Pandora's Bock - Breckenridge Brewery

metter98

New York

3.43/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: The beer is clear but dark reddish amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high off white head that quickly died down, leaving a patch of bubbles in the center of the glass and a thin collar around the edges.
S: Light aromas of toasted malts and toffee are present in the nose along with some hints of herbal and spicy hops.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and is somewhat malty, having only a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little thin and smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink but seems doesn't seem as malty and thicker on the palate compared to other bocks. On the other hand, it's easy to drink and hides its alcohol very well.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 01:34:50 | More by metter98

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.81/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Breckenridge Pandora’s Bock has a medium, cream-colored head and a semi-clear, copper appearance, with lots of streaming bubbles (etched glass) and some splotchy lacing left behind. The aroma is of sweet, brown bread, and the flavor is of that, plus some bread crust, a dash of bitterness, and a fruity undertaste. This beer, at 7.5% alcohol, takes on a double bock aspect as one drinks it down. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Breckenridge Pandora’s Bock finishes mostly dry, sweet, malty, and drinkable. One just does not pick up the alcohol with this. Overall, it’s really nice, and I rate it as being very fine. But, Michelob AmberBock is a very value, when price is considered.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 14:20:30 | More by RonaldTheriot

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a ruby amber with a skim of a cream colored head. Reduces to nothing. No lace.

Some sweet malt notes. Hard to find much in the nose here.

Rich toasted malt up front, then dries out n a hurry with a touch of metallic bitterness at the end. Good beer, but fleeting flavors. Some cherry wood, and the bitterness is a nice balance. But the part of the beer you want to linger doesn't, and while the dried biscuit like transition works, it leaves you wanting a bit more.

Medium bodied, a little tingle on the tongue.

Not bad. Not much of a comparison to German versions -- can't win that race. But a very decent brew. Nice to find a reasonably-priced domestic version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 23:04:08 | More by OtherShoe2

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Chestnut to mahogany in color with only one finger worth of head.

Aroma: Brown bread, plum, light raisin notes, bits of clove and cinnamon.

Taste: Sweet in the front with dark fruit notes, bready, figs, raisins. A floral hop bite with only the slightest bit of citrus. Some light licorice and clove in the tail end with a light dry finish.

Notes: A tasty beer all around and very good for getting warmed up on a cool night. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 03:54:09 | More by horshack7

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Ba Review #259
Served On: 2/27/2013
Glassware: Fluted Pilsner
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

It's Bock season once again. This was a 12oz bottle from a mixed sixer I made at Ye Old Spirit Shop in Frederick, MD.

Look: Poured a very clear copper color with a cap of off-white foam that formed some sparse lacing. Carbonation level was medium with plenty of bubbles slowly rising upward.

Smell: The typical Bock notes of sweet bread and subtle dark fruits.

Taste: The beer was fairly light on the palate for a bock. First was some spicy biscuit that lead into some dark cherry with a smooth lager quality and then more biscuit. The finish was fairly clean with some lingering spice.

For a beer that's said to be over 7% ABV, this brew went down real smooth. Not one of the more robust Bock's out there, but defiantly held true to my expectations of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 15:04:17 | More by CraftBeerTastic

barczar

Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brilliant deep garnet with half inch fleeting khaki head that leaves a modest layer of foam.

Melanoidin aromas of deeply caramelized malt, toffee, and toasted bread form the initial aroma. There's a hint of floral hop at the finish.

Flavor reveals some of those characteristics. Fairly sweet, deeply roasted malt dominates the profile initially, finishing with cardboard and a slightly roasted dryness. There's an underlying dark cherry character from the roast malt that complements early floral hop notes nicely. Buttery diacetyl emerges in the aftertaste.

Body is fairly watery, with moderate carbonation and slight alcohol warmth. There's a touch of roast astringency.

