View Full Version : Spring time beers...
brewmonkey
02-20-2005, 11:37
Well Spring is almost here and that means it is time to tuck away the big beers of winter and break out the Bock's.
Now bock beers have several different styles within the family and range from golden Helles to a traditional dark sweet Eisbocks. They also range in alcohol content from a modest 6% ABV of the Maibock/Helles to the 14% of the Eisbocks. They are not brewed from the dregs of other batches or the last runnings of whatever was being brewed and they are a style unto themselves.
The bock family has the Helles (Pale) or Maibock which are probably the more known of the style and would include Ayinger Maibock, Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock & Capital Maibock. This style will have a sweet malty aroma and may have a low amount of fruity esters. They will have a rich flavor from the continental malts used to brew them as well as a hint of the spicyness from the hops that are generally used for this style. This is a beer that should be well attenuated which will leave a finish that will be moderatly dry with a hint of hops and malt.
Traditonal bock are dark in color and notable examples would be Einbecker Ur Bock & Aass Bock. This beer will have a rich aroma with a hint of taosty malt notes in the background. The flavor of this beer is complex and may have hints of raisins or plums which would ome from the specialty malts used in the brewing process. These flavors should be subtle but at the same time they are very pleasing on the tounge. To get the deep copper/brown olor the brewer may use roasted or chocolate malt which may lend a slight roasted flavor to the beer. Again not overpowering, just enough to give this beer a kick in the pants and make it interesting.
Dopplebocks are known for their strength. This is a beer that has so many wonderful flavors and aromas that are derived from the malt and yeast the brewer selects as well as an extended boil. The extra boil time will allow for the mailliard reaction and this will help give the beer a darker color as well as a carmelization which adds a very nice sweetness and some wonderful flavors to the beer. Between thae melanoidins formed suring the boil and the malts used you will find hints of plum, raisin, currant and even madera or port wine flavors in this beer.
Now none of those are actually used in the beers but by using specially kilned malts the brewer can get these flavors. They add complexity to these beers which make them a great beer to sit and sip on a cooler night. They are very full bodied beers and were originally brewed by the Paulaner Monks to sustain them through the lenten season when they would fast.
Classic examples of this beer would be Paulaner Salvator and Spaten Optimater.
The last beer in this family is the Eisbock.
They are quite mallty and like a dopplebock have a tremendous range of flavors that are achieved through both the selection of malts and the boil time allowed. The longer the boil the more kettle carmelization will occur.
These will also be a rather fruity aroma as well as a sweeter flavor profile. Some of the expected flavors would again be like the dopplebock but the carmel notes would be much stronger and you might also expect to find a hint of chocolate from the malts used.
This is a tough style to define overall as every brewer will make his in a different way. Some brewer a lighter color version while others will be quite dark. The one thing they will all have in common is the strong alcohol content, a very fruity aroma and the wonderful flavors.
This is also a tough beer to find in the US as to achieve the higher alcohol and such concentrated flavors the brewer must literally drop the temp low enough to form ice crystals in the beer. Since alcohol will not freeze at those temps the only thing that will be in the ice crystals will be the water in the beer. This will concentrate the beers flavor and alcohol content which is how they make this beer so malty and wonderful.
Since freezing beer is essentially distilling it is prohibited by the ATF in breweries. This does not mean that someone is not going to try it though and you may find one here or there at the pubs in this country.
A classis example would be Kulmbacher Reichelbräu Eisbock.
These are really some great beers and since they have a wide range of alcohol content they are perfect for the temp swings we get this time of the year. I hope you find one and get to try it, I think you will be surprised.
Now since we all live across the US there will be different brands available. If you would like to know who in your area is making one that I think is worthy of hunting down let me know. I will be glad to track down the pubs in your area and find out what they have going on.
Cheers!
Roguish Lawyer
02-20-2005, 12:55
Great info, Brew.
How about some recommendations?
