Shiner Bock - Spoetzl Brewery

Mitchel

Texas

2.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Shiner is somewhat of an enigma in Texas. Some people adore this brew while others loathe it. Shiner is somewhat an institution in this fine state and being a Texas boy, I like to promote local beer. This one is just okay to me though.

Upon pouring it has a nice sized head which quickly disappears and leaves little to no lace you must notice the great copper, amber color. It looks like a great beer as far as color goes. The smell (malty breads) is nothing magnificent but it isn’t bad at all.

I suggest that you let the beer stand for a few minutes to let it breath. Letting it warm a small amount will allow for you to taste more of the levels. I feel that the brewers could make a more complex flavor.

I would suggest that you try this and make a judgment for yourself. I think it is nothing special but I do have one every now and then. Nothing appalling, just nothing fantastic; if you like this, try Shiner Light.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2005 20:02:23 | More by Mitchel

russpowell

Oklahoma

2.3/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I loved the color of this beer, brown to molasses, but wanted more body more taste more nose. Having said that, still better than most of your choices in the lone star state. The brewrey should try to gradually bump up the body & nose, subvert from within!

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2005 04:50:34 | More by russpowell

Atlas1

Texas

3.03/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Growing up in Texas, I know Texans are proud of their beer. And Shiner is no exception. I've always been a fan, and even though many knowledgable beer drinkers will argue that there is nothing terribly exciting about Shiner (and they would be right), it's still a huge success for a number of reasons. It's a highly drinkable, worthy alternative to the American macro brews that rule the market. It has a nice color, and is an excellent thirst-quencher to accompany a saturday cookout. But as far as bocks go, Shiner is one of the least complex versions out there. It's not fancy, but it's not trying to be. It's just trying to be a dependable beer. Here in the mid-Atlantic (where you can now find Shiner at various locales), it's akin to Yuengling. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2005 19:43:08 | More by Atlas1

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.1/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A weaker attempt of a traditional beer. Still plesant tasting though. It looks brown and moderately carbonated. Slightly tan head pours a 1/2" head that wants to stay. No lacing detected. Smells mildly malty, nutty, bready, and yeasty. Tastes smoothly malty, caramelly, roasted, toasty, and a bit chocolatey. Flavors similar to a porter, but not nearly as bold. Body is medium and a bit carbonated. Like many American Bock beers, it is grainy and sweetly sticky to the toung without the supporting malt character or the warming finish. Likewise the finish is sticky and a bit grainy. Yeast character remains. Aftertaste is slightly nutty and clean. A safe, easily drinkable beer, but not one to brag about either.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2005 14:34:54 | More by BEERchitect

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

2.55/5  rDev -18%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Pints on sale for $1.75 at the Echo Tap here in Madison. I can tell why it they were trying to get rid of it. If there was one word to describe this beer, it would have to be "...oh...". Probably the most neutral, average, uninspiring, neither bad nor good beer I've ever had. Oh...I'm, uhhh....drinking a beer?

Pours a transparent dark brown with no real head to speak of. Smells like....umm, beer? Kind of metallic. Tastes like....watery beer? A hint of caramel malt to let you know it's supposed to be dark, but other than that entirely bland. Mouthfeel is probably about the thinnest I've ever experienced in a beer, even the carbonation was limp. Slightly higher drinkability rating only because it goes down like water. So...apparently I drank a beer last night....I guess.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2005 17:19:02 | More by Golden2wenty1

wailingwench

New Mexico

2.5/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I write this review with great sadness. Oh, those innocent days way back in 1996, before I knew about the rest of the Micros. Shiner was the end all, be all. The taste was so heavy and flavorful, better than Becks or Heine Dark. Held it's own against Newcastle.

Recently tried one, wish that I hadn't. Those fond memories of drinking micro Shiner and living large suddenly lost their appeal. I honestly wanted to drink it, even passed up some Great Lakes on tap.

I seriously could't finish it. I wanted to, but it was revolting. I felt forced to finish half of it.

Band aidish, bitter tea, tobacco, bitter nut like finish.

