Smuttynose Maibock

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

Draft at the Other Room. Poured a nice bown. Some head. Malt and hops, not quite as hearty as I’d like it but pretty decent.

Poured cloudy orange with a thick tan head. The head was very creamy. The aroma was rum, caramel and honey. Flavor had a great maltiness with vanilla in the mix. This tasted stronger than other Maibocks I’ve had. Great maltiness on the palate as well. This is one of the best Maibocks I’ve had.

On tap. A perfect coppery color with a wonderfully complex nose. I love the sweet malty flavor. Just another affirmation on how wonderful Smuttynose's stuff is.

Smells fresh with a certain toasted spicy scent to it. The main smell is fruity, I think it is banana but not sure. Pours a nice red/orange brown with good off white head that leaves lacing, the head is very frothy and yeasty. The flavor is very nice and complex yet simple. It has a sweet side complimented by slight bitterness. It also has a floral aftertaste and finishes smooth. This is one hell of a beer.

[2007 bottle] Pours a barely hazy gold color, with some great lacing. Dense malt aroma, some honey sweetness. A total malt-bomb of flavors, with some interesting yeast character and subtle hop bitterness. Full bodied, with slight alcohol warmth through the finish.

The bomber was artfully labeled, evoking memories of renaissance era Europe. The beer came out golden deep yellow with a good stream of carbonation, but a small to nonexistent head. The smell was malty and yeasty, with some floral hops. The taste is where it all came together, as the malts, hops, and yeast proved to be in great balance. The honey like sweetness was pitted against an earthy and drying yeast flavor and spiced up with restrained but noticeable noble hops. The mouthfeel was a lot fuller than most of the Maibocks I’ve ever had, but it was not so full that it went out of style and became a Dopplebock. The carbonation was quite evident in the mouth. This was a wonderfully drinkable beer without having to be watered down.

22oz bomber purchased at McKinnon’s in Salem, NH - split with BA CheckMate. Pours a light amber slightly hazy body with a good inch of off-white head that slowly dissipates. Smells malty and biscuity, with a fair bit of noble hops (I’m guessing hallertau?) put there to balance it out. Definitely a bit hop forward for the style IMO, noble hops giving a citrussy bite to it, with a fair bit of malt, expressing itself as toffee, caramel, biscuit, and a bit of chocolate toward the finish. Fairly clean finish, though not as clean or dry as some lagers. Medium in both mouthfeel and carbonation. Not the quickest drinker around, but the pleasant flavors, the balance of the flavors, and the medium body definitely make one sip invite another. Overall, a very solid beer - not quite what I was expecting but more drinkable than many in the series, not to mention much much better balanced. Nice.

Pours a cloudy golden yellow color with a small, foamy off white head. The aroma is sweet with caramel malts up front followed by a touch of spices and floral hops. The flavor follows the sweet theme with toasted caramel up front and joined by coriander, ginger, and other spices. Medium to full bodied, smooth with subtle carbonation. Not bad, but maybe a touch too sweet.