Jopen Bokbier - Jopen Bier BV Haarlem

Erdinger2003

Iowa

4.72/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The cap poped off with a mighty blow and the head poured so big and thick that it doesn't want to go away at all. The head looks like sparkling snow in winter. The color is reddish to light brown. There's also some yeast floating around in there. The smell is powerful and woody, but sour sweet with fruitiness. The taste is nice with roasted malts. It tastes great with some sour fruit that's sweet at the same time. Mouthfeel is smooth and not harsh for all the carbonation seen earlier. I like this beer a lot and would definetly have more. Good stuff Holland!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2006 21:30:06 | More by Erdinger2003

putnam

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Maybe a little travel-shocked, the yeast was thoroughly involved in the top of the pour and delivered a very cloudy reddish brown platform over which was piled an insurgent pearlessence.
The aromas are of brandied raisins and fresh middle eastern fruits - figs and dates. Add to that rivers of black pepper, caramom, black dough, dried bananas, walnut, sage, basil and Plugra. On the palate it is virulently but finely fizzy - something which helps esptablish structure for the movement of cocoa, spice and fruited bread flavors. The other part of the structure is established by a certain roasted twig bitterness - from hops I assume - that imparts resin and oil flavors on the finish.
I am impressed. Think the flavors of a grand dubbel or trappist "8" only with more of an unrelenting and certain impregnation of natural CO-2 and more fresh and boiled hops - things which contribute drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2004 21:07:22 | More by putnam

dpasotti

Indiana

4.53/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rich mahogany with tons of sediment. That's right, a bottle conditioned bock with yeast floaties all over the place. Small, light tan head gives way to a steady stream of bubbles. Wow, the nose is amazing. Intense caramel and dark malt sweetness with vanilla in tow.

A blast of dark fruit (not plum, not raisin, but something elusive) in front, closely followed by a beautiful melding of vanilla and slightly roasted coffee-like malt. The underlying sweetness brings honey to mind. No hop flavor, but just enough bitterness to prevent the beer from being cloying.

Jopen Bokbier is medium-bodied with medium-high carbonation for the style. Alcohol is totally masked by the heavy caramel flavor. This beer has more flavor than most doppelbocks I've had, and I would drink this regularly if I could. This has easily become my favorite bock in one beer's time.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2010 02:14:42 | More by dpasotti

guinnessman

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

. Pours with a huge creamy light brown head. There is a sweet must aroma with a hint of chocolate.
WOW!!! A fantastic toffee flavor with some hazelnut and vanilla. A very smooth graceful mouthfeel. Quite a good brew. A random happening that I shall not soon forget

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2005 01:36:10 | More by guinnessman

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This bottle-conditioned beer pours a hazy brown with some caramel highlights beneath a huge, rocky head of dense, off-white foam. The head retention is excellent and it maintains a solid 1/4" cap throughout the entire glass. Additionally, it leaves some very nice wide streaks and webs of lace. The nose reveals a touch of sugary caramel, some light fruitiness, and some spicy hops. It's zesty in the mouth with a very fine, effervescent carbonation and light/medium body. (I wonder if this bottle isn't a bit old; and it's fermented out a bit more than it normally should be). The flavor is malty with a caramelized-sugar edge, some delicate fruitiness, some herbal and spicy hops; and it's well-balanced with a firm bitterness. It finishes dry with some lingering candyish, caramel and chocolate malt peppered with leafy and spicy hop flavors. Quite unique, and similar to a cross between a German bokbier and a Belgian dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2003 20:56:22 | More by NeroFiddled

PapaEugene

Netherlands

4.22/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Second price winner is "some" bock tasting event.

A: Drak brown almost black color with a one finger light brown head.

S: Roasted malts, toasted bread, dark fruits, caramel and light alcohols.

T: Burned malts, hints of dark chocolate, coffee and even liquorice. Perfectly dosed on the sugars.

M: Medium carbonation and a medium body. Dry finish.

D: An extraordinairy bockbeer. Has some Oatmeal Stout character in it. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 13:24:47 | More by PapaEugene

marburg

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bock? Nope. Don't care though.