Roguish Lawyer
02-20-2005, 12:57
Classic examples of this beer would be Paulaner Salvator and Spaten Optimater.
I like these. First tried them in Munich, and was hooked immediately. Good substitutes for bread. ;)
Damn, just damn.
I'll never just say "Beer" again when asked what will I'll have.
I'm off to the fridge for whatevers cold. That post made my throat very dry.
Pete
Trip_Wire (RIP)
02-20-2005, 14:36
I love Aass Bock! :D
My local Sports bar used to have it on tap, it was one of the greatest I have ever tasted!! It's still available in bottles, but I have found that it isn't as good that way! :(
brewmonkey
02-21-2005, 09:49
For those of you in SoCal I would look for Pizza Port, they have 2 locations with one in San Diego and the other in Carslbad. Tomme Arthur is the brewer and makes some excellent beers and should have his Bird Rock Pale Bock out.
Some other left coast beers would be Sierra Nevada Pale Bock, Northcoast Traditional Bock and if you have a Rock Bottom near you they might have a decent bock on tap.
There may also be a bock or two on at Gordon Biersch but I cannot vouch for the quality of their beers. It has been some time since I tasted their stuff and I remember it as being very commercialized.
The Hofbreu Haus in Munich is famous and full of tourists. I frequented the place on the Main Ave that featured Spaetenbreu. It was huge and always packed with locals. One main hall was larger than the entire Hofbreu Haus.
brewmonkey
02-21-2005, 10:10
The Hofbreu Haus in Munich is famous and full of tourists. I frequented the place on the Main Ave that featured Spaetenbreu. It was huge and always packed with locals. One main hall was larger than the entire Hofbreu Haus.
Home to Octoberfest!
The origins of Octoberfest
Once upon a time, long long ago in a far away land known as Bavaria, a Crown Prince - who later became King Ludwig I - married the beautiful Princess Therese von Sachesen-Hildenburghausen. The loyal soldiers in the Prince's National Guard thought that the horse races would be a most fitting way to celebrate the happy event. King Max, proud father of the Prince, gave his consent to the races and so they became the finale of five days of wedding festivities on October 17, 1810. This was the unlikely beginning of Oktoberfest.
The horse races became an annual event and were combined with the state agricultural fair the following year. It wasn't until 1818, that booths, serving food and drink, were set up at the event. In the late 1800's, the booths had grown into large beer halls or tents, which are still set up each year on the Theresienwiese named in honour of Ludwig's bride.
One of my favorite beers was brewed in Czechoslovakia in a town called Pilsen. It had the original name of Pilsen Pivo. (pivo=beer).
I used to drink a lot of Shiner Bock...year-round. lol
Any east coast recommendations, brewmonkey?
brewmonkey
02-21-2005, 11:10
I used to drink a lot of Shiner Bock...year-round. lol
Any east coast recommendations, brewmonkey?
I would check out Ellicot Mills, Genesee's bock, Black Forest or Sweetwater's verisons of bocks. Brooklyn brewery and Dog Fish Head may also have put out a bock and while I have not had their's I have had their other beers and will say they are great breweries.
...large beer halls or tents, which are still set up each year on the Theresienwiese named in honour of Ludwig's bride.
I have fond, but rather hazy and intermittent, memories of Oktoberfest in Muenchen.
It was Oktober Fest all year around in Munich. I used to drive to Munich every Saturday, lose my car, take the train back to Lenggries and return Sunday to find my car. :D
Roguish Lawyer
02-21-2005, 12:00
The Hofbreu Haus in Munich is famous and full of tourists.
Been there, done that. As a tourist during backpack trip through Europe with Eurail pass and very little money. Sat at a table full of Austrian guys who did not speak any English at all. Or the other languages I had some limited ability with. They did understand that I was from California when I said that word and pointed to myself. And I understood they were from Austria when they did the same.
