Left Hand Rye Bock

This beer arrived in in a corked and caged 750 ml. brown bomber that sported red and white painted on labeling similar to other Left Hand big beers. The glass ware chosen was a Paulaner flute. The beer looked amber to brown in color, which was pretty typical for a bock, but the large head towering above the rim of the glass was definitely not. The aroma was restrained and malty with a spicy rye edge. Hops were clearly German or influenced by them, as they were earthy and spicy with none of the citric flourishes typical to other Left Hand products. The taste was sweet and rich, to which the hops added a bitter edge. The rye added a spicy character, while the carbonation was quite prickly on the tongue. Mouthfeel was creamy and soft, and the alcohol was soothingly warm. This one did a lot of things right, and made this a memorable night of imbibing.

2007 bottle. Pours a very dark abmber color with minimal clarity and a full, beige, rocky head; settles to a small bit leaving some lacing. Nose is faint and boring with bread notes (rye) and spicy caramel notes. Flavor is not much better; rye bread notes meet dark caramel notes with earthy, spicy notes. Palate is decent with a medium-light body, a moderate carbonation, and a somewhat crisp body. Finishes short with some bitterness and spicy hop notes. Wow, a big disappointment from a previously retired style which I was very excited to try. No depth, no complexity, boring flavors, and not something I would have ever thought to be in a rare offering. Nothing more than a boring bock beer with spicy, rye notes.

Courtesy of Brewfiend. Wheat aroma, some rye. Lots of sediment in this murky brown beer. Flavor has lots of yeast, with a little more wheat and some malt. Just a little sour. Dry finish.

ooh, ooh, a retired brewski! Thanks goes to brewfiend for the share. Pours a light caramel brown brew with a fast dissolving tan head. Only a slight film and border ring that all remains. Aroma of roasted multi-grain, some cinnamon/nutmeg spice, and a touch of caramel. Taste is medium body, a little syrupy and a touch of yeast to the tongue. Finish is a little aciditic and then a dry aftertaste.

Found at Surdyks. Malty nose with faint hint of rye. Cloudy body. Malty taste with hints of stale wheat.

Pours a rich reddish copper with a decent dense offwhite head, diminishing rather quickly. The nose is rich and malty. Round caramel, slightly bready, with just an uptick of rye and alcohol. All creamy and sticky with just the right level of carbonation. The flavor profile is nice as well. Big rich caramel, without being cloying. A little toasty, with some buttery diacetyl. A bit of a spicey rye finish seems to take the place of hop character. A slightly fruity, buttery finish, with a bit of spice and alcohol in the aftertaste. With less diacetyl and more rye, this could be a better beer.

Light hazy amber color. Spicy rye and caramel aroma. Flavor is slightly spicy with a clean finish.

At the 2007 Big Beer, Belgians, & Barleywines Festival in Vail. Pours a rich amber color with a thin off white head. Fruity and spicy aroma with plenty of malt to the nose. In the flavor, I get the taste of ginger in a fairly pronounced way. Dry and long finish.