Mill Street Helles Bock - Mill Street Brew Pub

OskarL

Sweden

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden/copper color with a one finger head that has okay retebtion and leaves some lacing.

Smells grain, pale malt, slightly fruity and herbal hops.

Taste is bready malt, caramel, apple, butterscotch, earthy herbal hops with slight bitterness.

Medium body with medium carbonation, finishes a bit creamy and clean.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2010 03:25:30 | More by OskarL

4ster

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

08-29-2012 22:58:57 | More by 4ster

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

06-19-2012 13:44:10 | More by mick303

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Draft

Appearance - Clear golden yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is a below average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for only a short while

Smell - Malts, breads/grains, herbal notes, corn

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts and corn mixed with some slightly harsh herbal notes. There is also something along the lines of an apple juice sweetness. It ends with a grainy aftertaste.

Overall - It reminded me of one of those strong euro lager beers. It's drinkable but not something I'd drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 18:18:44 | More by spinrsx

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

05-19-2012 01:01:31 | More by hopsolutely

kelvarnsen

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -15%

04-22-2012 18:30:41 | More by kelvarnsen

MattPS

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -15%

03-03-2012 23:22:10 | More by MattPS

LoveBeerNo7

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

02-26-2012 15:55:00 | More by LoveBeerNo7

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

2.65/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Half pint at Mill Street Ottawa. From notes.

A - Poured light golden, bright with good carbonation. Half finger of white head with no lace and no retention.

S - Grapes, apple juice, and sweet malt with an herbal hop note.

T - Corn, sweet malt, apple juice, some bread.

M - Good carbonation, medium to full body and a sweet finish.

O/D - Tastes kinda like a cheap Euro strong lager. Wasn't expecting this sort of beer from Mill Street. I couldn't come close to finishing this one, it was too sweet and too hard to drink. Didn't like it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 17:44:38 | More by tbeckett

dgilks

Australia

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear golden colour with a smooth off-white head. Poor head retention.

Lightly toasty malt with some mild sweetness. Fairly bready but lacking the deep and complex melanoidin structure of the German versions.

Sweet with a dose of caramel and a lot of fruit. This just tastes of heavily stressed out yeast and a bit of caramel. Not amazing.

Medium full body with moderate carbonation. Okay.

A relatively poor example of the Helles Bock with there being too much caramel malt and too much fruit character.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2011 12:42:43 | More by dgilks

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Glad to see the Mill Street mix pack at the LCBO today. The Helles bock pours a nice clear light copper gold with a thin head. The aroma is a bit fruity with some sweet pilsner malt and a bit of herbal hops. The flavor is crisp and smooth, not much of the fruitiness from the aroma. Clean, dry pale malt leads into a hint of toasted, almost nutty character, reminiscent of their Tankhouse Ale. Herbal, slightly earthy and spicy hops come in followed by a clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 01:54:29 | More by ericj551

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into my small Mill St. glass...

A - Orange/golden body with a thin but creamy white head. Pretty weak head retention and barely any lacing. Not very carbonated.

S - Smells like a pale bock should. Grains, flowers, some caramel, and some apple notes.

T - The taste is bready and flowery, with a pronounced apple-like flavour. Some pronounced bittering hops and some sweet caramel notes in the after-taste. Not too dry, quite well-balanced.

M - Medium-bodied, slightly chewy. Crisp, with some moderate carbonation. A slight warming sensation at the swallow.

D - Goes down quite smoothly, for a 6.5% beer. All in all, this is a very good example of the style; something to help you get a nice healthy buzz going on, while still enjoying the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 01:09:57 | More by NightINgale

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Deep gold in colour with a hint of orange and brilliantly clear. A fingers worth of fizzy white head makes a swift exit, leaving no lace. It smells of honey, tropical fruit, bread, and floral hops. The fruit really seems to come forward as the beer warms. Otherwise, it has a fairly light scent. It has that non-specific fruity flavour the aroma hints at, along with some cracker and caramel. Delicate herbal hopping and mild bitterness. Alcohol is spicy enough to notice, but isn't hot. Medium bodied; fairly high carbonation makes it feel slightly prickly. It's a decent enough beer. I enjoyed it as part of the current Mill Street variety pack, but aren't sure it was worth going through Stock Ale and Organic Lager just to try this. I might buy this once in a blue moon if it were available as a single unit.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2010 04:12:53 | More by mintjellie

