ZiegenBock Amber - Anheuser-Busch

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

2.03/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

A friend of mine brought me back a little mix-pack from Texas. He doesn't know a lot about craft beers, but the sentiment was nice. Poured from a bottle into a shaker pint, the beer is a muddled, clear, light brown coloring with a thin ring of off-white film around the surface. Aromas are subtle, with a blending of roast and sugary caramel sweetness. Flavors are watery at best, with a touch of sweet on the mid-tongue and really nothing else. I mean, there's a dose of carbonation to sharpen up the nothingness. Wow, this is like carbonated water. There's really no aftertaste because there is no taste taste. Maybe a touch of caramel, but that is really reaching. Carbonated and watery in mouth. The finish is light and clean, because there really isn't anything to linger behind. Jesus, this was a stretch to get much of anything out of this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 02:47:59 | More by GarthDanielson

matjack85

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I read that this Anhauser-Bush product was only available in Texas, so on my last trip to Dallas I made a special effort to look for it. I found it at Sonny Bryan's BBQ in downtown Dallas. $2.75 for a 12oz brown bottle. A freshness date is located on the front label.

The beer poured a clear chestnut brown color with a 2-finger light tan head that lasted a few minutes with decent lacing.

Not much smell to this - just some roasted grain and a touch of caramel.

The flavor isn't strong either. All I really get is some sweet caramel and not much else, unless you count carbonation as an ingredient. Man is this stuff carbonated!

Light to mediuin bodied with off the chart carbonation.

Very drinkable but not memorable. Luckily I found several other good Texas beers when I was there.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 04:23:28 | More by matjack85

mooseisloose

Florida

2.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Popping the top on this brew I get a sweet adjunct smell. Pours to a light root beer color with a beige head that fades quickly. Taste is rather bland, a sweet and sour balance that is overpowered by a soda like carbonation. Taste is consistent throughout and then the finish is clean with no aftertaste. Mouthfeel is overly carbonated and when the fizz goes it is rather watery. Almost more lika a soda than a beer. No thanks.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 03:57:50 | More by mooseisloose

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer pours a combination of dark yellow mixed with an color. The aroma is strange. It has cooked sour vegetables with a mixture of grainy malt and generic sweetness. The flavor has a large starchy adjunct component. I am not sure what the adjunct is here, but it is definitely present in a big way. There is a dash of bitterness at then end.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:49:49 | More by BeardedBoffin

depechemode1983

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Pours a clear deep copper color. Head is thin and fizzy and fade quickly but leaves a bit of lacing. Seems to be heavily carbonated.

S - Not much in the nose. Corn, some grains, and faint caramel and molasses.

T - Even lighter than the nose. Mostly corn and grass mixed with a metal tinge and some distant caramel sweetness. Kinda like how it smells but not quite.

M - Medium bodied with rough carbonation. Not very smooth.

O - This is a poor example of a bock. Taste like your typical American adjunct lager with some light artificial bock flavorings.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 21:36:22 | More by depechemode1983

BigBarley

Texas

3.55/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

easily the best of all the Anheuser adjunct beers. Anyone else from Texas who thinks of Shiner as the best Amber needs to give about twelve of these a try.

A- Pours like most adjuncts, quick and fizzy with an immediately receding thin head and never-ending bubbles of carbonation. Medium-brown, with that amber glow when light is shined through.

S - Smells an awful lot like Budweiser, which is to say it smells an awful lot like grain and rice. Dunno if rice is involved in ZiegenBock, but whatever they use in this one, it's killing any real beer aroma.

T - NOW we're gettin somewhere! You can taste the malts, which are semi-biscuit in nature, with a big wollop of that starchy flavor that most macro drinkers consider to be the BEER flavor. However, it doesn't deflect from the enjoyment. In fact it mingles just perfectly with the malty flavor and the active carbonation and leaves you with a mild but enjoyable aftertaste. Virtually no hops detected.

M - Goes down like soda. Feels a little thicker than a lager, and bubbles hell to breakfast all over your tongue, but it's just right for the subtle flavor.

O - If there's a brew out there that's made for when craft beer drinkers want to sit around in lush mode and polish off a twelve pack alone, this one's it. Usually the same price and availability as budweiser, but with a thicker feel and a much more interesting flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 13:59:31 | More by BigBarley

LXIXME

New Mexico

2.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

When poured from an inch or so above the glass yo get a big white head that fades into a small lacing above a clear brown amber colored beer.

