Huppendorfer - Heller Kathrein-Bock

Today’s review comes to you from the Brauerei Johannes Grasser in Konigsfeld Germany.

Interested story on how I obtained this beer actually: I bought this at the Pliny the Younger tasting I went to at the Blue Dog in Chalfont, PA. The owner of the Blue Dog told us the story that the distributors, the Shelton Brothers, basically got sick of the beers that they were distributing and decided to take a trip to the small towns in Germany to visit these small family breweries. Which ever one of those breweries actually bottled their beer they had shipped back to Massachusetts to be distributed. I thought it was pretty cool though I don’t know how much validity there is to the story. On to the beer: 

The beer is a Bock meaning that’s it’s a bottom fermenting lager that takes about a month longer in cold storage. Bocks are generally stronger than typical lagers (this one is 7.5% ABV). Also, Bocks are supposed to be “…a symbol of better times to come and moving away from winter.” (As stolen from BA) Which totally makes it perfect for the unseasonably spring weather we’re having. 

It pours a hazy reddish golden color with a nice head that dissipates quickly but leaves some nice lacing on the glass as it exits. 

The nose is very malty and very biscuity. Sweet malts hit the nose and a slight bitterness may be in there.

The taste is exactly what I think of when I think of German bocks, a nice malt flavor hits the pallet first followed by a slight crisp hoppiness that finishes really dry with a dash of honey sweetness.  The mouthfeel is a little thick but overall very enjoyable. The ABV is well hidden by the excellent malt flavor. 

Overall an excellent beer. After sampling lots of “extreme” beers recently, it’s nice to come back to one of the beers that is at the roots of beer itself. If you can get your hands on this guy I’d do so but I’m sure that there are other comparable Bocks out there. Try one and taste some of the early history of beer!