Malt forward brew with light complexity. Not offensive, aside from the light body and dark fruit character.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:39:22 | More by barczar

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Yeah, it's a pun, but at least it's not a hop pun... This stuff pours a clear midnight amber topped by a finger of light khaki foam. The nose comprises honey-laden rye bread, a light hint of maple syrup, and a vague sense of sweet flowers. The taste brings in more of the same, though now that bread is also slathered in Country Crock (nope, no real butter here, folks), and there's a general feeling of mild greens mixed in here and there. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a mostly fluid feel. Overall, an okay bock at best, one that just doesn't do it for me at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 07:44:57 | More by TMoney2591

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.13/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

I picked up a bottle of Breckenridge Brewery's Pandora's Bock a couple days ago for $1.89 at The Lager Mill. I was looking for something I haven't had before and this bottle caught my eye, I haven't had any memorable beers from Breckenridge but I'm hoping for the best, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but it just showed up so I think it's fairly fresh. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A- The label is nice and it's pretty eye catching with a nice looking pin up style girl and the label goes well with the name. It poured a nice bright amber color that took on a nice bright ruby hue when held to the light with a bubbly one fingers worth of slightly tan head that quickly died down to a thin ring that quickly faded away and left no lacing behind. This was a pretty average looking beer, the color was nice and true to style, but the head and lacing were lacking and were disappointing.

S- The aroma starts off with a surprisingly lower amount of sweetness with a good amount of malts that imparted a grainy, caramel malt, and a very bread like aroma. After that comes comes a slight fruit aroma that takes on a light berry like aroma. On the finish I get a good amount of earthiness that I think is from the hops. The aroma was ok, but it was pretty bland for the style and it didn't have those rich malts and dark fruit aromas that I like from the style.

T- The taste seemed to be fairly similar to the aroma and it started off with a medium amount of sweetness followed by some malts which just impart some grainy and bready flavors. Up next comes a very light fruit flavor with no discernible fruits. On the finish there's a medium earthy flavor followed by a slightly off putting metallic flavor with a lower amount of medium bitterness and a bready aftertaste. This was a pretty average and bland tasting beer, the flavors were pretty boring.

M- Smooth, a little creamy, medium bodied, with a slightly higher amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel wasn't too bad and it was fairly true to style.

Overall I wasn't impressed with this beer and I thought it was an average at best example of the style, it was pretty bland in most aspects and it didn't have any of those good bock flavors that I was hoping for. This beer had ok drinkability, it was pretty smooth and the alcohol was well hidden but the flavors were so bland that they couldn't hold my attention and I wouldn't want to drink another one. What I liked the most about this beer was the mouthfeel, it was the only aspect of this beer that was decent and it was fairly true to style. What I liked the least about this beer was the taste, it was way too bland for the style and it wasn't very memorable at all. I wouldn't buy this beer again, it's just not a good example of the style and I wouldn't recommend this beer to anyone. All in all i was pretty let down with this beer, it didn't really have any redeeming quality's. This was another average at best beer from Breckenridge, I don't think I will be taking too many more chances on this brewery, I have yet to be impressed by any of their beers, you guys need to step your game up.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 04:52:19 | More by StoutHunter

sethcroisant

Nebraska

2.2/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.25

A- slightly darker than amber in color. barely any head, but has decent retention.

S- not much going on. slight herbal quality from the hops. tiny hints of toasted malt.

T- medicinal hops overpower the malt a bit. some caramel and toasted malts in the backround, but the odd hop flavors are prominent throughout.

O- generally, i enjoy breckenridge. but, this is a complete miss.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 04:24:56 | More by sethcroisant

riversider76

New York

3.28/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy copper, with a thin tan head. Good retention, and a nice lace. Aroma is of toasty, fruity malts and sugar. Body is medium, and quite carbonated. Taste is of brown sugar and spice. Hints of hops in the finish. Not awful, but way to sugary sweet for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 19:56:35 | More by riversider76

plaid75

New York

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

On draft at The Lark, East Northport, NY.

Poured a dark copper hue with a two finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured light earthy malts and a fruity berry like ester.

The taste was moderately malty with a dark caramel and strange artificial sweetness.

The mouthfeel was toward the lighter side of the style.

Overall a quaffable bock. Not much to write home about however.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2013 18:22:12 | More by plaid75

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.34/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

A- pours a clear amber color with a small fizzy white head that quickly dissapates leaving no lace.

S- clean and malty with a bit of toast, some yeast, and slightly sweet

T- sweet and malty, slightly toasted, just a faint trace of subtle hop, seems a little too sweet.

M- medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly foamy mouthfeel with a smooth finish.

