HOPS Meeting – May 22, 2012
(11 Beers Sampled)
Below are the random thoughts from everyone from the beer tasting from the meeting:
Style of the month: 5 – Bocks
5A – Maibock/Helles Bock
1. Hofbrau Munchen Maibock
Color dark for a Maibock, Peppery oxidation, Pilsner nice, malty lager, “dialed in”
2. Fort Collins Brewery Maibock
Malty aroma, better/more hardy then the first, getting some fruity ester, perhaps too much ester for the style, more of an ale?
3. Boulevard Boss Toms Golden Bock
True to style, pretty much a pilsner
5B – Traditional Bock
1. Shiner Bock
Good example of this style, not hoppy – dry, clean melanoidin malt, color malts added, favored by most everyone
2. Breckenridge Pandora’s Bock
Has similarities to many of Breckenridge’s beers (i.e… base Breckenridge flavor) , mainline, clean, evidence of esters, sweet, not as dry for a bock
5C – Doppelbock
1. Paulaner Brauerei Salvator Double Bock
7.9% ABV, tastes like a light barley wine
2. Spaten Optimator
Chewy, finishes light
5D – Eisbock
1. Kulmbacher Eisbock
Very dark, 9.2 ABV, Fantastic, Surprising, Very dry at the end, not as filling as the Optimator, Fantabulis, oxidation distraction, many felt this was the best of the night
Others tasted
1. Alaskan Birch
Brewed with Alaskan Birch Syrup, 8.5 ABV, Ale fermented with natural flavor, Good color, clean, really dry, sweet to begin then dry finish, syrupy
2. Blue Moon Brewing Vintage Blonde Ale
Brewed with Chardonnay Grapes, could definitely taste the grape
3. Brauerei Heller Bamberg Aecht Schlenterla Rauchbier Urbock
Bock style 5E?, The original smokebock, obviously smokey, bitter