Maibock.
Happy Anniversary to Jersey Cyclone! Their quality started out strong and each beer continues to show their expertise at brewing and brewing/crafting some of the more unique and โadvancedโ styles of lagers. Iโve come to consider Jersey Cyclone one of my constant go-to breweries. When I stopped in a couple of months and chatted with owner Jan, he mentioned how impressed and happy he was with the lagers their brewer Charles was making and hinted that this Maibock would hopefully be ready for their anniversary party. Cheers also to Charles for crafting another excellent lager.
Prost and again, Happy Anniversary to Jersey Cyclone!
This beer celebrates the centuries old recipes of German bock beers. It has a very rich, malty flavor with aromas of toffee, dates and raisins. It’s deep amber / mahogany color is like eye-candy, and the hints of oak and vanilla from the 4-plus months of barrel aging is an added bonus. 28 IBU’s and 8.5% ABV.
Cricket Hill Brewing Company is one of the most tenured of NJ Craft Breweries, having opened their doors back in 2001 in Fairfield, NJ. Theyโve got a nice sizeable taproom, their beer has been in shops throughout portions of North and Central New Jersey, at least in my area, for most of that time. I visited the brewery recently and when I realized they had not just a doppelbock (an underappreciated style), but a barrel-aged version, I knew what I was getting.
From the draught pour, the beer looks a little murkier than Iโd expect a doppelbock to be, but that is likely from the barrel aging. The aroma is wonderful, the bourbon is potent, but not overpowering. It isnโt the only element I smell, which is nice. Iโve had my fair share of poorly crafted barrel-aged beers where the only smell was heavy bourbon.
The first sip test: smoothness and sweetness are what initially strike me. Dopplebocks tend to have a toffee element to their flavory profile and I get that in spades from this beer. Not sure I get raisins, but maybe dates as well? The barrel character rounds out the beer very well.
The finish of the beer is great. Again, some poorly crafted dopplebocks can have a sharp, unpleasant character to the finish. Not with this fine lager from Cricket Hill Brewing. The finish is pleasant and clean, making me want to go back immediately for another sip and taste. What I also appreciated about this beer was the ABV. Often barrel-aging a beer will leapfrog the alcohol level into the 10% range. Here, keeping the beer under 10% makes for a balanced beer that wonโt knock off your barstool after one serving.
At 20 years in the NJ Craft Beer scene, this Barrel-Aged Dopplebock is proof that Cricket Hill is still offering some finely, elegantly crafted beers. I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this beer based on a handful of other beers Iโve had from Cricket Hill Brewery, but I didnโt expect the beer to be quite this stellar.
This beer seems to be an annual offering from Cricket Hill and it is a beer worth seeking out.
Name: WinterBock Brewing Company: Gordon Biersch Brewing Company Location: (National Brewpub Chain), Beer consumed at Gordon Biersch New Orleans Style: Bock โ Dopplebock ABV: 7.5%
โThe well-established brewery/brewpub chain has crafted an immensely flavorful and pleasing doppelbock, a classic German style interpreted deliciously.โ
Gordon Biersch says this about Winter Bock:
Our winter seasonal is a traditional doppelbock. A mohagony hued, full bodied lager with warming rich caramel and toffee maltiness.
Gordon Biersch has been brewing beer and selling well-crafted food to patrons for over 30 years. When the independent/craft beer movement was gaining momentum in the late 1980s and early 1990s, โbrewpubsโ were many peopleโs first exposure to flavorful, craft beer. Gordon Biersch began in 1988 and I know Iโve been to a couple over the past twenty years. A recent business trip to New Orleans afforded me the opportunity to visit a Gordon Biersch brewpub once again.
I was in New Orleans for a cybersecurity convention and hanging out with an old friend when we stumbled into Gordon Biersch, which I hadnโt realized was even there. A quick look at the beer list and my eyes immediately fell on this beer. Iโve remarked before how much I enjoy bocks, so there was no way I was going to pass on a freshly made doppelbock from a brewery this well-known.
