Smuttynose Maibock

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

Bottle courtesy of hellbilly. Pours a cloudy orange color with a few chunks and a chunky head. Aroma of grain, light sweet malt, and grassy and citrus hops. Flavor of malt, earth yeast and a good hoppy finish. Wow, I really enjoyed this brew. Thanks Josh!

Bottle acquired via trade with jjpm74...thanks John!!! Although the nose lacks intense aroma (just a slight underwhelming sweetness), visually this beer is stunning. Hazy 14 karat with an amazing 2-inch head that leaves significant lacing on the glass. Flavor is highly malted...with candied sugar, honey, and caramel on the tongue. The 7.7% isn’t noticeable and the hops find their way in the finish. A pretty solid beer by Smuttynose.

Tap at the Mexican Food Factory. Pours out a clear orange color with a small white head. Aroma is of cloves, sweet fruits, nut, apple cider, spice and a slight bitterness. Taste is complex and well balanced. Fruity up front with some apple notes, clove, yeast, bubblegum and some earthy nutty notes in there too, all before a slight bitterness on the finish. Very solid, I’m usually not a fan of malty stuff, but this was quite good.

22 oz. bottle. Pours a clear light amber color with a small creamy white head. The aroma is moderately sweet malt with hints of fruits but not much else. The flavor has some off flavors that I think are associated with hops. The malt component is lacking here. Some fruitiness and mild sweetness. I don’t think this is a good example of a maibock. I’ll pass the next time.

I have tried alot of Maibocks and this was only about par when it comes to the style. Nothing outstanding, just your average color, aroma, and taste, with nothing spectacular. Still worth a try though.

Deep mahogany/ruby body with a quickly diminishing tan head. Aroma is "bocky" (is that a word?), full of caramel and malty sweetness; very pleasant. Taste is firm yet not overpowering, caramel and malt again, with some fruitiness. Palate is very smooth, with a slighty sour and alcoholic finish. Good stuff.

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

22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen. Poured out a bright, clear orange color, with a huge off-white colored head. left a sticky lacing down the side of the glass. Aromas are of slightly roasted malt, sweet orange blossom honey, funky lager yeast. Flavors are of honey, sweet malts, dry biscuits, slightly roasty too. Thick mouthfeel, rich body. Chewy in texture, sweet aftertaste. Slightly dry finish, like honey. Damn good beer overall.