A light almost caramel malt aroma, not really enough to encourage a person but there is a little bit there.

A light caramel malt taste pretty much the same thing a Amber Bock by these guys, it really didn't have much aftertaste at all either.

Not really a beer to brag about other than it's from AB and i's one of their better beers, kinda sad.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 03:57:46 | More by LXIXME

Mora2000

Texas

2.58/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Medium to dark, clear brown with a tan head. The aroma is grain and lightly toasted malt with not too much else going on. The flavor is a little bit of dark fruit with a lot of grain, toasted malt and some grass notes. Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not offensive, but a relatively flavorless beer with no real exciting qualities.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 02:10:28 | More by Mora2000

mjurney

Texas

3.28/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance:
Copper color, clear. Good amount of carbonation. Head is small.

Aroma:
Aroma is light. Very sweet grainy, a little caramel.

Taste:
Sweet malts up front along with crisp finish. Malt is sweet, but clean. I’m getting slight hint of caramel. Very light bitterness at the end. Body is very crisp. Well carbonated.

Finish:
Crisp finish, clean aftertaste. Highly drinkable.

Overall:
It lacks in flavor, but its highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 16:37:32 | More by mjurney

JMad

Texas

3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I drank this from a pint sized mug.
Brownish copper with a fluffy tan colored head. The smell consists of sweet, corny, metallic, with just a hint of caramel. Tastes of sweet malt with a hint of butter and toffee. It has a light medium body with low but soft carbonation. Better than other macro lagers but still nothing to brag about.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 00:44:12 | More by JMad

gmfessen

Michigan

2.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, Ziegenbock is amber-brown in color with a white, fizzy head. The nose is sweet maltiness, nothing more, nothing less. The taste is just as remarkable as the smell, slightly sweet caramel maltiness but that's about it. Mouthfeel is a light medium body with minimal carbonation. Overall, not a bad beer but nothing remarkable either. Like most, I thought this was a genuine Texas beer but was duped by A.B. I would definitely go with Shiner over this but it is a better alternative to the standard light beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 21:48:29 | More by gmfessen

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.1/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

ZiegenBock Amber has a very thick, creamy, beige head and a clear, amber appearance, with some bubbles and not too much lacing left behind. The aroma is almost neutral, but some metallic smell is detected. Taste is sweet and mild; a little malt can be tasted, and hop bitterness is relatively low. Mouthfeel is light and very watery, and ZiegenBock Amber finishes crisp, refreshing, and dry. Overall, a rather dull beer. I'd drink it again, but I wouldn't seek it out.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 02:36:00 | More by RonaldTheriot

ElCommodoro

Texas

2.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured a rich-looking transparent dark brown. It was a beautiful looking pour for an amber beer. The perfect colour. With a nice creamy head on it. Unfortunately, I had to put it in my mouth, at which point it stopped being a bock beer. There must be a colouring agent in this. At a dollar a bottle, I suppose there must be. This is not a bock beer. There is no malt complexity to it, so don't expect any. However, it is similar in price to a lot of "water beers" out there and in comparison to them, this is really quite a good beer. Put it in the freezer for a while as you should with any water beer and it comes out very refreshing. It's got enough hops in it to make it go down real good and real smooth when it's ice cold. It leaves sort of a thick feeling in your mouth afterwards as if you just drank something sugary or a malty beer. But it doesn't taste sweet or malty at all. So, I don't know what that's about. This is a GREAT water beer. You just have to know better than to expect a bock. Once you're over the fact that it's not, it's really quite refreshing.

