Golden ale that turns amber without back lighting. Nearly white head falls to a film. Nose is bready with prominent citrus and spice of the advertised Amarillo hops. Light body is toasted caramel and bready malt with an overlaid spice from the hops. In maibock, there's a mineral or musty flavor that I don't enjoy. While Sol Bock is well brewed, I won't be trying it again in a growler but could be convinced to try it on tap.
In spite of my maibock bias, this is a good beer that I suspect will do well locally. It's smooth plus a bit of punch from the Amarillo and 6.5% ABV, which will make it popular with a lot of folks. Listed on the website as Harriet-style Maibock, it's different enough to be a great addition to the local spring beer line up.
After posting this the first time, I came across a review of the Sol Bock Revival by The Heavy Table. Looked like a good time, and seemingly a significant number of folks who like Sol Bock more than I did.
I haven't tried this one, although I'm with you in general on the maibock stance. Bocks for that matter as well. But like you, I'm always willing to give a beer a try, regardless of the style. However I usually do it by trying a sip from someone else's glass, getting a small sample or making sure there is someone around to drink the rest of my pint if I don't like it as opposed to your whole hog, buy a growler approach. :)
ReplyDeleteI should know better, but the sample seemed genuinely better and worth the growler. Thus, I think I need to try a full tap. Or, I was ridiculously tired from a weekend of speech and thought I tasted something that I didn't. The growler was no great burden to finish though. :)
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