Hofbräu Maibock (Urbock) - Hofbräuhaus München

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

On tap at the Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont, IL

A - Pours a carmel-ish brown/red color with 1 finger of white head

S - Sweet malt, fresh baked bread

T - I was expecting some alcohol bite at 7.2% ABV, but there isn't much at all. Very smooth and easy drinking. You get a bit of honey / malty sweetness up front, with a bit of bready banana yeast flavor. Very enjoyable.

M - Medium bodied and maybe slightly thicker than traditional German beers

O - I normally reach right for the hefeweizen at a German brauhaus, but since this was in-season I gave it a shot - and I'm glad I did. It is slightly sweet, but not cloying at all and very easy to get carried away drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 17:11:43 | More by cnbrown313

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

It's getting warmer, which means it's maibock time, folks! This one pours a clear brass topped by a finger of white froth. The nose comprises biscuit, light honey, and a decidedly light bit of dry grass. The taste brings in more of the same, with some extra helpings of grass and flowers, and a vague fruitiness pervading the finish. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a smooth feel. Overall, a very nice maibock, one of the base staples of the style in my eyes.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 20:16:23 | More by TMoney2591

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours clear golden yellow with a finger of white head and bubbly effervescence.

Biscuity malts and ripe red apples are strong in nose, toffee sweetness, grassy grains.

Sweet, malt forward with a bit of fruity hops. Mild toasted character takes it to the next level.

Very drinkable Maibock.

Would pick this up again. Glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:03:47 | More by TheMultiYeast

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.44/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hofbrau Maibock has a thick, fluffy, off-white head, a clear, somewhat bubbly copper appearance, and some lacing rings left behind. The aroma is quite strong and gamy, with a cloying, turned fruit, roasty malt and sickly sweetness. Taste is of brown bread, cloying sweetness, caramel, toffee, brandy, dark-roasted malt, and a touch of balancing hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Hofbrau Maibock finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, alcohilic, smooth, and unique. Overall, this is strong and not for the faint of heart, but it’s supremely delicious and sublime in so many ways. I love it. Please check this out!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 19:36:00 | More by RonaldTheriot

tectactoe

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Shows a slightly hazy shade of orange and rustic copper on the pour; dingy white head settles quick but retains nicely and leaves some moderate lacing on the sides of the glass. The nose is a bit under-powered and leaves much to be desired. Largely comprised of a malt body with a touch of sweetness, the other detectable aromas don't necessarily stand out or make a name for themselves. Some very light herbal and floral notes from the hops, mild earthy spices, albeit vague and hard to identify. On the palate, the beer is pretty thin and crisp, due to pretty liberal carbonation. Some sweet malt, slightly rustic and caramelized with a moderate grain flavor in the background. Some very light fruitiness; orange zest and lemon peels. Earthy, grassy, musky hops leave a little bitter twang on the edges of the tongue. Some detectable yeast, but not really a huge contributor of flavor. Alcohol is apparent, even more so at it warms up, bit not too distracting.

Overall, a decent beer, pretty average on most account, and probably nothing I would go back to. I haven't had too many maibocks, but I would imagine there'd be better ones out there than this.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 16:31:00 | More by tectactoe

MaximalC

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a translucent honey color with a moderate beige head. Aroma smells of caramel and clean, floral hops. A tinge of skunk may be noticeable in the aroma as well, doubtless on account of the green bottle. Flavor matches the aroma almost exactly, though the sweetness of the caramel malt is a tad cloying in the finish. The honeyed flavor vacillates between malt and hop in a way that eludes true balance. I find the hop flavor less palatable than the aroma. Mouthfeel could use a bit more body, but it's not bad.

I have no experience with Maibocks, but to me this tastes comparable to an oktoberfest with above-average bitterness. Drinkable, but nothing to write home about.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 01:59:57 | More by MaximalC

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.23/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Half-litre bottle: best before 11 Jan 2013. Poured into the only Hofbräu glass I possess: their huge 'Munchner Kindl' Weisse vase.

Actually the beer seemed pleased to see a mate from the brewery and it looked happy in the wrong glass: bright, amber and clear, on top a full, lasting head of white bubbles. Plenty of carbonisation bubbles rising through the beer 'Weisse' style: no wonder the beer and glass got on so well together!

Sweet nose and taste: gentle malty feel to everything, caramel and nutty. Nothing overboard, just subtle flavours to coast you along the 7.2%ABV road to sleep. Far too easy to drink for the strength: I love the strong, sweeter, uncomplicated brews and this fits the bill nicely.

My only advice is to try and drink it slower than I did!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 18:31:46 | More by BlackHaddock

texantiff

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Balanced malt with very low hops. Clean, no esters,

Dark gold, crystal clear, head doesn't stick around.