Flopping around on bursts of bubbles, the sediment in this one looked like miniature mushrooms. I wasn't enthused, but I got past it. Very spicy -- allspice or sumac or cinnamon or all of the above? Prunes, bananas, dates, and 3-day-old sugared strawberries round out a very sweet and fruity aroma. Fruit jelly, impressions of chocolate, pumpernickel bread, and...wait for it...candied apples. Pretty sweet most of the way through, this somehow manages to clean up nicely. A strange little thing but very worth your time. Smelling this is like Christmas for your nose.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2005 01:37:51 | More by marburg

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Murky reddish caramel with multitudes of uprushing bubbles. As a consequence of all that carbonation, the ecru cap is fluffy and airy rather than thick and creamy. It still manages to maintain its structure for a while, although I doubt whether any lace will be present once it eventually deflates. This 'apple cider' look is perfect for a bock. Jopen Bier's description ('a mixed grain autumn bock') is an appealing one.

The nose is brown malty, dark fruity and is full of earthiness. It's also brown sugary and contains a fair amount of clove-like Belgian yeastiness. I like the aroma. It's interesting and becomes more complex the more I sniff. I wish more bocks smelled like this.

My most surprising initial impression is how much coffee and cocoa are present on the taste buds. Bokbier will never be confused with a porter (due to a lack of any roastiness), but it shares some porter-like characteristics. Actually, it strikes me as a Belgian dark ale and isn't too far removed from a Belgian dubbel.

It's amazing how much this beer tastes like autumn. And I don't believe that that observation has anything to do with the brewery's description of the style (see above) or the fact that they recommend drinking it 'to round off an autumn walk'. It tastes brown malty and rich and earthy and spicy and reminds me of raking leaves and bonfires and chill-in-the-air football afternoons.

The mouthfeel is as full as it needs to be, is impressively smooth and is a great match for the flavor. Despite the initially rambunctious amount of carbonation, there's no hint of busyness as I enter the final third of the bottle. I don't recall any fizziness in the first eight ounces either.

This is a finely-crafted beer. I may have to reassess my earlier lack of enthusiasm for the style since the last two bocks that I've had have been good to very good. I have no trouble recommending Jopen Bokbier to lovers of the style, as well as to those who may still be on the fence.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2006 13:52:04 | More by BuckeyeNation

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a three-finger off-white,thick head that stays , leaving tons of lace; pour this one slowly. Cloudy amber color with a lot of chunky bits. Medium bodied and carbonation. Sweet raisin nose, malty start and finish. Totally different from any bock I have had. Savor this one. $3.99 for 300ml.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2004 23:33:25 | More by jdhilt

Tballz420

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This hazy brown beer has a huge foam cream colored head, so big that i would think the bottle had been shaken or something. Chunks of fishfood floating around as well. Sweet caramel candy malt for a scent. Caramel malt up front, bitter hop backbone well blended. Some hints of alcohol. Flecks of yeastie clove. Maybe some apple This brew almost has some belgian characteristics to it, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2004 22:48:12 | More by Tballz420

Redteketed

Netherlands

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

BB 08-07
A; nice robinred/brown colour, fine lasting head.
S; light smel of malt, hopbitterness, little acidic and some rye in the background.
T; light acidic/light bitter base with malt and burnt flavors.
M; medium body, little dry, astringent with a bit of rye and burnt flavors in aftertaste.
D; very nice brew, but more a Dubbel style beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2006 16:55:39 | More by Redteketed

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark ruby with white chunks of sediment floating around. I guess I poured a bit too much. Nose is kind of musty with a malt tone to it and just a very slight touch of wood. Robust but mild aged dark fruit skins there as well. Flavor is a nice hearty malt with a touch of dark sugar. A little bit of wood. Feel is nice. High carbonation hitting the tongue. Thick liquid feel for sure. Overall this is an unusual bock. At least in comparison to the more traditional styles. I like it, as it is well made. It just isn't your typical example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 01:59:36 | More by RblWthACoz

