Spring Bock
Saint Arnold Brewing Company

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance - Pours with a small head that vanishes instantly. A bit of lacing, but it's good quickly too. Deep clear copper. Kinda looks like a Yuengling.

Smell - Caramel malts and a bready smell. It has a lager-y smell, which I generally don't like (I have no better way of describing that smell, sorry).

Taste - The flavor is redeeming. Caramel malts dominate, of course. Slight bitterness, but I'd hardly call it a hop presence. Not sweet a all. Just caramel goodness. Has a very bready finish. Not sure if I like the breadiness.

Mouthfeel - To be honest, this is my first Bock. I don't know how thick it's supposed to be, but I'd like it thicker. Good carbonation, just a bit thin. Nary a hint of alcohol. So drinkable.

Overall - I'm just discovering the whole bock concept. I just don't like most lagers, but this is good. I don't know that I'd seek it out, but it's tasty and I could put a bunch of these away no problem.

It hits the target for the style. Rich, burnt caramel, dried out fruit and minerally molasses notes. Never heavy or plodding, but seductively rich and unfolding.

RB transfer

Clean light amber/orange hue, thin white head. Roasted malt in the nose. Sweet...really sweet. Carmel in the middle, slightly oily. Faint hop presence at finish.|2/23/2013

 

Everyone is competing in the bock category here in TX and I this is one of the better ones IMO. More complex with a bit more hops up front. But plenty of sweet balance. Just a solid offering by Saint Arnold.

Excellent, fresh example of a German bock. The imports lose something on the trip over and this is a hard to find style. Very malty, smooth and strong with a nice sweetness. Not hot or fusely.

 

 

Crystal clear deep amber with a vigorous three finger light tan head. Aromas of grain and malt. Taste of malt, grain, bread and slight toffee. Nice medium mouthfeel and spot on carbonation for the style. A good beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

$9.99 from Walmart, 12 oz. Can poured into pilsner glass
Look: Copper, two-finger tan head, medium carbonation, nice lacing
Smell: Strong Malt, some bread, burnt sugar
Taste: Heavy on malt, a little sweetness on the back end. No skunk. Nice finish
Feel: Good Carbonation, nice mouthfeel, flavor lingers
Overall: I like it. It has a nice complexity while easy enough to drink. Smooth and I don't feel like I am chewing the beer.

 

Pours a deep amber, clear, with a one-finger cream to tan head. Head dissipates quickly leaving no lacing and just a slight ring around the top of the liquid. High number up tiny bubbles racing up throughout.

Sweet, malty nose. Grain, toffee, and caramel. All malt, no hop to me. Luckily, I like malt.

Like the nose, it’s sweet and malty, but there’s a pleasant balancing bitterness. Caramel and bread. Wish it had a bit more complexity.

Notable carb, fairly light-bodied for the color/style/maltiness. Surprisingly, dry finish.

I like this beer and I welcome its appearance each spring. I’d like to say that the whole is better than the sum of its parts - when I broke it down for rating, I didn’t find a lot of special qualities. Perhaps, in Texas, it just feels like a treat over the ubiquitous Shiner Bock.