The beer arrived in iconic Germanic dimpled beer mug, with the beer name and brewery emblazoned on the front. #ProperGlassware indeed. A thick light khaki head sat atop the brownish-caramel colored beer. Ultimately, I donโt think I could have imagined a more perfect visual example of a Dopplebock.
I didnโt really let the aroma sit in my nose for too long before taking a drink, so I suppose that indicates the aroma was pleasant and inviting. Delightful. Thatโs the immediate thought I have after my first taste of this beer. It is extremely smooth, with all the elements of the brewing process playing together seamlessly achieving a gestalt of flavor.
This beer tastes as if an abundance of flavor comes from the malts, which evoke caramel-like flavor along with some hints of toffee, too. What I appreciate even more, and this goes down to how well made the beer is, is the finish of the beer. Some dopplebocks (and bocks in general) can have a slight tang of bitterness or even spice on the end. That is nowhere near Gordon Bierschโs WinterBock. The finish is sweet, not cloyingly so, and very smooth. Again, I have to make the comparison to caramel flavors from the malts. It was a delicious beer that I enjoyed slowly, allowing the flavors to breath as the beer warmed to room temperature.
This was the first of a few beers I had during my long evening at the brewpub and it was the best. In fact, Iโd easily rank as one of the better Dopplebocks Iโve had over the years. Of course, beer is an experience and the great food and friendly company may have potentially added to my enjoyment of the beer.
For Gordon Biersch as a whole, as one of the foundational brewpubs in the country, Iโd definitely recommend visiting one should be near you or where you’re visiting. This is a beer to seek out (at one of Gordon Bierschโs 17 locations) if you want to get an idea of what a good German inspired doppelbock should taste like.
Name: The Herdsman Brewing Company: Czig Meister Brewing Location: Hackettstown, NJ Style: Bock โ Single / Traditional ABV: 6.7%
โCzig Meisterโs (Matt Cziglerโs) German brewing skill and knowledge are on full display in this spot on take on the classic German Bock.โ
Unfortunately, my reflection makes an appearance here
Iโve made it no secret that I enjoy the beers coming out of Czig Meister in Hackettstown, NJ. I also have proclaimed my enjoyment of Bocks beers and desire to see more of the style available, in all their varieties. So, when Czig Meister announced their third anniversary party the first weekend in June (Happy Anniversary!) I was hoping theyโd still have this traditional German beer still available because I knew I was going to attend. I was planning on featuring one of their beers this week as a nod to their anniversary and Iโve been wanting to feature a bock for a while. Obviously they did or else I wouldnโt be writing about it and those two things came together.
The Anniversary party was in full swing when I arrived, with Czigโs large outdoor Biergaten relatively packed and the line to get beer both inside and outside werenโt short, but they were moving. The atmosphere, on the whole, was super friendly and the weather was perfect. The party was a great showcase for what a great community the NJ Craft Brewing community is, I was chatting with a couple of folks from Twin Elephant and saw folks from Fort Nonsense. Granted, those two breweries are relatively close and Czig Meister is one of the largest in Northern New Jersey. But on to the beerโฆ
The beer poured into the glass a brownish amber and looked just like Iโd expect a Bock to look. Iโd say it is a little darker than the traditional German Amber Lager (i.e. the Columbia Street Lager from Karl Strauss I reviewed a couple of weeks ago) and slightly less carbonated. I smell malt, sweetness, and maybe a little nuttiness. I like how this is shaping up for me.
The sweet malt presence is the first thing about the flavor I noticed. The traditional caramel-like flavor is very present, too, and it doesnโt go away. That is most definitely a feature for me for this beer. Some bocks have an aftertaste that is too bitter or too earthy for my tastes. That aftertaste is nowhere to be found with this beer. The caramel sweet-smooth flavor follows through to the end and picks up some nuttiness, giving the finish a nice rounded and appealing overall profile.
