Hansa Urbock

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.

Page 213 of Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide and what an amazing bock obviously the Dutch and German influences in South Africa brewing helped out with this as it blows most bocks I have out of the water. Only 162 of MJ’s 500 Classic Brews to go.

Dark nut brown. Very malty, crystalized sugar in the palate. On of uthe classier beers in the whole of Africa.
Sampled the 2000 version in March 2002: Richly, malty, loads of crystalized sugar. Well balanced with some late bitterness. Probably doesn’t develope much on bottle, but doesn’t deteriorate either.

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.

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

bottled 2000, sampled 7/2003 - amber-brown colour, few head, complex aroma of licorice, cherry and smoke, malt, alcohol and tea, the flavour is tart and bitter followed by an explosive aftertaste of caramel, alcohol and malt - nice stuff, thank you, Per !

Appearance: bright, and deep rubyish color, redder than I’d I’d figure for a bock, with a very nice, soft, pillowy tannish head. Aroma: quite nice, sticks out well from the glass before I even raise it up for a sniff..Mmmm! Darkly fruity (cherries, grapes, dates, prunes), richly sweet, leathery, and exuding intensive alcohol notes, putting one in mind of brandy or cognac, or at least a pungent port. Quite impressed with this nose, a real treat! Taste: Mmmm, lush and fruity, those same suggestions of darker fruits recurring on the palate, with a syrupy, near-cloying sweetness on the ’buds, but never too long, with a medium body, and an attractive, sunny, very irridescent flavor, that shines and shines. Yum...did I say that yet? ...very welcome on this tongue, a very flavorful bock that stands above many other lackluster varieties that have passed by these lips before! Cheers to the fine German-style beer coming out of Southern Africa!

Yummy. I like it. Very malty, although not thick. Has a little bit of smoke in it too. By far the best African beer I have ever had.