We decided to just say one word all night, "Prost!" Worked just fine. ;)
Trip_Wire (RIP)
02-21-2005, 14:17
The Hofbreu Haus in Munich is famous and full of tourists. I frequented the place on the Main Ave that featured Spaetenbreu. It was huge and always packed with locals. One main hall was larger than the entire Hofbreu Haus.
Oh yes! The Hofbrew Haus! I visited there in '68 a great place! I was amazed to see how many steins those female servers could carry at one time. I was all so suprised on how quickly the bouncers reacted to a German civilian who fell asleep in his chair. A couple of them picked him and the chair up and carried him to the door and ejected him minus the chair out into the sidewalk. :eek: I vowed to myself to stay awake!
I sat at a table with a whole bunch of Germans with my wife, one of whom spoke some english. He was a game warden and a former WW II German Paratrooper. We got along just fine especially when he learned that I was a Paratrooper and SF soldier. Both my wife and I locked arms with the Germans at the table and sang German martial type songs and swilled lots of good beer! :D
Dustin03
03-04-2005, 02:07
so, whats a good beer around the south? everything here seems to be pretty much alike. highest APV ive seen was 6.9% in a natural ice. i remember up at fairchild afb after SERE, we'd go drink the glacier ice at the little barr they have right next to the billeting we stayed in
Bill Harsey
03-04-2005, 07:56
Dear Brewmonkey,
With this extraordinary post on Bocks You really underlined what a moron I was last night.
First my apologies for dragging this fine presentation of history and beers into the proverbial gutter but please remember, this is coming from a knifemaker.
Last night I went and got some of that new Bud "Select". My hope was maybe, just maybe a domestic beer maker accidently did something good. That is simply the most dissapointing domestic beer I've ever had, what a bunch of bs marketing hype.
I promise to read here first before I wander off to the store again.
Thanks again all you guys.
Edited to ad, I'm printing out Brewmonkeys post here and will study it closely.
Weazle23
03-04-2005, 10:46
hey Brewmonkey,
Do you know of any PacNW area brewerys/pubs that are worth your recommendation for a spring time beer? Have you heard of Engine House 9 aka E9, or The Harmon Brewery? (both in Tacoma :lifter )
I'm drinking a lot of Rogue Dead Guy Ale lately because a bar down the street got it on tap, the Trader Joes down the street sells it in the big bottles and a liquor store on the Hill sells it in six packs.
That makes it a Spring beer for me.
Dear Brewmonkey,
With this extraordinary post on Bocks You really underlined what a moron I was last night.
First my apologies for dragging this fine presentation of history and beers into the proverbial gutter but please remember, this is coming from a knifemaker.
Last night I went and got some of that new Bud "Select". My hope was maybe, just maybe a domestic beer maker accidently did something good. That is simply the most dissapointing domestic beer I've ever had, what a bunch of bs marketing hype.
I promise to read here first before I wander off to the store again.
Thanks again all you guys.
Edited to ad, I'm printing out Brewmonkeys post here and will study it closely.
Bill, I think you should try some of Budweiser's new "B to the E", should be.......interesting, Yeah thats the word for it, Interesting.
Jack Moroney (RIP)
03-04-2005, 12:02
Damn, got all excited. I need to start wearing my glasses, I thought this thread was about spring time bears.
Jack Moroney
Bill Harsey
03-04-2005, 12:03
Bill, I think you should try some of Budweiser's new "B to the E", should be.......interesting, Yeah thats the word for it, Interesting.
Ok, I googled that to see if you was having fun at my expense, which isn't too hard.
That stuff really exists!
This beer has "liberal yuppie scum" marketing written all over it.
unbelievable, I can hardly wait for Brewmonkey to comment on this one.
Bill Harsey
03-04-2005, 12:06
Damn, got all excited. I need to start wearing my glasses, I thought this thread was about spring time bears.
Jack Moroney
LMAO!
Now my wife heard me laughing and figured out this may not be work related.
I'm back into the shop NOW!
Thanks Jack.
