Avery Anniversary Seventeen

Formerly brewed at Avery Brewing Company
Style: Dunkler Bock
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Snifter

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More of a black ipa in lager form than a schwarz - the hops don’t so much add a new dimension to the beer as they do wash out most of the schwarz-y elements - this might be a good thing, as there seems to be a starchy, vegetal quality, especially in the finish, that hops do a decent job of covering up - fairly creamy, with a medium-full mouthfeel - fairly sweet up front, with a medium level of roasted malt character throughout - dries out through the middle, as the noble hop flavor and bitterness gradual build, until the finish is pretty much dominated by them - some baking soda/mineral character near the tail end, right before those vegetal notes kick in - a little fusel quality in the finish - another miss in a long line of hit or miss beers from Avery (for me, anyway).

Hoppy aroma. Bitter and floral with some definite dark malts showing through. Incredibly smooth and creamy. Good chocolate flavor with a hint of hops. A slight hint of alcohol, but that just adds to the flavor. This is a fuckin great schwarz. Possibly the best I’ve ever had.

Almost black pour with a garnet hue below a tan head that retains well and recedes to a thin film at the surface of the beer. Aroma is roasted grain, a subtle sweetness that is almost maple syrup-like, hint of coffee. Soft carbonation is accompanied by the noble hops on the palate leading to a mildly bitter, dry finish. I really like what they’ve done with the dry-hopping here - adds another layer of complexity. An excellent beer. Avery has taught me that lagers can be remarkable... thank you for that, Mr. Avery!