Flying Dog Heller Hound Bock

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Heller Bock
Frederick, Maryland USA

I’m a little disappointed in this one. Usually you can depend on something pretty decent from Flying Dog. Not this one. The beer poured a orange gold and had a thick white head. There was a little bit of hops in the aroma, but not much of anything else. The same is with the taste. It is bland and lacks depth. It is slightly refreshing, but even there it falls back a little.

Bottle from cbkschubert; Nose is bready grain with some citrus hops; light amber with a small yellowish head; medium body with the flavor of light caramel, citrus hops, and a lightly bitter and alcohol finish. Would be good on a hot day!

Orangey copper color, not much head. Aroma springs to life with liquid bread, plenty of melanoidiny goodness: toffee candy, rye-breadesque spiciness, and a spicy and floral hop. Flavor seems less melanoidiny than the aroma, there’s a juiciness that smacks of vienna malt, but no big caramel-toffees. Soft almost chewy mouthfeel, but not creamy - it has a mild astringency that stings a little on the sides of the tongue. Nevertheless, on the whole its pretty smooth, sweet and malt focused. There’s a trace of floral hop near the finish, and a definite clean finishing bitterness. Well constructed bock, though not adventurous nor complex, not that it really needs to be. Sort of a beer that one might choose to drink in some quantity - its strength makes it a bit large for a session, but it is an easy and sensuous way to get smopped, should that be your goal!

Decent dark gold appearance. Not much in the nose, just some dough. Palate is clean, sweet, a bit malty and a great deal boring. A yawner of a bock.

12 oz. bottle - Pours a clear golden color with a one finger thick white head. Very light, tiny bubble carbonation. Light spotty lacing. Light dust, esters, and sweet malt aroma. Light sweet malt flavor. A very smooth, lightly hopped, medium body beer. Not bad. Would make a decent session beer.

Totally uninspired. Flat, papery hops and dull sweetish malt. Flying Dog makes a few really good brews, this isn’t one of them.

12oz bottle. pour yields little head and a hazy, almost unfiltered orange/amber. smells like orange peel malt with a hint of lager; also, maybe a little tree sap in the nose. tastes about like it smells, with an additional yeast/sugar finish. nothing fantastic, but it’s a good drinkable inexpensive beer.

I have an affinity for a well made maibock, unfortunately this one is just average. Pours a clear deep yellow, no retention of a dirty white head. Bready malts, light caramel and lighter still alcohol dominate the aroma. Flavor is more of the same, with additions of toast and citrus. Palate is smooth enough, nice for a maibock. Finishes crisp but with a little oily, off-putting spice. Drinkable, but nothing I’d buy again.