Now I am very sad. I long for the days when 2 12ers of Shiner was the highlight in my life. Decent score based on mostly memories, as I try to erase this sad moment from my brain. I

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2005 22:04:34 | More by wailingwench

AlexJ

North Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Draft pour yields a clear light brown brew topped by a very short lived head of off white. There are a few spotty patches of lace, but quickly they are gone.

Aromas are nutty malts, bread, and very faint floral hops. It definately smells like a regular lager beer. Overall, the aroma is very meager and subdued.

The flavor offers a little bit more than the nose, but not much. It has a pleasant nutty, malty flavor and a mildly hopped finish. It is nothing at all like some of the better bock beers out there, but certainly an easy to drink one if you are looking for banality.

The body is light and thirst quenching with ample fizz. A good beer for ballgames, brats, and budgets..

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2005 19:34:48 | More by AlexJ

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On draught at Pappadeaux in the Houston airport. Glad to finally find this classic Texan beer. Copper-colored with a thin off-white head. Toasted grain and malt in the nose. Medium-bodied with a flavor somewhere between a Bock and an Adjunct Lager. Malt, stale hops and caramel are what the beer offers. The finish is smooth and does not contain much flavor other than some sweet malt. I can’t really call this beer a disappointment because it met my expectations. It does not do the Bock style justice though.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2004 20:50:53 | More by Dogbrick

paganbeast

Texas

2.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A nice amber colored brew, with a slightly sweet smell, highly carbonated body, and minimal frothy head. On tap, this is a much better beer than in its bottled form, a much fresher tasting brew, with hightened characteristics. I had the brew directly at the Spoetzel brewery a few years ago and enjoyed it imensly, I've yet to have that experience again with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2004 22:21:18 | More by paganbeast

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

2.63/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I had this on tap during a recent visit to Georgetown at a bar called Old Glory (I think that is what it was named).

Seemed a bit earthy to me. Peanut butter and like come to mind.

Not really much there. The smell was pretty blah! Some malt notes and that is about it. The taste was like a 100 yard dash. Quick, then done. The taste was some what malty but lacking so much. No trace of hops what so ever.

I had to ask the bartender if he really poured me a Bock.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2003 03:19:04 | More by CharlesRiver

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

2.9/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: clear bronze, with an admirable, bone-white, 1/2" froth.
Aroma: mild, even nearly negligible, with tiny hints of nuts and caramel.
Taste: rather flat and blase, flinty, even, at first, a nothing of a mouthfeel with very minor character. Mighty quick finish. Leaves the palate rather dryly. Flavor possesses traces of those nutty, sweet, malty characteristics, but they're just a faint whisper in the wind. Malt is dominant, as much as such a mild-mannered component can be, and hops don't seem to be around at all.
Not a beer I'd ever feel like drinking again, but I'd slug it in a pinch. Considering it's popularity in it's home state, I'm rather relieved that certain Texans are choosing this instead of Lone Star.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2003 10:11:49 | More by feloniousmonk

ManekiNeko

Virginia

1.48/5  rDev -52.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Served on tap at Dr. Dremo's in a pint glass.

Appearance: Clear light copper color with a smallish offwhite head that dissipates to a small ring of foam rather quickly. No lacing whatsoever.

Smell: Anemic aroma of roasted malts, corn, and precious little else.

Taste: Tastes like stale tortilla chops with some light caramel overtones. Light wintergreen aftertaste. Blech!

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, slightly crisp. Ho-hum.

Drinkability: I think I'd rather not repeat this experience ever again. Not the worst beer I've ever had, but certainly among them.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2003 01:59:33 | More by ManekiNeko

TastyTaste

Minnesota

2.9/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Was a regular brown lager in appearance. This beer was as average as it comes. Smooth flavor, but lacking anything special or different. It was better than a macrobrew, but i still wasn't impressed. It's good if you are stuck with that, or AB or Miller products.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2003 22:44:04 | More by TastyTaste

kbub6f

New York

2.98/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Medium-sized, coarse, noisy, fast, bubbly, tan-colored head. Clear brown liquid, a little rusty. No lacing. Sweetish smelling: watery malty with a little caramel. A corny front shows a little caramel. The middle has some decent malt, but is still somewhat watery tasting. A little nuttiness appears in the dry finish. Dusty.