I had four total beers during my stay at the anniversary party, chatting with old friends and new alike. All four beers I had (three were 4oz tasters) were very good, but the delicious, sweet caramel aspect of the Herdsman lingered on my palate for quite a while after having the beer. Later in the evening when I was on my couch, I still caught hints of the caramel somewhere in my sense of taste. Again, this is a good thing.
A note on the label/can art. Czig Meister has developed a pretty consistent branding across all of their canned beers that makes their beer very identifiable, from a brand perspective, on the shelf. For The Herdsman, they went simple and to the point, featuring the iconic image of goat which has long been associated with Bock beer..
Czig Meister has a very solid reputation in the New Jersey brewing scene. Much of that reputation has been built on the vast number IPAs they brew, many which are part of their โDeep Sea Series.โ The Herdsman is one of the rare Lagers theyโve brewed and have made available in cans. Sure theyโve done a pilsner and a few other lagers such as a special Dopplebock, but a โsingleโ or traditional Bock shows the knowledge, skill, and confidence Matt and his crew have in their brewing abilities. As precise as a Pilsner can be, a Bock is just as complex a style to brew successfully and to keep dialed in with the appropriate flavor profile. That confidence is well-founded with this on-point interpretation of a Traditional Bock. I hope this beer continues to be part of Czig Meisterโs portfolio.
One last Happy Anniversary to Czig Meister, a brewery that produces delicious beer and has some good people making that beer.
De Kleine Dood (formerly known as La Petite Mort) is a Belgian inspired Weizenbock brewed as a collaboration between Central Waters and The Local Option in Chicago, IL. This beer maintains the traditional characteristics of its Bavarian fore bearer, with the added complexity of Belgian ale yeast. La Petite Mort is dark amber in color; maintains a rich, full-bodied mouth-feel augmented by caramel; mild and dark fruit.
My feature on Bocks back in April should be an indicator that I enjoy the various styles of Bocks, with Weizenbock maybe my favorite of the Bocks. So when I stumbled across a Weizenbock I hadnโt tried, let alone knew about from a brewery that seems to have a solid reputation, I knew I had to give it a try.
Of the styles of Bock, the Weizenbock or Doppelbocks have the highest ABV (in the 7%-9% range) so imagine how big the beer would be if it aged in bourbon barrels. Well, Central Waters Brewing who has a solid Barrel Aging series as part of their brewing portfolio apparently were also curious how that would work. The result, in collaboration with Local Option Bierwerker out of Chicago, is this potent, rich, complex beer.
The beer pours a beautiful deep crimson/scarlet, a red bordering on brown. The photo doesnโt do the color of the beer justice. On color alone, this is one of the loveliest brews Iโve poured. The bourbon is extremely strong in the aroma, it really dominates although there is a slight hint of earthy/stone fruit in the undercurrent of the beer.
First sipโฆyep, that bourbon is omnipresent. Underneath it, the figgy/date/plum flavors evoked by the yeast are there, too. My first impression is that this is a long sipping dessert beer, but the flavors are muted a bit by the cold temperature. So, I just kept breathing in the beer every few minutes before each small sip so the beer could warm closer to room temperature.
Once it warms up, like most high ABV beers, especially those aged in barrels that previously held some kind of alcohol, the flavors can breathe. The beer comes into its full flavor profile and those stone fruit evocations from the yeast rise to the top. I managed to take about two hours to drink the full 22 oz, over that time, the bourbon settled down and the fruitiness evoked by the yeast became more prominent, even if the bourbon still dominated. I didn’t get much of the banana flavors that typically come from a weizenbock, but that wasn’t really a problem. At 12.2% even taking two hours to drink the beer still had a noticeable effect on me โ about the only sensible thing to do after enjoying 22oz of a 12.2% beer is go to sleep.
The beerโs description does confuse me a little, Iโll be honest. A Weizenbock is one of the more Germanic styles of beer, yet the description says โBelgian inspired Weizenbock.โ I suppose sine the fruit evocation is more of the stone fruit than a banana like flavor from true German brews the description does make sense. Either way, this is a really tasty beer and I would love to sample the base beer before it is aged in the bourbon barrel.
