Blonde Bock
Brooklyn Brewery

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From:
Brooklyn Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
Maibock
ABV:
7.7%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 4.83%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
16
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 22, 2007
Added:
Apr 25, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
From Garrett Oliver: Technically, Brooklyn Blonde Bock is a hellesdoppelbock or "doppelbock hell". The malt is 100% Weyermann Pils malt. OG: 18.5, AE 3.5, ABV 7.7%. Hops are Hallertauer Perle and Hallertauer Mittelfrueh. Lagering time was eight weeks.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by John_M:
Photo of John_M
Reviewed by John_M from Washington

4.35/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had this on tap at Max's during their American Craft Brew festival. The beer list indicates this was from 2005. If so, it has aged remarkably well for a lager.

The beer pours a light gold color, with very good head retention and decent lacing. There is not a huge aroma to this beer, just a hint of sweet malt. On the palate this is a very sweet, malty bock indeed. However, it's not overdone, and is not the least bit cloying to drink. On the palate one gets flavors of butter, honey and melon. The beer comes across as very smooth and rich, with a very good finish.

This is a very impressive beer and was all too drinkable for its abv. I could easily see myself drinking quite a few of these. Excellent beer.
May 22, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of 51mmz0rz
Reviewed by 51mmz0rz from New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
A: Dark yellow body, totally clear. Nice rather thick lacing sits on top.

S: Mild fruity hops smell.

T: Sweet fruity hops, a slight alcohol tinge followed by maltyness, followed by more hops. Complex and balanced.

M: Very full with good carbonation.

D: Great flavor and an overall clean finish make this good for a session. I didn't know the abv while drinking this one, and couldn't tell it was ~8%.

A truly great beer, and one I hope to get a couple more pints while it lasts.
Aug 14, 2006
Photo of arguemaniac
Reviewed by arguemaniac from Virginia

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a bright golden color with a brief head that leaves a lingering lace. The fruity aroma features a strong note of smooth alcohol sweetness. The palate is slightly harsh, with more of that alcoholic sweetness, which is balanced by some nice hop spice. The grain flavors are dry and fairly restrained.

My biggest complaint was the harshness of the malt character. It didn’t add complexity, it didn’t balance the sweet alcohol flavors; it really stood out as a flaw. Otherwise, it was decent, rich, balanced and like many other good pale bocks, restrained. Recommended.
Jun 24, 2006
Photo of Franchise
Reviewed by Franchise from Oregon

4.12/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a golden blonde leaving a thin white lace. The aroma is fruity with a slight musty presence. The taste is sensational, it starts with a funky, wheat bready feel in the mouth, then moves to a sweet honey effort balanced by the faintest sense of bitter hops. A another great effort by Brooklyn to continue to excite our palates.
Jun 22, 2006
Photo of sraimondi
Reviewed by sraimondi from Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had this gem at My Place in Newtown, CT (Mark always gets the most interesting beers--Thanks Mark). Pours a nice yellow gold color, true to the German style. Very full and nice mouthfeel--tight carbonation. The taste is one of the best for a Mai Bock I have ever had. REAL malty with great bread aroma--very little hop kick, but the beer still finsihes with a crisp, clean aftertaste. One note: at 7.7%abv, this one doesn't knock you over with alcohol taste, so it will creep up on you like Duvel--so be careful!! All in all another winner from Garrett Oliver. I wish it was available in the bottle.
Jun 17, 2006
Photo of BeerFan
Reviewed by BeerFan from New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Latest Brewmaster Reserve beer on tap at my house. Pours a bright, clear straw-gold color into my 16 oz pint glass. Good-sized bright white head with compact bubbles that linger and leave excellent lacing. Sweet malt character upfront backed nicely by the noble hops, giving it a spicy, floral hop aroma. Definite white grape taste. Clean and crisp tasting, smooth dry finish for this medium-bodied, very easy-drinking lager. No notice of the 7.7% ABV. Another well-crafted draft-only beer from GO. When's that bottling line gonna be ready?
Jun 16, 2006
Photo of bignick
Reviewed by bignick from Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap @ Sunset Tap 6/8/06. Served in a pint glass.

Wow. This beer lived up to the hype. It pours a straw yellow with a nice head. It smells earthy, with some honey. The taste is a little sweet, and bursting with flavor. There is no hint of the ABV. I like it very much, and could drink it all night due to its dangerous drinkability.
Jun 13, 2006
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Mad Mex Robinson, gotta love happy hora where else can you get a rare beer like this for $2.50. Appears a honey dipped golden hue with a large bright cloudy white fine bubbled head leaves lacing with each sip, very nice look to it. Aroma contains tart apples with sweet lightly toasted malts and also evident is a touch of white grapes nice subdued herbal hop tone. Taste has sweet lucious syrupy notes grassy herbal hop flavor mild bitterness goes well with the fruit tones that show up in this brew with the finish of more tart apple and white grape accents. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a smooth carbonation great slightly syrupy texture to it. Drinkability definitely a standup version of the maibock great job stands with my favorites St. Boisterous and Penn Maibock, needless to say I was very satisfied with this limited draft only release.
Jun 06, 2006
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Had the growler filled at Consumers in Williamsville,oh what a nice pour into a 1.5 liter stein a rich clear golden with a pillowey white head almost perfect.Alcohol dipped raisins and floral hop notes in the nose with a lighter toasted grain flair as well.Oh man how easy is this beer to drink at 7.7% its remarkable no burn to speak of.Dark fruits and hallertau-like grassy,spicey hop wich is very prevelant the alcohol show up not in a burn but a zing in the finish.For me this is the standard pale bock its awesome Iam truley happy to try this gem.
May 28, 2006
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
In a growler from half time. Pours light golden clear amber, snow white retentive head, leaving long lasting, fine lacing. Bready nose, and I also pick up some light raisin notes, after reading the bros.'s reviews. Spot on strong bock, Brooklyn nailed this one. I was at a Brooklyn beer dinner in Shrub oak, NY and Garret O. was beeming and happy , cuz he knew this one was a winner. Go get some and enjoy this tasty, bold and strong German style lager
May 18, 2006
Photo of PSUDREW
Reviewed by PSUDREW from Pennsylvania

