Avery Anniversary Thirteen

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Weizen

Pours a deep mahogany with a loose, frothy beige head that diminishes to a thin cap and laces nicely. The nose if of toffee and cocoa with a solid boozy note that makes it smell as if it were bourbon barrel aged. Also present are spicy fruity esters that remind me of fruitcake. Light to medium-bodied and silky-soft, the mouthfeel transitions to a lightly boozy finish. The flavor follows the nose, with a slightly woody/bourbon note at the finish and in the aftertaste. I know this wasn’t barrel conditioned, but it certainly possesses some of the qualities you’d expect if it had been. This is a pretty tasty brew that is missing only that little "it" factor which keeps it from being truly great.

THOUGHTS: Incredible, I’ve avoided this one for a while, but saw dopple bock on the lable, and I’ve been on a bit of a bock exporation recently, I figured I’d try it. Boy am I glad I did. I liked the one dunkler bock I tried last year and figured this would be similar, but this wiezen bock is light years . I need to get some more of this before it is off the shelves forever. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that appeared black in the glass with red highlights when held to light. It had a small, off-white head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was chocolate and mild coffee malt, dark fruit and a little wheat. The initial flavor was moderately to heavily sweet, while the finish was heavy sweetness with an average duration. The body was medium to full and creamy with a smooth finish.

22oz bottle: Pours to a dark brown color, mostly clear when held to light, with a huge rocky tan head that lasts. The aroma is light chocolate, earthy wheat, light spicy yeast, mild lemon, cabbage, with some mild hops. The flavor is lightly bitter milk chocolate covered cabbage, vegitables, alcohol burn, lemon rind, grapefruit, and grains. Finishes with some bitter roasted malt, chocolate, and dry, bitter citrus hops. Medium bodied, lively carbonation, feels way too thin in the mouth, too cleanly filtered with too much alcohol showing. I’m trying to be sensitive to the higher alcohol and flavors, but the thin body and off-flavors just do not make for a good beer.

22oz. bomber. Dark brown color with a large tan head. Aroma of chocolate malts, banana, dark fruits and alcohol. Mildly sweet malt flavor with a strong alcohol presence. Some banana, cloves and dark fruits in there as well. I usually like Avery’s big beers but this one just didn’t do it for me.

Congratulations, Avery! Thirteen is earthy, warm and rich yet still highly drinkable—until it swipes your knees out from underneath you. :) Beer is a nearly opaque, dark warm brown with an average-sized, frothy, beige, mostly lasting head. The aroma is malty with a moderate notes of toasted nuts, roasted grain and caramel, trace chocolate; Hoppy with a moderate note of herb, light note of resin/pine; Yeasty with a moderate note of dough, light note of basement; Miscellaneous notes of moderate alcohol, trace underripe banana/bubble gum, and a faint trace of damp garden soil. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic and lightly bitter with a long, very warm, lightly acidic, lightly sweet, light-to-moderately bitter finish. The body is medium-to-full, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is average.

From the Blue Max. So I guess that this was better warmed up a bit and I enjoyed a amber brew with a candy aroma with what seemed like a bit of earthy notes but sweeter that I was thinking it might be.

Bottle from Uber Tavern. Cloudy dark red/light brown with decent head. Nice subtle sweetness with aroma of banana and a little yeast. Decent take on a Weizen Bock...but lots of room for improvement. Smooth and very drinkable with no dominating tastes...a bit too sweet. Tastes of roasted malts, wheat, chocolate and an alcohol bite are all subtle; almost seems a bit watered down.

dark brown with thin head. aromas of carmel, roasted malt, chocolate malt, white pepper, and some clove with some banana. wheat and yeast primarily dominate the flavor, with some chocolate, spice, and cloves. pretty decent.