Draught Diversions is the catchall label for mini-rants, think-pieces, and posts that donโt just focus on one beer here at The Tap Takeover. We hope you donโt grow too weary of the alcohol alliterative names we useโฆ
Bock, it sounds cool. Also, โBockโ rhymes with the Rock and heโs cool. However, not many people gravitate to the style, in today’s IPA-centric beer world. Could it be the goat? Youโll often see a goat on the bottle, label, or associated with some bocks. The goat is associated with the style because the brewers who came up with the style in Einbeck, Bavaria had a thick accent. As such, citizens of Munich pronounced “Einbeck” as “ein Bock” (“a billy goat”), and thus the beer became known as “bock”. To this day, as a visual pun, a goat often appears on bock labels. (Wikipedia)ย But what *is* a bock beer?
The simple answer is: A lager, but more so. Like stouts or IPAs, styles of Ales which themselves have several varieties, a Bock is a style of Lager which has several varieties (general from lowest in alcohol to highest in alcohol): Bock, Helles Bock/Maibock, Dopplebock, Weizenbock, and Eisbock. Iโll give a little highlight/overview of each variation and some example beers, including some I’ve had as well as some I hope to have some day.
Bocks are a lagered style of beer that are heavier on malt than a standard Lager. A straightforward Bock will generally be sweeter than the standard lager, too. That malt and sweet profile often present in a caramel-like flavor that can also evoke nutty flavors. Perhaps the most widely known straight-up Bock is Shiner Bockย the flagship lager from Spoetzl Brewery, one of the largest Texas breweries [distributed to 49 states] and the Lone Star Stateโs oldest. I’ve had it a few times and thought it was OK. Of the beers considered a standard Bock the one Iโve enjoyed the most is Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, which for me is always a highlight beer in their Winter/Holiday pack. The sweetness level is increased by aging the beer on cocoa nibs to produce a sweet, tasty beer that makes for a nice dessert beer. They also brewed a Cherry Chocolate Bock in the past, which I hope returns. Typical ABV for Bocks is in the 5% range
From the beers Iโve enjoyed, I donโt notice too much of a difference between a Bock and a Helles/Maibock, except for an increase in maltiness. Traditionally, a Maibock is a spring lager, but usually what differentiates the Helles or Maibock from the Bock is a slightly stronger hop presence. I called out the classic German Hofbrรคu Maibock in my Spring beer post, but perhaps the most widely know Maibock/Helles Bock from an American brewer is the iconic Dead Guy from Rogue Ales. Abita, Louisianaโs biggest craft brewery, celebrates Mardi Gras by producing Mardi Gras Bock every year. Summit Brewing, one of the larger breweries in Minnesota, produces a MaiBock, too. With a slightly stronger hop presence, the ABV can be a little higher. For example, Rogueโs Dead Guy ABV clocks in at 6.8%.
As the sound of the name may lead you to believe, a dopplebock is an amped up, or doubled, version of a standard Bock. Even maltier and sweeter than a Bock, the beer evokes more of a bready taste and flavor with the ABV up to 12% range. Of the varieties of Bocks being brewed, Dopplebocks seem to be the most prevalent/popular.
Some of the darker Dopplebocks may have hints of fruit or chocolate in the flavor profile or even use chocolate and/or fruit in the brewing process.ย Like the traditional association of goats with bocks, there is a tradition of adding the suffix โ-atorโ to Dopplebocks. This is because one of the first Dopplebocks was called โSalvatorโ (or Savior) and most breweries who brew a Dopplebock as part of their brewing portfolio use โ-atorโ in the name. One of the best in the world is Ayingerโs Celebrator, which I had once and need to have again. Unsurprisingly, Wehenstephanerโs Korbinian is an outstanding example of the style and New Jerseyโs own Ramstein Winter Wheat is one of the most coveted American interpretations of the style (and probably one of the 10 best beers I ever had). I reviewed one of the more widely available (at least along the East Coast of America) Dopplebocks, Troegantor Doublebock.
