Ramstein Maibock - High Point Brewing Company

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Pilsener Haus in Hoboken, NJ

A: Pours a clear golden copper in color with some light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall dense off-white head that reduces to a thick film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate strength aromas of toasted, bready, and biscuity malts with a lighter presence of floral and spicy hops.

T: Similar to the smell, the beer has a moderate strength malt body made up primarily of bready malts with just a hint of sweetness. There is a lighter amount of floral and spicy hops giving it a light to moderate amount of bitterness which does not linger.

M: Medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Smooth with light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Another well made German style beer from a relatively local NJ brewery, this one is an enjoyable sipping beer and pairs very nicely with Bavarian style food. While there is a high ABV, the alcohol is well hidden and the beer is easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2012 18:37:34 | More by dbrauneis

david18

New York

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a twelve ounce draft of this at the Amsterdam Ale House recently. I don't have very many bocks or maibocks so I'm not a real conneseur of the style but I did like this ok.

Color was a medium brown. Nice carbonation and pretty clear overall.

Aroma was somewhat complex, of course favoring the malt but pretty balanced overall.

Flavor was a little bit hot but also a nice presence of malt and even a little bit of hops.

Overall a nice beer. I'd have another.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2012 18:55:19 | More by david18

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Traditional, well-crafted Maibock from a New Jersey brewery committed to brewing authentic German Beer. Caramel colored body with good clarity, a small white head that settles fairly quickly; slippery lacing. Malty, bready aroma that’s lightly toasted; some floral hoppiness underneath. Smells simple and straightforward enough.

Tasty enough but not tremendously exciting; again there is a lightly toasted malt flavor with moderate caramel sweetness and some earthy, vaguely floral noble hops behind that. Hints of fruit and toffee. Lightly lingering sweetness in the finish. Somewhat delicate overall.

Medium bodied and carbonated; fairly crisp and refreshing. Basic, well-made lager with a bit of alcoholic punch barely detected in the aroma or taste but felt somewhat in the body after a glass or two.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2012 13:13:32 | More by tobelerone

socon67

New York

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Gold\copper pour. Good lacing, and a decent white foam that settles quickly.

S - Fresh flavors of caramel malt, butterscotch, and vanilla are present.

T - Just hard to make this style exciting. While the scents are very inviting, they just don't translate to the taste. Kinda bland.

M - Easy to drink, but hard to appreciate. This would pair well with Tex-Mex or Indian food as a good change of pace, and to accentuate the malt profile.

O - Not my first choice.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2012 18:57:10 | More by socon67

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This one pours out as a clear looking yellowish gold color. The head is fluffy at first and leaves a decent lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer has plenty of malts on the nose. The taste is also full of malts and has a sweeter flavor going on. The mouthfeel is in he lighter side. Overall this beer is a pretty good brew for this style, light, refreshing and sweet. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 22:36:32 | More by Knapp85

claspada

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aromas begin with light biscuity and bready maltiess. Second wiff allows you to identify the European spicy, floral and slightly earthy hops.
The tastes begin with the same pale and lightly toasted bready malts. Hops are fairly prevalent soon after with a definitive spicy and earthy bitterness with lesser amounts of floral and earthy hop flavors. Nothing too complex here as well.
The mouthfeel is medium with adequate carbonation. Finishes fairly dry and bitter despite the prevalent breadiness of the malts. Overall this is an average beer at best in my opinion. There's no memorable qualities here although it's a fine tasting beer. Maybe I just think this style is boring but I have had much better Maibocks/Helles Bocks. I would definitely classify this more towards the Helles side. Quite light in flavor profile, like a good sessionable German pilsner. At such a high ABV, you can't/wouldn't want to have more than one. This would be enjoyable to session on a hot day because of the freshing qualities it offers, but at 7.5%, I won't be "wasting my consumption limit" on this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 16:45:48 | More by claspada

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a shaker pint glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: The beer as served is a clear copper/bronze color with a ½” off white head that recedes visibly and evenly. As the head recedes it leaves no lacing on the sides of the glass, but sipping results in a ring of foam and some patches and legs of lacing that slide back down the glass into the foam. Most all of the head is gone by about midway through the beer.

