Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock - Einbecker Brauhaus AG

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A decent though not exceptional brew any time,smooth medium mouthfeel, and a bitter aftertaste with a crisp tingling tongue. Golden yellow and a white tan lace and initially very creamy pour. A warm weather ale, and with 11 degrees on January 1st, that was fine.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2005 03:05:47 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rich, dusky orange-copper with amber edges. Mai-Ur-Bock looks like an IPA. The ecru lid started out as if it would disappear in a big hurry, appears to have had a sudden change of heart and is now a tight-bubbled two fingers. Jagged sheets of lace resemble fake snow sprayed onto a windowpane. I like the look.

The nose is really nothing special. It's blond malty with a fair amount of musty, musky, earthy hops. In other words, a fairly typical maibock/helles bock. I find beer of this style difficult to like because there's nothing to hang my hat on, no aromas or flavors that really appeal to me. The fact that this one smells like a Euro pale lager doesn't help.

Ditto the flavor. Mai-Ur-Bock tastes like a higher alcohol version of an especially malty EPL. I'm amazed to see that the ABV is only 6.5%. It tastes a few percentage points higher and is the warmingest beer of this ABV that I can remember. The alcohol isn't unmasked exactly, it's just extremely noticeable.

The malt has a stainless steel caramel flavor. Caramel malt usually imparts a sweet, inviting character. Not here. This beer isn't so sweet and is unyielding and standoffish. Maybe it's the hops. A generous load of nobles brings a fair amount of bitterness to bear, although I'm not too thrilled with their flavor contribution. I'm sure there are those who like this combination of flavors. I'm not among them.

The finish lingers for a bit, but since I'm not groovin' on what led up to that finish, that's not necessarily a positive. I like the mouthfeel. It's as firm as the flavor, yet has a rounded edges aspect that connotes quality. This is a drinkable little beer, provided you like what you're drinking.

Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock is decent. If you like this style, though, I suggest you seek someone else's opinion of its worthiness. Someone who enjoys and appreciates maibocks/helles bocks more than I do. Just about anyone will do.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2005 20:48:33 | More by BuckeyeNation

womencantsail

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The pour is a light amber color with a finger's worth of white head.

S: Smells quite sweet with lots of caramel and honey. There's a slightly floral note to it, too. Overall the nose is quite simple, but it's really nice.

T: Similarly sweet in terms of the flavor profile. A strong caramel and honey flavor. There's a touch of bitterness on the finish. Perhaps it's a bit too sweet, though.

M: The body is medium with a moderate level of carbonation.

D: This was probably too sweet, but I still liked it quite a bit (more than other maibocks, certainly). Pretty nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 06:47:43 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle picked up at Chevy Chase in DC. Served in a pilsner glass.

Pours a moderately-dark golden color with a long-lasting single-finger white head. A bit of spotty lacing as it does eventually fall. The nose brings some light, grainy malt plus a very faint amount of herbal hops. Some light breadiness in the background. The flavor is slightly bitter and grainy, with the finish bringing an off bitterness that is almost like it has been light struck. Thin with above-normal carbonation as well. Not terribly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 03:38:04 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a turbid dark orange with a 1/4 inch foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. A foamy latticework of lace forms around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, toast, caramel, and some slight soy sauce aromas. Taste is of toasted malt, caramel, toffee, and some alcohol on the finish. There is a mild bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors even though I think that this is a pretty old bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 01:35:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deliciously malty, lightly flavored, delicate, and smooth. An authentic beer to style that is tried, true, and a joy to drink.

Bright copper-straw colors with orange highlights, moderate carbonation releases a small, creamy, cottony head that holds firm with a slight blanket to cap the beer.

Rich bready aromas, caramelized sweetness, earthy, floral hops, and with a honey/nectar-like delicacy to the nose. Slight fruitiness (peaches and appricots) decorate the nose but don't demand attention.

Sweet and bready malts set the stage for the caramelized pilsner malts along with the Vienna/Munich malt complex. Bread crusts and honeysuckle flavors create a deep maltiness that is sweet to the taste, but dry in the finish. Hops give enough of an herbal taste to add variety to the taste and to keep the beer from cloying in the end.