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. sampled feb 15/2010.

pours crystal clear deep gold with a big fluffy cream coloured head. the head drops very slowly and leaves a thick layer of lace as it falls.

aroma is nice. honey and caramel. white bread and cracker. light alcohol. buttery. definite bock-like character here. lightly herbal hops. touch of biscuit.

taste is nice. light alcohol. low bitterness level. slightly toasted white bread and cracker. touch of biscuit. light caramel. butterscotch. herbal and slightly earthy hops. just a touch of floral character.

mouthfeel is pretty good. just over medium carbonation level. slightly below medium body.

drinkability is pretty good. nicely balanced. good depth without going overboard. a nice helles.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 03:05:03 | More by grub

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance is clear, deep orange with a one finger beige head and not much retention whatsoever. Aroma is a nice balance of caramel richness and breadiness. The flavor profile is a bit deeper. The malts are nicely offset by some citrus hop notes. Not overpowering, but certainly noticable. There is a bite from the alcohol in this too, but nothing that is too overpowering. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp. Drinkability is good, the ABV really tastes lower than it is, although sometimes it can feel a little boozy. The light and clean flavors make this dangerously drinkable.

Overall, an enjoyable, better than average interpretation of the style. I was pleasantly surprised. Nice balanced flavors and layers make this worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 11:41:52 | More by Gosox8787

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice clear deep golden with a thick white head. A good looking beer.

Smells citrusy, bready and somewhat hoppy. Tastes malty and nutty upfront, and finishes nutty and hoppy with some citrus.

This is very drinkable stuff and really smooth, a very good representation of the style, although there are many better ones...

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2009 18:02:33 | More by GodOfBeer

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

It's listed as 7% here but the bottle says 6.5%. (For whatever difference that makes.)

Pours a nice, clear golden-orange color topped by an ample, bright white head that dies down to a thin film leaving crooked fingers of lacing.

The aroma is a herbal, grassy, noble hop presence with some sweet malt and toasted notes.

The taste is a really nice bright, sweet pilsener malt, a little toasty, a little bready, very orange-like, nicely malty with some nice steely noble hop bitterness to round things out with only a touch of pepper in the finish.

Moderate body with a nice level of carbonation.

A very drinkable, very moreish beer.

In my estimation Mill Street are a sort of jack of all trades but a master of none. Really, they keep doing really good interpretations of a broad range of styles without ever really completely knocking it out of the park, and this is no different. It's really, really good but at the same time it's just a little shy of greatness.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 02:26:18 | More by MeisterBurger

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Mill Street Helles Bock is as helles (light) as last years' straw. It is a fair and lucid yellow (only into the light does it really have any colour at all) and is topped with a plentiful supply of white head. The surface is a hulking heap of lathery scum which primes the glass in a foamy lacquer. This certainly looks like a clean, tasteful lager.

The aroma instantly conjured to mind the best German helles bocks I remember having. Just one whiff transposes me to Europe; the bare nakedness of pale malts, the lightly toasted melanoidins and the vague, unspecified fruity esters are all emblematic of the style. This certainly rivals, if not transcends, many pilsners or pale ales as far as aromatics.

Ditto for the taste. While immensely similar to many European pilsners or Munich helles, this bock narrowly exceeds what one could expect from those respective styles. While the flavour of continental European pale malts dominates (pils malt, in particular) there are some light toasty notes and melanoidins and a muffled taste of apples.

The taste also has a trace amount of orange peel-like zest and a touch of wood-like dryness. The alcohol is not noticeable in and of itself, but the beer does pack a tiny punch which it will selectively use to jab at the palate. At no point, however, does it become all that distinctive; the drinkability is almost inconceivably affected.