Spicy clean lager finish. Moderate malts with low hops to balance. More pils malts than Munich/crystal. Sweet,

Good body, medium carbonation, creamy.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 00:40:27 | More by texantiff

shigg85

Japan

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Kaizerhof in Yurakucho, Tokyo. Poured into a glass stein. Whiskey-hued clear brew with a beautiful foamy white head... love the appearance of this beer. Roasted hops dominates the palate in this brew. Delicious but not very layered in flavors or smell. Overall, this is a great drinking beer, but not exactly a complex number worth talking about too much. I enjoyed it and would definitely drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 00:54:06 | More by shigg85

burnstar

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pretty clear copper with a large head. Nice lacing on the surface. Smell is toasted malt with a little herbal and grassy hops. Fairly standard. Taste is huge toasted malt. Balanced by tons of hops. Herbal and spicy. Smooth and full bodied. Nicely carbonated. Great mouthfeel. This was absolutely great on tap at Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh with German food. So balanced and tasty and drinkable. This is also fast becoming one of my favorite styles- nice strong hoppy german beer for spring time.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 01:31:48 | More by burnstar

sulldaddy

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured at cellar temp into a pint glass. Stopper gave the bottle to me recently and its finally time to drink it.
Pours a clear chestnut hue with frothy eggshell white head foaming up and fading to nothing fairly rapidly.
Aroma is some caramel and toffee with a bit of grainy malt too. A little spicy hop presence in the background, but this is a sweet malty nose to be certain.
First sip reveals a clean body with fine tingly carbonation that tickles my palate on each swallow. Crisp texture adds to the drinkability of this beer.
Flavor is malty with caramel and toffee but I do get a bit of spicy and wet grass hops on the finish. The beer actually finishes dry and with just a little bite, which I didnt anticipate from the nose. No real hint of alcohol and a very easy drinking clean beer. Nothing too complex or to get excited over, but certainly enjoyable and not flawed.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 04:24:27 | More by sulldaddy

TechTriumph

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes on 04/07/12:
No freshness date; Poured in a pint glass.

A - Over an inch of off-white carbonated head with decent retention; Light amber in color with a crystal clear appearance; No real lacing left behind

S - Aroma is a bit on the light side; Notes of herbal hops, esters, clove, bready sweetness, and faint grains and fruits

T - Faint alcohol comes through just slightly in the beginning and mid-taste; Also present are bready, yeasty, and some grainy flavors that come across as sweet and a bit syrupy at first; Herbal, grassy, and minty hops step forward a bit toward the finish and linger with a slight bitterness

M - Moderate and zesty carbonation; Just under medium bodied; A bit syrupy in the mouthfeel; Leaves the mouth feeling a touch dry

O - This is definitely a staple for Maibocks, having no real weaknesses and is just a solid, all-around, good beer. It packs quite a bit of flavor, yet is still very drinkable and satisfying, especially on this cool, early Spring day. Without a doubt, this is a brew that I'll be enjoying again during next year's Spring season.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 10:42:26 | More by TechTriumph

Durge

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the East Side Restaurant in New Britain, Connecticut this is a dark amber color with a decent off-white cover and hearty lacing. The aroma is deep nutty malt and woodsy wheat. Very definitive and tasty. The flavor brings out more delicious malt grain with a herbal hop kiss. This is earthy stuff with a beautiful sweet molasses theme that is easy drinking in this medium bodied brew. Carbonation is relatively modest but it has a smooth feel that ends with just a hint of dryness. This is a wonderful malt flavorfest. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 02:39:40 | More by Durge

BierStein711

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Three and a half finger head, lively carbonation

Tastes like hop, caramel, spice, toasty, and a dry finish. You don't know this is a high abv beer.

Smells like hops

Mouthfeel is solid, not watery

Overall, it is a great beer, that is surprisingly sessionable. However, its high abv makes it unwise to do so! Understandably, it is not a beer you should consume in a sequence.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 01:28:32 | More by BierStein711

CHickman

New York

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours copper orange color with a nice 2 finger foamy white head that left good foamy lacing sticking to the sides.

Smells of sweet malt, caramel, brown sugar, bread, light toasted grains and light herbs; a very sweet and malty nose.

Taste follows the nose with sweet malt, caramel, brown sugar, bread, light toasted grains, biscuit, syrup, dark fruit, floral hops and light herbs. This hides the ABV very well, but is almost cloyingly sweet.

Mouthfeel is smooth with very light carbonation, a medium body and a sweet finish.

Overall this was good and is worth trying, but just a tad bit too sweet for me. Anyone into sweet malt and bready flavor will love this brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 16:45:23 | More by CHickman

teromous

Virginia

4.48/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is a rich clear orange color, with a fluffy orange-white head. The head stands very well and leaves lots of lacing.

S: It has the smell you'd expect from a lager, with some malt sweet scents, and a little bit of caramel. I don't pick up any hops.

T: The hops come through a bit more in the flavor, with a light bitterness. There is a pleasant caramel flavor.

M: Very smooth and easy to drink. It's wonderful.

O: Overall it's great. I'd love to try it at the HB Haus on draft.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 22:30:19 | More by teromous

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz served into SA perfect pint glass.

