Legacy Beer


Brewery and Country of Origin: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan of Alte Akademie 3, 85354 Freising, Germany

Date Reviewed: 1-08-13

Beer #600

In German, the word "Bock" means goat, but us English speaking people known the equivalent "Buck", which has changed to mean different animals. Either way, the American interpretation of the word Bock is now more associated with a style of strong lager commonly brewed in Bavaria. First brewed in the Northeim District town of Einbeck in the 14th century, the Bock is a typically sweet, strong, and smooth beer with a full presence. The name Einbeck served as the origin for the name of the style, which when pronounced with a Bavarian accent, sounded like "ein bock" meaning "billy goat." For this, many labels of bock beers have pictures of goats on them which serve as visual puns (an example can be seen in the review of Celebrator, another doppelbock from Aynger, also in Bavaria). Some distance south of Einbeck is Freising, the German district where you'll find what many believe is the oldest running brewery in the world, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan. Born out of an Abbey, the brewery has been continuously operating since its inception in 1040. Because of its age, the brewery specializes in ultra traditional German style brews. Weihenstephan has followed the strictest form of the Reinheitsgebot Purity Law, which was first enacted in 1516 (and was amended centuries later). This Doppelbock is one of those beers. Brewed under those strict rules, Korbinian, a German given name, is the result of a long standing tradition of German brewing, and a wonderful alternative to the more grainy straight lagers you'll find in the region. The Bock and its substyles are traditionally associated with holidays and special occasions, including Christmas.
Date Sampled: 12-24-12 At: 146 Fiddlers Hollow, Penfield, NY, USA
Beer Style: Doppelbock
Alcohol by Volume: 7.40%
Serving Type: 500 ml Bottle, 16 oz Mug Glass
Rating: 3.95

Look

This is a very dark, ruby red colored beer with a full inch foam head that has a medium high density and a moderate level of retention. This beer pours fairly choppy with a good amount of carbonation action. The appearance is clear and the color glows nicely in moderate to bright light. This beer laces moderately fully.

Aroma

Korbinian has a medium strength aroma primarily characterized with a good malty presence. Some caramel with a bit of nuttiness and slight earthy notes are included. There is no detection of hoppy bitter presence, or any alcoholic tinge, despite this brew's moderately high ABV.

Feel

This is a medium bodied brew with an average level of carbonation, a full feeling weight, and a medium high viscosity. Despite some crispness from the carbonation, this beer is mostly smooth with a mellow presence, and a clean, short lingering finish, followed by a slightly detectable alcohol induced warming effect.

Taste

Caramel malt dominates the flavor which is of course, very sweet overall. A fair bit of roasted or toasty notes are present as well as a good amount of nuttiness and biscuity flavor. Similar to the aroma, there is no hops detectable, and only a small amount of alcoholic tinge is mixed in. A slightly lingering aftertaste is mostly malty in character.

Our Take

Despite this beer's history, place of origin, and perceived exclusivity, this is a fairly widely distributed beer which most people should be able to find at a local beer or liquor store (at least in the Eastern Eastern United States. And when you do find it, make sure to pick up at least one half liter bottle, because whether you're into malty beers or not, this is definitely worth it. These beers are stored in cellars for a relatively long time before they are shipped out. This helps to enhance a true German Bock profile. Reasonably priced, this moderately high strength beer is the real deal. This has full, bold, and pronounced flavors accompanied with a smooth texture, aromatic experience, and a legacy only found in Bavaria. Of course, if you're only interested in hoppy beers, you'll be better off with pretty much anything else. This beer's slightly unbalanced character will appeal to a large crowd however, as the alcohol presence is negligible, and none of the caramel or sweet flavors will be found as overpowering or too strong. A somewhat dull feel and a relatively lacking aroma were the only two major faults with this beer, but honestly, these are very small in comparison to the rewarding flavor profile that awaits.