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

ONe of many bottle purchased at Half TIme beverages.
I am sampling a chilled bottle in a standard pint glass. The beer pours a dark hazy brown color producing a huge fluffy beige head of about 2.5 inches. Some white yeast sediment floats in the beer as well. Aroma is much more complex than I expected. Rich and malty with toffee, brown sugar scents mixing with light fruity scents of apple. Fairly tight latticework as I begin to drink. Beer has an average body with prickly carbonation. . Nice Flavor.
SOme brown sugar, some chocolate, and againthe apples come through. This beer is very easy to drink with no hint of the 6.5%. Quite a tasty brew, not outstanding but well worth a shot!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2004 03:28:55 | More by sulldaddy

rvdoorn

Netherlands

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought this beer at the Bierkoning in Amsterdam. This beer is brewed with Malted barley, Wheat, Oats and Rye. Nice! Poured into a Westvleteren glass. The beer pours a hazy dark-brown color with almost no head, and some messy lacing. Contrary to some other users, I didn't experience any problems with yeast sediment in my glass.

Smell: Not too strong for a bockbeer. Some candy, bit caramel, roasted grains, spicy hops but also (or mainly) very fresh (green apples)

Taste: Quite different than the smell suggests. Roasted coffee, dark chocolate, lot of grains, not fresh at all. As mentioned by Absumaster, there is some not sweet caramel taste in this beer. Also I taste some very will hidden saltyness. The aftertaste is bitter and a bit dry

Mouthfeel: thick for the style, high carbonation that stimulates the tongue.

Overall: as mentioned by other reviewers as well, this is not a typical German Bockbeer (more ale like..). But man, is this good or what!!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2009 11:58:46 | More by rvdoorn

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very good looking beer that has a lovely bronze body, tan head, and superior lacing. The nose is all about the malt base, but it does also give faint hints of fruit and spice. The flavor is malty sweetness with caramel pumping in as the chill subsides and releases it. A faint trace of spice and perhaps some apple notes intercede as well. Quite a nice, but filling beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2003 19:12:06 | More by AtLagerHeads

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Selection of the Beer-of-the-Month Club.
Poured a hazy beep brown color with Moderate tannish head. Attractive lacing.
Smell is rich and caramel-like. Nice dark fruit essences also noted.
Absolutely great mouthfeel. Nice, rich, and creamy.
Great drinkability. Very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 20:02:15 | More by tgbljb

kmo1030

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

murky brown with a tan head. loads of yeast floating around and sitting in the bottom of the glass despite a careful pour.
lots of brown sugar in the nose. cinnamon, honey and dark fruit, plum, fig, and green apple too actually. apple pancakes come to mind. it's evident this was made with wheat too. i pick up a little bit of alcohol too.
sweet brown sugar taste right at the beginning and then a rush of fruit, apple, apple cider, and plum. the yeasty sort of apple pancake quality returns from the aroma. a good dose of caramel apple too. candy sugar seems to be in there too. there is a little mustyness on occasion. a little butterscotch on occasion too.
the mouthfeel is surprisingly thin, with a very healthy dose of carbonation, that seems to erupt like baking soda in vinegar in your mouth. weird...
well this is the most unique "bock" i've ever had. quite an experience and for the most part a good one. i could do with a little less yeast though it was kind of nasty. not too big of a deal though, this beer is good where it counts.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2006 02:19:25 | More by kmo1030

Douberd

Netherlands

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 ml, long neck brown bottle, ABV 6,5%, at home, poured into a snifter.
Pours a very dark brown coloured beer, with a good two finger beige, creamy head, with average retention.
Aroma of roasted malts, coffee and on the background slight caramel and alcohol.
Taste is sweet at first, giving its place to a light pleasant bitterness. Roasted malts and dark chocolate.
Medium to full body, light carbonation.
A very tasty bock.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 22:34:14 | More by Douberd

RBorsato

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bronze-ish brown with a decent beige head and nice active carbonation. Toffee, light chocolate, and a bit of roastiness in the nose. Very similar flavors. Medium-light bodied due to airy carbonation with a bit of roastiness on the finish.

More of a Robust Brown Ale considering it's brewed with an Ale yeast... but nice enough.

