La Trappe Bockbier - Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tapped at Abbot On the Hill. A great haul for them. Pours an active dark brown with white crown. Bold malt, and yeast aroma, including chocolate malt. Carbonation, natural, does not quit. In your face taste,a bit rochfort/cocacola caramel like, some nutmeg. Overall not too complex, good drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2008 21:50:46 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark cherry (the fruit, not the wood) with bright orange and amber trim. What a beautiful rainbow of colors. Speaking of beautiful, the massive, rocky, golden beige crown can only be described as Belgianesque. Those monks sure know how to brew. This is a wonderful looking bock.

Once the foam finally melts... the nose is more complex than expected for the style. On the other hand, considering the brewery (and what is amazingly estery yeast), maybe it shouldn't be so surprising. Well-toasted malt combines with a woodlands spiciness that is reminiscent of a 'dark' saison. Interesting.

Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of most bocks. Having said that, Koningshoeven Bock is one of the best that I've ever had. Only Penn's St. Nicholaus Bock Bier can give this bewitchingly malty brew a seriously run for its money. It may not be quite as complex as the American beer (heresy!), but it's just so damn good and is disappearing in a big hurry.

The cork reads '2007', which is surprising. Malt-dominant beer holds up much better than hop-dominant beer, but 7.0% isn't that big. There are no signs of age here at all. In fact, given the magic of Trappist ales, it might have improved in the 1-2 years since bottling.

A massive malt load is the beer's finest feature. I've had 10.0% ales that weren't this packed with barley. Flavors include toasted brown bread, figs, roasted peanuts, a little cocoa powder, tea leaves and a spiciness that is hard to pin down. This is one complex lager.

The mouthfeel couldn't be anything other than fabulous with all those malt sugars floating around. Talk about silky smooth. The bubbles could be a little more tame right out of the gate, but should be nigh on perfect in the bottom half of the '750'.

I always love being blown away by beer of a style that isn't among my favorites. The label reads 'Taste the Silence'. That's a pretty good tagline. It doesn't apply, however, because Koningshoeven Bock makes beautiful music from the very first mouthful. Loud, yet refined. Just like I like 'em.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 21:53:38 | More by BuckeyeNation

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From the bottle at De Kelk in Brugge during last week's trip to Belgium. Reviewed from notes.

Served in a La Trappe chalice.

Pours a moderate brown color with a huge off-white head and loads of lacing on the way down. Persistent head and a cap throughout.

The nose brings some light chocolate and a bit of caramel plus some bread crust. Faint dark fruits and a bit of a hoppy character. Flavor has some mild sweetness and a good dosing of bitterness.

Light body with good carbonation and a semi-dry finish.

Very well made.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 20:00:20 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.96/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Congregation Ale House in Pasadena, CA.

Pours a clear dark orange with a foamy khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, dark fruits, and brown sugar. Taste is much the same with a fruity flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2013 03:09:51 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a clear burgundy color ale with large off-white foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of light residual sugar with some caramelized malt. Taste is a good mix between some caramelized malt with light toffee notes with some residual sugar. Boyd is about average but has a nice creamy texture with good carbonation. Easy drinking with nice level of complexity for style.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 20:38:03 | More by Phyl21ca

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Murky plummish purply-brown coloration, creamy beige/brown head, slipping into a thin ring.

Rich, ripe fruit hits the nose...raisins, plum, a bit of fig, dates?just a tad?...a touch of port...

Tasting: Snappy, then smooth. Mellow mouthfeel overall, but plump with malty flavor. Yeast and malt are king here, and we've got a very Belgian trappist-y Dutch-style bock. How many of those have you had lately?

More I drink of this, the more I like it...I'll repeat mellow again, and it's just that kind of deep satisfaction I get from the Trappist ales, an enveloping feeling, the seeps out from the consumption of the brew and into the very heart of the drinker.

Hmmm: IBU: 36. Malts: pale, caramel, munich, barley, wheat and rolled oats. Hops: Hallertau, Northern Brewer, and Spalt.

Lightly spicy, a little funky, but mostly a fruity affair, but uplifting, and exalting.

Am I tasting the silence? I might actually be!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2008 10:14:31 | More by feloniousmonk

Mora2000

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy brown color with a tan head. The aroma is brown sugar, yeast and caramel. The flavor is dark fruit (the main fruit I get is raisins) as well as brown sugar, caramel malt, alcohol and yeast. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not bad, but not too similar to a bock. It tastes much more Belgian than German.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 02:30:31 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: It poured fairly dark brown with a sizable beige head that quickly died down into a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There's a moderate aroma of dark roasted and caramel malts with a bit of malty sweetness.
T: The taste is very rich and malty and very much follows the aroma; there is some sweetness but this is tempered by the underlying hops, the taste of which is only really detectable in the finish. There are some hints of spices in the flavors.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied, smooth and a bit sticky on the palate; there is some dryness in the finish.
D: The beer is definitely filling but is relatively easy to drink because the alcohol is well masked.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 12:57:46 | More by metter98