Smell: The aromas include some toasted bready/biscuity malt with floral and spicy hops well in the background.

Taste: The flavors are much as expected from the nose with the bready malt playing nicely with the floral, spicy hops. There is no real sign of the alcohol here except possibly in some of the sweetness early on in the sip.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied and quite smooth with lots fo fine bubbled carbonation. The finish is medium length and works well in that it begins in the sweet maltiness and slides into some spicy dryness as the malt recedes and the hops come into play.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: This is an easy sipper of a beer and each sip follows the earlier one quite naturally. I’ll certainly be having this one again. In addition it was an excellent counterpoint to the seafood gumbo that was lunch. The paring worked well in that the malt countered the spiciness of the Gumbo and both played off of each other quite nicely. My overall impression is of a well made maibock that demonstrates nicely that good German style beers can be made in the US.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 18:11:40 | More by drtth

donniecuffs

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Into a pint glass, it poured an amber/golden hue, with over two fingers of white head, generous amounts of carbonation, great head retention, and very good lacing. Smelled very malty, with caramel, apple, and some herbal noble hop notes. The taste was a little more pronounced than the nose, with a very nicely balanced fruit/maltiness, and finishing on a crisp dry note. Medium- to thick-bodied, but when mixed with the generous carbonation, it creates a nice mouth sensation. Very feint hint of heightened alcohol content makes this yet another dangerously drinkable beer from these guys. I think I see a trend here...

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2010 01:40:07 | More by donniecuffs

outdoorbrewer

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Spring's here and so is the the new Ramstein Maibock, now let's see what we have...

Well, this beer poured yielding a large white head that lasts for quite awhile then reduces to lace the glass and cover a clear deep golden brew with an 1/8" layer.

A moderately malty toasted aroma that blends well with a noble hop presence.

Rich, clean, malty and a balanced hop bitterness/malt flavor
Flavors I think that could only develop by using German malts and hops.
Initial pale bock taste followed by a light sweetness then finishing medium body, creamy texture with a soft fizz

I like this beer and feel it is a great example of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 00:36:07 | More by outdoorbrewer

dasenebler

Maine

4.45/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Growler filled at the brewery and consumed on release day, 3.13.10. Super fresh.

Pours a gorgeous stawberry blonde with a modest creamy head that dissipates quickly, but hey, it's a growler. Good lace.

Aroma is of earthy noble hops, biscuity malts, and a touch of alcohol.

Flavor is an exercise in balance. This maibock is definitely somewhat of a malt bomb, because you can taste the sweet, bready character, but it never seems heavy. A nondescript bitterness and hop flavor balances the malty character. Alcohol is not apparent until the finish, which is decidedly bitter and tea-like. Carbonation has held well, medium-low. There's something about this beer that keeps you wanting more and more: so satisfying and yet drinkable in large quantities. This growler might not last the night!

High Point did something extraordinary with this maibock: that is, they brewed a beer in New Jersey that tastes like it could have come from Bavaria. A pleasure to drink. A.

Serving type: growler

03-14-2010 03:19:28 | More by dasenebler

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Growler from Big Z's. Pours a deep burnt orange with a small white head. Aroma of bready lager malt and some sweet fruits. Flavor of sweet malt, a touch of cardboard, and bready malts. A little sweet and on the bland side. Not bad just uninteresting.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2009 14:50:45 | More by LilBeerDoctor

bonbini26

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Circa in High Bridge

A- A nice bright deep amber/copper color with a 1 finger that falls quickly and not much lacing left behind or much carbonation

S- Suttle soft ripe fruit, with a grainy malt and caramel tone

T- Sweet malty caramle, grains, honey, light bitterness and a hint of alcohol, there is a lot of flavor here I'm just not sure if I enjoy it or not.