Compared To The Standard (Shiner Bock):
Ziegenbock is Anheuser-Busch's answer to Shiner Bock, I assume. It's only available in Texas and they've undercut the price on Shiner. However, if you're looking for a bock, this is much further from the real thing than a shiner. If you're looking for a refreshing water beer, this is better than Shiner AND most water beers. But other than just enough hops to make it nice and crisp, there is NO FLAVOUR aside from a weird annoying aftertaste. The best point about this beer is its keg price. It competes with the bottom of the barrel in keg prices. I don't know how. Keystone might be the only keg cheaper than this. If you're throwing a party and wondering whether to get Bud Light, High Life, Ziegenbock or anything else that costs under $90, it's an easy choice. Get this! It may not be impressive, but it totally beats piss water and is the same price! Sadly, this beer is only made in Houston and therefore anything outside of AB's Houston distribution area doesn't have this choice.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 09:02:23 | More by ElCommodoro

locotonyf

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +64.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

For me, this is one of the most drinkable and enjoyable beers I have ever had. It is not over-carbonated like most common American beers. I like the mouthfeel of ZiegenBock. To me, over-carbonated beers all have bite that I do not like. ZiegenBock does not have this bite but is quite pleasurable on the palate. It is also lightly sweet, not bitter.

I call ZiegenBock my favorite "dinner beer" or "table beer", which is mostly the only way I drink beer. I have one almost every night with my dinner for 2+ years now. I don't understand all the low rating reviews it gets on BA. I love it, it is my first choice preferred beer. My local convenience store carries it just for me.

It is owned by AB but is brewed here in the Houston area.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 15:03:13 | More by locotonyf

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had seen this on shelves for a couple years, but had never gotten around to trying it, so I decided to give it a shot last night and see what it was about. I served the 12o bottle straight out of the fridge and poured it into a Pint glass. The pour was decent, with a bright, honey colored amber with amazing clarity and lots of carbonation bubbling up from the bottom of the glass. A good sized two finger head of white froth jumped up right after the pour, however it settled down rather quickly and I did not see much of it after that. Really did not leave behind much of anything.

The aroma was non existent, mostly just dull grain and wheat and a touch of rice. Nothing really much going on here, the flavor was more of the same. Unfortunately it was just dull and boring, and that was quite a shame. Hints of rice and cereal grains, and a sickly sweet ginger soda like flavor were all that I could really make it from this one. A good bit of carbonation in it and as for a beer you could chug down in quantity, in that regards it was not half bad.

Overall It was just too bland for me, nothing really going on with it. Could be worse though, and still better then ,most of the macro stuff you see.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 00:15:31 | More by mikesgroove

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

1.88/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a light off white fizzy head. No retention. Color is an amber brown. Clear.

Aroma: Caramel and bready malts. Very lager like. Grassy hops. Corn and grain.

Taste: More like an adjunct lager than a bock. Some caramel and bready malts with some earthy/grassy hops. Grains and corn again.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and bubbly. Light bodied with a high amount of carbonation. Ends dry and malty.

Overall, this wasn't a very good bock. Maybe it's an amber, but still it isn't too good. More like an adjunct lager. Not for me. Too much carbonation. Not very drinkable at all.

? -2-2-1.5-1.5

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 02:36:12 | More by mothman

lordofthewiens

Maine

2.25/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
The beer was a dark amber color with a medium-sized tan head that disappeared within seconds.
Faint caramel malt aroma.
While the aroma was barely there, the taste was even more underwhelming. It tasted sweet, and that's about all you can say.
I felt like I was drinking sugar water.
Drink this if you must.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 00:41:17 | More by lordofthewiens

aristeros

Georgia

2.58/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

"Worthy of a Texan," eh?

I'm from Jersey, so I can't judge that. Pours a medium amber into my trusty Bodum pint. No head, just froth. Medium amber color, -very- active carbonation like a macro lager. Doesn't give a 'bock' vibe. Smells of light caramel and toasted malts.

Off to a bad start.

Malty, semi-sweet, with very strong carbonation. Slight metallic aftertaste, not much going on. That's familiar and reminiscent of some other nasties I've had--(checks the label)--ahh, Anheuser Busch. That'd explain it.

Anyhow, carbonation and mouthfeel are more of a lager-type. Placed conspicuously adjacent to Shiner Bock with a logo emphasizing Texas. It's bottled in Houston, but it just seems as if this is made for takin' out Shiner Bock.

It's inferior to Shiner in nearly every way. The label MAY be slightly cooler. Tough to tell. I'm sorry, now, for not getting my go-to cheap beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 02:49:00 | More by aristeros

tatoodkelt

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this one in trade from a buddy in Texas, thanks Jeremy!

Consumed 3/21/2010- from notes.

Brown 12oz bottle poured into a shaker glass.

