Alaskan Birch Bock (Pilot Series) - Alaskan Brewing Co.

hreb

Washington

2.23/5  rDev -38.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle pours red-brown, crystal clear, with a tiny amount of white head. Holy crap, intensely estery aroma. Flavor is similarly chemical. I don't detect any birch-beer like flavor, though there is some sweetness, either from that birch additives or from the normal heavy malt load of a bock beer. I didn't expect much, but this disappoints. Would not try again.

Pros are it looks decent in the glass, there's a pretty scene with a moose on the label, and it hides its ABV very well. Cons are that it hides its ABV with bad flavor. And everything else.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 02:39:40 | More by hreb

Zbeetleman

California

3/5  rDev -16.9%

05-15-2013 04:49:10 | More by Zbeetleman

tclang

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -16.9%

05-12-2013 20:55:01 | More by tclang

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured a thin head on a cloudy light brown colored body.
The aroma is dry wood and dark malt. Interesting.
The taste is wonderful. It's fairly sweet overall, but less "annoying sweet" than most doppelbocks. There's definitely a syrup flavor with a background of dry malt sweetness.
The texture is slightly sticky with moderate carbonation.
Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 04:37:16 | More by Fatehunter

SeanSweeney

Michigan

4/5  rDev +10.8%

04-04-2013 01:29:15 | More by SeanSweeney

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.11/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In my opinion, the beers in the Pilot Series are some of the best work from Alaskan. The taste is general bold and lacks the bothersome oily texture that I can not overlook in their more noted brews.

Poured into a glass, the beer was a murky brown with variation in the shades of brown. The aroma was the expected malty doppelbock type aroma. In fairness, I am not exactly what birch syrup is supposed to taste like, never having had it. I can only assume it is similar to maple syrup. In the initial taste, one detects the sweet malt as well as a certain syrupy sweetness with hints of dark fruit. There was a certain smokiness in the taste, but it was not overpowering. The thickness reminded me a little more of a barleywine than a doppelbock, but this was not a big detractor for me. In the aftertaste, one will notice the maltiness continues with a twang of sourness. The taste on this doppelbock is well developed and nicely rounded. I would certainly do this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 23:13:27 | More by JohnnyHopps

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a toffee colored body beneath the thinner off white head which quickly dissolves to leave little lacing behind.

Sweet aromas of birch syrup and brown sugar and hints of fig float from the glass. The aromas are sweet and candy like with typical doppelbock malty sweetness as well.

The flavors are similar featuring the birch maple and brown sugar sweetness the aroma has with hints of earthiness.

The body is fuller with medium carbonation and a nice sherry like, dryer finish.

This is a pretty nice doppelbock, clearly even a bit sweeter with the addition of the birch maple syrup than others but you can certainly appreciate the Alaskan twist.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 23:24:24 | More by CHADMC3

kingmaker

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +10.8%

02-03-2013 07:36:53 | More by kingmaker

powdersoldier

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

02-02-2013 16:51:53 | More by powdersoldier

dragomni

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

01-27-2013 23:51:30 | More by dragomni

jdkitchi

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Acquired this for $6.99 at Discount. Poured reddish brown color into a snifter from the 22 oz bomber bottle. There was a small head that kept some lacing.

Smells of sweet dark malts and a little woody. The taste is very sweet mostly malts up front, some earthy character, slight hop balance and alcohol, some lingering sweet syrup in the finish. There is a medium mouth feel and low carbonation.

This is a pretty good Dopple. It 's a little different, a little cloying but pretty enjoyable too. I would have this again if I ran across it.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:25:48 | More by jdkitchi

CaliMark

California

3.5/5  rDev -3%

12-18-2012 03:19:26 | More by CaliMark

stript

4/5  rDev +10.8%

12-16-2012 04:22:28 | More by stript

Peller80

3.5/5  rDev -3%

12-11-2012 02:14:46 | More by Peller80

Braz

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

11-25-2012 04:21:48 | More by Braz

jessicapreuss

Brazil

3.5/5  rDev -3%

11-23-2012 21:35:36 | More by jessicapreuss

irishgreensoda

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -10%

11-20-2012 23:03:27 | More by irishgreensoda

Etan

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into a stout glass

A: Pours a wood amber-brown with a small light tan head.

S: Sweet, fruity malt - grapes, raisins, prunes, molasses, maple.

T: Maple, figs, brown sugar, caramel, brown bread, light birch spice.

M: Medium-bodied with light carbonation.

O: This was better than I was expecting. The birch is pretty mellow. The beer is a bit sweet, but not so much as to ruin the beer. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 00:44:34 | More by Etan

tgraven

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -10%

11-04-2012 04:30:59 | More by tgraven

tbone1384

Wyoming

4.75/5  rDev +31.6%

11-03-2012 14:07:05 | More by tbone1384

crobinso

Colorado

4/5  rDev +10.8%

10-14-2012 12:28:36 | More by crobinso

drinkyourcraft

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just a note to any readers - I have a slight cold and my taste and smell is a bit off.

Pours a good amber copper color with a good foamy head.

Taste is very malty and "maple-syrupy?" but nothing overwhelming.

Overall a solid doppelbock, tastes a lot like a homebrew I had recently.

Recommend - yes, share

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 03:35:08 | More by drinkyourcraft

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of Alaskan Birch Bock based on a sample at the St. Paul Summer Fest a few weeks ago. I have an affinity for "tree" beers after helping make a spruce ale with the MN Home Brewers at the first Teach a Friend to Homebrew day in 2005. The experience helped me get into homebrewing more, so "tree" beers have an odd emotional appeal to me.

Classic doppelbock color: deep copper to ruby. Dirty white head falls quickly over alcohol hotness and deep malt with a clear birch nose. Dark fruits and malt are smoothed by a slick oiliness over, what I assume, is a birch spicy note since it's low on hops. Very fun to drink.

Not a knock-your-socks off beer, but a testament to the creativity of the beer world. I like it and would drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 02:07:06 | More by FightingEntropy

phishsihq

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Birch Bock, a dopplebock brewed with Alaskan birch syrup. The brew pours a beautiful mahogany color, and it is caped with a thin, off-white head that provides spotty lace. Aromas of dark fruit and sweet malt hint at the flavors to come, and a little bit of sweetness pokes through as well. Malt forward, Birch Bock showcases the addition of birch syrup in the sweet finish, with a touch of alcohol lingering too. Medium-light in body, this dopplebock features a lower-level of carbonation. If you have access to ANY Alaskan Brewing Company's beers, do yourself a favor and buy them!

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:37:48 | More by phishsihq

Gavage

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a light brown color with a short wispy head that falls apart quickly.

Smell: sweet malt and brown sugar is most noticeable by the nose.

Taste: very sweet malt profile, as brown sugar and ripe dark fruits are up front. Bitterness is mild and alcohol is mildly noticeable too.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp up front, smoother argue finish. The sweetness lingers on the tongue for a while.

Overall: I expected a little more from this beer, as it just was not as satisfying as I expected. One bomber bottle was more than enough for a session.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 13:19:55 | More by Gavage