Sweet and creamy textures that are moderately full up front but dries out nicely in the finish due to alcohols and good attenuation of the malts.

The German decoction mash creates the depth of the malts in this beer and its hops are top quality with great balance. Great ingredients and great techniques make great beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 13:47:18 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Iam a sucker for a well made helles bock,this traditional brewery's rendition was a bit lackluster in my opinion.Poured into a becker a rich lighter bronze shade with a well defined one finger white head,German malt aromas are a bit toasty with a tinge of iron,the caramel sweetness is hefty as well.Not alot of complexity on the palate,caramel sweetness with that iron/mineral note,a light herbal,dry hop presence in the finish.Easy to drink for the style but again not overly complex.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 21:32:12 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark copper color with an orange cast and light ruby highlights topped by a firm 1" head that receeds but holds at 1/16" and leaves an excellent lace as well. The aroma is solidly malty, balanced by a grassy hoppiness. (Also lightly skunky - green bottle!) The mouthfeel is full and creamy. Obviously a full bodied beer! The flavor starts with a solid maltiness - lightly sweet and caramel tinged - which becomes increasingly bitter as it crosses the palate, ending with dry (and unfortunately metallic flavor from oxidation) finish. Obviously an excellent beer, but a damaged bottle. I've had this beer before and remember it without defect. It's a solid one-two punch of malt and hop that expresses itself in slightly different ways throughout the glass (probably because as the malt sugars build in your mouth they retain the bitterness of the hops). And therefore, although it is not complex per se, it is a very interesting and enjoyable beer that keeps your attention.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2002 14:49:39 | More by NeroFiddled

metter98

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear amber in color and poured with a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface that faded into lacy patterns. A light to moderate amount of carbonation is visible.
S: The nose is filled with sweet aromas with notes of bready and caramel malts as well as some hints of fruit and alcohol.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell with added notes of honey while the finish has a slight amount of bitterness from the hops along with some hints of alcohol.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied, creamy and smooth on the palate. There is a slight amount of dryness in the finish.
D: This is a nice beer to sip outside on a spring day when you need a touch of alcohol to warm you up. The alcohol is noticeable in both the smell and taste but does not detract from the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 15:40:40 | More by metter98

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark amber color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a sweet malty scent that boasts of pale and crystal malts along with a fruity, dry yeast aroma. It is sweet and creamy. The taste is good. It has a strong malty flavor that boasts of pale, crystal, and bisquit malts. It has a sweet, yet breadlike taste goes down easy and finishes earthy and dry with a slight skunkiness. This is an odd taste, but I like the idea. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation and a bit of warmth. This is a solid beer. It has real malt character and a style all it's own; a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2005 23:55:29 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer is amber and clear with a big off white head of small and medium bubbles that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

Aroma is slightly caramelly and sweet. Smells good.

Beer is medium in body and a little sweet. Finish is creamy and nice, the beer fills the palate out well with a balance of sweet and a little dryness at the back. It's pretty good. Einbecker makes a bunch of good beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 01:54:12 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a golden/yellow color with hints of bronze and a pillowy, off-white, three-finger head. It left very thin rings of lace.

S - It had a floral, hoppy aroma with nice caramel and toffee notes.

T - It tasted earthy with sweet caramel malt, clove and a bitter kick that increased as the beer warmed.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a very good maibock. I had passed it up many times and now I regret it.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 00:13:06 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from an 11.2oz. bottle into a flute glass.

A: The beer is a brownish gold color, with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of honey, grain, hops, caramelized malt and barley.

T: A sweet honey flavor hits first, followed by a burst of hops and then it closes with a grainy malt flavor. As the beer warms a bit, each of the flavor take turns dominating with each sip.

M: Very crisp but not the smoothest beer, light-to-medium body, medium-to-high carbonation, clean finish for style that is usually sweet and tends to leave little stickiness behind.

