Hansa Urbock

Brewed by Namibia Breweries
Style: Dunkler Bock
Windhoek, Namibia

Serve in Dimpled mug, Snifter

thankx Hans K....beutiful ruby brown colour, it glimmers...sweet caramel toffee molasses maple syrup taste and smell, a quality made brew thats for sure...worthy of #400

Bottle, best before July 2003, putting this at just over 5 years old upon time of consumption on 8/10/06.
Completely unexpected appearance for a 5 year old lager. Magnificent old-ivory colored head is large (two fingers or more), moderately dense/creamy and recedes very slowly, never falling below half a finger in height! Lacing left in little patches everywhere on the glass. Medium-high to high clarity shows an auburn, to light magenta body, with some deep, red raspberry juice highlights and a touch of caramel/toffee color. Surprisingly light on the sediment at the bottom of the bottle, though there does remain some on the edge.
Wow, expecting oxidation in the nose, or any of a plethora of problems that arise in keeping a lager for extended periods of time, I’m delighted to find only subtle hints of sherry-like oxidation, nestled snugly amongst an absolute blanket of rich toffee. Sweet, and yet, not too much so in the least, with very light hints of caramel, melanoidins and light bock-like yeast dryness on the finish. Very strong aroma still, with no slowing up as it warms/breathes. The light oxidative notes of sweet sherry give it that light vinousness, mixed with light, earthy, dry yeast that provides much depth and balance. Some purport that Thomas Hardys was made with a lager yeast, and while I don’t know the veracity of that statement, I can’t say this beer didn’t remind me somewhat of the noble aroma of that one. Not quite the malt complexity, and the utter melange of fruits and yeast character, but there’s something striking about wonderfully this beer has aged. And I don’t mean to make it sound like this only appeals to those who enjoy aged beers; the malt in this is as strong and characterful as most fresh bocks, and certainly plays a dominant role. Alcohol is not sensed in the nose.
Hoping for the best, then, in the flavor, my first sip is gratifying. What the aroma lacks in yeast complexity and overall varied flavors, the flavor more than makes up. Attenuation is spot on to a T, delivering English toffee and caramel in perfect harmony between sweet and dry (though tending sweet, as the style dictates). A crescendo of utterly perfect, bock-like winey notes builds, mixed in with plums and lighter pale sugars. Some minimal banana esters mix with a touch of deep caramel malts, giving a caramelized banana-like flavor, which provides brilliant depth. The caramel falls off and the banana notes slowly move towards esterized alcohols on the finish that are just ever-so-slightly apparent, providing warming and a balancing dryness. Hints of cigar ashiness just add icing to the cake and I’m left speechless. If this isn’t bottle conditioned (which I can’t seem to discern) it certainly has a very engaging, moderate carbonation and the body shows almost no looseness. Certainly much less, anyways, than you’d expect from a 5 year-old bock beer.
Oh, and did I mention that this beer has sat warm on the shelf during its life? All I know is, if you’re reading this and live near Sam’s in Chicago, go get a bottle or five of this. Damn.

Bottled, BB 07/03. Poured a deep, hazy coppery-auburn with a very nice initial cap of caramel head... lots of sediment suspended in there. Nose was quite fragrant and sweet.. with rich darker fruits, almost smoky caramel, rich toffee, and herbal hoppage. The flavor department loses a step... blending all the characteristics from the nose into just a sweet malty presence. This came across as rather light and slick on the palate with strongly-laced alcohol. Finish was fruity with mild herbal bitterness. Carbonation held up well. This was a solid bock overall.

Bottle and served in a pilsen glass: Poured a lighter mahogany topped by a fizzy small but lasting head and minimal lace. The aroma has notes of sweet caramelized and toffee malting, walnut and cashew, and hints of earthy lager yeast. The taste starts sweet but surprisingly is hardly cloy as a nice dash of acidity and ripened fruit cleans the palate. The finish is nutty and bready with a note of metallic aftertaste. The feel is equally fizzy but there is just enough body to hold it together. I bought this on a lark but found a solid malty bock within, color me happy and satisfied.

Strong malt hop aroma with spirit. Clear brown colour with good head and lacing. Malt hop flavour. Fizzy palate.

Namibia, was once the German colony of Sud-West Afrika, which was controlled by South Africa after WWI, and administered as a mandate until WWII, when it annexed the territory. Being a German colony, Sud-West Afrika had breweries, which of course brewed German beer styles. The Hansa Brauerei was established in 1920, with clearly German roots. Namibia gained independence in 1990, but remnants of Sud-West Afrika have remained. German influence can still be found, and tasted in Hansa Urbock. This beer is about as far away from Germany as a beer can get, but I can honestly say, it is one of the most authentic, and delicious examples of bock bier I have ever tasted. This beer is brewed with imported German malts and hops, well water from Namibia, a lager yeast strain, and no more. Pure German bier, solid and clean. Hansa Urbock pours to a beautiful, bright, tawny brown color, with a thick and creamy off white head, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is wonderful on this beer, with big aromas of toasty/sweet malt, and slight nutty aromas. The palate on this beer is firm, with fantastic, smooth, clean, toasty, nutty, and sweet malty flavors that glide over the tongue. Hansa Urbock finishes with more toast and sweet malt flavors up front, then ends balanced to perfection, with just the right amount of grassy/spicy hop bitterness. Hansa Urbock comes in at a warming 7% abv, making it a true bock bier in every sense. This is a phenomenal example of bock bier, one that I was very, very impressed with.

7 Oct 05 - BIg sweet malt and hoppy aroma with some spirit. Brown-red colour, good head with sheet lacing. sweet roasted malt hoppy flavour. Thick, tangy bitter lingering malt finish. Good but a bit too simple.

Bottle, probably 7 months old: Pours a dark copper mahogany with a thin-lacing, light tan head. Pleasant, sweet toasty malty aroma has some bread and lager yeast character. Body starts with lots of sweet caramel malt revealing a touch of milk chocolate toward the sweet, authentic finish. A very malt dominated beer, but quite enjoyable and has some good complexity.