Mahrs Bräu Christmas Bock

Bottle from PC Market of Choice, Eugene, OR. Orange tinged amber color with an emphemeral off-white head. Medium body with near creamy carbonation. Flavor is spicey caramel - could be citrus zest. Some grape and light stone fruit. It has malt, but the finish is dryer than not, and actually it’s quite tasty. Is it underrated? Not to this ale drinker. It’s a good drink, and it has the edge on Baron Heller Bock.

Yet another Christmas beer! No wonder I was looking a bit on the paunchy Santa side by New Year’s. This round belongs to the Bamberger Mahr’s Brau, an advertised Christmas bock. The thin, tan head quickly hollows itself out after the pour into a halo shape. The body is dark, but not oily (is this because it is a lager?) with a tree bark brown hue that omits entirely the red flashes I’m used to seeing on the stray edges of the beer in good lighting. A dry and chalky aroma emanates from the Christmas Bock, alongside a mature wine sweetness and a sizeable hit of malts. Again, I am startled by the absence of what I might take for granted in a dark ale - the presence of chocolate and coffee scents. But I find this omission refreshing. The vinous grape quality is unique, and the white oily fish and soy sauce character buried deep inside a muscat tunnel make for a curious but delicious smell. So far my senses had convinced me that, though dark, this bock was largely different from the dark ales I had become accustomed to, but the flavor was shockingly deep and heavy, back to the ale type, but with only a moderate complexity. It’s salty, grainy and lacking sugar, imparting a burnt bread savory flavor. A tinge of deep maltiness nicely paired with a quality lager corn note and the emphatic salty, burnt bread taste makes this a perfect beer for those like me that like salty foods. Really, quite amazing, and it gets only better with warmth.

Pours a dirty brownish red color with a small white head. Aroma of caramel, bread, malt. Flavors of caramel, bread, fruits, malt, brown sugar. Decent bock.

2006 vintage bottle. listed at 6%abv not 6.5%. not sure why this is listed under dunkler bock as it isn’t dark at all. a careful pour still yeilded sediment in a golden color with foamy white head. aroma is loaded with saaz hops. flavors is way more pils than bock, classic spicy saaz hop profile. seems like a nice pils too me but whatever. this is tasty, fresh and hoppy, even though it is a 6% light colored beer over 1 1/2 years old. i don’t understand the low ratings or the dunkler bock listing. they probably changed the recipe.

This is a very solid bock, and I have to say I’m thinking its under-rated! Bronze color with a good sized beige head. Light lacing. Aroma is ashy roast, toffeeish melanoidins and sweet candy. Flavor is similar to the aroma, with notable ashy roastiness that is smooth and understated, with no tannins. This all balances the full sweetness, allowing the finish to be balanced without alot of hops, but there’s a touch of spiciness to the finish. Rounded mouthfeel, very easy drinking. Plenty of caramelized earthiness in here.