This is a pretty bland beer. There are some good tastes lurking, but they're too shy to show themselves confidently. It's kind of like an amber NA with a little more bite and flavor.

Serving type: can

11-03-2003 20:10:36 | More by kbub6f

Hex92

Virginia

4/5  rDev +28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shiner Bock was for many years my favorite. Its hard to find now that I live in Virginia so I don't drink it much now. After consuming several hundred gallons of this beer I can tell you this: Don't bother drinking it unless you can get it on draft. Its no good out of the bottle. The carbonation, mouthfeel, flavor, etc. is all wrong. The only way to drink it is on tap. Period. Its a very smooth very drinkable beer on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2003 02:02:36 | More by Hex92

jcalabre

California

2.17/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I originally sampled this beer on 3 August 2002. I am writing this review from my notes.
Appearance: This has a dark amber color with a medium white head.
Aroma: This beer has no aroma
Flavor: Shiner Bock has very little taste. It's not a bock. It's a notch above the megaswills, but that's about it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2003 01:40:26 | More by jcalabre

stoutman

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Head sticks around a little longer than the bottled version. Body is clear medium orange-brown. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted light bread, caramel), with a light fruity smell. Flavor is a lightly sweet, acidic, bitter combo. Finish is nice. Light to medium body, watery texture, with lively carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2003 23:51:26 | More by stoutman

cokes

Wisconsin

1.98/5  rDev -36.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Clear dull and dark amber. Foamy pale yellow head vanishes quickly.
Husky nose with little evident maltiness, sweet or otherwise. Suggestions of stewed veggies is not a plus either.
Taste is more of the husk, less of the malt, and pretty much part and parcel of what one would expect from a macro lager. I could tolerate it if it was marketed as such, but slapping "bock" on a thin, malt-less brew is unacceptable.
Back to the actual taste: More veggies appear towards the back of the mouth, although they're pretty faint. Some heavily diluted caramel (maybe?). No hops.
Thin and absolutely lifeless in the mouth.
Not a fan, at all.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2003 20:24:17 | More by cokes

Redrover

Illinois

2.65/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I had this one on tap while in Beaumont, TX. The color is a dark brown. The head had large bubbles that quickly vanished. Virtually no lace. The smell was of faint roasted malt, esters & alcohol.

The taste was mildly disappointing. Some malt, but beer appeared to be out of balance for a bock. Had some cloying sweetness, but not the sweetness that I expect from this style. Could have used a little more carbonation. The mouthfeel was also thin.

Beer was passable with the fresh oysters I was eating, but not good enough to order a second.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2003 12:00:22 | More by Redrover

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

1.6/5  rDev -48.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I'll start by saying that I think the keg of this stuff was about 994 years old. It was a cloudy brown color, and the smell that spewed forth from this stuff was atrocious. Like a malty skunk. The taste was even worse. At first it seemed like it might have a rather pleasant maltiness to it. Then the overpowering bitterness took over, and I cringed, as did everyone else drinking it. People were actually flocking to the Coors Light. Wow. That's saying something right there. Again, it was probably skunked and I would like to try it fresh. Thank God it was free.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2003 15:29:49 | More by IrishRedRock

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this on-tap at a Mexican bar & grill in Atlanta.

Arrived at my table with zero head and a dark brown color. Aroma was virtually non-existent. Nothing to get excited about yet.

Tasted only slightly better than macro-swill. Carbonated, watery flavor with the hops and malty flavors trying to make their presence known. Finished very clean with little or no aftertaste.

Pass.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2003 13:56:25 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

Todd

Massachusetts

2.05/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Presentation: 12oz can

Appearance: Copper/amber with a thin head that shows little sign of carbonation.

Smell: Clean smelling with no apparent aromas -- probably due to its being canned.

Taste: Crisp and refreshing like a seltzer water. Grain and husk-like flavours turn this brew dry, while a semi-astringent hop presence joins the steeliness of the can to provide a cheap beer flavour. The brew finishes with a metallic twang and an echo of real hop flavour.

Notes: Not impressed at all. Purchased and consumed on Northwest Airlines (Detroit to Boston).

Serving type: can

10-03-1999 00:00:01 | More by Todd