Trafalgar Maple Bock - Trafalgar Ales & Meads

slitherySOB

Ontario (Canada)

1.63/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

I didn't realize this was a Trafalgar offering until after I brought it home. Well, how badly can they fuck up a maple bock? Pretty badly. First off, no foam whatsoever. It looks like a watered down cola. Sort of a dark copper or brown colour. Smells weak. I was expecting a more malty smell. A more sweet smell. A more, smell. Hardly any scent to this at all. It reminds me more of NA beer. Tastes, pathetic. If this was a bock, it was watered down. Very astringent, weak, thin mouthfeel. But oddly enough, despite the label of maple bock, I am detecting no maple syrup. Do you know what I am tasting? Maple leaves. That taste one gets in their mouth when raking leaves on an autumn day. It's not a good taste. Overall, a pathetic beer. Something I'd expect from Trafalgar.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 21:40:04 | More by slitherySOB

KrisDLSmith

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +54.2%

05-18-2013 03:00:52 | More by KrisDLSmith

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev +10.1%

05-05-2013 06:09:11 | More by yancot

nullbort

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +32.2%

05-04-2013 12:54:33 | More by nullbort

Cramshawbar

Ontario (Canada)

2.25/5  rDev -0.9%

03-01-2013 02:13:28 | More by Cramshawbar

bigox420

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +32.2%

10-07-2012 01:20:02 | More by bigox420

pschul4

Illinois

1.75/5  rDev -22.9%

06-03-2012 15:59:21 | More by pschul4

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

2.45/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

This one I saw at the LCBO because I recognized it from the bottom 100 list, and knew I had to have it to see how bad it could be. That and I didn't have a Trafalgar bottlecap for my collection.

Appearance: A very dark murky brown colour that does not seem to boast very much carbonation in the body. The half finger of head immediately dissipated. Not looking good so far but still doesn't look harmful to drink.

Smell: Well, it smells like maple syrup and malt. Given the name, the Maple syrup smell is expected, and given it's supposed to be a bock the high malt is also expected so good. There is a bit of an odd yeast funk to it, but for the most part is comes as advertised.

Taste: Surprisingly the malt starts out this beer, as rich molasses malt carries a milder maple taste in the background. The two begin to switch places as the maple becomes more pronounced and the malt eases up. It's doing very well as a dark chocolate and hop touch comes, but is ruined by a vicious metallic bite that accompanies it.

Mouthfeel: The lack of head is not impressive and the carbonation falls flat almost immediately. The transitioning works, but sadly the aftertaste is the metallic bite that builds on itself and not the malt or maple taste I'd want. It also gets a little bit clingy, but I guess that's to be expected from a maple beer.

Drinkability: Drinking it is fine, it's the aftermath that is just awful. It's not overly sweet (as I would expect) but that's only because the metallic taste murders the only good parts of the beer. It is the very definition of overkill. Anyways, it's medium bodied and sits down well enough but I don't think I'd want to have more then one.

Final Thoughts: Well Trafalgar disappoints again, but not to the level that I would expect from a bottom 100 beer. Make no mistake, a maple bock beer is a great idea. It's just poorly implemented, either due to some bad or cheap ingredients or the wrong mix of them. It pains me because I know that there is someone out there that can tweak this beer and get it done right. I can't recommend it, but I'd want to see another brewery take this idea and try to run with it. Maybe I'll give it another shot a couple years from now.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 03:18:59 | More by TheHammer

yankeefan287

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev +21.1%

05-11-2012 19:19:01 | More by yankeefan287

Foddz

Ontario (Canada)

1.83/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

A: An aggressive, sloshing pour only yields the barest of soapy foams on top of this beer. Said foam wastes little time in vanishing. It doesn't seem well carbonated. Colour is deep caramel/cola. Looks more like a soft drink than a beer.

S: Caramlized notes. Sweetness. Maybe a hint of maple. Smells a bit overly sweet more than anything. Perhaps some woody/smokey overtones. It makes me think of an old log cabin in the woods. It manages to remain largely unappealing and bland in spite of some nice components.

T: Similar to the nose. Vaugely maple/caramel sweetness fades linearly into an even more vague bitterness I can only assume comes from whatever hops they put in this. If I swirl it in my mouth for long enough I can start to detect some candied fruit and perhaps cherries, but something seems off about those tastes as well. Possibly the edging in of ethyl alcohol flavours.

M: Pretty much completely flat. Mouthfeel is predominately watery with some stickiness from the sugar content and some harshness from the alcohol.