D: Tasty, easy drinking, not filling, good representation of style, this beer is good enough to pound down, but seems more like a beer to have with a meal.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2006 05:27:39 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.4/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer poured out a nice crystal clear yellow with a fluffy white head, definitely resembled a true German brew. I had to wait to finish pouring till the head settled a bit. The aroma is very grainy and full of earth or nature. The flavors were good when this was cold from the fridge but as it warmed up it just got nearly unbearable for me to drink. I don't know why but I just didn't like the taste of it after mid-bottle. Mouthfeel was good and all, just the taste really got the best of me.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 03:55:58 | More by Knapp85

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Absolutely brilliantly clear and a perfect example of the color amber; it is just like the million year old amber with a bug trapped in it thing, only without the bug. The head is a frothy, initially 1.5 finger thick, pale tan color, which dissipates fairly quickly. As I pour this beer the distinct aroma of light-struck hops reaches my nose (damn green bottles). As time passes this seems to dissipate till it is just lightly noticeable. The aroma is dominated by a rich maltiness that reminds me of caramelized grain that has just been lightly toasted. In fact there even seems to be a touch of smoke here. It does not smell sweet so much as rich and thickly malty. This definitely has the characteristic malt nose one would expect from a bockbier.

The beer has a thick maltiness to it up front, that again, is not so much sweet as in concentrated and malty. It finishes with a touch more sweetness though and is rounded out by a light bitterness and a touch of alcohol. Interestingly enough the lingering note that is left in my mouth is that of skunked hops; it is not overly noticeable, or at least not so much that I don't enjoy drinking this brew. A really nice toasted biscuit malt note is here as well; it really helps to round out the malt complexity even more. A touch of prune like fruitiness is here as well as something akin to a wisp of smoke. The hop bitterness though light seems to have a touch of astringency to it and makes me wonder if that is a by-product of the light struck character. This beer has a nice palate coating richness to it, yet still remains pretty drinkable. It is certainly not a session beer, but hits the appropriate character of a Mai-Bock.

Once again, what is up with these damn green bottles; it really shows a brewer who lacks a fundamental respect for their beer. If it were not for the skunked hops this would be an incredibly nice Bock. It is still quite good though.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2006 00:49:02 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. green bottle,

A: Pours amber with an initial 2 finger head but drops down to a ring quick. No lace.

S: Real nice malty caramel nose, almost syrup like.

T: Does have a sweet malty component, but the hops balance it out nicely. They're mild, but they're there enough to keep it from being cloying and makes for a much better beer.

M: Medium-bodied, light carbonation, creamy, nice easy finish.

D: A real good maibock in a style I'm not a huge fan of. Though the sugar does tend to catch up with me by the end, I still really enjoyed this German effort.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 01:16:08 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured amber (slighlty darker towards top, a little lighter towards bottom) with a thin white head that didn't stick around long before leaving a wisp.

The smell was of caramel with some grassy and bready notes.

The taste was of sweet caramel malt mixed with a touch of bitter graininess. Sweetness becomes mixed with a fruitiness. After a while, it's reminiscent of caramel-covered apples. A bit of alcohol finishes it off. Well-balanced and the flavors linger quite a bit.

It's very smooth - medium to full-bodied. Sweetness is slighlty restrained by a crisp bitterness, so as not to become cloying.

A smooth, delicious brew from start to finish. A classic of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2006 02:12:51 | More by jwc215

Jason

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap @ Redbones. This brew has an amazing lace, thin but simply amazing and seems to stick just about everywhere. Bright tawny golden hue. Quite aromatic with an herbal hop presences and a double sweetness of alcohol and malt. Very clean palate with a bite from the hops as well as the alcohol, malt holds a solid medium bodied base and is sturdy enough to keep things in balance. Real easy to drink and went very well with the jerk beef sandwich.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2002 08:19:44 | More by Jason

Zorro

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear amber beer.

Smell is malty and grassy with a light fruity and herbal aroma.

Taste is bitter up front with a malty and fruity side taste ends with a solid second bitter bite. Don't notice the alcohol a first then you wonder why your throat feels warm.

Good Mouthfeel.

