Brinkley's Maibock - Free State Brewing Co.

KansasBeerLover

Kansas

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap at Old Chicago. They listed it as Free State Maibock. Perhaps they knew some Kansans wouldn't try it if they used Dr. Brinkley's name.

Brought to my table in an ale glass. Darker, clear amber color with little to no head and no lacing.

Aroma - Weak enough that I couldn't detect any over the food in the air.

Taste was a nice blend of flavors. Sweet malt and a touch of hops. Some nutty grain is evident.

Feel was smooth. A good balance of flavors, but I was left with a caramel sweetness that lingered too long.

Will I have another? Possibly, but I am not a regular at OC, so it will have been replaced before I return. I still wonder about leaving Brinkley's name off, few that frequent OC would have ever heard the name.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 20:18:47 | More by KansasBeerLover

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -10%

05-08-2013 15:32:08 | More by Whiskeydeez

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -10%

04-29-2013 21:09:32 | More by Mebuzzard

GMUPatriot_inKansas

Kansas

3.5/5  rDev -3%

04-27-2013 21:41:03 | More by GMUPatriot_inKansas

irongator

Kansas

4/5  rDev +10.8%

04-11-2013 02:26:50 | More by irongator

swaghawk

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

03-07-2013 18:17:54 | More by swaghawk

acelin

Kansas

3.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

*From notes

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours golden amber, a bit darker than the average maibock. Small white head.

Smells like your average maibock, with pale malts, fruity hops, honey

Tastes odd for a maibock. Far more caramel, far more dark biscuit than usual. The hops turn from fruity upon first tasting to piney on the finish. Unpleasant after a few.

I'm not sure I like this maibock, well, as a maibock. It's far more hoppy than it should be, but it's not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 16:45:37 | More by acelin

dubmax

Kansas

3.5/5  rDev -3%

08-05-2012 01:52:12 | More by dubmax

DB85

3.5/5  rDev -3%

07-26-2012 09:52:15 | More by DB85

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.2/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best by 3rd week in July

Pours amber with a thumb of sand colored head. Some lacing & head retention

S: Breadyness & fruittyness

T: Bready with lemony hops, a touch of soap & green apples up front. Pears & a touch grainyness as this warms. Finishes fruitty with a touch of lemons & grainyness

MF: Meduim bodied & slight carbonation, okay balance

This one didn't impress me to much, which is a shame. I usually like Free State, just a fairly mundane Mai-Bock

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 01:33:47 | More by russpowell

WhiskeeTango

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +17.7%

06-05-2012 14:38:13 | More by WhiskeeTango

Tone

Missouri

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

Pours a clear, copper color. 1/3 inch head of an off-white color. Decent retention and slight lacing. Smells of sweet malt, hops, pale malt, and a hint of caramel malt. Fits the style of a Maibock / Helles Bock. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, hops, pale malt, hint of floral hops, and hint of caramel malt. Overall, simple, but pleasing to the palette. Average appearance, but good aroma and blend.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 13:25:13 | More by Tone

JEdmund

Kansas

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A lot more color than I expected. Kind of caramel orange, clear. Ok head formation but it dissipates.

Smells of sweet malt, grain, grass.

Slightly full and smooth body. A bit lighter than other maibocks I've had. Malts are just a bit syrupy thick but not overly so. Finish has a good, long hop bite. Not big but just right to cut the thicker malts. Doesn't appear to have a big alcohol content which certainly helps keep a style I'm normally not crazy for on the drinkable end.

I appreciate Free State releasing a lager. It's a good one. Just not my favorite style,so I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 02:06:15 | More by JEdmund

sgttibbs

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

04-07-2012 16:01:53 | More by sgttibbs

mdcrouser

Missouri

3.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a six from my local liquor emporium on the way home from the office tonight.

Pours a light amber, with a steady, lacy white head.

Grainy malt, with just a hint of floral hops, but way in the background.

