Smuttynose Maibock

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

Near cloudy dark golden to amber colored liquid. Taller, somewhat fluffy vanilla milk colored head. Dried flower, biscuits, raisin scone and light cream caramel aromas. Maibock does not come to mind. Some apricot pits also seem to be present in the scent as I try to figure this one out. Light sweet flavors in the front with light caramel and lightly toasted malt and clover honey. Middle has a return of dried flower and wintergreen hops. Not as clean as I like my maibocks, but the flavors are malty with just enough hops to make things interesting.

Bottle from shigadeyo. Clear copper color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate roasted malt aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture and lively carbonation. Medium sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. My expectations where met.

Pours copper with big, off-white head. Aroma of malt, fruit, hops. Tastes malty, with some hops and fruit. Medium palate, with a slightly dry, fruity finish. Good complexity and balance.

A hazy amber ale with a thick white head. Aroma of fruity esters, coriander, cloves, very pleasant. In mouth, a sweet spiced yeast malt, with notes of pepper and cloves, warming alcohol. Rich bodied, enjoyable.

Bottled (bomber). Dark bronze body, mostly transparent, with huge foamy tan slow-diminishing head. Promising. Nose is loaded, I mean loaded with caramel malt, and malted milk as well. Flavor again super sweet/malty; those looking for hops in their bocks had best avoid. Finish extremely smooth, perhaps a bit too much; but overall this is a great sweet, full-bodied maibock. Makes me miss Ayinger just a little less...

Sweet caramel and fruit in the aroma. Clear dark golden colour with thin white head that lasts nicely. Some lacing. Malty, sweet caramel and toffee. Quite fruity. Hints of alcohol apparent towards the finish. Lasting sweetness on the tongue. Sticky without being syruppy or cloying. Medium body and smooth in the mouth with just enough carbonation to keep it interesting. On tap at the Vermont Brewers Festival.

2008 Bomber. Poured clear light-medium orange with a tall, thicker cap of eggshell head. The aroma picked up toasty leafy notes over an aged caramel and pale malt base.. complementary accents of grassy and fruity hops.. well-presented. The flavor had slightly tacky aged caramel at the core with dry leafy, grassy, and citrusy bitterness all around.. quite hoppy for a maibock, but it worked well.. finished long, toasty, and bitter. Thick, rolling carbonation moved this very well across the palate.. bitterness circled the mouth and rode out the rewarding finish.. excellent beer!

A malt drinkable treasure followed by an expected malted down bitterness, caramel and smooth. More German than if German brewed. Great drinkability. Medium mouthfeel.