Per Label: "Viergranen" & "Bier Van Hoge Gisting"

Per BOM notes & JB website:
- Ale Yeast
- Malted Barley, Wheat, Oats, and Rye

(30 cl / 10.1 oz. short brown bottle)

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 20:05:40 | More by RBorsato

twelvsies

Maine

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

Dude, there's like, chunks in my beer. Don't know if I should rate it a five or a one, but this is definitely interesting. Literally large, floating, totally unappatizing chunks of yeast (hopefully) swirl around in this beer. Other than that, it's a hazy reddish brown color with a small, bubbly white head with nice retention. Smell is really lively and all over the place. Big fruity malts and almost a Belgian-inspired spiceyness. Taste is much the same. Banana bread, apples and oranges, backed by a sweet maltiness. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and also a slight hoppy spicyness. Really interesting. Almost a tangy finish. Thought this would be a little slicker in texture due to the appearance but it's actually pretty light and jumpy on the palate. This is a crazy beer altogether, one I'll definitely be interested to try again.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2006 09:15:47 | More by twelvsies

redsonja

Netherlands

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

A; nice brown color no head

S:chocolate and malts

T: chocolate,rosted malt, and a hint of larier with a nice hint of bitter.

M: the malt is sticking in your mouth some chocolate also in the aftertaste.

O; good beer nice winter beer light chilled its becoming better.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 17:57:14 | More by redsonja

gueuzeonhigh

Maine

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A caramel color, cloudy beer burning with effervescence.
The head welled up in my glass like a hot hair balloon.
Bubble spheres matrixed into a sculptured head that floated upon the surface of the beer like a shield layer.

A nose catching nose at first- up front hoppy aroma, melded with certain sweetness and a hint of sour apples. Unfortunately the aroma dissipated rather quickly—seems incongruous given the fervent enduring head.

The flavor produces an up front hops bitterness, tempered by hints malt all to the tune of yeast and sour apple twists. Although touted as “four grains” I fail to taste the effect on the flavor profile- perhaps it’s the apple twists and the definite hops bitterness..

After the initial start of the flavor bouquet, the beer dissipates rather quickly and immediately transcends into the “finish” phase which ends rather abruptly.

Nevertheless, this beer fits my definition of a bock beer rather nicely.
While I wish this beer to have more body and more flavor profile I intend to continue to enjoy this fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2004 02:23:11 | More by gueuzeonhigh

jettjon

Florida

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Right out the gate, this beer has the most sediment I’ve ever seen. And not just your run-of-the-mill yeast, either. I found small pieces of what appeared to be an orange. So, word to the wise, pour this one very carefully unless you like swallowing chunks.

From the 30 cl bottle, pours a dark, almost opaque brown with an obscene amount of sediment from a normal pour. Two-finger solid brown-tan head that slowly fades leaving moderate lacing behind. Nose is characterized by malt, coffee, and chocolate scents. Taste is very sweet, nicely balanced against coffee and chocolate flavors, culminating in a bitter finish. Mouth is solid and viscous; unfortunately the suspended yeast, etc. detracts. Drinkability is quite good; this is a very pleasant bock with good flavor and viscosity.

Overall: An excellent bock marred by insanely excessive sediment.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2006 06:00:17 | More by jettjon

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 Oct 2012 in Valkenburg, Holland: Cafe De Grendelpoort is having a Bockfest and this was one of the brews on-tap.

Very dark, most likely the darkest Bok I saw during my stay in Holland. The head was also the whitest I saw on a Bok this time around.

The aroma and taste were of roasted but not burnt malts with red berry notes in both the smell and mouth flavours. Coffee, prunes and plums can be added to the taste thoughts as this is a complex and interesting beer.

Medium bodied and easy to drink: pity there were so mant to try, or I could have stayed on this for another one or three!

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2012 17:03:13 | More by BlackHaddock

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 30cl bottle ($3.00 in Detroit) into a pint glass. The appearance is murky brown, tons of large yeastie floaters, 3-finger foam which loses 2 fingers after about a minute. The aroma is bocky, sweet and malty but with a bit of a sour acidic edge to it (almost metallic). The taste is very good, with all the flavors promised from the aroma. Nicely drinkable, but not really worth the price when you can get better versions imported from Germany for cheaper prices.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2007 23:03:35 | More by TurdFurgison