M- A little lacking in the mouthfeel department, doesn't really finish or leaving you wanting more, smooth at the start.

D- I guess for the alcohol content its pretty easy drinking but i didn't find myself wanted more than one, i'm not the biggest Maibock fan perhaps this is why i didn't enjoy this one as much as others

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2009 20:00:58 | More by bonbini26

dudecandle

New York

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A deep amber with modest carbonation and minimal head, but decent cap and lacing.

A lot is going on in this one: Sweet honey and a lot of herbs complement the malts with subtle hop undertones. It's got a peaty twang to itself. It's malty, yet herbal, yet hoppy, all at once.

There's a lot going on here, and it's impressive, but I just don't think they all meld together well enough. Maybe it's just my personal thing about all maibocks, but nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2009 18:39:32 | More by dudecandle

TheycallmeTim

New York

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler into a shaker pint.

A--Bright shiny penny/honey-colored body with a two finger rocky fizzy white head. Dies to half a finger and lasts, leaving chunky lacy.

S--Very clean wholegrain undertones creep along higher register sweeter malt aromas: there's something apricot-like or nectarish about the nose, which is awesome. The caramel and toffee seems subdued.

T--Follows the nose until you get to the finish, whose serious bittering from hops gives this brew an American stamp. Up until that point you get a light wave of honey and fruit dance around until a very satisfying juicy malt hits. The sweetness, again, is subdued, such that it's a lighter, and you don't get the rich, molasses and toffee and caramel so much as a kiss of honey and bright fruity notes. Bitter finish is heavily tannic, and the whole thing is almost reminiscent of an ESB, like a lagered ESB, as oxymoronic as that may sound.

M&D--Mouthfeel's bright, fresh, spritzy. Spot on. Drinkability is well above-average, as the alcohol is nearly untraceable to me and round balanced flavor profile makes you want more and more.

Very good example of the style. One of the best American version you're gonna get from a brewery that quietly makes top notch German-styled beers.

Serving type: growler

05-19-2009 23:38:21 | More by TheycallmeTim

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

fresh growler fill served in a pilsner glass.

Clear amber color with a short off-white head that was revived with each swirl of the glass, leaving some spots of lacing. Smell is of sweet caramel and roasted malts. Taste is on the sweeter side with a hint of alcohol and noble hop bittering. Medium bodied, crisp and smooth feel make this a good brew to drink and welcome the change of season.

Serving type: growler

05-09-2009 16:49:16 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I got this bottle, filled by New Beer Distributors, from nutbrown. Thanks Alan!

This was filled in a Grand Teton 1 liter swingtop bottle....

A nice pop when I opened the bottle, it pours a clear golden colour with a 1 finger head of foam. Lots of nice lacing. Head rentention was about average.

The smell is very light but there's definitely some biscuit and toasted malt.

The taste is what I expected, judging from the nose. Big biscuit malt flavour, big toasted malt that has a bit of earthiness to it, and a slight citrus hop twang about mid palate. Nice, and man, this is so damn easy to drink. 7.5%?? You gotta be kidding me! lol. The body is medium light and the carbonation is very much on the light side. It finishes like it started; nice malty goodness permeating my tastebuds but oh, there's also a slight bitterness there as well. Cool.

This, I think, would be a *great* beer to drink when is in the midst of hop overload. ;^)

Serving type: growler

06-02-2008 23:19:35 | More by Bitterbill

jwc215

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at The Old Bay, New Brunswick, NJ:

Poured clouded amber with a thin head that soon became a thin, lasting patch.

The smell is of caramel with sharp herbal notes.

The taste is of a homebrew-esque yeastiness with caramel, alcohol and herbal (somewhat floral) notes. Pretty abrupt finish, though some caramel sweetness hangs on. Sweet with sour.

Close enough to medium-bodied. Mild to moderate carbonation.

Drinkable enough.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2008 15:43:15 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Farmhouse.