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.48/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains brown sugar, dark fruit, caramelized malts, some lager yeast and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste likewise starts out very sweet with flavors of caramel, dark fruit and honey. The malt character is hearty and there’s a mild hops presence that brings a little bit of balance. The after-taste is also quite sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, finish is sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down easily, slightly filling, good kick, good but heavier representation of style, it’s a solid beer but not one of the first beers in the style that I would pick.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 04:20:13 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew poured out with a nice deep amber brown color with a light tan colored head on it. The smell of the beer has a good amount of malts on the nose and even a touch of spice and yeast. The taste of the beer gives off a nice subtle caramel sweetness upfront that fades into a dry toasted flavor. There seems like there could be some autumnal spices in this as well but they're very faint. The mouthfeel is smooth and has a good amount of body too. Overall I really enjoyed this brew, I still enjoy their Quad the most but this is probably the next best thing La Trappe puts out.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 15:27:28 | More by Knapp85

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a three-finger cream/beige head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Deep red/mahogany color. Medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Malty, fruity nose. Flavor is malty, rich fruit, some caramel. No bitter aftertaste. Decent bock. $11.00 for a 750ml bottle from a Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, ME. La Trappe is not on the label anymore.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 23:33:08 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

33cl brown bottle, freshness date on the label.

Clear rudy dark amber, great lacing.

Spicy, toasted malt, fresh baked dark bread, dark confections & dried grass in the nose.

Very malty palate, toasty bread, slightly dry, hint of bubble gum, grassy, herbal, toasted husk.

A spectacular bock, lively and a joy to drink. La Trappe is doing it right.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 20:01:37 | More by Jason

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sunday 20 Oct 2012 sees me sat outside in bright sunlight: Valkenburg, Holland. I walk passed a board advertising La Trappe Bockbier on tap, I put myself into reverse and have two lovely glasses of this and watch the world go by.

Deep brown/ruby red in body colour: the sunlight dancing on the ruby tints. Large cream coloured head when brought to my table: soon turns into a wispy covering and collar (what a pity).

Malts and yeast esters vie for your smell senses with the malts easily winning. Add a hand full of crushed dark, red berries and a spoon full of all spice and you've got the aroma.

The malts rule the taste as well, malty molasses giving the beer a rich, smooth feel and flavour. Most likely the best Bock I had while on the trip. Another bar was having a Bock Fest and had around 8 on tap, so I managed to try a few, as you do!

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2012 15:10:25 | More by BlackHaddock

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bock me! I found an 11.2 Fl. Oz. bottle in my cellar today. Like the bottle in "Alice in Wonderland", it said, "Drink me!" and so I shall.

It certainly retained its carbonation nicely! I had about a finger of light-tan head that quickly fizzed its way out of existence. Color was a cola-brown with ruby highlights and NE-quality clarity. Nose was rich with a caramel malty sweetness. Mouthfeel was medium with a definite caramel taste on the tongue, almost a burnt caramel aspect. Finish was very sweet with the caramel flavor simply lingering well after the swallow. Wow! Bock at 0500 - I must not be working this summer. I would recommend this as more of a dessert beer than a wake-up beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 09:19:51 | More by woodychandler

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Abbott on the hill.

A: Ruby-black brown with a tan head; a little retention & lace.

S: Big malty bread & dark fruit aroma with a hint of spicing.

T: Bready malt, dark fruit and a pleasant spicing. The pleasant malt profile seems to sit between the dubbel & quad.

M: Moderate to full body is smooth with a dry finish.

D: Quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2008 01:06:50 | More by Derek

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Caged and corked 750 from the Coop today for a very pricey $9 .. poured into my New Belgium snifter.... I heard the Coop got this in about a week ago and couldn't afford it until today... anyway, I am amazed to see this in Boise.

Solid chunky 2-finger tan head dies back leaving chunky lacing... Dark brown brew is very pretty when held to the light.. deeeep ruby and crystal clear on the first pour.

Aroma is dark malts with whiffs of chocolate and some caramel and raisin.. while cooler, it exhibits restrained ale characteristics.. some yeasty fruitiness... I don't know if the monks actually use a lager yeast, but it also has lite "Belgian" nose characteristics.. slightly spicy.

Taste is mainly the same but much more. Much more toasted malts and lesser dark malts and chocolate, but certainly a lite caramel and dried fruits.. Definitely has a "Belgian" spicy flavor but is more restrained than the other Koningshoeven ales I've had in the past... Spicy yeast/earthy hop flavors meld well with caramel in the finish... as it warms more bready flavors are identifiable.

Solid body for the style, but a strike against it is the abundant carbonation rips though the palate getting rid of the expected mild creaminess of it's German counterparts.

Does not strike me as a lager much ... but still is a very good take on a Bock, and if anything the "Belgian" characteristics add quite a bit of complexity... Reminiscent of a BSDA.. but certainly has bock characteristics.

