Anchor Bock Beer

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Dunkel
San Francisco, California USA

Bottle, courtesy of kmweaver, poured into a dimpled mug. Pours a deep burgundy brown (garnet when held to the light) with a creamy, pitted, tan head that slowly diminishes. The aroma is of Raisinets, light malted milk, Root Beer Barrels (the hard candy). and a faint, fruity hop note. Medium-bodied and slick with a soft mouthfeel that quickly asserts its carbonation upon swallowing, wrapping your tongue in a cascade of tiny bubbles. The finish is quick with just a hint of hop bitterness and metal coming through. The flavor is surprisingly more complex than the nose. Sweet chocolate notes precede peat, weak coffee and dark fruit notes followed by a hint of the hops and metal mentioned above. This is my first beer of this style, and it won’t be my last. Unfortunately, this is the one offering from Anchor that cannot be acquired locally. Much thanks again, Ken.

Huge dark yellow-cream head, totally stable, over ruby-shot, near black-beer. Very nicely hopped, with a background smell of caramel syrup. Bitter tinted cake-like sweet beer, very un-Bock-like hops, tannines, chocolate in the finish. Very full-bodied, chewy, warming. Very nice American Strong ale. A Bock? And 5.5% ???? - can’t believe it.

Bottle. Bottled on: 03/19/07. A deep mahogany pour with a thick and fluffy light-mocha head that leaves rings of lace. A nutty, malty aroma that features some chocolate and hints of rye bread. Medium-bodied. Starts with a good deal of caramel malts and Red Delicious apples. Finishes toasty with some cocoa and raisins. Not too shabby.

Dark brown color with attractive garnet highlights. Strong malty aroma and lightly toasted flavor of sweet malt. The medium body beer lingers with some alcohol warmth.

Roasted overall flavors but very winelike actually, making it a bit too acidic for my liking. It also had a big apple-like aftertaste, which I did not like either. I haven’t tried many bock beers but I think I prefer other offerings from Anchor more.

Poured a very nice dark reddish brown (I almost thought I was pouring a sweet stout). Head was soapy looking and aroma is a sweet roasted scent. Flavor was also lightly sweet with a roasted coffee aftertaste. Overall, very very nice, with elements of sweet stouts. Definitely will require future purchases!

Bottle poured into a snifter. Very deep brown with decent head. Nutty roasted, almond-like aroma - more subtle than I hoped. Highly carbonated and quite light weight on the palate - not rich or creamy. No aftertaste. Flavor is there but is very muted. Essentially, this beer was not at all what I expected - but it wasn’t bad. I’d have again.

Rich Chocolately deep brown, but basically black in the glass with mild light tan head. Fairly light smell but it is a roasty, malty smell with chocolately, caramel hints. Rich and carbonated body, with mild sweetness, a slight hint of bitterness and a nice bitter-sweet mild coffee like finish. A touch bland, but my bottle might be quite old. One I’d love to have fresh. Still good nonethess and not a disappointment at all.