Germans don't really care about frills - they care about drinkability and this definitely has that. The ingredients are clean and tasty and the beer epitomizes the style by being a super quaffable lager with an assertively malty character and extra dosage of hops. I could guzzle this by the pint full and might just do that next time I'm at the brewpub.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 02:21:31 | More by biegaman

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

15oz glass on tap at the brewpub, arrives a brilliant clear coppery orange with a notable absence of any head.

Flavor and smell on this coincide, caramel and biscuity malts, light fruitiness leaning almost to strawberry, floral, hint of spiciness, light mineral hop bite. The distraction for me on this one was the carbonation which was overdone, bordering on harsh and prickly - not what I would choose for the style. Felt like belching after every sip. Otherwise, a well done, refreshing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 15:17:45 | More by ritzkiss

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer appears a clear golden orange hue, with a small meniscus of wispy white head, that actually leaves a modicum of lace behind. It smells of bready biscuit malt, and mild noble hops. The taste is off-dry biscuit grain malt, booze warming, and light earthy hops. The carbonation is average, the body warm and a bit edgy, and it finishes bone dry, a grain alcohol essence lingering at the back of the throat.

Not bad, but the booze needs to be more finely integrated to make this a winner.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 02:46:53 | More by biboergosum

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Re-reviewed after half at C'est What. Radiant orange body and a good one finger of white head. Some, but not excessive lacing. Again, a nice orange fragrance. I picked up a lot more toffee in the flavour this time, as well as a lot more bitterness, which I think has helped punch this beer up a notch. The mouthfeel is also slightly chewier, and stickier, which I enjoyed. Quite a bit better!

Earlier review: Pint at the brewpub. Did not come with the frothy white head as advertised, but lets face it flavour is the main reason we should drink beer. Deep golden orange colour. Very subtle orange smell. Refreshing malty taste, with a bitterness that resembles grated orange peel. A decent beer, but nothing special. I also think they were advertising it as a lower percentage at the brewpub (more around 6%).

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2008 15:27:57 | More by bobsy

crwills

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a pint of this at Mill Street Brewpub. Very nice looking in a tall 15oz glass, a deep, clear orangish brown with very little head. Aroma is mild, but what's there is very deep, toasted malts. Body is the first thing that jumps out upon tasting - very thick, somewhat oily. Definitely unique and I'm not sure if it's quite right for the style. Heavy on the malt, but with some definite European hop presence in there to balance things out. Mild notes of dark fruits in with the prominent caramel flavours. Very drinkable - this was easily my favourite of the night.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2007 18:36:11 | More by crwills

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewpub.

A: Orange-amber with an off-white head. Very little retention or lace. Lack-luster compared to its German rivals. It should be full of protein & have a stand-up head.

S: Grassy hops, with bread & toffee.

T: Fairly hop-forward, predominantly grassy, slightly spicy, with a little metalic earth & orange-rind zest. Slight bready & caramel malt flavour. Balanced bitterness. Alcohol flavour is subtle (I'm not sure if it's still 7%).

M: Moderate to full body is relatively smooth; modest carbonation.

D: While not exceptional, it is certainly a drinkable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2007 20:56:10 | More by Derek

Dithyramb

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on tap at Beerbistro--that is several minutes after the bartender was gracious enough to look in my general direction. Orange with a clingy off-white ring. Caramel and Euro hops on the aroma.

Very full malt profile that appears dominated by caramel/ Some herbal/peppery hops. But nothing boozy related to give you the hint of 7%.-

Creamy, buttery finish on the tongue that leaves a dry aftertaste. My only bock so far and interesting in its own way.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2006 12:39:39 | More by Dithyramb

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at beerbistro. Pours a clear red/orange, big off white head, some lace and good retention. Smell is sweet, citrus and caramel, grass, floral, some fruits. Taste is sweet caramel, grassy/floral, pretty rich, some spices, orange, maybe a little wheat. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation, very smooth, little bit of alcohol warming. I thought it was pretty damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2006 00:24:06 | More by Viggo