Smuttynose Maibock

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

Practically clear with a rich orange-gold hue. Thin head. Aromas of lavender, lemon, perfume with a bit of caramel and toast beneath all the fragrant smells. A little bitterness up front changes to a buttery middle and long butterscotch/caramel finish. Again, fragrant hops and well-integrated caramel and sweet malts. Really good stuff.

The highest rated maibock not retired apparently. Pours clear copper color and one finger of head. Aroma is honey, nutsm and a little nail polish remover. Flavor is surprisingly bitter. A bit of grape juice, honey, and a little spice. quite sweet. finishes with a hint of alcohol. perhaps one of the better bocks but not a very strong category in my opinion. prickly carbonation.

I’ve had this about 4 times and haven’t bothered to rate it yet. I like this stuff...can’t wait for it and the Ramstein Maibock to come out again so I can compare them fresh! This has a more herbal hop component, starting in the middle and finishing through to the swallow, making it ever-so-slightly astringent instead of sticky. Oh yum. The malt is the shiner, though, of this duo. Warm, butter-caramel-honey-nutmeg-syrup-peachy-fruity in a dark amber/rusty orange thick body topped by a pouffy white head. I like this beer.

Wow, is this good. Though I love this style, too often I get renditions which are too hot and have this annoying monolithic malt profile. Here, the malt is not overly heavy--it shows a lot of nuance--and there is real hop character in the finish. Beautifully balanced.

Bottle. Sweet malty aroma. Beautiful golden body, nice sized white head. Taste is surprisingly mild. Lightly toasty, some caramel and fruit, not overly sweet. Sweetness, although fortunately never cloying, develops a little more in the finish, along with a touch of bitterness. I was looking forward with great anticipation to this Smuttynose offering, but honestly it left me just a tad disappointed.

On tap at Ortino’s Northside. Appears a golden amber with a small off white head. Small streaks of lace are left around the glass. Smell is of mildly sweet doughy, honey biscuit malt. Taste is of the sweet aromas with a bit of apple and a bit of a citrus and vegatal taste coming through that wasn’t overly appealing. Mouthfeel was crisp, warming, and sweet with a lip smacking sugary syrup feel.

Poured a crisp golden color with a foamy, lacing white head. Aroma is all spice and yeast with very little noticeable hop. Flavor is more of the same, spicy/herby with a distinct European yeast flavor. Light malt, slight bitterness from the hops. Finish is nice, slightly thick tipping off the heavier alcohol. I don’t love the style, but they really got what they were going for which is respectable.

Draft at VT Brewers Fest - Dark amber in color with a thin off white head. Aroma is of malt/caramel with some fruitiness. Flavor is slightly sweet and quite malty with a pleasant caramel/toffee underpinning. Alcohol is apparent only in the finish. Great mouth feel. Excellent.