St. Nikolaus Bock Bier - Pennsylvania Brewing Company

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 002 thanks to Noslenwerd, it's been sitting in my fridge for a while, and finally found a good time to break it out. This one was from the era before they were shut down and re-opened.

Hazy super dark molasses ruby brown color just hints of light, pretty much no head.

Nose has a nice aged bock, lots of aged malts soft and complex, lots of dark fruit, huge raisin, fig, date, touch of hazelnut and vanilla, brown sugar and molasses, some darker wheats, hint of cocoa, and touch of booze and esters.

Taste is similar to the nose, lots of fruit with brown sugar candi and brandy soaked raisin, plum, fig, a bit nutty. Then soft aged malts, complex and malty with hints of dark wheat. Slight cocoa and vanilla, semi sweet brown sugar and molasses. Nice aged flavor, touch of booze and esters. Finish gets slightly bitter with slight dryness but a bit sticky, touch of black tea with the bitterness, dark fruits and lingering nutty soft malts.

Mouth is med bodied, very soft and almost creamy, decent carb for being quite a few years old.

Overall pretty good, great aged soft malts, nice dark fruits, complex, aged well. Really hits the spot when looking for a good doppelbock style.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 21:48:41 | More by jlindros

drabmuh

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I took this from Thorpe429 when he wasn't looking. Poured into a Bock glass, there is too such a thing look it up.

Beer is dark brown and mostly clear. Thin tan head, big bubbles are stuck to the bottom of the glass like they are waiting for a checkered flag to wave to tell them that's it's OK to go.

Aroma is mild, malty, good.

Beer is medium in body and really smooth. Mildly malty but not overly sweet. Easy drinking, great mouthfeel. A really wonderful bock, truly so.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 02:03:46 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks yet again to G311 for sending this to me just because he could. I owe you, sire. Currently the #1 Bock. After having it, I concur that it deserves the title. Served in a wine glass.

Pours a clear tawny-brown color with an average, creamy tan head with good spotty lacing as it moves down the glass. The nose carries through some heavy malt character. Brown sugar, caramel, chocolate, molasses, toast, and a hint of a nutty character come through. The flavor hits hard on the brown sugar and molasses plus some bread. Light hop presence in the background. Flavor is moderately sweet and has an average length through the finish. Lit bitterness. Smooth and creamy medium body with light carbonation. Really a fantastic version of the style. Thanks again, Vince!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 11:38:36 | More by Thorpe429

mdaschaf

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear, very deep ruby/mahogany color, when held up to the light, the red comes through a lot more. About one finger of head formed and reduced down to a ring of foam. Little bits of lacing remain.

S: Some caramel malt and grains, there is a sweetness as well and a little bit of dark fruit. Opens up a bit as it warms.

T: Nice malt flavors. The dark fruit is more prominent than the aroma, the caramel flavor is quite strong as well. Has a doughy/bready flavor on the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, very smooth mouthfeel. Slightly sticky finish.

O: Very nice Bock, really easy to drink. Nice representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 01:37:19 | More by mdaschaf

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another 75 cent beer. I could get quite used to this. After yesterday's disaster at work, I better drink something cheap 'cos I'm lucky I still have a job.

The neck label denotes that this is the 20th year of PBC, which would make this a 2010 winter release? Clear with a mild haze, this is a deep reddish brown with a dense, light brown head with good retention. Lacing is minimal. This looks good.

The nose is rich, bready and fruity. Rather like fruitcake with raisins, brown sugar, toffee and vanilla. I'm guessing there's some Munich malt here, it's got that intoxicatingly complex signature of this malt with a darker, more caramelized character. No hops are detected. The palate opens with a blend of burnt sugar, a little vanilla and a moderate fruitiness. Despite this, it doesn't really _taste_ too sweet, and my guess would be that the burnt sugar bitterness has something to do with it. The bready character I picked out on the nose isn't really noticeable on the palate, though there is plenty of malt complexity - brown sugar, burnt sugar, caramel, a little toffee and a little butterscotch too. Drying on the finish with some toffee and burnt sugar bitterness, this beer has a medium body and is rather excessively carbonated for my liking. Still, this is a great bock, though in many ways, it's closer to a dopplebock.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 03:50:57 | More by DefenCorps

billab914

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Alesmith pint glass. It poured a dark caramel color with a very thin and fizzy head barely covering the beer. The head completely faded away rather quickly unfortunately.