O: There's some promising aspects that do encourage me to try other Maple Bock style beers. However, bland tending towards harsh flavours and lackluster aesthetics leave one wondering what could have been.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 04:07:45 | More by Foddz

traumaqueen

2/5  rDev -11.9%

04-03-2012 04:47:31 | More by traumaqueen

jsnoek

Ontario (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev +21.1%

03-31-2012 03:39:38 | More by jsnoek

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

1.88/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Appearance: It has a nice dark brown/amber color to it. It has a thin beige head that dies down fast and leaves very minimal lacing.

Smell: The aromas give out hints of maple syrup with maybe a hint of chocolate?

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a dominant maple syrup taste to it, light roasted malts, smokiness and metallic flavor.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with an overpowering maple syrup flavor and a thin and somewhat watery overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a smooth drinkable beer accompanied with bland and unbalanced flavors and aromas.

Wtf?

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 19:51:12 | More by SebD

Groulxsome

Ontario (Canada)

2.2/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 1 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I had heard this was quite a bad beer, but I don't like to be told, so I had to get one (rather, a friend left one in my fridge).

A: Um, disappointing if this was a home-brew, devastating as a commercial beer. The head went away very quickly, was very, very light and bubbly for its brief existence, and left a dark brown-copper beer. The color of cola.

S: A nice maple smell, but that's it! I can't get much malt or anything at all. I'll give it a 3 for smelling like maple, which is a good smell, really.

T: Similar story here. It tastes like maple. As it warms there are some faint malt notes - something vaguely toasty. A little bitter, but it has a thinness like and extract home-brew. Not saying there is extract (I'm no expert), it just it missing some body.

M: Surprisingly light. I was expecting the maple to make it somewhat syrupy and heavy, but it was really thin. Very light carbonation.

O: I don't like being mean to a beer. I really want to go back and bump a number there and there to make this, overall, not so bad. The sad fact is that I feel sorry for all the nice maple syrup that went into making this beer. It could have been on nice pancakes or waffles, or in a nicer beer. If a friend had made this as a home-brew I'd end up drinking a few, it's just kinda sweet and plane. It's not offensive, but it's not something I'd have people flocking to his house to try. But, as for something to spend $5 on, it just isn't really worth it.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 22:35:18 | More by Groulxsome

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Bomber picked up at the LCBO; best before July 2012. Having heard such terrible things about this beer in the past, and being steadfast in my masochistic tendencies, I pretty much had to try this stuff. Served slightly warmer than fridge temperature.

The pour reveals a dark, muddy brown brew, effectively opaque between the darkness of the hue and the haziness of the liquid itself. Some reddish highlights when held to the light. Like most of the other things I've tried from this brewer, this stuff is just incapable of retaining a head for any length of time - even using my patented Angrypour, the tan-coloured, creamy foam went from one finger thick to a negligibly thin, uneven soapy film within a minute of pouring. The aroma is actually kind of nice, although unmistakably one-dimensional - that 'Trafalgar yeast' smell is fairly prevalent, along with an underlying malty sweetness and maple syrup notes.

Weird taste, not as bad as the reviews led me to believe though. The profile leans heavily on the malty side of things, with lightly roasted bready malts forming the backbone. Sweet-tasting with no relent; syrupy notes of molasses and maple remain prevalent throughout the sip. Some faint dark fruit/chocolate notes are just blown away by the generic syrupy sweetness. Roasted malts and some earthy, drying bitterness compose the aftertaste, which doesn't really linger. Unacceptably thin-bodied and watery for a bock, with a weird sour vibe that feels like it should not be there (but at the very least, stops this from being cloyingly sweet). No heat from the alcohol is apparent. Light carbonation, with a very smooth/flat mouthfeel.

Not good, but its badness has been exaggerated a little. It's also possible that Trafalgar has just improved the recipe/brewing method this season. Regardless, it's just not the level of quality a beer geek should expect from a 4-to-5 dollar bomber of beer. Disappointing when taken as a bock too, reminding me more of a brown ale than anything - and a thin one at that.

Final Grade: 2.5, which is in D+ territory. This is my 8th trek into the world of Trafalgar beers, and although I seemed to be making a plea for leniency up there, it's still probably one of the lamest things I've had from this brewery. If I could use one word to describe this beer, it would probably be 'disorganized'. There are a few different flavours going on, and while none of them are terribly off-putting, they are balanced poorly and the result is something that just tastes like roasted malts and watery syrup. Not really a chore to drink, but I would not buy this again or recommend it to anyone else.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 19:17:20 | More by thehyperduck

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

2.05/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

I consider myself an eternal optimist, either that or someone who likes to punish oneself over and over...

