Altenmünster Maibock

A careful pour produces a three-finger thick, light tan colored head in my 25cl tulip glass. The beer is a brilliantly clear, copper color that shows a rich gold hue when held up to the light. The aroma is malt and grain focused with notes of cereal grain, sweet-concentrated malt, some cracker-like grain notes, substantial chewy grain aromatics and perhaps something a touch like sweet, green raisins. Underneath this is a light, herbal hoppiness that becomes a bit more noticeable after the initial malt focus. This really has a substantial grain-character to it, much more so than even sweet, toasty malt notes.

A touch fizzy up front from the ample carbonation, this is fairly light bodied for a bock, though it still definitely has a chewy heft to it. The carbonation definitely lightens the effect of this beer a bit. Only lightly sweet, but does have a chewy maltiness to it that while not sweet is rich with complex grain sugars. Flavors of unleavened wheat crackers that are lightly toasty and some touches of toffee round out the malt component. Some light, but just noticeable hop flavors contribute an herbal, slightly menthol hop flavor up front as well as a touch of clean bitterness. Speaking of clean, this beer is nice and clean, with little fermentation character, just like a good lager should be.

Not quite as complexly malty as I might prefer & the boost of hop flavor sometimes found in this particular variation of the Bock style is not here past a subtle hop character. Not bad, but one of those two things would push this to being at least pretty good.

.5 liter bottle- looked new and fresh from the Whole foods on Bowery/Houston. Pours a nice crystla clear deep gold with a nice thick white head which fades mostly. Aroma is bready doughy, light vienna malts, some toasty thick swet light munich, and a nice floral german hop kick. Flavor is initially doughy, malty bready, some mild floral hop middle and a decent finish, but somewhere in the back of the palate I get a wierd sharp solventy almost acetone or harsh vodka like alcohol in there- especially as it warms. Best to drink pretty cold. Nice beer.

Bottle Swing-top: Poured a rusty orange brown with a off white color head. The aroma is malty and hoppy. Taste is rusty metallic with a malt and spice.

Good head retention, very clear, mild hoppiness but strong and sweet malt flavor. Light to moderate carbonation. Overall very tasty and enjoyable.

Bottle from BevMo! Mission Valley. Clear yellow color with a dense big white head. Malty, cereal aroma with a light sweetness. Malty brew mash flavor with a light pepery finish.