More "bock" flavors and aromas show up as it warms.. but the Belgian notes are still there... I really like this beer no matter "what" style it is.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2008 09:07:51 | More by JohnGalt1

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep copper/ brown-ish color with a light tan head. In the aroma, roasty, rich, and fruity. In the taste, rich, nutty, and fruit hints. A smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry fruit like aftertaste. Nice flavor and aroma, hides the alcohol quite well.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 15:11:29 | More by OWSLEY069

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.58/5  rDev -36%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured with a nice head and some lace. Very ahcoholic aroma. decent dark wood color. Not as sweet as I would expect in a bock. Give 'em credit for distinction though. Full mouth filling body. Slightly unpleasant bitter finish. Not one of my favorites. Some odd stuff going on here. Can't recommend it. The score I give is me trying to be objective; subjectively would a been much worse.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 03:40:17 | More by drpimento

flagmantho

Washington

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 330mL bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: deep brown hue with tons of haze. Thick, murky body is crowned by two thick fingers of pillowy tan foam. A good looking beer.

Smell: very rich malty aroma with a hint of fruitiness. A relatively simple yet well-done bouquet.

Taste: fruity, musty malt flavors with a definite alcohol bite. The maltiness is not nearly as rich as in the aroma, and the fruity characteristics are quite a bit stronger. I like the juxtaposition.

Mouthfeel: medium-thick body with a good level of creaminess. Not bad for a bock.

Drinkability: a solidly drinkable brew. I'm glad I found this one at my local bottle shop; a good, authentic bock like this is a treat.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 02:44:10 | More by flagmantho

Gmann

New York

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Discovered this bad boy at the Finger Lakes Beverage Center, haven't seen this anywhere else. Interested to see the trappiest take on a bock.

Out of a 750ml corked and caged bottle. Pours a clear chestnut brown color with a huge khaki colored head that dissipated into a puffy cap and left nice lacing on the side of my dimple mug. The aroma is of dark toasted malt, with hints of red wine, and roasted meat. The red wine flavors dominate up front, with a touch of metal following, a solid toasted grain and bready malt backbone supports the sweetness. The feel is of a nice full body with active carbonation, chewy, finishes sweet. I do like the maltier bocks and this fits the bill. Good balance between the sweet and malt.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 03:48:50 | More by Gmann

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 750ml bottle, corked and caged, served in a pilsener glass. It was a medium brown color with a little bit of red. A voluminous tan head that looked like whipped cream. Caramel malt and dark fruit aroma. Caramel and raisin taste. Good malt background. A good beer for the price.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2009 14:10:25 | More by lordofthewiens

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.71/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown with a large, lasting head.
Nose shows caramel, chocolate fudge and toasty, bready malt. Very sweet-smelling.
Not as great flavours, but still showing some of the bready and toasty characters. Also a little booze.
Too much carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 10:51:33 | More by CrazyDavros

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown in color, with some good bubbling. Thick and tight foam with great stick and some nice, if thin, lacing.

Aroma is mildly strong, but pretty tasty; caramel and dark fruit, strong Munich malt presence, and enough German style hops to make themselves known.

The flavor is pleasant, not wildly complex but good enough for the style. There's quite a bit of roast malt which is a little unusual for a German bock, but otherwise a nice mixture of the caramel sweetness and Munich malt flavor.

A little more bitter than most, with the Hallertau hops taking the lead. Spalt is noticeable as well; both are earthy, mildly bitter in the grand scheme of things, and nicely balanced.

The mouthfeel is highly carbonated, well-textured, and quite creamy. I'm impressed with the combination of Trappist ale heft and the relatively strong hop content here. Really nice juxtaposition, aided I would imagine by the rolled oats in the malt.

I like it; I was skeptical, but I like it. Nice take on a German style that adds the requisite Trappist yeast (full head, creamy body), and more than enough hops to bring some balance to an occasionally malt-starring show.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 05:55:49 | More by BretSikkink

harrymel

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2007

A: Pours mahogany brown, excellent clarity. Two fingers peanut head falls to a quilt of the same. Spotty lacing.

S: Figs, dates, graham, allspice, nutmeg, malts, nice. I keep leaning back. Very nice.

T: Dry toasted flavor with cinnamon, cocoa (light), good malty base with a little club soda underneath.

M: A hint thin, but not in a bad way. Lighter carb with medium body.

O: Very nice, simple beer. I would enjoy another bottle or two of this in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 09:06:23 | More by harrymel

crossovert

Wisconsin

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

11.2 oz bottle.

It pours a reddish-brown with a huge, foamy off-white/tan head.

The smell is super nutty with a bit of dough, spices, caramel, and raisins.

The flavor has some roasted caramel with a nice bittersweet flavor, dark fruits, and roasted nuts.

It is a decent bockbier, and certainly interesting considering the brewery and location.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 00:17:48 | More by crossovert