The aroma has a big malty presence with caramel being the most dominant. I get some bready qualities to it with a little bit of some fruity, cherry like notes as well.

The taste also showcases the maltiness throughout the flavor. It starts out with more of the bready and malty flavor along with just a hint of bitterness. As you get to the finish it shows more sweetness to it with caramel and cherry flavors coming through.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Drinkability is pretty good, it had some very nice flavors to it and it doesn't hurt that it's one of my favorite styles. A pretty solid beer and was a great choice to drink while watching some football this afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 22:59:21 | More by billab914

brendanbeer

New York

2.93/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

barcade in brooklyn. on tap.

a. dark brown, little head. at first is appealing, but the head soon dissolves into nothing, and it looks less than satisfactory.

s. not much, spicy bock notes... a little.

t. also not much. mellow spicy bock with slight malt and yeasty vibe. not much hop balance. unimpressed.

m. average beer mouthfeel, a little smoother and mellower.

d. easy to drink. im not sure what my "average" 3 is... but its closer to "not impressed" territory. its not something i would pay for and be excited about. but, regardless, cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2011 04:32:59 | More by brendanbeer

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -33.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured into a stemmed tulip: Just translucent, dark brown with nice ruby highlights & a thin, bubbly collar, just barely a wisp of head.

Nice smell -- lightly roasty chocolate, some dark licorice, & just a little coffee. Yum! Very clear malt smell, good stuff.

Huh. Taste is a bit of a letdown: a little watery, even mineral or aluminum, with some vaguely roasted notes hanging around. Even at a pretty reasonable ABV, the alcohol comes through too strongly. Man, that sucks! I was hoping for a nice, full malt taste, it's like the bottom just dropped out of this one. Aftertaste is like weak coffee, but that you got stuck with the grounds at the same time, slightly charred.
A little caramel sneaks in, but that's it, that's the high point.

Mouthfeel is thin & watery, & leaves behind a kind of astringent feeling.

Wow, what a curveball. I've had this in the past & loved it, & the aroma was right where I remembered it, but the taste was really lacking - in just plain wrong, too! Don't know if I got a bad bottle, but this in no way lives up to my memory of it.

EDIT: As I was rinsing out the bottle, I noticed a crescent of white residue on the bottom. I don't know if this had something to do with it not being up to snuff, but if it did, I'd hold the brewer accountable for that.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 23:10:42 | More by OneDropSoup

scootny

New York

4.3/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cola brown with a light beige head. Decent retention and lacing on the sides. Very clear but still opaque. Smell has notes of toffee and sweet roasted malts. Some banana tinged fruity yeast esters. A bit of plum wine. Mild earth. Taste had toffee and brown bread fused into a roasted grain coffee. Sweet fruity desserts with light spice. Coffee gets bigger toward the finish with a faint sweet alcohol flourish. A bit of sourness. Bitterness flows into tea leafiness and leaves a dry caramel graham with toasted biscuits. Feel is light and crisp with spot on carbonation. Super drinkable. This is a great winter beer but it is so good that anytime is a fine time for this brew. A real winner and something to seek out.

Serving type: growler

12-30-2010 03:05:38 | More by scootny

beerphan

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle -> american pint
2010

Pours a dark brown with some chestnut highlights A small head recedes quickly to a starred puddle of dish suds. Only some small dots of lace.

Nose: Some charred malts, caramel, candy

Full bodied. Huge malt blast up front with charred grains and caramel mixing. Light molasses and candy sugar add to the sweetness. A balancing spicy bitterness fights a loosing battle against the plentiful sweetness. Finished very boozy and warm.

This beer seems to be right on the style, which I am still acquiring a taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 19:26:07 | More by beerphan

dmamiano

West Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

fairly dark brown with a decent tan head that left some lacing behind.
Malt dominated in the nose as expected.
taste was pretty good, not as 'big" in the malt as I expected though. Hints of burnt sugar, fruts but seemed to be a bit thin on the mouthfeel

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2010 12:56:03 | More by dmamiano

dtivp

West Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy cola brown with a very small light tan head no lacing on the glass.