This might be the best maibock I've ever had. The balance of flavors is perfect. The only think I could say is I wish it was a touch stronger in taste. It had this pairs of the sweet, cherry and red licorice malt sweetness with underlying crisp biscuit and a hit of grassy herbal hops for balance. Some maibocks are too plain, or are too sweet, this beer is just damn tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2008 17:11:35 | More by tempest

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was decent retention and decent lacing.

The smell featured a light grain with an earthy hop.

The taste consisted of a heavy caramel malt, some dark fruit and an earthy hop bitterness.

The mouthfeel was average for the style.

Overall a tasty maibock. A nice lighter bock for warmer days.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2008 17:22:34 | More by plaid75

marcpal

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Growler from the brewery with the 08 batch. Poured into pint glass.

A: Dark amber with little to no head.

S: Malt and some hop aroma. The hops came through moreso after their other wheat laden beers.

T: Caramel with a taste of the alcohol and hops. The bitterness wasnt quite strong enough and could have used more balance for the maltiness.

M: Average smooth mouthfeel.

D: The alcohol tastes more than it really shows. Not too impressed by this version.

Serving type: growler

03-09-2008 14:22:27 | More by marcpal

jmc44

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Darker than I expected; a coppery-amber color with light tan head; not much lacing but always a fine cover on top of the beer.

Light toasted, sweet aroma; malty; with just a slight hint of fruit and caramel.

Nice and malty flavor; slightly sweet, with lightly roasted malts, hints of tofee and caramel. Theres a slight hop finish, a bit fruity, which gives it a nice crispness.

Medium bodied and creamy, nicely done. Quite drinkable but at the ABV you need to watch out.

A very nice, solid, clean brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2007 17:58:04 | More by jmc44

Gavage

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: amber / copper in color with 1/2" head that quickly falls. No noticeable lacing. No visible carbonation bubbles.

Smell: light caramel tones and some soft ripe fruit sweetness are detectable.

Taste: lots of caramel, grainy malts, honey, ripe red fruits, mild bitterness, and some soft alcohol tones. Well balanced and very flavorful.

Mouthfeel: smooth at the start through the finish. Medium bodied. The flavor components last long intot he aftertaste.

Drinkability: I found this to be quite drinkable even though the alcohol became more pronounced as this warmed. Nice brew worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2006 23:57:59 | More by Gavage

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ramstein's Maibock delivers a nice appearance with a clear, dark-amber colored body and respectably sized off-white colored head.

The nose offers delicately toasted and sweet Munich malts alongside a bit of fruitiness and a touch of candy sweetness. Undertones of floral and spicy hops appear as well.

In the mouth it's just delicately crisp with a very-fine bubbled carbonation and medium body that leaves it quite smooth across the palate.

The flavor is almost exactly as the nose suggests it will be, with the addition of a little bit more hop flavor and a just-balancing bitterness that works because of the ballast the alcohol lends. The alcohol is kept nicely reigned in, never emerging unecessarily or leaving any rough edges; and it lends a flicker of spiciness that works well with the spicy hops as it finishes drying, with a slowly receeding maltiness.

Well brewed! Nicely balanced and very clean.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2006 21:33:11 | More by NeroFiddled

NolanGTI

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Solid offering from Ramstein. Pour is a bit darker than I expected from a Maibock, little head with mild lacing and slight head retention. Mouthfeel is solid and roasted caramel falvor dominates both the nose and taste throughout. Hides the alcohol well and is drinkable to the point of being dangerous.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2006 15:26:38 | More by NolanGTI

GeoffFromSJ

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Excellent maibock was had on-tap at Tria in Philly. Poured with a nice head. Brown/amber-ish color. Toffee flavors combined with a smooth mouthfeel. When drinking it I didn't think "toffee". That I borrowed from someone else. "Nice, clean bock flavors" was what I was thinking.

Quite drinkable for 7.5%. Hides the alcohol.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2006 11:35:23 | More by GeoffFromSJ