Perhaps my favorite of the bock styles is the weizenbock, or as translated, โwheat bock.โ The description, as untappd suggests, can be considered a โbigger and beefier version of a dunkelweizen.โ When crafted well, a Weizenbock can evoke the best of two beers โ the malt and stone fruits evoked by Dopplebocks coupled with the clove and banana evocations of a Dunkelweizen or Hefeweizen. Some say (actually, All About Beer, specifically) that a Weizenbock is a โperfect marriage of styles.โ
It would probably be expected that German brewers excel in this style. The aforementioned Weihenstephaner brews a great one in Vitus (pictured above, borrowed from their website is probably my favorite) and Schneider Weisse (who brew mostly wheat beers) have a few excellent Weizenbocks in their portfolio, including Mein Aventinus (TAP 6), Marieโs Rendezvous (TAP X), and a collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery called Meine Hopfenweisse. Of the US breweries, Victoryโs Moonglow Weizenbock is one of my annual fall favorites and Neshaminy Creekโs Neshaminator is also quite good.
Lastly, we have the mistake beer, ifย beer lore and legend are to be believed and perhaps the rarest style of beer. According to the legend, a young brewery worker fell asleep during a brew and part of the water froze leaving a much stronger Bock than the young brewer or his boss could ever imagine.ย The resulting Eisbock is one of the richest, most sumptuous beers brewed.
Image courtesy of Founders
The โEisโ in the name is from partially freezing a dopple and extracting the H2O ice, which allows the alcohol to have a much more noticeable presence and a deeper brownish/reddish hue and an overall thicker beer. You could also say a Belgian Quadrupel is similar to an Eisbock, in some ways. Like a Quadrupel, an Eisbock possesses a much stronger stone fruit/plum and sugary taste. Some may potentially find it cloying if they arenโt expecting it, but the sole Eisbock I had from the great aforementionedย Schneider Weisse, Aventinus, is also one of the 10 or so best beers I ever had. Ramstein brews one (as recently as January 2018 at 16.5%), they call Eis Storm Eisbock while Tank Bender is the occasional Eisbock (aged in bourbon barrels!) produced by Founders which I would absolutely love to try, but I think the most recent brewing of it was a brewery-only release. Another well regarded Eisbock from Germany isย Kulmbacher Eisbock which I want yesterday. The style is also supposedly illegal in some waysโฆ
freezing a beer and removing more than 0.5% of its volume is illegal without a license. Thereโs an email exchange between someone at the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and a brewer, posted in a Reddit r/homebrewing discussion that makes this pretty clear.
So, making Eisbock by removing more than 0.5% water volume is basically illegal. But, it is also openly brewed by several craft breweries, and it seems the TTB knows about this craft beer level production, but has chosen not to act on said knowledge.
So there you have it, 5 varieties of one style – the Bock Beer. More popular (I assume) in Europe, especially Germany and its neighbors, but a style with a wealth of flavor profiles that illustrates how much can be done even with a less popular (not-quite-obscure) brewing style.
Draught Diversions is the catchall label for mini-rants, think-pieces, and posts that donโt just focus on one beer here at The Tap Takeover. We hope you donโt grow too weary of the alcohol alliterative names we useโฆ
Spring doesnโt exactly align with beer in the same way that Fall/Oktoberfest does, but there are two styles that signify spring in the beer world: Maibock (lager) and Saison/Farmhouse Ale. Spring officially began about a week or so ago, but with Easter this coming Sunday, I figured now would be a good time to assemble a Six Pack of Spring Beers. Seeing how this is one of my Six Pack posts, Iโll feature three beers of each style. Iโve only had half of the beers from todayโs post so for the other three beers, I’m highlighting beers based on a combination of reputation and what appeals to me.
Iโll start with Saisons, one of the classic Belgian ales. I’ve only had a limited amount of saisons and that includes samples at breweries or beer festivals, so I am far from an expert on the style. However, one of my summer go-to beers isย Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale. Basically, I’d like to sample more of this traditional style whichย was made for farmworkers to enjoy as a refreshment during their days toiling out in the farmlands. Only one of the three Iโm listing have I had more than once (and I really enjoyed it), so I’ll start there.
