Atwater Winter Bock - Atwater Block Brewery

schoolboy

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer may deserve better marks than what I gave it - being truer to style than I would prefer. I knew when I bought it that I probably wouldn't care much for it. I actually prefer much crappier, lighter weight poor examples of the style to something like this.

On it's own merits, the taste grows on you but the smell goes bad. It's a very roasty, yeasty (somewhat), skunky brew and just not my thing.

I usually avoid this style, especially the serious attempts like this one, but this one I will avoid more. I don't remember anything positive about Atwater, but I will try some of their others to see if I should be prejudiced against the brewery (I'll give them a chance).

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 00:53:13 | More by schoolboy

GinsuDave

Michigan

3/5  rDev -5.7%

05-17-2013 01:07:49 | More by GinsuDave

mcewesr

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-16-2013 18:22:11 | More by mcewesr

HardyA

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-16-2013 01:45:21 | More by HardyA

Omnium

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Bottle > Pint Glass
A - Pours a moderate amber, nice 2 finger head, little lacing though.
S - Sweet malts, dried fruits, caramelized apples, dried flowers, and some spice.
T - Has an OK hop bitterness thats on the drier darker side, more of the malts coming in at the end, with a lot of sweet dried fruit flavor clinging on.
M - Nothing good really hangs on your palate here except some yeast.
O - While its not the worst, its a far cry from a good winter beer, and a bock. But it does present some interesting qualities that make it ok for trying at least once.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 23:19:34 | More by Omnium

gulli

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +17.9%

04-07-2013 23:01:44 | More by gulli

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4/5  rDev +25.8%

03-06-2013 22:23:12 | More by SaisonRichBiere

Bronson125

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +41.5%

03-04-2013 04:00:11 | More by Bronson125

superspak

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 11/2012. Pours lightly hazy reddish copper color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of caramel, raisin, apple, molasses, toast, dark bread, light nuttiness, herbal, earth, and light spicy alcohol. Pretty nice and pleasant aromas with solid balance, strength, and complexity. Taste of caramel, raisin, apple, molasses, toast, toffee, dark bread, light nuttiness, floral, light pepper, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, light fruits, molasses, toast, toffee, dark bread, light nuttiness, pepper, and floral earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Pretty nice flavor balance and robustness, with solid complexity; with slight cloying spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly creamy and crisp mouthfeel that is ok. Alcohol is well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a pretty good doppelbock. Solid flavor balance and complexity; and quite smooth to sip on. A pleasantly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 06:15:34 | More by superspak

AndyMSU

4.49/5  rDev +41.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Atwater is sometimes overlooked as a brewery, but their Winter Bock is an excellent beer. It pours dark with a very small head. There are hints of chocolate and a little bit of nuttiness in the taste & the smell. It's a malty brew without much in the way of hops. Its alcohol content is a little higher than one might expect at 7.5 ABV, but it doesn't have that hot, alcohol feel that might be expected. Overall, it's a really solid beer that I plan to have on hand as long as there's snow on the ground.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:16:59 | More by AndyMSU

civilizedpsycho

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured bottle into pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a copper color that is semi-transparent. Has a small, bubbly head that dissipates fast.

Smell: Has a nice, sweet caramel smell. Hints of roasty malts. Interesting and I was not expecting it.

Taste: Again, sweet malt with a hint of a roast coffee flavor. Not much hop presence. It's a little sweet for my taste and could be a little smoother.

Mouthfeel: Decent body that's not too watery and doesn't have too much carbonation.

Overall: High ABV always brings this rating down a little bit for me as it causes me to pay extra close attention to my consumption. I could certainly get this again and enjoy it, but it's nothing that really blew me away.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 21:41:19 | More by civilizedpsycho

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a deep caramel color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is malty, a bit bready. Taste is good. Malts, bready, a touch of nuts, just a bit of alcohol is present. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is an excellent example of this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 09:55:01 | More by tone77

Rohkey

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +10.1%

01-30-2013 16:52:35 | More by Rohkey

kattmunkel

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +17.9%

01-21-2013 23:38:51 | More by kattmunkel

33nickadams

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +33.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The label is different from what's on this site. It has a blue label now. Transparent, amber colored with a small amount of head. Nice bubbles coming up. Smells malty, bready and caramel-like. Tastes sweet, not a lot of hop quality to it. Bready and malty on the taste. Finishes crisp without much after taste. Mouthfeel is moderate, easy drinking and well carbonated. I wish more American craft brewers would brew bocks. This style is seriously under represented in the US. I feel that this is a great example of one too. Only comes out in the winter and since its so easy drinking and flavorful, I'll seek it out every year.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:54:18 | More by 33nickadams

Phinner

Michigan

2.5/5  rDev -21.4%

01-08-2013 22:23:20 | More by Phinner

Trent

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev +2.2%

12-26-2012 23:44:37 | More by Trent

wembly13

West Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -13.5%

12-26-2012 13:20:59 | More by wembly13

andruke

Michigan

4/5  rDev +25.8%

12-24-2012 21:01:56 | More by andruke

Dyerseve

Michigan

4/5  rDev +25.8%

12-24-2012 00:44:47 | More by Dyerseve

Rickstar

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -21.4%

12-16-2012 06:35:28 | More by Rickstar

sansho

Tennessee

2.25/5  rDev -29.2%

12-06-2012 21:47:27 | More by sansho

jtgrean

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev +10.1%

12-04-2012 22:55:40 | More by jtgrean

dswion

Michigan

4/5  rDev +25.8%

11-30-2012 00:47:47 | More by dswion

sendbeer

Georgia

1/5  rDev -68.6%

10-22-2012 20:57:38 | More by sendbeer