Samuel Adams LongShot Traditional Bock

Brewed by Boston Beer Company
Style: Dunkler Bock
Boston, Massachusetts USA

12 oz bottle from Spirits Fischer Blvd. Pours an interesting shade of burgundy/brown with a smaller off white head that quickly fades away. Very full chewy bodied with soft to average carbonation. Aroma of nutts, malts, some plum. Flavor is malty and nutty with a quick burst of dark fruit followed by some lingering malts.

Bottle in CT. Pours a light brown with a lingering cream-colored head. Features a nutty, malty aroma. Palate is medium-bodied, and primary flavors are smooth malty sweetness. Perhaps there are notes of bread and nuts there as well, but a creamy sweetness pervades. Finishes clean, with light toasted qualities. Nice.

Aroma of old chocolate cocoa puffs,that quickly becomes light fruit cake, taste is a mild non fat sweet molassas and berry pancake syrup,malty but a little drying in the finish. A little sweeter and less chocolate then Shiner, I’d be happy to turn out a homebrew like this

yeah it’s a bock, and yeah it’s a good one, a damn good one at that. This about bocks is, they suck. They’re supposed to have the refreshment of a lager but its all muddied and weighed down by that heavy caramel malt and no hops to lift it up and enlighten and liven the suds. Too bad. Anyway, judgement aside, this bock pours deep caramel in the glass and has a small head that settles to a quick film more rapidly than I prefer, but then again, this is a characteristic of all most all bocks using a lagering yeast. The aroma is only slightly nutty. The beer draws down leaving the glass as clean as a whistle. The flavor is full and very much present are caramel malts, nutty and maple flavors and no hops. You may like this if you like shiner or any other mostly malt beer. It tastes like maple pecan peanut brittle you find at the family reunions of your friends with German parents. The finish has a sweetness reminiscent of unfermented sugar from the the heavily supplied caramel barley malts. Not too much though. Just enough to sweeten it so that kids would like to drink this beer. Carbonation is good, but only enough to keep a thin film up for a head. The finish leaves the caramel lingering around quite a while. Have at it, those with a sweet tooth!

(12oz. bottle, courtesy of Swalden 28) Pours a clear amber-brown with a small beige head. Aroma of nuts, cocoa, toasted grain, and caramel. Flavor of molasses, toasted grain, nuts, cocoa, raisins,and caramel malt.

12ozbottle. Pours ruby red with a small tan head. Smells of grain and malt, slightly grassy. Tastes of burnt sugar, a little caramel, sweet malt, and a grassy hop finish. Smooth body, slighly sticky mouthfeel, and nice balance. Pretty good stuff.

12 oz. bottle served in tumbler (broke my snifter, dang)- poured transparent faded brown with a ruby tint when held to a light source, minimal off tan head formed but quietly subsided, low-medium carbonation. Appealing aroma of light molasses, caramel, malt, and young cherries. Hits the mouth with a high-medium body, malt is definitely there and is enjoyable, middle has a light wood quality to it, finish is sticky and slaps you for not taking another sip and for not giving proper respect. Yep, sure did.

Pours a sparkling clear, dark mahogany color with a beige, moderately full, pillowy, creamy head which is somewhat lasting and leaves some tight, sporadic lace. Nose is boring with light pit fruit, almonds, and toasted caramel. Flavor is marginally better with some cherry, toasted caramel, almond, and moderately light, earthy noble bitterness. Palate is not bad with a more than medium body, nearly lively carbonation, and a dry-ish, cereal texture. Finishes short and drying with cereal (a true SA trait) and noble hops. Not enough malt richness to be good. It’s funny that a homebrewer would brew a beer of the typical SA fashion, but then again, SA did decide to brew the beer...