Aroma of caramel and some malt and dark fruit.

Taste is very smooth not sweet caramel with lightly roasted malt and a hint of clove.

Mouthfeel was medium / light with light carbonation, very smooth and not bitter.

This is a nice seasonal bock, a very good Christmas beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 05:03:31 | More by dtivp

confer

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Chestnut -brown with a fluffy tan head.Traces of th ehead remain after a few minutes.
S-Smells like a piece of caramel.
T- A copy of tastes are apparent. There is a hint of smokiness and alsoi a small chocalate'
MD- A bit on the thin side for a bock. But everything else makes a very good bock. It goes down way to easy. It is a great thing that these guys are up and running agian.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 01:58:23 | More by confer

Kolsch

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On Tap: Headkeepers, Greensburg PA

Appearance: Dark mahogony cola like. Even as the bartender did a pretty decent pour on this, virtually no head to speak of. Carbonation problem?

Smell: dark fruit and caramel smell. Tastes like this is going to be a very sweet beer.

Taste: not as sweet as it smells. Dark malt imparts dried fruits, chocolate, molasses and a hint of cinnamon. As the beer warmed, it became blander in taste. Carbonation needs upped on this. Alcohol was well hidden and could drink a couple of these no problem.

Overall though, I wish this was amped as I felt the malts were too muted. I was little let down on this but would have again. I definitely want to try St Niks cousin the "Reserve" to do a comparison.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 11:57:34 | More by Kolsch

david18

New York

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have had a number of sixteen ounce glasses of this at the Amsterdam Ale House in Manhattan. I think Penn brewing almost borders a macrobrewery and has been around forever in Pennsylvania, where my wife is from. However, with Pennsylvania's german tradition (the state and the brewery) I was not surprised that they made a bock that's as good as any american made bock that I've had.

Color is very dark, even for a bock with a dark but not very carbonated head. Aroma is alcoholly but that's kind of what you'd expect from a bock. The flavor as well had some kick to it but also very well balanced with other flavors such as bread, raisons and yeast. The bar serves weaker beers in 16 oz glasses an stronger beers in 12 oz. Somehow, the st. nik made it into the former category. You can get drunk quickly on sixteen ounce glasses of this beer, which is very easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2010 18:42:21 | More by david18

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Pours a hazy dark brown/amber with very little head.

S - Slight caramel and roasted malts with a bit of bitter hops. Smells strong.

T - Wow creamy without being too bitter! The roast and caramel come great in taste next to hops and finishes creamy with little bite. Tasty bock

M - Medium to heavy. Kind of a sipper.

D - I liked this one over the private reserve since it has less body and more taste. Great overall beer!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 01:06:59 | More by DrDemento456

StretchZep

Ohio

5/5  rDev +25.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer. It is unbelievably smooth and rich with just the right amount of tartness to keep it from being a chocolate smoothie! I love this beer so much that I find myself only having 1 or 2 at the most when I feel I am actually worthy of the reward. It is that good trust me. "-) Makes winter here in Ohio a little more bearable!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 14:23:22 | More by StretchZep

muskiecf

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I am not normaly a darker beer fan...but this is the bomb. Smooth with a roasted carmel sweetness, not too sweet, just right in my book. I dont have many other bocks to compare it with as most I've tried I didn't much care for. This brew is something special. Thanks to Tom Pastorius for bring the Penn Brewery back to greatness. This brew will make for a great holiday season! lol If you enjoy lagers that aren't pussy beers...try this, it just might surprise you.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 01:38:08 | More by muskiecf

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer review from BA Mag Nov 2007.

Some old world folklore in Germany with St. Nikolaus. A deeper look into the folklore and a helper of the saint, Knecht Ruprecht, would beat or possibly eat children that were bad. Thankfully that is myth and the real St. Nikolaus was a Greek from the 3rd century. Either way, we'd rather be good and drink a bock.

