DuClaw Mayhem

Brewed by DuClaw Brewing Company
Style: Weizen Bock
Abingdon, Maryland USA

Brown ale my ass! This baby looks like an opaque rusted nail color with a lasting foamy lightly tanned head. In your face nose of rich caramelized banana and clove, with softer yeasty fig, booze, and brown sugar tones. Flavor follows right along with more spiced banana and faint dark fruit and caramel notes. A very light hop bitterness in the end keeps it in check. Full bodied and a bit chalky, moderate carbonation, spicy banana-laden finish. It is what it is here. Strong hefe character that blends well with the many good bock notes. Nice stuff and certainly worth a try by my fellow locals...

Cloudy copper appearance with a large white head and good lacing. Typical yeasty hefeweisen aroma dominated by banana and clove. Taste was malty, soft fruits, mildly spiced with some sweetness. Smooth, medium-bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel. Long lasting finish with an earthy edge.

Growler filled at Bowie location. Attractive cloudy golden brown appearance; pours a significant fluffy head that soon fades away. Enormous amounts of wheat and cloves in the nose, almost buttery. Full mouthfeel; cloves dominate, with plenty of sugars and bananas and esters filling things out. Alcohol makes a slight appearance in a medium toasty finish. Very good weizenbock. I didn’t catch any of Cobra’s vinegary qualities.

Draft... Hazy, mahogany lager with a mid-sized, frothy, khaki head. Good retention. Tons of fruity esters and spicy phenols in the nose; banana, clove, fig, cinnamon and brown sugar. Surprisingly, no chocolate. The flavor has better balance than most bocks. Same phenols and esters on the palate with additional notes of toffee, clover honey and raisin. Again, no chocolate. Just enough of a hop kick to beat back most of the sweetness. Full-bodied with modest carbonation. Finishes spicy and fruity. I didn’t run into any of the same acetic qualities as Cobra. Different location may be the reason... Columbia, MD.

Copper color with no head. Aroma of cloves and bananas. Taste is cloves bananas, pepper, and a touch of alcohol. Smooth finish with low carbonation. Good beer, drinkable and enjoyable.

Draft at Bowie location. A hazy amber/mahogany with a small tan head by the time it got to my table. The aroma is of ripe bananas, caramel, cloves, cinnamon, and hints of vanilla extract. Medium-bodied. Ample maltiness with lots of caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla extract upfront. A wheaty end with ripe bananas and cloves. Some warming alcohol is present. Excellent balance throughout. Very nice.

Date: 07/27/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub, Anaopolis

muddy brown, creamy beige head, light chocolate and banana aroma, big body, rich chocolate flavor, nice sweet banana pulls out more of the chocolate, hint of clove and tartness in the finish,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

5/27/09 notes: on tap at DuClaw Fell’s Point. Aroma is the most banana-ey I have ever sniffed in a beer. There is also some clove and nutmeg that deepen the smell. Flavor is also banana-like sweetness, a bold blend that flirts with becoming cloying, but in my opinion manages to stay on the right side of the line. The finish lingers impressively, imparting close to no alcohol bitterness.