A good stronger German beer, Gutsy level of hoping results in a noticeably different beer from Germany.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2004 03:07:50 | More by Zorro

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This has been a favorite German beer of mine for a long time. The two 0.33 litre bottles this review is based on, were bought in Cochem (a wine town on the Mosel River) last July. I have been saving them for a rainy day, today it rained! The Best By Date was 10th November 2006, I had them on 29th August 2006.

Amber, no other colour, this beer is amber, the head does not hang around for long, so get in there fast!

No great smell, a smooth maltiness maybe, but nothing to get excited about.

The taste is better than almost any other German Bock, not over heavy, but you can feel the power and hop character (Hallertau according to my books), as you attack the beer. Obviously some of the really heavy, dark Bocks have incredible flavours, but we are not talking about those sort of Bocks, this is a delicate May time Bock, not a jet black monster Bock.

I had these two in a Belgian 'Forbidden Fruit' Bowl, not ideal, but close enough to ensure the aroma (not that is has a powerful one) and taste were there to enjoy.

Very drinkable with a good firm aftertaste, I will always buy some if I see it on my travels, I recommend that you do the same.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2006 22:14:45 | More by BlackHaddock

glid02

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on-tap at the Brick Store in Atlanta.

Pours a clear light copper color with a one-finger white head. The head dissipates into a patchy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of sweet malts with faint hints of grassiness and floral aromas from the hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Lots of sweet malt flavors up front - not quite caramel malt but the flavors do have a Werther's quality to them. The hops come in a bit before the mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's a bit on the thin side but has good carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I didn't have a problem finishing one and could probably have another.

Overall this is a nice, malty beer, though it seems to be a tad on the sweet side. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2009 20:16:27 | More by glid02

Gusler

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer after separating from the 12 ounce green bottle set in the glass a translucent deep gold color, the head is portly in size, the texture semi-creamy, and the color a very light tan white with the residual lace a thick and clinging sheet to the glass. Nose is sweet malt, fresh and crisp to the senses, start is ambrosial, nice malt presence, the top is middling in its feel. Finish has a brisk acidity with a mild hops presence, very dry and lingering aftertaste, nice mild and drinkable beer

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2004 22:00:02 | More by Gusler

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a clear, bright orange with some golden highlights. It was topped off by a foamy, macro-bubbly ivory capping that dissipated soon after the pour. Visible carbonation was light and sporadic.

S: spicy with dry oranges, nutmeg seasoning, and some spicy flowery hops.

T: sweet, syrupy with velvety dry oranges, citrus, honeymalt and a sharp spicy hoppiness coming in late to balance out the initial sweetness. It's the spicy flowery spiciness that really shines here providing a nice bite with some background dried fruit and honey sweetness. Overall a nice spicy flowery bite, dry velvety oranges and dried fruitiness combines with a warming alcohol finish to provide a nice treat and example per style which finishes dry.

M: medium full with a nice viscosity which was followed by a bittering flowery hop bite upon the swallow with a nice warming alcohol presence.

D: A good drink, syrupy, sweet and fruity and all you can ask for per style.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 21:32:33 | More by beerthulhu

plaid75

New York

3.18/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a deep copper hue with a one finger creamy head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell was essentially a big sweet malty experience. That's really all I can say.

The taste was in your face malty as well. Upfront there was a rich sweet molasses character which faded slowly into a clean spicy and mildly hoppy finish. There was a bit of an alcohol presence as well.

The mouthfeel was full and chewy.

If you like malty bocks with good ABVs, then this beer is for you.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2006 23:09:34 | More by plaid75

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Saved for the last day of spring (bock season) and as a bit of a night cap before my trip into Germany the following morning.
First thought: Green bottle? and for a helles? Well, my fears seemed confirmed from a skunky smell. A good head, otherwise average appearance. Luckily, the rest of this beer is well above average. An extremely aggressive taste. Slightly overwhelming. Dry but pronounced. A crazy malt backbone. Abrupt malt aggression - but still, even for a helles bock there is a certain softness. Sounds contradicting, I know, but a fantastic blend. Also, an underlying bitterness and great maltyness that sticks with you in a very pleasant fashion.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 01:23:39 | More by biegaman