Foothills Gruffmeister Maibock

Brewed by Foothills Brewing
Style: Heller Bock
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Draught at the brewpub. Pours bright copper with off-white head. The aroma is malty with some cotton candy and herbal hops, maybe a hint of strawberry. The flavor is assertively toasty with some sweet wild honey notes. Hints of lemon and alcohol come out toward the finish, and maybe even some oak. It leaves a strong, woody aftertaste. Not bad at all.

A clear amber color that is really nice. On tap at barley’s. Big wheat and yeast aromas and flavors. Love this style for the summer. Finish is smooth, slightly bitter.

Re-rate: Out of a growler, vs. my initial rating off tap at the brewery (originally a 3.6) Aroma is light with a hint of sweetness. Flavor is semi-sweet, with grassy hop and lots of carbonation. The end was dry and light. There was still a funkiness to it that remained non-offensive. Can’t put my finger on it. This is much better off tap, which can’t necessarily be said for their Sexual Chocolate; which can be drank out of a growler for a couple of weeks and maybe more while still retaining it’s amazing qualities. The 8% on this Maibock is masked very well, but it’s still a bock, from a young brewery and perhaps needs some tweeking? Very refreshing, nonetheless, for these warm summer days. Just had to re-rate upon another tasting.

Amber color, thin white head that dissipates completely. Apple, caramel, some rye bread in the aroma. Nice hop bitterness over a malty, slightly fruity beer. Medium bodied. Some syrupiness. Good mouthfeel.

Pours a golden color with small head. Some malts. Grassy hops. Pretty average beer.

On draught at WBF in Raleigh. Drank this immediately a 4oz sample of sexual chocolate. Suffice to say, it didn’t mesaure up. Golden orange with a small white head. Toasted malts and yeasty, a little banana too. Ok, but I can’t say I expected much. I need to explore Maibocks more at a later date, but right now this one just ranks as mediocre.

Had this when it was available around St. Patty’s day earlier this year but never added my rating. thin, golden-brown body with little to no carbonated head. tiny bit of lacing. carbonated in general too. smells of light hops and burnt toast and grass. tastes of light hops and citrus, def apples et al. and ends slightly bitter. yeasty too, florals and grass. several flavors in there but there all really subtle and it seems like not much is going on and definetely doesn’t work as a great cohesive unit. does that make sense? anyways I haven’t had any other Maibock’s yet to compare it to. but i think its probably average?

From notes 3/20/06: Pours a clear golden honey with a scant head. Still carbonation. A swirl of milky bubbles meander on top. No lacing. Miniscule aroma. A hint of alcohol and some green hops. Maybe a smidge of pear involved. Apple. Frankly a bit difficult to discern. Honey sweetness instantly kicked by a Noble hop finish. Apple and pear ciders. Ample bitterness in the end from the hops. A spicy tingle on the tongue post-swallow. A subtle malt toastiness enveloped by a soothing alcohol warmth. Dries out in the end. Crisp snappy hop finish. Smooth mouthfeel. Very drinkable. A nice take on a style not too often seen in these parts.