They call this sweet-scented bock “pride of the North Country.” Golden, smooth and very settling, this is meekly moderate-bodied. Its pleasantness lies in soothing (never bitter) mocha finish and chocolate-coated backdrop. Like most Catamount beverages, it walks the fine line between processed macro and average microbrew. Brewery defunct: 2002.
Tag Archives: bock
(ITHACA) KAFFINATOR DOUBLE ESPRESSO BOCK
Impressive ‘continental breakfast lager’ is a fearsome doppelbock and perfect nightcap. Enormous espresso frontage allows hop-roasted ground coffee and baker’s chocolate illusions to expand atop equally compelling chewing tobacco, pine tar, and chicory bittering. Definite caffeine booster sweetened by vanilla fudged interlude and malt-smoked burnt cedar residue.
PRIMATOR BLONDE BOCK
UNICER SUPER BOCK
CHOUFFE BOK
JOPEN BOKBIER
RIO GRANDE ELFEGO-BOCK
VICTORY MOONGLOW WEIZENBOCK
Dramatic ruddy-hazed Bavarian-styled autumn bock defers astringent alcohol density, spoiled orange waft, and blustery wheat backbone to oncoming soured cherry tartness. Red grape scamper, sticky plantain nuance, plus fruit punch melange (red grape, quince, tangerine, wild berries) brighten center. Hefty sugar malting enhances tertiary banana, pumpkin, and prune swoon, scattering barest clove spicing inside creamy viscosity of engrossing off-dry fruit meringue.
CHRISTIAN MOERLEIN BOCK
Bavarian bock more influenced by toasted barley, roasted chestnut, and sweet husked corn than expected full-on creamy malt thickness. Dry mocha and sweet chocolate coat underside, dissipating abruptly by mildly bitter hop finish. As usual, American bock version has less complexity than most Germans.
KOZLAK BOCK
Inadvisable green bottle doesn’t plague reputable creamy Polish bock. Sweet brown chocolate drips into big fig embrace and nice hazelnut-walnut-pecan wrap, creating initial full-bodied lunge. Honeyed wheat girds frisky carbolic fizz as massive raisin-prune influence steps forward. Busy finish picks up meritorious burgundy-barleywine ripple. In embossed brown bottle, brown-sugared toffee and butterscotch sweetness scatters thru corn syrupy dried fruiting. Spicy nutmeg tingle drapes latent caramelized raisin-fig-prune conflux.
RIVER HORSE ROEBLING BOCK
Sweet candied bock with dominant barley roast, buttery pale malting, and receding dry nuttiness. Carbolic hops fade as toasted graining battles back coarse astringency. Label claims ‘lager beer’ under bock ‘title,’ and it’s much closer to the former with its lively hops and bittersweet grains. Plus, mocha presence too light for bock class.