One of my favorite styles to brew when it’s cold. I’ve been a little behind on my brew schedule as evident that I posted this guy in February, got the flu and am just now going to brew it in March. So actual brew day ended up being March 15. Gravity was coming in a little low so I gave it a pound of DME. The only big change for me in brewing this beer versus my previous bocks was the use of a late charge of magnum instead of an hour long charge of Hallertau. I find with the Hallertau I’m waiting longer for the beer to smooth out. The wort tasted excellent and came in around 1.072. Pitched yeast from the Export I brewed a month ago. It seemed to be very vibrant yeast which woke up quickly in the starter and quickly took to this bock.

Update January 2016

Nearly one year later and this beer is excellent in my opinion. Lots of malty toastiness, dark fruit and chocolate malt flavor, fair malt aroma. It got excellent marks from the 2015 Dixie Cup with a total score of 39. The judges in question did a not so great job on any comments. I think it needs something to enhance melanoidin aroma. So on the next run in 2016 I’ll do melanoidin malt at around 3/4 of a pound.

Update October 2016

Maybe all this beer needed was time. It ended up getting first place with a 41.5 score at the 2016 Dixie Cup. Really stoked about my first ever first place medal at the Dixie Cup.

Update January 2017

So I finally got around to enjoying in good conditions my last bottle of this bock. I’d say the difference between this January and 2016 January is the malt aroma. Everything else is the same but the aroma is now there. Additionally there is more apparent oxygen in the form of enhanced dark fruitiness and melded flavors. It currently reminds me of a light version of Samichlaus. Like many of my big beers I will rebrew this guy but at 10 gallons.