Mai Bock - Sprecher Brewing Company

GhostMtnAbbey

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bought a Sprecher variety pack while in a German beer mood in my personal brewing.

Pours a decent color light amber with moderate head retention. Light lacing on the glass.

Aroma is decent with some mild fruity esters of apricot and apple.

My main issue is that this is over-sweet. The caramel malt overtone is near unpleasant and overwhelms whatever else this beer has to offer. There's a strong hit of hops there. Though perhaps a bit too bitter the hop flavor might also be interesting if it wasn't submerged in the syrupy malt flavor.

The composition does not hold together in the mouth and it tends to fall apart leaving mostly the sweetness and little of the other flavors.

I'd serve it to friends as another beer to have on hand, but would not buy again for myself.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 02:00:28 | More by GhostMtnAbbey

silver0rlead

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a darker golden color with a frothy white head that retains well. The aroma has some fresh baked bread notes upfront, along with hay, green apple, toffee, herbal hops and alcohol. The flavor is similar with fresh bread and hay upfront, along with green apple, toffee, turbinado sugar, herbal hops and some alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium and drinkability is OK. A decent maibock from Sprecher, this one is a bit out of season and I'm sure it's better when fresh.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 01:52:56 | More by silver0rlead

drizzam

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to cdkrenz for this offering from a great local brewery!

A - A clear but dark gold in color, like a urine sample from somebody that forgot to study for the company piss test. The golden body is topped by a foamy white head. Average spotty lacing.

S - Grassy, somewhat sweet muted aroma. This seems like the prototypical lager aroma.

T & M - Again, the taste mimics what I would expect from your typical lager. The grassiness I smelled in the aroma is there, with maybe just a scant touch of honey toward the back end. The brew is light bodied and finishes fairly crisp.

D - This could be a sessionable brew on a hot Summer day, not my favorite beer style but certainly drinkable and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 22:03:33 | More by drizzam

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Crisp golden body with an off-white, substantial head. Quite the looker.

S - As for aroma, its limited. It has a slightly sweet, light malt scent that is consistent with the style.

T - There's a slightly bitter flavor here in this bock. It has a crisp flavor as opposed to a bitterness. The hops and malt accent one another nicely.

M - Watery and while it does exist there is very little abrassive texture to note.

~ This is a nice lager. A beer with some good flavor, at a decnt price, that goes down well enough in the summer to one of those fall back brews. I would definitely have this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 01:32:20 | More by cdkrenz

Durge

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear bright amber color with a splotchy white head and decent lacing. The smell of this brew is apple cider cinnamon and caramel and a bit floral perfume. A little skunky. The flavor brings light malty apple rice and brown bread. It's spritzy and medium-light bodied. Pretty drinkable with some brown sugar sweetness mixed in with the sour malt, almost a vague brandy sort of hint going on. It's also got some dry grass hop notable at the finish. It's okay, worth a try for the style but not anything I'll remember.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 04:19:41 | More by Durge

diddly

New York

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this from a beer of the month club...

Pours dark amber, with a good head. Strong aroma, floral with a lot of sweetness. Flavor is tilted towards the spices, with a good mouthfeel. I'm not too big on this type of beer, but this is definitely a good beer. I probably wouldn't buy a six pack, but I would definitely get a pint if I saw it in a bar.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 04:13:44 | More by diddly

WJVII

Wisconsin

3.13/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thank CDKrenz for this treat.
Poured into a pint glass this brew has a dark golden color with a 1 1/2 finger off white head that lasted a little while leaving some decent lacing. The aroma of this brew is a little sweet and a little spicy. Some floral hops along with some caramel malts behind a little spicy hop notes. The taste is quite malty with a little hops fighting through. This is a little heavier than I anticipated. Not as balanced as I would have hoped leaning towards the malty side of things. An alright brew but better bocks out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2010 17:34:13 | More by WJVII

billyzoom666

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -31%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured into a pint glass.

Pours dark golden, heavy carbonation, real nice lacing on this. No real head to speak of. This has a really malty scent, almost sickly sweet smell to it. Not really my thing. I always thought I really liked Mai Bocks, but I think it's the season I like more than the beer. Way too sweet for me and no hop taste to speak of. It's not Sprecher's fault, just more my evolving tastes in what I enjoy. Definitely tastes better as it warms. Mouthfeel isn't anything special, it's a little heavy. 6% ABV, but feels like it has a little more kick to it. Definitely high drinkability, but not for me. Split a sixer with a friend and move to something else. Although, I will say, I have friends that will suck this stuff down all day long.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 21:20:32 | More by billyzoom666

Contagion

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

There is a hazy copper color to the body. Light passes through, but you can't see clearly through it. It has a slight ruby tint. A quarter inch white head formed when poured into the glass. It faded quickly to a film at the top of the beer.

