Rebel 175let Extra Strong 17.5°

Brewed by Mestansky Pivovar
Style: Heller Bock
Havlíčkův Brod, Czech Republic

(bottle) Clear, deep golden colour with a huge light-beige foamy head. Slightly dusty, sweet malty and nutty aroma with hints of bread crusts and shy traces of woody hops. Sweet flavour, full bodied with a calm carbonation. Cara-malty, slightly nutty and bready taste; slightly sugary sweet malty finish with light notes of woody hops. Hearty brew, just a tad too sweet. 02.IX.09

Bottle: Deep golden, big yellowish off-white head; mineralic, nutty and bisquity nose with a mild "woody" hoppy touch; solid sweet-bitter flavour, medium to full bodied; lingering sweet and hoppy finish with bisquity traces. Solid, quite well balanced czech Bock..........

Bottle from Pivní galerie, Prague. This is a Czech "speciál" pale lager which I have entered as a Heller Bock, as that seems the most likely candidate. As with many brews from Rebel, there’s more than a touch of diacetyl in the nose: this is generally not considered a fault in Czech pale lagers, but in this case it’s a bit far. Also vanilla, and caramel notes with a bitter finish. Minimal Saaz presence. Perhaps something more charismatic for the 200th?