Rotor Strike
03-04-2005, 13:06
Hell, where in Florida can a man get a decent beer? Sure ain't Gainesville. Anyone ever try Perminator while in Germany? Strong stuff.
Ok, I googled that to see if you was having fun at my expense, which isn't too hard.
That stuff really exists!
This beer has "liberal yuppie scum" marketing written all over it.
unbelievable, I can hardly wait for Brewmonkey to comment on this one.
Yes, It does exist, the Beer critic in the once weekly Food section of the paper here reviewed it a week or two ago, and said it was basically a fizzy fruity energy drink with alcohol. :rolleyes:
brewmonkey
03-04-2005, 16:29
I'm drinking a lot of Rogue Dead Guy Ale lately because a bar down the street got it on tap, the Trader Joes down the street sells it in the big bottles and a liquor store on the Hill sells it in six packs.
That makes it a Spring beer for me.
Dead Guy ale is a great beer and is pretty much a Mai-Bock fermented with an le instead of lager yeast.
brewmonkey
03-04-2005, 16:35
hey Brewmonkey,
Do you know of any PacNW area brewerys/pubs that are worth your recommendation for a spring time beer? Have you heard of Engine House 9 aka E9, or The Harmon Brewery? (both in Tacoma :lifter )
I have heard of Engine House 9.
In the Tacoma area I would go to Harmon and try their "Mock Bock." I have not hd anything from E9 but those who have do not say anything that stands out. There is also Rock Wood Pizza Company but I am not sure what he might have on for the Spring.
brewmonkey
03-04-2005, 16:38
Ok, I googled that to see if you was having fun at my expense, which isn't too hard.
That stuff really exists!
This beer has "liberal yuppie scum" marketing written all over it.
unbelievable, I can hardly wait for Brewmonkey to comment on this one.
Oh I don't think we have the space for me to REALLY say what I think of this beer, if we can call it that.
Rotor Strike
03-04-2005, 16:42
Oh I don't think we have the space for me to REALLY say what I think of this beer, if we can call it that.
I've tried it at a bar here as some hot chick was passing it out...made me vomit.
Originally Posted by Weazle23
hey Brewmonkey,
Do you know of any PacNW area brewerys/pubs that are worth your recommendation for a spring time beer? Have you heard of Engine House 9 aka E9, or The Harmon Brewery? (both in Tacoma) I have heard of Engine House 9.
In the Tacoma area I would go to Harmon and try their "Mock Bock." I have not hd anything from E9 but those who have do not say anything that stands out. There is also Rock Wood Pizza Company but I am not sure what he might have on for the Spring.
If you make your way a little farther North, we've had some good beer from the La Conner Brewery, the Skagit River Brewing Company (Mt. Vernon), and last but definately not least, the Anacortes Brewery & Rockfish Grill (the brewer is an old friend.) One of the things I definately miss about the PacNW is the beer.
Edit: Out of curiosity, I just went and read the reviews on PubCrawler. I haven't been to the Skagit Brewery in 3 years and it sounds like they may have gone downhill. The Rockfish changed ownership while we were there (for the better) and they had really long lines on the weekends. If I had to choose one of the above, I'd go to La Conner.
I miss the Ranier commercials. :D
brewmonkey
03-04-2005, 17:32
Pubcrawler is ok but check out www.ratebeer.com and www.beeradvocate.com to round it out.
You should also remember that some of the people leaving those reviews have no clue about what they are talking about. There are also occassions where the brewer makes a beer, and they make it how they want it. They may call it a pale ale, but only because it is close to the style. You will then have someone rip it apart not because they did not like it but because it did not fit a "style."
Remember, drink the beer you like and forget what kind of beer it is "supposed" to be. Rogue Dead Guy Ale is a classic example, that beer fits in no stlye that I can think of but it has a cult following.
brewmonkey
03-04-2005, 17:33
http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/food/4253595/detail.html
Well it looks like some of the other big boys are trying to play the "craft beer" game. Maybe someone forgot to tell them that fruit beers went out about 6 years ago.:eek:
Bill Harsey
03-05-2005, 08:27
Dead Guy ale is a great beer and is pretty much a Mai-Bock fermented with an le instead of lager yeast.