A - Pours a very clear amber with an off-white head

S - Dry bread, grass, sweet grain, nuts.

T - Honey covered grain, lemon zest, faint caramel, grassy hops add a light, but rough textured bitterness. Sweet alcohol comes through on the back of the tongue. Finishes wet and slick.

M - Heavier side of medium, alcohol is evident and appropriate, slick finish.

Overall all pretty good. This one was thin on flavor at times though. The hops seemed rough and didn't seem to pair with the rest of the components. I would drink this again but wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 18:12:50 | More by StaveHooks

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz green bottle emptied into a pils glass. Clean and bready, toasted sourdough comes out as it warms as does a pleasant grassy hop bitterness and flavor. Alcohol flexes some on the nose and back of the palate. Just a hint of skunkiness from the green bottle is the only real flaw here.

When will the Euros finally realize Americans aren't fooled by the "exotic" green bottles anymore.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 18:57:07 | More by bump8628

horshack7

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It's a clear and somewhat bright copper that has light foamy head an inch thick.

Aroma: Light lemon zest at the start. Mild grassy notes with a touch of dryness in the nose. Light sugary sweetness from the malts and the hops are towards the floral end.

Taste: Floral hop and a bit of a butterd biscuit texture. Sweetness from the malts is a light toffee. Touch of grassy notes and some lemon zest.

Notes: Dam good inside and out a pleasant dryness on the palate and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 02:55:03 | More by horshack7

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear dark orange with a 1 inch foamy orange-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thin foamy rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt/grain and some burnt caramel aromas. Taste is very much the same with a mild bitterness that lingers on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but nothing too memorable.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 03:18:13 | More by UCLABrewN84

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an A-B flute on 4/3/12

Pretty, deep honey color; golden at the stem. Somewhat hazy, making for a robust appearance. The head reaches nearly three fingers before starting to fall slowly. Thin, patchy retention. Lace is good, though.

Toasted bread, buttered biscuit, light fruits and hints of honey tug at the aroma. Suggestions of earth and pollen waft about, too. The flavors are mildly fruity, modestly grassy and quite bready. Hops are tame, but gather toward the finish. This critter is malty like is ought to be. The medium body is smooth and ripples with moderate carbonation, carrying to a slightly bitter finish.

I'm finding some good things to appreciate in this beer; I'm glad I pick up a bottle, though it might not be the freshest. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 23:35:22 | More by Ryan011235

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a New Belgium snifter (This is just for tasting. Ordinarily, I'd drink a bock beer out of a nice big mug.) Appearance is clear, dark orange with a nice fluffy head. Nice nose of rich, sweet malt, nuts, and some pepper.

The beer is medium-bodied with a predominantly sweet flavor. I get rich, chewy, bready malt flavors up and down my palate. A pleasant bit of peppery spiciness comes in at mid-palate. The hop profile is very mellow and subdued, as is proper for this style. This beer is all about the malt! I wouldn't call it complex, but I would definitely call it ``bread in a bottle''.

In my opinion, this is a world-class beer. It's insanely drinkable, yet complex enough to keep you coming back to it over and over. Want a tasty maibock to celebrate the spring or acknowledge your German heritage? This is a really good one. It's not extreme. It's just a good, strong, substantial brew. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 12:43:02 | More by deadonhisfeet

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a classic german maibock. this one pours a nice amber to indian brown color, with a nice white head to the top of the glass. smells very german malty, sweet but light, perfect for spring. flavor is definitely malt driven, with some caramel undertones and a mild tartness at the end. feel isnt bad, a little flat in my opinion. i think this beer suffers from green bottle syndrome, but who knows. lighter and very drinkable despite its hefty alcohol content. even though this is the standard, i like a lot of the american maibocks better from a mouthfeel standpoint.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 22:26:46 | More by StonedTrippin

grannaniwa

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber color, with a good looking pure white head. Has a Euro lager bite to the aroma. Crisp and clean nose, with a little bit of bread.

Taste is much maltier than I expected from the nose. Slow-building, round flavor with a little bit of alcohol heat and hop bitterness at the back of the mouth. Strong, but not overbearing. Very well-balanced!

Overall: A-, looking forward to have this again!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 21:01:58 | More by grannaniwa

smakawhat

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thought I hadn't had this before but I guess I was wrong, let's see how the bottle version is! Poured into a tall pilsner style glass.

A real gorgeous bronze amber color and rising carbonation in a few places. Head forms off white, quite soapy, but with some good staying power. Love this body color real gorgeous.

This smells a lot better than I remember. Not as much yeast, but sort of a crisp sweet malt, dry powdered faint cinnamon in the background. Smells solid.

Taste though still lets me down. Slightly water palate seems like a bigger disappointment from the nose that hinted of what is to come. Water malt body, even a bit grassy. Hot finish leaving a sort of powdery and strange bitter aftertaste that doesn't seem to hint of hop but more as if medicinal.

Overall, it's a little more tolerable and I could do worse, but I am done with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 20:11:03 | More by smakawhat