Name: Fruh Bock Style: Maibock / Helles Bock Brewery: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte, NC 6.0% Alc/Vol 28 IBUs Brewpreneur Rating: 4.75 / 5
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery out of Charlotte, North Carolina has once again delivered an exceptional German beer with their spring seasonal, Fruh Bock. This brew is a Maibock, a lighter bock with a more hop forward and floral flavor, making it perfect for the spring season. As Olde Meck says, it ‘captures the promise of warmer days ahead’.
At first sight, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful this beer was. Literally. It poured a crisp, clear golden color with minimal white head. Small bubbles of carbon dioxide slowly made their way upward from the bottom of the beer as as it settled. This beer was perfectly transparent as no haze was present due to lagering, and I suspect some filtering as well.
To compliment the pristine appearance of the beer, the smell was equally as clean and crisp. It reminded me of a spring day as a light floral scent was detected, credit to the Bavarian hops used in this brew. In addition, there was just a hint of a fruit flavor which reminded me of pear. I believe a German yeast of some kind was used in this beer, as I detected that on the nose as well. A light bready aroma rounded off the scent of this pleasant spring seasonal beer.
The sight and smell of this beer definitely prepared me for the taste, as I was met with a light bready and malty flavor. This was quickly followed by a very slight bite from the Bavarian hops. The beer tasted fresh and clean, and it was light, though still mouthy. The taste rounded off with a dry and slightly bitter finish. I was incredibly impressed by the balance. Many bocks are very malty and/or heavy, but this Maibock definitely holds true to its style, presenting a lighter take while being pleasingly more hop forward that the former.
Another thing that impressed me about this beer and something which I must further emphasize is the fact that it was very drinkable. This ease of drinkability, coupled with its range of flavor definitely sets this beer apart. It really is the perfect spring beer for those who would like an alternative to the light pale ales or witbiers which are prominent in the spring months. For those who are a fan of Marzen or Oktoberfest type beers, think of a lighter, crisper, more floral and hop forward version of that.
This was a truly excellent spring seasonal beer. Cheers to the upcoming spring and an amazing brew which captures the essence of the season! #BeerReview #Bock
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