Trader Joe's Hofbrau Bock - Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Went to a friend's for a bonfire the other night and saw this new-to-me brew in the cooler. My first of the TJ's brews. Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a cloudy honey-gold with a thick white frothy cap on top. The nose carries some sweet floral tones, fruity sweetness, and a slight dry huskiness on the closeout. Smooth carbonation. Subtle bite, with a slightly oily feel. Mild fruit-like flavor, apples, honey, crackers. Pretty mild unoffensive beer. Nothing that exciting, but I wouldn't turn one down. A refreshing easy-drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 16:01:20 | More by Onenote81

dpodratsky3

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Crystal clear, golden-orange, head is small and dense, .5 finger white head

S: Malty, intense at times, but also seems to fade fast, intense caramel and almost raw base malt aroma, hints of spicy hops

T: Very sweet, but not too cloying, caramel malt with just enough clean/spicy hops to nearly cleanse the palate in the finish, still slight lingering sweetness that can accumulate by the end of the glass, a slightly better than average taste

M: Lowish carb, feels medium-heavy because of the low carb, full feeling with not even a hint of dryness, not a terribly drinkable beer but not bad

O: A pretty standard bock, not too cloying which is a standard fault, but could use a tad more carbonation to make it more pleasant to drink, more of a preference though

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:40:08 | More by dpodratsky3

MN_Beerticker

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-09-2013 02:51:35 | More by MN_Beerticker

TripelMark

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-06-2013 18:24:17 | More by TripelMark

TheMarkE

California

3.41/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Nice amber pour full of bubbles, almost effervescent. Moderate foam disappears quickly, good lacing.

Smell: Beer. Very faint aroma, and what there is smells like beer.

Taste: Mild grassy malt flavor, mild spiciness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, slight bitter aftertaste.

The Verdict: Average. The running theme here is “mild.” Mild aroma, mild taste, mild price. The only thing that’s not mild is the ABV. Drinkable, but nothing exciting about it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 01:38:45 | More by TheMarkE

TTAmod

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle with a best by date of 8/4/13 stamped on the bottle. This beer was on sale: 6-pack for $5.99. Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A: Nice clear golden amber color. One finger off-white head that dissipated quickly to islands of lace and head. Decent amount of carbonation visible.

S: Smell is estery...bit of grape, bit of cherry, and a bit grainy and a touch of alcohol.

T: The ester continues into the taste. White grape skin is the primary culprit, but there's a bit of golden apple and pear present, as well. Hallertau hops are present in the taste, too....adding a spicy and floral kick. Finishes with a bit of alcohol, grain, and a tiny bit of a metallic taste.

M: Medium bodied and quite smooth. Easy drinking and no real sign of the 7% ABV.

O: A very, very tasty and authentic German beer. As typical with TJ brand beers, this is a huge bang for your buck. This beer is pretty much a mainstay in my fridge. I love German beers, and there isn't a better value for the quality you're getting here. You can by these by the single bottle...but why would you when there are six packs available?

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 05:03:31 | More by TTAmod

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.14/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle pours a dark gold color with a modest cap of off-white head. Retention is just ok, but the lacing is nice.

Nose is grassy, herbal, caramely and definitely has some alcohol punch. Doesnt necessarily smell great, but the freshly crushed graininess is nice.

Taste has floral hop notes mixed with a toffee-grainy malt flavor. The alcohol is a bit rough and is not masked very well. Mouthfeel is slick and a little on the sweet side...I kind of wish there was a bit more lively carbonation. Not too bad for a helles bock, but at this price it might be worth a repeat purchase one of these days.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 00:17:22 | More by twiggamortis420

Spikester

Oregon

3/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours clear amber gold with one inch of white head. Lacing occurs just to the bottom of the head no further.
Smell is floral some crushed grain.
Taste is sweetly bitter. Some slight corniness possibly due to high abv. Alcohol is apparent though not in a boozy way.
Mouthfeel is well carbonated somewhat full bodied and a medium bitter sweet semi dry finish.
Overall one of the better styles from Trader Joe's beer selections.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 06:02:04 | More by Spikester

fx20736

New York

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bought from Trader Joe's on 3/23/13. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a mug, served at room temp.

a golden light amber with a one finger white head. No lacing.

aroma: noble hops, pale malts.

mouthfeel: soft, buttery

taste: crystal maltiness, spicy hops, a touch of sweetness before an herbal hop bitterness asserts itself at the end.

notes: Maibock. hard to get the style, a slightly maltier lager with just a touch of sweetness. I guess.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 18:23:46 | More by fx20736

foxyaardvark27

Washington

3/5  rDev -10.7%

03-14-2013 05:50:54 | More by foxyaardvark27

shick1

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-11-2013 16:29:48 | More by shick1

warpedrevolution

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

03-03-2013 07:49:06 | More by warpedrevolution

ssimpson89

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +11.6%

03-02-2013 21:08:17 | More by ssimpson89

RandyPuckett

Texas

4/5  rDev +19%

02-28-2013 04:42:03 | More by RandyPuckett

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Celebrator pokal. Pours a light to medium golden amber with a thin white head with good retention and slight lacing. Mild aroma of sweet malt, grassy hops, slightly spicy. Flavor follows aroma; sweet bready malt, light grassy hops and light estery spice that saves it from being pedestrian. Light bodied. A pleasant, non-challenging bock that is better than expected from a contract brewed ale. Good job on an inexpensive bock, although it leans, perhaps, towards a malty lager in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 05:00:54 | More by LiquidAmber

coloslc

Texas

3/5  rDev -10.7%

02-24-2013 00:00:05 | More by coloslc

ExaltedNecrosis

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

02-11-2013 18:31:18 | More by ExaltedNecrosis

zzurn

1/5  rDev -70.2%

02-08-2013 07:40:14 | More by zzurn

powdersoldier

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

02-05-2013 04:58:45 | More by powdersoldier

matjack85

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

02-02-2013 23:34:41 | More by matjack85

cmuir24

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

01-23-2013 03:27:32 | More by cmuir24

barczar

Kentucky

2.98/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear golden brown with a half inch cream head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving spotty lacing.

Aroma is pretty subtle, with notes of caramel malt and earthy hops accompanying a slightly metallic note. Vegetal character and diacetyl emerges as it warms.

Flavor is sweet, then ends pretty bitter. There's an oxidized cardboard finish. Not much malt character or flavoring hops.

Body is moderate, with a slick texture and moderate carbonation. The finish is astringent and slightly warm.

Not much there. Overly sweet and not a pleasant finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:31:12 | More by barczar

aflies

Arizona

2.75/5  rDev -18.2%

12-31-2012 02:18:41 | More by aflies

sloelco

California

3.25/5  rDev -3.3%

12-29-2012 22:40:51 | More by sloelco

OldhouseRecs

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

12-27-2012 23:42:03 | More by OldhouseRecs