How could I not include this beer from Two Roads? Especially considering head-brewer/owner Phil Markowski (as I may have mentioned in the past) literally wrote the book on Farmhouse Ales – Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition. Iโve had this offering from Two Roads a few times and it is always a dependable Ale. Workers Comp is a year-round beer and should be available through Two Roadsโ (growing) distribution footprint but it is especially timely right now. At 4.8% ABV this beer is a sessionable ale, which is what a Farmhouse Ale/Saison should be considering the roots of the style.
Saison Dupont – Brasserie Dupont (Leuze-en-Hainaut, Belgium)
Iโd be remiss if I didnโt include a Belgian Saison considering the style was invented in Belgium. If Iโm going to go with a Belgain Farmhouse Ale, then I have to include Saison Dupont, from Brasserie Dupont. This is essentially the Farmhouse Ale that started it all and touted in a few places as the best beer in the world. I think this one is available in both 750ml bottles and 4-packs.
I havenโt had this one yet, but with how much I’ve been enjoying not just Belgian-style ales, but beers from Belgium lately, I may have to try it this spring.
Trying to whittle down the enumerable saisons available in the market down to one last interpretation of the beer is a difficult task, to be sure. There are two breweries in the Northeast whose brewing portfolio is in a distinctly Belgian tradition, so Iโll go with one of those, specifically Allagash. Iโve had a couple beers from the Maine brewery so Iโd really like to try this most Belgian of beers.
Allagash describes the beer quite nicely: Citrus and peppery spice are balanced by a pleasant malt character. Saison is full bodied with a rustic, dry finish. Made for enjoying, no matter which type of work youโre returning from. That description makes me want to grab a bottle right now.
Like Two Roadsโ Saison, this beer is available year-round and with Allagashโs relatively large distribution footprint, this ale should be easy to find.
On to the Maibocks…
Bocks, specifically Maibocks, are one of the less common lager styles. I see more dopplebocks and weizenbocks than the lighter, spring variety so selecting three for this post proved more challenging than the saison half of my 2018 Spring Fling 6 pack. Granted, we are still in March as of the date of this post, but I’ve been seeing Maibocks (especially the first one) on shelves already.
Of course I would go with at least one German brewery, right? This is a beer style and brand filled to the mug with tradition: “By tradition, the first barrel of Maibock is tapped at the Hofbrรคuhaus in the last week of April, in time for the merry month of May. The success story of Munichโs oldest bock beer goes back as far as 1614.”
I had a six pack of this last spring and enjoyed it. Thereโs a really nice malty, caramel feel to the beer overlaying the crispness of the lager. This beer is a prime example of German brewing tradition.
Dead โNโ Dead is whiskey barrel-aged version of Rogueโs year-round flagship beer, Dead Guy Ale. I really like Dead Guy and if it is on a beer menu, Iโll usually order it to get the night going. I like most barrel-aged beers so if you take a beer I already like and throw it in a whiskey barrel for a while, chances are high that I’ll really like it.
Iโve seen this one in stores and shelves but havenโt yet tried it. Like many of Rogueโs special brews, this beer is available in 22oz bombers so I imagine youโd want to take your time with this beer given the potential complex tastes and the 8.2% ABV.
It has been quite a while since I had a bottle of this beer because unfortunately, I think it might be a brewery-only release now. Once part of Trรถegโs Hop Cycle, it was replaced last year in that cycle by First Cut. Cultivator, however, was a very good example of the style. Malty and bready, it was quite a bit like Hofbrรคuhaus Hofbrรคu Maibock.
This was a solid offering from the always dependable brewers atย Trรถegs so I’d love to see it again, maybe in one of their seasonal variety packs.
Six beers worth trying this spring if you can find them. What are some saisons, maibocks, or other spring seasonal beers that are worth checking out?
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