Monday, December 12, 2011

Back 40 Bock

Thanks to Jaron Gaier and Maggie Hayes for bringing this beer back from Wisconsin. I hosted a Beer tasting at my house last Friday night in which we had a couple people over, of which each person brought a six pack. I received this amongst two assorted six packs or NG beer. Fortunately I was left with a few of which I could go back and update past posts. Reviewed Monday afternoon following a swift 15 mile run (LogaRun.com).
Appearance: Hazelnut Brown with a persisting clarity. Bubbles accumulate on the sides of the glass, leading to a perception of a soft drink/root beer.  The head is soapy and white with varying sized bubbles throughout. Carbonation can be seen when beer is held to the light.
Aroma: My first impression was that this beer resembled, well…beer. It maintained what my childhood self would have remembered beer to smell like. For that matter, perhaps this bock has a bunch of corn thrown into it. On the outside, there is a lot of caramel and brown sugar to complement an overall rich outdoorsy scent.
Taste: A bit watery in the initial sips, but soon packs a nice rich undercurrent of caramel malt and the ever retained brown sugar sweetness. Nuttiness pops up in the midtaste. Similarly, some spiciness emerges midway through, complemented with some clover and cinnamon. Finally to round out the end, faint herbal hops and a woodsy bitterness dry out the palate leaving a clean, but refreshing taste in the mouth.
Mouthfeel: Definitely lighter in body for most bocks, and I’ll reiterate now that the initial sips give a perceptively watery feel on the tongue. Carbonation is mediocre, but enough to bubble up on the palate as the sweetness subsides on the back half. Cloying on the roof of the mouth.
Overall Impression: A lighter bock, but interestingly encapsulates what I’d think of Wisconsin. It maintains a score of outdoorsy flavors, while retaining the rich caramel malt foundation. Another beer from New Glarus to extend their wide variety of beers to target every palate of Wisconsin Populace.

82/100

No comments:

Post a Comment