Smuttynose Maibock

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Heller Bock
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Bottle (2008). Pours deep orange/gold with a huge peach colored head. Aroma is clean sweet malt with honey and caramel dominating, accompanied by bready and earthy notes. The body is smooth. Flavor is sweet malt, again, honey, caramel, and bread. Also has a light yeasty, earthy, and even fruity side to it. I get a bit of peach and citrus. Very nice.

A hazy light amber with gorgeous creamy head and lace. Big aroma of elegant sweet, fresh malt, hint of honey, subtle fruit and spicy hops. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, tons of malty goodness, smooth, toasty (someone mentioned hints of smokiness and I did perceive that as well) with hints of fruit, clean as hell. Spicy/earthy hop and yeast bite. A treat!

Hazy burnt orange color. hoppy, sweet, and spicy complexion. hints of caramel, citrus, and a touch of sour find there way on to the tongue. soft citrusy feel with decent carbonation. very enjoyable beverage!

The color was yellow/orange. The head was thin, creamy, and white. The aroma was alcohol, hops, and caramel malt. The flavor was alcohol, hops, sweet, and spice. The palate was well carbonated. The finish was warm.

Pours a hazy copper amber with a creamy orangeish two finger head. Lively carbonation. The nose is nice and hoppy, sweet, earthy, malty, caramel, lagering shows in the nose. The flavor has a nice hop bite to it, a little citrusy, earthy, malty, sweet, caramel. Nice biting palate with a refreshing carbonation. Easily the best maibock I’ve ever had.

5/6/08 notes: had on tap. Pours a light amber-red. Little aroma detectable, just some malt and light cherry/strawberry. This beer starts a soft caramel sweet with some hops, and finishes a light, sour, grassy flavor. Great soft and chewy palate. Finish is interesting in that it is slightly sour. Very drinkable and refreshingly different. 3.6

Mostly clear dark golden color with a thin even loose white head. Slight spicy and herbal grainy aroma with a touch of earthy hop character. Light taste over a thickish palate. Tastes a bit spicy with a light pine hoppiness informing the finish. Grainy malts carry everything well. A refreshing bock.

My Bottom Line:
Soothing floral, herbal hoppiness is perfectly levelled with honeyed cereals in a come-hither mouthfeel where earthy yeast and herbal hop bitterness encourage you to take an even greater sip. This is as authentic a Bock as you can find in North America.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A lingering cloud of foam garnishes the hazy amber.
-Balance is achieved throughout.
-Such authenticity and quality makes me wish they’d brew a Pilsener now!
-The frothy bubbling and healthy mouthfeel are pleasant all the way.
-Alcohol never shows in the flavor profile; this is as drinkable as any other unfiltered session lager.

Bottles; 2008 and 2009 vintage.