Carolina Spring Bock Lager

Brewed by Carolina Brewing Company
Style: Heller Bock
Holly Springs, North Carolina USA

This beer rocks. It is seasonal, so catch it while you can.

From a bottle dated 3/21 purchased at the brewery; also sampled on draft at the brewry and loved it. Bright but earthy orange in color, the head succombs quickly. Rich malty aroma. For a relatively light-colored beer, this has a robust and full-bodied character without being overbearing in any way ... lightly malty, with just a twinge of sugary-alcoholic aftertaste. Another underrated beauty. (#2837, 5/4/2007)

Draft at Mcgregors in Cary. Copper pour with aroma of fruit, malt, hopcit, slight acetic acid. Tastes rich, complex, fruity and bocky. Great complexity, yet a tad thin at the finish. Still, this one is fabulous.

Enjoyed on-tap at 42nd St. Oyster Bar in Raleigh. Poured a clear, crisp honey orange color. Almost thin looking in appearance (but not so in flavor). Thin whispy ead that dissolved quickly. Fairly flat but I find that is common for on-tap examples of the style. Flavor is very rich. A whole lot of sweet malts. Picked out a bit of honey and even a litle bit of peat. Very light hop character that was more cloverish than bitters. Light mouthfeel and not quite crisp but rather moist-ish mouthfeel. Enjoyed several of these beers. Definitely becoming impressed with CBC’s seasonal offerings.

Pint glass, chilled...I was definitely pleased with this spring bock, the flavor was quite sweet, estery, very much like a Belgian, in color not as light as a lager but not as dark as an amber. Average head, tasty, but got flat quickly as it warmed. Therefore drink it fast.

Bottle courtesy of kp: Pours a transparent copper amber with a spotty-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet, lightly toasted caramely malt and some noble hops. Body starts with a nice mild sweetness and earthy bittering hop balance before a crisp, smooth fairly full finish. An authentic and drinkable heller bock.

On draught at Brixx Pizza in Chapel Hill. Pours a light orange with a thin white head. Nose is doughy, with some honey and fruity notes. Flavor is malty, bready, more honey, and a little bit of hops, i think. Easy drinking and unoffensive. Although it wasn’t mind blowing, it was simply refreshing and well made.

Bottle courtesy of OldGrowth. Called the Spring Bock Lager. Bottled on 03/21/07 and weighing in at 6.5% ABV according to the label. Pours amber with a small white head. Nose is malty with soft sweet notes, and spicy hops. Some dried fruitiness and maybe some honeyish wafts too. Taste is sweeter with more malt, soft honey, fruit, light bread, and soft spicy hops. Body is medium but chewy with light carbonation. Finishes with more sweetness but a touch more bitterness and bigger fruit. The honey is reduced here. Nice!