O- this one wasn't horrible, but not something I would buy again. I was however surprised that it was 7.5% as it was very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 18:45:17 | More by Treyliff

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Ice-tea pour shows a bubby, washy skim beige head that dissipated rather quickly after the pour. Skimpy thin ring lacing.

S: Nose was unimpressive, some faint apple skins, otherwise indistinguishable, with not much appeal.

T: Apple malt flavor, a bit of spicy character and some crystal malt sweetens things up a bit. Warm apple-skins, some cherry skins as well. Flavor does grow on you a bit, not impressive at first, but sweetens up and becomes managable.

M: Mouthful is creamy, with a spicy dry sweetness. Quiet carbonation with a medium body.

O: Overall an average experience, nothing is gonna jump out at you visually, aromatically, or taste wise. The beer sweetens up as it goes with some toasty caramel. Drinkable, but with middle of the road excitment factor. Single serving recommedation at first.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 20:52:25 | More by beerthulhu

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

P- AOH

A- a slight hazy copper tone color with light streaming through. one finger head dissipates quickly but leaves a sipderweb lacing on my pint.

S- caramel and toffee malts and a slight dark candied fruit back end.

F- strong caramel/toffee malts sting first but then at the back end there is that dark candied fruit, maybe cherry or blackberry?

M-light to medium bodied but very tasteful. More like a cider than a bock.

O- Not a bad bock, one of the very good ones i have had...maybe a top 12.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 16:58:00 | More by Dodo2step

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another foray into bottled beer, courtesy of my local trader, tone77. His drop-offs are anxiously anticipated and I look forward to our next exchange.

Ah, Sweet Pandora, your inherent curiosity gave us the evils of the world, excluding hope. Was it a box or a jar that you opened? No matter, either way, I have a bottle. Let us raise a toast to Aerosmith and crank up some Internet radio in your honor!

Pop went the cap and no ill came out of the bottle. Instead, I got a finger-and-a-half of rocky, tawny head with good retention on this humid summer's day. Color was a deep orangish-amber with NE-quality clarity and loads of carbonation in evidence. Nose had a dense caramel sweetness which was to be expected. I say that as a self-avowed hophead. Mouthfeel was medium and the taste, while malty and sweet, was not cloying, which is something I have encountered in this style. Finish was actually tending towards dry, suggesting that they really allowed the yeast to do its job, hence the ABV. I like Breckenridge, I liked this beer although it would not be the first thing that I would reach for, so I would suggest giving it a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 18:47:58 | More by woodychandler

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Pint Glass

Appearance - Dark hazy orange/crimson with a off-white 1 finger head

Smell - Caramel, Toffee, Chocolate, Yeasts, and Malts. Pretty standard Bock scent here; It's pleasant though nonetheless.

Taste - Caramel, Chocolate, Yeasts and Malts. Flavor is alright and clean, but nothing really too outstanding here as the flavors tend to blend in with each other as opposed to jumping out.

Mouthfeel - Thick, but not quite what one would call chewy. It does feel crisp on the tongue.

Overall - It's a good if not average Bock beer. Try it out, but that's all I can say

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 02:27:41 | More by NuclearDolphin

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reddish-amber color with light haze. Small head that submitted to ring status over a relatively short period of time. 3.5

Caramel, toasted grain, some metallic notes. Light jarred cherry in the aroma. Not bad. Smells sweet, and a little strong for a bock. 3.5

Expected sweetness with caramel syrup, coffeehouse fruit syrups, light vanilla, booze, and honey. 3.5

Average body and light carb. Finishes with alcohol strength. 3.5

Never was impressed with Breckenridge, but this beer works for what it is. 3.5

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 01:59:28 | More by thecheapies

Spider889

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Nice clarity, short creamy head.

Smells very bready/malty with a strong yeasty aroma of Germanic quality. Also a bit of a fruity citrus bent to it.

Nice warm bread dough flavor with some caramel maltiness. Mildly sweet.

Both creamy yet somehow also a bit prickly after half a glass, the mouthfeel is the most distracting element in the beer.

Overall a very solid offering, and worth a revisit next season.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2012 05:50:05 | More by Spider889

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up in Totowa last week via the single bottle. I hadn't had any of the Breckenridge beers in a while and this one looked intriguing by the name alone. Yes, it was easy to down but like so many others on here, I didn't get the impression that this was a true Bock. The alcohol was a bit strong and the caramel flavor was just a bit too strong to meld well with everything else here as well.