A - Pours a dark cola colour with a finger of head after a rough pour, little retention and no real lacing.

S - Bready caramel and maple syrop, raw oats and cheerios.

T - Typical Trafalgar metallic and odd leafy notes, the syrop comes through and isn't as overpowering as the nose implies. The bready caramel lingers alongside a strong leafy bitterness. Rather one dimensional with the flavours being unadventurous and rather tame for the style.

M - Disturbingly thin, reminiscent of flat coke with a sour dryness that lingers.

O - Well, admittedly I was a bit surprised by this one. Based on the rating I was expecting to drain pour this bottle, but it certainly wasn't that bad. A good example of the style? Absolutely not. Would I drink it again? Unfortunately, yes, because I made the mistake of buying two bottles.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 00:04:59 | More by andrenaline

RedAleMan

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +32.2%

02-26-2012 00:45:51 | More by RedAleMan

WeissBoy

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +32.2%

02-25-2012 06:36:15 | More by WeissBoy

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +32.2%

02-20-2012 16:34:05 | More by beerhunter13

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +76.2%

02-15-2012 03:27:54 | More by ThinkAgain

cyrenaica

Ontario (Canada)

1.78/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

650ml bottle
6.5% ABV
I tried this beer on April 5, 2011 after purchasing from one of my local LCBO outlets. The beer poured a translucent ruby red with a 1" tan coloured bubbly head. The aroma is maple first, sweet malt and floral hops second. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour is sweet maple, sweet malt and nothing else. A good idea, but not much substance to support it.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 23:38:06 | More by cyrenaica

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

1.38/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

650ml bottle poured into a pint glass.
ABV 6.5%

A - Poured a dark brown with copper hues and a thin cream coloured bubbly head. Some lacing.

S - Light maple syrup sweetness and sour notes. I was expecting more sweetness.

T - There's some maple syrup and roasted malts in the finish but that's overshadowed with nasty metallic and sour notes.

M - Good carbonation, thin, and quite astringent.

O - Drain pour. There's no way I'm getting through the whole bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 02:18:47 | More by decimator

SkinnyElvis

Pennsylvania

1.35/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Here we go... Thanks to Jan for this brew obtained in a bet. I insisted he send it to me since I am masochistic & he said it was heroically bad.

A: The brew pours with a thin head. Dark amber. Nothing notable here from a regular bock.
S: Smells like maple syrup. I like maple syrup but not in beer.
T: Yuck! I almost spit it out upon sipping it. Tastes like watered down maple syrup. I can't detect much bock in here at all except a little bit of fruit/toffee. I taste some sourness towards the end of each sip which is nasty.
M: Very thin.
Overall: This is god awful. I told Jan I would finish the bottle (which I will!) but this is going to a painful experience.

AVOID!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 17:39:00 | More by SkinnyElvis

Roke87

Ontario (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev +38.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

650 mL bottle, poured into a Duvel tulip at cellar temperature

Appearance- Pours a dark dark brown colour, almost completely opaque but it does let some light through. Average pour yields a nice bubbly two fingers of off white head that slowly dissipates to an above average bubbly top and a nice ring leaving average lacing throughout the glass till finish.

Smell- I do get the maple right away on the nose but there’s not too much else going on here, very sweet with a hint of caramel malts in the background as well.

Taste- For the very low score it’s received on BA so far, it actually tasted a little better than I expected it to be. You do get the sweet maple syrup taste right off the bat and it does dominate a lot of the palate, and it finishes with a nice roasted malt flavour in there as well, although I do get a bit of and off almost metallic taste.

Mouthfeel- Light to Medium bodied this bock has pretty good carbonation if you ask me, goes down easy although it is a little on the light side, not overly bad on the mouth feel for a bock to be honest.

Overall- Definitely nothing to write home about but this batch of maple bock doesn’t really deserve this low of a score either. I also did not have high expectations and I was kind of surprised by this one, I mean I probably wouldn’t buy it again but it was worth a try for sure, and from such an underrated brewery I think this one is a step in the right direction for Trafalgar.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 06:30:03 | More by Roke87

Mit

Ontario (Canada)

2.93/5  rDev +29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a pours a dark brownish amber colour with a decent head.

s-smells like maple syrup...like when you smell it in the glass bottle.

t-Syrup not as pronounced...balanced by a nice bitterness, some dark fruits in there...kinda thin though.

m-Feels a little thin....but not bad for the 6% abv.

o- It's not great but I applaud their effort. At least it seems like they have any production issues under control now. I would buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 23:45:23 | More by Mit