Hertog Jan Meibock

On tap at Arendsnest. Golden body, nice head. Some malts but hoppy too. Quite sweet with fruits in the taste and the finish.

This must have been revived for the spring season 2008 as a draught beer as it was on sale in ’t Arendsnest in Amsterdam in May. Not the most interesting spring bok on sale at that time, probably cold fermented. A clear winy golden colour with a creamy white head, and a restrained sweetish and spicy slightly Germanic hoppy aroma. Palate was malty, slightly grapy and gunpowdery with a bit of hops and some odd fruity flavours that suggested it might be about to go off. A smooth malty finish had banana esters and a winy note.

A Mes rate: Bottle from Lowlander I think. Has one of the best aromas for a bock beer I have tried so far. Smells like something much more serious. Almost like a chunky quad. Is this right? Complex fruit, cream, and lashings of alcohol. A smell that is as intoxicating as it is divine. I could smell this all day. Sadly the drink itself does not quite live up to the initial promise. Lots of bock characteristics but quite blondish too. All the flavours come through at the finish leaving you with anassault of apple and liquorice and alcohol that does not seem to know what it is doing. That said it went down ok, it’s just not anything outstanding. But OH MY GOD that smell!!! I could get high off it.

Bottle. Creamy white good mostly lasting head. Yellow colour. Nice hoppy aroma. Average finish. And very oily palate.

Bottle (traded with Bierkoning, thanks !) Deep golden coloured, small fluffy white head; sweet, malty and citric aroma with a touch of alcohol and honey, some herbal hops in the background; moderate sweet bitter flavour, a little, little bit acidic; sweetish citrousy finish. Decent Bock, a bit - as usual - too sweet....

Bottle, 7.2%. Slightly rough, citric hop aroma. Golden colour, soapy white head. The flavour is yeasty with some OK aroma hops, citric and fruity. Well-balanced with the alcohol.

Bottled, Interesting to have a Dutch bock immediately after an American bock. Neither of them resemble a true German bock of course. This is gold in colour with a creamy white head and good lacing. The aroma has some sweet malts and some pineapple and lemon fruitiness. The taste is also sweet and malty but there is a yeasty Belgianness to it, together with some peppery spice. Interesting!

(bottle, received by trade with bierkoning – thanks!) Clear golden colour with a foamy white medium head. Slightly sweet malty, herbal and light-flowery hops aroma with a tinge of fruitiness (honey). Sweet flavour, medium bodied, well-carbonated. Sweet malty and slightly nutty taste; slightly sugary and sweetbitter finish, slightly hoppy and quite adherent tart finish.