Abita Bock

Brewed by Abita Brewing Company
Style: Heller Bock
Covington, Louisiana USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Stein

On tap at the Hard Rock in the big easy. This was a much better beer than the amber I tried, but that’s not really saying too much. Still the stark contrast between the two made for a better tasting of this beer than normal i’d say. The caramel malts balance great with the subtle german style hops. I haven’t had much from this style but I think this sort of beer is my favorite german so far. Go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras and get this beer! :) Like the guy below me said, Let the good times roll!

12 ounce bottle - $1.49 Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia (though it wrap up as Abita Christmas [close enough, I suppose]). Best By: 05/16/10 Appearance: Pours a clear, amber-gold body with a frothed, off-white head. Smell: Pale malts with some light toasty qualities and an iota of light caramel held within. Slight hop spiciness along with a meager background fruitiness. Taste: Pale malts with distributed tastes of lightly toasted grains and lightly toasted sliced bread. Slight caramel sweetness. Spicy, earthy hops with a good amount of malt-countering bitterness. Just a hint of peppery alcohol tones. Drying finish with bit more spice and, at the tail end, a small hint of honey. The combination of toastiness, honey, and graininess eventually leads me to picture a mouthful of whole-grain Cheerios. Not that that’s a bad thing! Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation. Drinkability: Typically, I find Abita brews to be lackluster at best, but this lil’ bock isn’t half bad. If a regular dose of Cheerios is heart-healthy, sure Abita Mardi Gras Bock has some health benefits as well.

Amber/brown color with a light tan head. Malty is the operative word on this one. Malt is the prominent note on the nose as well as in the taste. Also, hoppy, slightly bitter, just a little bit of biscuit/bread taste and a little alcohol ring on the finish. If you’re familiar with Shiner Bock, this one is quite similar. Abita gets my nod as the better of the two, by a slight margin.

I poured a 12 oz bottle into a goblet... The beer pours an orange, copper color with a white head that quickly faded to nothing. It has a nice nutty, buttery, toffee aroma. The taste first consists of a light lemon flavor on the back of the tongue, a wave of butter, nuts and caramel washes over and leaves a nice balanced aftertaste. The beer is light with stinging carbonation and a bit of a sticky finish. I thought this was a well done bock, I could definitely drink this again.

I bought a single bottle of this from Binny’s Beverage Depot in Plainfield, IL for $1.69 in Late 2011. Pours a golden amber color with a moderate off-white head. Scent is floral and wheaty. The taste is flavorful with a great blend of slightly bitter hops, sweet malts, and floral/hibiscus tones. Drinks smooth and is quite refreshing. My first Abita beer and I plan on drinking many more!

(12oz bottle from Total Wine Desert Ridge). Pours a clear amber color with a bit of sediment in suspension. Nice pillow-top, tan colored head. Nice carbonation. Aroma has some caramel, a hint of fruit and maybe some jaggery. Taste is...a mess. It doesn’t come together like the aroma until the aftertaste. At first, it has a harsh buttery hop bite, maybe a little metallic note and finally the rich, aromatic sweetness found in the nose. Medium bodied with a slick mouthfeel. Finish is ultimately bitter and the alcohol is noticeable. This was almost a good beer.

Bottle. Clear golden with white head. Aromas of bread, flower, pine. Flavors of bread, honey, pine. Balanced finish, slight malty. Medium body with firm mouthfeel and moderate carbonation. Too much sulfur character but crisp and well balanced.

For me, this is a maibock that I really appreciate the color of this beer and the reasonable amount of head (for a maibock). The aroma and malt profile have a caramel/almond type taste in my opinion. Good flavor profile...very maibock, but not to the same strength as a Paulaner or Hofbrau. Very drinkable and an excellent session beer, esp. for 6.4% ABV. I really enjoy the water aspect of Abita...it has a unique base that provides a very natural aftertaste to the beer.