A- Very clear copper, minimal carbination topped off by a thin skim of tight white bubbles that barely covered the whole surface. Nothing really in the way of lacing.

S- Faintly sweet, not much there.

T- Caramel and malts, a little corny as well.

M- Light to medium, a little carbination tingle.

D- I was expecting a bock so I was thrown off a bit when I tasted it. Get here and see its an amber which makes more sense. I wont look for this one whenever I make it to Texas.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 13:15:02 | More by tatoodkelt

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a glass, no freshness date on bottle.

A: Medium copper with a reddish hue under a pathetic off-white head that looked as substantial as the head from pouring Pepsi. No lacing.

S: Nondescript grain adjuncts and some caramel.

T: Some flat hops to start with followed by some sweet caramel, generic malts and roasted grain flavors. Nothing offensive, nothing to praise.

M: Watery but smooth, not too much carbonation (surprising for a macro).

D: Drinkable but not overly inviting.

Overall: The Texas version of Killian's? Not as good in my opinion, but then Killian's isn't outstanding either. I suppose it is AB's attempt to compete with Shiner Bock, which itself isn't very memorable. Overall in the macro-trying-to-look-like-micro world, I would take an Amber Bock or a Killian's over this beer, but it is alright. I wouldn't spend my own money on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2010 06:08:40 | More by allforbetterbeer

vdread

Texas

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Ziegenbock Amber
bottle to glass

appearance- dark amber color with a thick foamy head that disappeared quickly. it looks much tastier than it actually is.

smell- sweet grass. maybe some corn and graininess.

taste- there is actually a slight floral hop note here, but the mat is grainy and harsh. a little buttery in the finish.

mouthfeel- light, watery, some creaminess. slight bitter at the end

drinkability- one is pretty easy to drink, but its is very unsatisfying. i couldn't drink more than one in a sitting.

this brew is one of the best beer i've ever had from A-B. that isn't saying much, though, because it's still a pretty average (but leaning towards bad) beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2009 14:20:33 | More by vdread

Rayek

Colorado

2.65/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The label says "Brewed Exclusively for Texas," but I have a feeling that this is simply a relabeling of Michelob Amber Bock.

A: Caramel colored brew, with semi-active carbonation. Cream tinted head starts out OK, but quickly recedes. Surprisingly, the beer leaves a fair amount of lace.

S: Toffee, apple and straw aromas are pretty much it in the nose.

T: Tastes a lot like Michelob with some caramel malt thrown in. Starts out with a bittersweet toffee flavor that's followed by apple and straw. Finishes somewhat clean, with a lingering toffee-apple flavor.

M: Very light body has tingling carbonation.

D: Not that great. And certainly not a Bock by any stretch of the imagination. Really a sweet take on Michelob, for all intents and purposes. Not worth a revisit.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 00:44:21 | More by Rayek

lonestar1836

Texas

3.33/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: clear amber brown with light foamy white head

S: not much smell to it

T: sweet and toasty malts with enough hoppiness to balance out the sweet, but overall kind of watery

M: thin and a little watery with a moderate amount of carbonation

D: easy to drink and not disgusting

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 20:45:24 | More by lonestar1836

jpaltan

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours cystal clear amber - brownish. a finger worth of head foams up then is gone just as fast as it is poured. Has to be a record for the fastest i've ever seen a beer lose its top. malty sweetness in the smell. very little smell. taste is a bit sweet up front and then rounds out with a minor bitterness in the finish. overall, a bit cloying. mouthfeel is a bit thin, but has a nice level of carbonation to it. mouthfeel is probably about the best this beer has to offer. certainly not worth the 7.50 a sixer i paid.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2009 06:06:16 | More by jpaltan

1fastz28

Illinois

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

well here i am in texas, hoping to find some texas only beers, i found ziegen bock ( AB) and lone star (h, Heileman, i think) oh well here goes nothing.

unfortunately in my hotel room im stuck to a 5 once dixie cup, so i can't really comment on the color, it looks like a redish amber color, so i'll give it an average, just to be fair. smell, or lack there of is weak, not much of anything going on, some light hops and roasted barley malt. taste is pretty boring, not much alcohol, not much hops, not much of anything. not gonna really waste anymore time on this, i'll drink the 6er, but hopefully i can find a brewpub or something here in san antonio.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2009 00:30:04 | More by 1fastz28