Stunning dark chestnut-brown color with good clarity, the lacing is not too bad either with a few patches left on the glass. A clean alcohol, sweet molasses cake-batter and a faint herbal hop in the fresh aroma. The smoothness has depth with a medium crispness in a slick malty body. An abundance of malty, bready and sweet graininess, more on the bready side than anything else. Mild-mannered hop bitterness keeps the beer on an even keel. Toasty and borderline roasted grain flavors in the semisweet finish.

A tasty treat and a great switch from the plethora of winter warmers. Not that there are many German-style Bocks imported into the US; this one stands out the most with a true-to-style flair. Give this one a go.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 01:15:49 | More by BeerAdvocate

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to bman1113vr for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a medium orangish-brown color with a white head. The aroma is toffee, grain and other malts. The flavor is lightly roasted malt, some alcohol and some lighter toffee malts. Medium mouthfeel and low carbonation. A clean tasting lager, but nothing really stands out.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 16:26:59 | More by Mora2000

kiltedtxn

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Joeybeerbelly for this beer.

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass & served at 47°.

A: Chestnut brown with a creamy tan head that holds up well & lacing appears as I drink.

S: A light maltiness with no hop presence.

T: A little clove spiciness and a medium malt body. Dark fruits come through as it warms up even more.

M: A light mouthfeel with good carbonation.

D: A good spice Christmas Beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 14:27:29 | More by kiltedtxn

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz single copped from New Beer...
this was a rather light-flavored bock beer, which typically is a contradiction in terms... Smooth, roasted malts... Easily drinkable with hints of caramel and milk chocolate...
Good stuff...
Not too often I sample beers from this Pittsburgh brewing company...
Worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2009 17:40:57 | More by dsa7783

JISurfer

South Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

My first beer from Penn Brewing. I actually bought this last christmas time, so it's been in my dark, cool closet. I'm not sure if it changed the taste any, but it was quite tasty. Had nice subtle hints of chocolate malt and slight hops. I was a little disappointed with the appearance. Not much to the head, died out pretty quickly. Can't really tell there's 7.5% in it, which could make it dangerous.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 01:52:14 | More by JISurfer

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a nice dark brown color with a off white color head that gives way to decent lacing. The smell is of caramel malt, chocolate malt, and some dark fruits. The taste is of caramel and chocolate malt with a hint of some spice, it is a good taste, but it isn't as full and bodied as some other bocks. The mouthfeel was smooth and creamy. Overall it is a very drinkable beer, the alcohol content is well hidden and the smell and appearance are very inviting.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2009 01:47:59 | More by goblue3509

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep, earthy russet glazed in a petrified wood stain that kindles when held into the light. The beer appears thick and turbid but is, in reality, quite dazzling and considerably clear overlooking the density of its dark reddish-brown colour. Its head is evenly dispersed and its buff leather tone makes an extremely fashionable contrast to the beer that props it up.

The aroma is driven purely by malt. There are no suggestively fruity undertones and no hop presence either - just the clean perfume of Munich malt and all the delectably sweet notes of chocolate and toffee that come with it. There is also a toasty, whole-bread graininess and a light hint of butter pecan that make this even more well-worth smelling.

The flavour, of which for a lager it is especially blessed with, also shows off all things malty. Once again we find that rich and complex flavour of the Munich malt specifically, although the brewery does use a variety of other roasted and chocolate malts as well. It all adds up to one seriously and proficiently malty beer, one certainly as tasty as anything I've tried from the bock's true homeland.

With absolutely no hop presence and relatively low carbonation every ounce of the malt's melanoidin flavour can be appreciated. I'm a little surprised, however, that there isn't just a little more caramel or sweetness considering the profundity of the malt bill. Indeed, this doesn't come across as that strong a beer and drinks more like a Dunkel than Dunkel Bock.

For Santa Claus to deliver presents to all the children of the world on Christmas Eve it is estimated that his sleigh must travel at a speed of 2,924,180 mph. That's pretty fast. But I'm not that impressed; I could probably finish off a glass of the St.Nikolaus Bock Bier at an equivalent speed. Speaking of which, this bottle did disappear awfully fast and a full case of this stuff would be a nice find under the tree... hint, hint.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 16:54:46 | More by biegaman