The scent is a pleasant combination of caramel malts and floral hops. A hint of citrus can be detected as well. As it warms, the scent of alcohol starts to be noticed. The flavor starts with a good biscuity malt flavor, with a good hop background. As the beer warms to room temperature the flavors become more balanced. The aftertaste is minimal and barely noticeable.

This is a medium bodied beer. It's lightly carbonated and a slight coating to the mouth.

Overall this is a pretty good beer. A little hoppier than one expects from a bock, but not unenjoyably so. With a 6% ABV, I'm surprised that the scent and taste of alcohol isn't as noticeable as it is. I wouldn't pass one up if offered to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 01:34:00 | More by Contagion

darklordlager

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a brilliant dark golden with light ruby hues. Nice creamy looking head, that sticks around for a while.

S: Bread and biscuit, some earthy hop aroma and fruitiness from the yeast.

T: First notable flavour is the fruitiness imparted by the yeast. Unfermented malt extract, (concentrated malt sweetness). A little biscuity/bready, but it takes a back seat to the malt sweetness and underlying earthy hop flavour.

M: Medium to high carbonation.

D: Not that desirable. Alright, but not that great of flavour or drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 04:36:21 | More by darklordlager

blackearth

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from the Sprecher Brewery giftshop in Glendale, WI. Pours a bright golden body with a thick white head that leaves a nice cap. Aroma of fruity hops and sweet toasted malts. Medium bodied with medium carbonation and not overly sweet. This beer had a nice lingering hop finish and a subtle dryness. Great drinkability, I'd get this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 15:20:03 | More by blackearth

sweemzander

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

16oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Bottled sometime in February of 2009.

(A)- Pours a clear orange/red color. 2-finger head diminished to a layer of off-white, almost tan color foam. Lots of sticky lacing.

(S)- Honeyed maltiness with an almost white grape feel to it. Rather floral and sweet smelling. Very mead-like !

(T)- Sweet grape-like flavor combined with some honey and lemon mixed into it too. Has a light hoppy bite on the finish.

(M)- It has a unique sweetness to it. Interesting hoppiness thrown into the mix. Good carbonation level. Crisp.

(D)- Despite all its good and unique flavors, this beer really fills you up with its sweet malts. I also think this is getting past its prime, since I remember this being amazing right when it came out in spring.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 00:42:00 | More by sweemzander

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle into stein. Poured fresh out of the fridge, and rated at around 40-45 degrees.

Pours a cloudy copper with a really nice 2 finger off-white head. Nice lacing and retention.

Nose carries notes of caramel apples, just a bit of fresh cut grass underneath, but secondary.

Taste is a bit bready, sweet caramel and apples, with a grassy overlaying hop note that works to balance nicely.

Mouthfeel is really nice - full bodied, robust and satisfying, with a a moderate underlying carbonation that's just sharp enough.

Nice drinkability - balanced and flavorful, though this beer feels bigger than it is. It has that "meal" feel to it.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2009 23:14:16 | More by JohnQVegas

branko7

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Not very carbonated. The label indicated that it was dry hopped. The initial taste struck me as a bit sweet---a bit surprising, but enjoyable. Later, the floral hops became more pronounced. A well-balanced, refreshing, and very drinkable beer. Appropriate for a beautiful but cool May day.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2009 18:25:45 | More by branko7

storksonm

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint Glass

This Bock is a nice sweet treat. When I poured it, it formed an alright head but didn't stick around very long. Very clear copper color. Grassy and flowery tastes very obviously from the dry hopping as they note on the bottle. its a smooth crisp bock very light and kind of a nice spring treat. Though I usually like stonger more robust bocks personally this is very drinkable and being a sprecher I'm really not that suprised that it tasted that good.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 01:47:28 | More by storksonm

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

16 oz bottle poured into a Pilsner glass. Bottle date on the neck.

A - A huge 2.5 finger creamy, fluffy head billows above a beautiful amber color. It descended slowly leaving some decent lacing down the glass.

S - The maibock has a nice malty and sweet aroma with a subtle banana hint that paired with a little yeast and bread with slight hop hints.

T - A nice malty sweetness is the main characteristic of this beer but is well balanced. Not overwhelming but certainly present crisp and refreshing finish makes it a good beer!

M - Smooth as a baby's butt. Sweet but well balanced and finishes nice and refreshing.

D - Its quite a drinkable lager. The sweetness might be perceived as a bit much but the malty finish is well balanced enough to make it a good session beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 15:50:36 | More by BeerFMAndy

iasanlee

Nebraska

2.53/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a deep golden clear color with a white quickly dissipating head. Aroma is of biscuity malts and a bit stale. Flavor is way off. Wet paper, metallic, and a long lasting bitterness. No solid malt complexity. Med-light in body with moderate carbonation. This is no bueno, and comes from a brewery that can produce a high quality lager. I really appreciate this style of beer, and love the vibrant rich balance of the malt and hops, but this leaves me plain disapointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 00:56:26 | More by iasanlee

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Belmont Party.