Has anyone here been to the Rogue Brewery over on the coast in Newport Oregon?
There is a place to eat and drink inside and up the stairs. The view is of moored boats in the bay right under the window, I think.
I've found it best to have someone else drive if I go there.
The Dead Guy ale has trickled through here on occasion.
It's a very good beer.
Weazle23
03-05-2005, 13:33
Has anyone here been to the Rogue Brewery over on the coast in Newport Oregon?
There is a place to eat and drink inside and up the stairs. The view is of moored boats in the bay right under the window, I think.
I've found it best to have someone else drive if I go there.
The Dead Guy ale has trickled through here on occasion.
It's a very good beer.
Havn't been there yet. Sounds like a good time though. Iv'e always liked the Oregon Coast. I'm a fan of Rogue brews too, so it's good to hear it's made it to the East Coast, at least to Jimbo's AO, to give them a taste of what a good beer is. Those on the West Coast have known for years, of course.
lrd,
Those Rainer commercials are absolute classics! They would definately be worth space on a disk.
Said as a motorcycle speeds past while shifting gears:
"Rrrrrraaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinnnnneeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer"
Roguish Lawyer
03-05-2005, 13:40
I have some Rogue Vertical Epic in my Dad's fridge in AZ. Guess I'd better go drink it soon.
I think the Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale is disgusting, and I am a big Morimoto fan generally.
Trip_Wire (RIP)
03-05-2005, 17:03
Has anyone here been to the Rogue Brewery over on the coast in Newport Oregon?
There is a place to eat and drink inside and up the stairs. The view is of moored boats in the bay right under the window, I think.
I've found it best to have someone else drive if I go there.
The Dead Guy ale has trickled through here on occasion.
It's a very good beer.
BTDT: I enjoyed my visit! :lifter
brewmonkey
03-05-2005, 17:16
I have some Rogue Vertical Epic in my Dad's fridge in AZ. Guess I'd better go drink it soon.
I think the Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale is disgusting, and I am a big Morimoto fan generally.
That would be Stone Vetical Epic. They are a brewery right up the road from you in San Marcos. Each year starting 02/02/02 and continuing through 12/12/12 they will brew a different beer, generally a higher gravity beer to ensure that it will condition and not become oxidated.
Here is some info on Stone Vertical Epic (http://www.stonebrew.com/epic/)
Roguish Lawyer
03-05-2005, 17:49
That would be Stone Vetical Epic.
Oops.
brewmonkey
03-05-2005, 18:47
Oops.
It is still good beer!
If you are looking for something a little more potent from Rogue check out their Imperial Stout or Old Crustacean Barleywine. They will age for a good 15-20 years and if packaged properly will become better with some aging.
Bill Harsey
03-05-2005, 19:02
AAAAaaaaaaahhhh!
I have to go on the record here, I owe RL some Rogue beers! I lost a bet with him and have to pay up. I'd gotten the beer but out of respect and concern for our good California Rogue Lawer I decided to risk my life and safety test it for him to make sure he wouldn't be poisoned by bad beer. By the time the safety testing was done, uh, there wasn't anything left to ship.
I'd better try again.
Roguish Lawyer
03-05-2005, 19:05
AAAAaaaaaaahhhh!
I have to go on the record here, I owe RL some Rogue beers! I lost a bet with him and have to pay up. I'd gotten the beer but out of respect and concern for our good California Rogue Lawer I decided to risk my life and safety test it for him to make sure he wouldn't be poisoned by bad beer. By the time the safety testing was done, uh, there wasn't anything left to ship.
I'd better try again.
LOL
Why spend the money on shipping? Just get more of it and keep it cold.
Bill Harsey
03-05-2005, 19:13
LOL
Why spend the money on shipping? Just get more of it and keep it cold.
Will do as advised!