Really grainy, with significant tartness from the combination of sweet malts and hoppiness. It's kind of an odd combination because the hops are so prevalant, out of balance. I'd prefer both to be reduced quite a bit, making it more pallatable.

There is some breadth in the mouth, given the malty backbone and hoppy highlights.

Tasty for something different in the summertime, but the malts are too sweet and the hops too forward.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 02:46:43 | More by mdcrouser

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Waldo Pizza in KC.

A - Poured a clear amber color with a small, white head of bubbly foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of maltiness with some floral notes.

T - It tasted fairly spicy and bitter with a grassy hop presence. It had a nice sweet bread flavor with caramel and toffee notes.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is a pretty bold maibock. I really enjoyed this Free State brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2012 02:05:03 | More by zeff80

jhawkjedi

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -3%

04-01-2012 04:16:31 | More by jhawkjedi

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.11/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

The beer is a light copper/amber color. A white head sits on top then dissipates to a wisp of bubbles. Some decent sticky lacing is present. The beer smells really sweet with a faint hop and malt aroma. Some toasted grains come in as well. The taste is sweet up front with a toasty malt backdrop. But soon the bright hop presence is announced just before the dry finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and well balanced.

Overall, I feel that this beer represents the style well. It does go down awfully smooth for 6.5% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 01:41:44 | More by JuicesFlowing

hays99

Kansas

4/5  rDev +10.8%

03-15-2012 22:35:21 | More by hays99

scratch69

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I poured a bottle into a pilsner glass.

Appearance- Golden copper color with a half a fingers worth of white head. No lacing at all.

Smell- Grains and a little grass.

Taste- Sweet malt with some nuttiness and hop bitterness. Flavors seemed to clash with each other a little.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied with an average amount of carbonation. Very crisp.

Overall- Not bad but I've had other beers in this style that I enjoy more.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 00:37:42 | More by scratch69

Grebdioz

Texas

4/5  rDev +10.8%

12-28-2011 03:17:17 | More by Grebdioz

birchstick

Missouri

2.58/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Saw this on tap at the KC flying saucer, never heard of it so I gave it a go.

A - pours a very faint copper...copper is being generous with the color profile. A little bit of a head resides atop it.

S - big whiff of grains and not much else

T - this is a vey grainy beer, with a bit of sweetness and is overwhelmed by sweet grains and bitter grass. Finishes with a grassy bitterness. The malt bill steals the shOw on this one and the biterness clashes with it.

M - decent body that goes down smooth enough

D - this one isn't really my cup of tea, or glass of beer rather. Would I drink this again? Possibly. Not bad but not memorable either. If you like pilasters I would highly recommend this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 03:06:06 | More by birchstick

brando5

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've now had this beer from several different locations, but always on tap.

I've tried both small taster pours, as well as shaker pints.

I've not been disappointed any of the times.

The beer pours a deep amber color, with a substantial tan head. immediately on the nose you get notes of light caramel, with some nice bright citrus / hop notes.

On the palate, this is a VERY well balanced brew. Caramel malty notes, with nice bitter complements, but finishes very clean.

Of the 4 beers in a recent tasting, this was the clear winner amongst all participants. Definitely enjoy every time this one comes around.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 15:37:45 | More by brando5

jujubeast6000

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed 5/7/2006 (Growler from brewery):

Pours an amber red/brown color body with a decent sized head, white, somewhat diminishing. Very malty aroma, some hops. Malty taste, very sweet, somewhat acidic. Nutty, smooth, some citrus. Good session beer.

Serving type: growler

01-13-2009 05:09:10 | More by jujubeast6000

OatherS

Kansas

3.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Copper in color, with a one finger head present.

Smell: Little to none.

Taste: Hoppy and the alcohol representative of maibocks is deffinitely present. You can sure taste the alcohol bite. Not strong but present.

Mouthfeel: Smooth.

Drinkability: Not bad at all. Too bad it is only a seasonal.

Check out the Free State website for a history of Brinkley. We Kansans' are a crazy bunch!!!!

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2005 18:48:38 | More by OatherS