Poured clear copper color with an average frothy white head that mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate fruity malty aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Medium balanced bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration.

My expectations where met.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 01:28:53 | More by tmoneyba

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this one from Sebletije, Mad props to Seb!

Pours a chill hazed amber with a finger of cream colored head. Average lacing & head retention

S: Pears & breadyness, fades a bit as this warms

T: Breadyness, pears, & leafy hops up front. More of the same with a bit of figgyness & dryness thrown in as this warms. Finishes with a touch of honey malt, more leafy hops, plus some apricot

MF: Medium boded, medium carbonation & very good balance

Drinks easy enough, not super exciting as maibocks go, probably better fresh??

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 02:42:11 | More by russpowell

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy orange with an initially blossoming head that reduces to a haze relatively quickly for how large it once was. A good amount of foamy lace is left on the glass.

S - Thick malts hit the nose immediately. Caramel and pumpkin pie. Peanut brittle and toffee too.

T - Pumpkin pie filling and toffee dominate the palate. This is a malt bomb for sure, but some nice hops add a little peppery spice.

M - This is a meaty helles bock. It's almost full bodied with lush carbonation and a tasty heavy malt finish.

D - Well done Sprecher. This is a damn fine beer that can hang with the Krauts.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2008 17:21:55 | More by pmcadamis

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

(Served in an Imperial strange)

A- This beer pours a pecan colored body with a strong carbonation supporting a lumpy buttermilk colored head that last for much of the beer.

S- The soft smell of raw grain has a note of sawdust to it with some soft sulfur notes and a faint butter hint at the finish.

T- The soft caramel malt flavor is dry with a hint of sweet nougat and a soft green spice hop hint at the finish. As the beer warmed there was a note of sweet corn in the finish.

M- This beer had a medium-full mouthfeel due to the thick head and a tight fizz in the finish that cleaned up the soft taste and no alcohol heat.

D- This beer has soft but bland flavors with no real fresh or clean malt qualities and no much hop note at all. This beer was not offensive or bad tasting just very muted.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2008 19:09:58 | More by rhoadsrage

animal69

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a clear slightly reddish-brown w/ a thin, creamy white head which settles into a ring of lace that completely coats my pilsn glass ; not a strong smell at all, steely grain and hints of spicy/floral hops and caramel ; taste is similar, only a bit stronger w/ more hop presence a deeper toasted malt flavor, some mineral in the finish ; a dry, med. body, was expecting it to be a bit thicker tho,the good amount of co2 helps a bit ; very drinkable, esp. for a 6.0% ABV brew...

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2008 20:01:23 | More by animal69

BeerTruth

Connecticut

3.2/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

16 oz. bottle poured into a pilsner glass.

Pours a crystal clear copper hue with a fluffy two finger white head that dies down to a layer of bubles that lasts throughout. No webbing on the sides, the bubbles seem to have no "stick" in them. Lots of bubbles racing to collect at the top. Smell is very malty and spicey. Caramel sweetness and toasted nuts in the nose. Some light lemongrass and floral hops in the aroma as well. Taste is a bit bland. Subtle caramel malt and watered down honey. Some spice and dirty grass midway with an empty water-like pepper aftertaste. Mouthfeel is decent, light and creamy with a flowing carbonation. I love my maibocks, but I don't love this beer. This one lacks in flavor which my favorite maibocks posess. I'm glad I tried this beer, but I won't seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2008 23:46:03 | More by BeerTruth

WesWes

New York

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a beautiful dark golden color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a dry, malty scent that boasts of pale and Munich malts. It has a mild gainy, breadlike aroma. The taste is decent as well. It has a smooth, malty flavor that really centers on the Munich malt. It's malty sweet, yet super dry and metallic in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate/good carbonation. This is a good drinking beer, but not the best maibock around. All in all, a seasonal worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2008 23:09:57 | More by WesWes

nocheinsbitte

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this one from a 16 oz bottle.
A: Pours nicely, well-formed head that sticks around for awhile. Good lacing. The color is dark gold, almost a light amber, tint. Good looking bier.
S: Nothing spectacle here.
T: This is an easy drinking Mai-bock, which sometimes can be a bit overbearing with the alcohol content and the "steel" feel to it. Very creamy, with caramel after tastes.
M: Easy going down, no bitterness, no steel after taste, basically, nothing bad about this bier.
D: A good drink for anyone who likes Mai-Bocks. This is a better version than Hofbrau, which is the most found Mai-Bock around here.
Overall, I recommend this Mai-Bock to anyone, a good drink and you will not be disappointed.

Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2008 01:53:31 | More by nocheinsbitte