3.82/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
pours a wonderfully light golden olor. no real nose to speak, and that means no real lacing. wonderfully pugent floral nose.

very grassy upr front tasted, finished of with a very sweet ending. you can taste all sorts of flavors here. Some what (but not really) hoppy upfront, followed by a matly, and honey flavored finsish. The good thing is you definatley taste the malt and the hops in this. Good show all around. reminds me of Stoudts' but not quite (and I mean that as a compliment).
May 12, 2006
Photo of BadBadger
Reviewed by BadBadger from New York

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow, what a tasty malty lady. This finely crafted beverage pours from a the growler a beautiful clear gold color. The head is nice and foamy. The smell is of malty sweetness. The taste is gentle, yet malty through and through. The after taste is pleasant, with a nice coating on the tongue, with both malty, and even a bit of bitter coming through. This is a very fine beer! I recommend that anyone who enjoys a maibock to rush out and give this a try. This blonde has brains. You will enjoy!
May 01, 2006
Photo of DaggerEyes
Reviewed by DaggerEyes from New York

4.63/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Had a pint today on tap at the Half King in Chelsea after a long day of walking around. Man I'm glad I picked this one out of the list of beers.

Poured into a pint glass it was a beautiful crystal clear gold with hints of amber. Little to no head was present but there was some lovely lacing taking place. A very viscous beer the Blonde Bock clung to the side of the glass after ever single sip.

I was having trouble smelling this beer, perhaps because I was outside, perhaps because there was lots of great smelling food all around but from what I did pick up it had a great smell. Very sweet malty and grainy aroma with hints of honey and banana, nicely balanced with a slight bite of hops

Spicey herbal flavors and extremely active on the start, then comes a citric hop bite and some hearty matly sweetness with sweet hints of honey, all held together with a nice hop back bone and a spicy tangy aftertaste.

A very active beer that nicely massages your pallate with it's medium body and good deal of carbonation. This was an absolute pleasure to drink outside and a great way to relax and recharge after a long day of walking around. I'll look forward to drinking one of these again in the near future!

Updated this to a 5 for drinkability after thouroughly enjoying two more pints on tap last night. What an outstanding beer
Apr 30, 2006
Photo of Shiredave
Reviewed by Shiredave from New York

4.57/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This one is stellar - IMHO the Best of the Brewers Reserve series to date. On tap at The Golden Rail in Newburgh NY.

Golden color and soft carbonation with sparse but sticky bright white head and lacing.

All German malt aroma - sugar and toffee but not syrupy - notes of oats and multi -grain bread.

Flavors are full on malt sweetness - mildly grainy in an interesting way with firm hop bittering finishing it off.
Sweet fruit lingers with the hop bite in great balance between swallows.

Mouthfeel is heavy with residulal sugars and the 7+% abv is very deceptive - a mild chest burn is your only evidence. A bit sweet and potent for me to have more than 2, but still highly drinkable.
A must find while it lasts!
Apr 28, 2006
Photo of Todd
Reviewed by Todd from Finland

4.51/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Enjoyed on-tap at Redbones during a Garrett Oliver beer dinner. Last beer in the line-up.

Poured into a trumpet-like Pils glass, which showcased the beer's gorgeous bright and clear golden hues, topped with a white lacing that held up until the end. Extremely appealing in its appearance.

Pronounced biscuity malt aroma with notes of herbal and suggestions of white grapes / raisins.

Bold malt flavor with pronounced bread and biscuit characters and a sweet malty foundation from the 100% Weyermann Pils malt. Somewhat thick, full, rounded and very smooth on the palate. Lavish white grape / raisin flavors blend harmoniously with the malty sweetness, while adding a bit of unique fruitiness to the complexities. Hoppy herbal notes provide balance and a thin line of pleasing citric flavor slices through the malt. Both are heightened by a distinct dry edge. Finish is rather clean, dry, and extremely more-ish. Alcohol is very well-hidden.

My current favorite beer from the Brooklyn Brewery, and one hell of a bock! My only problem with this beer is that I fear I may not be able to get my hands on enough of it.

This would make an amazing cross-over beer for white wine drinkers, and could easily be treated as a white wine when pairing.
Apr 25, 2006
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Redbones in a pilsner flute.

Dazzlingly bright pale golden hue, excellent lacing. Aromas of mashed white raisins, spicy herbal hop and a biscuit like maltiness. Very crisp with a smooth back, solid malt character ... lots of fresh malt on the palate. White grape skin snap and spicy herbal hoppiness balance this brew out, slightly deceiving at 7.7% abv.

Wow! This has to be my new favorite beer from Brooklyn Brewery ... simply amazing!
Apr 25, 2006
Blonde Bock from Brooklyn Brewery
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 16 ratings