There was nothing memorable about this beer at all - it poured relatively dark but not totally brown, while the head and lacing were average. A bit creamier than I envisioned it as well, with too much caramel and Brown Ale-like taste to this. The carbonation was low like other Bocks but the biscuit undertone to everything detracted from the taste. I don't have a problem with a beer that's full but this just didn't seem true to style.

This was a bit stronger than other Bocks that I've had too but I didn't count that as a negative. One bottle of this wouldn't be enough to knock anyone out but it will probably end up being underwhelming in the end. It was too toasty for me but like the other Breckenridge Beers that I've had, it stands up just fine on its own, ever if nothing in particular stands out about it.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 17:52:40 | More by JerzDevl2000

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a clear amber gold, with a weak white head, half a finger high. Dissipates fast with little lacing.
Smell is caramel, bread and sugar.
Taste is malty with a grain and bread feel. Some floral hops actually give it a nice taste. Does not taste like a Bockbeer.
It is very drinkable, but does not fit the style in my book.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:42:25 | More by Hopfenpeter

jera1350

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Transparent caramel brown body with a very dense and fluffy head of sandy colored foam.

Caramel, bread crust, crackers, grain.

Bready, very light caramel taste, touch of fruity hops way underneath, hint of alcohol at the end.

The feel is soft and smooth, but it's just too light for the style and certainly for a 7.5% beer.

This drinks very well. Seems to be a bit light on the malt bill for the style, but I still really like the beer overall and wouldn't have much of a problem going through a couple in a row.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 01:22:53 | More by jera1350

Immortale25

Florida

3.76/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Green Flash cask-style glass. Sticker placed on the label by the liquor store says 3/29/2012.

A- Pours a reddish light brown color with a 1/4 inch head that doesn't retain well before becoming a thin ring around the edge of the glass and light surface foam. Average lacing.

S- Sweet cereal grain nose with notes of caramel.

T- Initial sweet malt fades into a somewhat stale aftertaste. Bitterness is minimal and so is alcohol presence. The malt exhibits mainly biscuit, butter and brown sugar.

M- Thin and crisp with a fairly substantial body and medium-low carbonation.

O- Quite good for the ABV. Can be sessionable even if it's not meant to be.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 01:17:11 | More by Immortale25

julian89

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From bottle into pint glass

Appearance: Clear brown orange amber body with minimal head, poor retention and small amount of carbonation through the body. It's a nice color but looses points with pour retention of carbonation.

Smell: Some light fruity notes of berries I suppose, and light malt characteristics as well.

Taste: It's a sweet "spicy" beer. The alcohol isn't as strong to me as I see in others review of this beer. I very much enjoyed the simplistic taste. I get the fruit notes through taste mostly raisin and grape.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation.

Drinkability: It's decent a little better than the Victory I had earlier tonight.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 03:59:45 | More by julian89

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into british pint glass, color is copper to amber with frothy tan/off white head.

Smell is mild caramel malt, biscuits and a little toffee.

taste is a little sweet, but not cloying, caramel malt comes through with some bread, toast, toffee; hop is lightly grassy just enoguh to complement

Mouthfeel is very well balanced, nice bitterness and sweetness, cannot pickup any indication of the 7.5% abv.

Overall, another good beer from Breck, solid malt flavors with great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 23:46:36 | More by mvanaskie13

ChrisPratz

3.13/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Nice deep brown color. Totally transparent with less then a fingers worth of head. Large bubbles, make way to a nice think lace that lingers for awhile.

S: Nice bready/yeast malt scents coming thru. Some lightly floral hops aroma and a sweetness that reminds me of a mild apple cider vinegar.

T: Sweetness ends in the nose, not much on the tongue. Alot of toasted flavors here, toasted cherries and grain, some grassyness and then the bitterness of the hops. Not overly bitter but its defintely there. Alcohol is def noticeable as well.

M: Carbonatiion is average, alcohol leaves a drier feeling on the tongue.

O: Wasn't quite what I expected given the scents but not a bad beer overall. I'm not a huge Bock drinker but i'd love to see it on tap to retry (I can't determine the freshness of the bottle) as it appears my review differs a bit on flavor from some of the others i've seen.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 01:10:40 | More by ChrisPratz