Sudwerk Resturant and Brewery: Maibock

Great lunch before watching The Final Four. A couple of quality brews to drink, anticipation building from the pre-game show on the flat screens, fellow sports fans chugging drinks, and some good food to top it all off. Sudwerk is really a great Davis spot to throw back a couple. Here goes the in between game review:

I went with the Maibock. It's spring time so I figured I'd start with a seasonal that's not around much in local Davis markets before I'd switch to Sudwerk's tasty classics. Overall a couple features to brag about but at the same time nothing much to say.

By far the most redeeming quality is this bock's drinkability. Even more so than TJ's bock which I reviewed last month. Following Maibock tradition we have a lighter hued brew instead of some darker and heartier bocks. For topping out at 7.5% alcohol this beer is surprisingly drinkable and smooth. Easy to sip down and wash away the pork and fries I was munching on. On the disappointing side, this beer doesn't have very many powerful flavors that attack the palate. A kinda bland bock. I was hoping for more, since I love Sudwerk brews (Xtra Pale, Dragonfly, and Marzen especially) and I had gotten some recommendations to try the Maibock when it finally came out. But overall not a bad start to the day. Cheers.

Trader Joe's: Hofbrau Bock

A reality today is that most beer is not brewed by who you think it is.

Contracting, partnerships, subsidiaries, outsourcing, and mergers leave many a beer lover wondering who's brewing their beer.

What I do know, is Trader Joe's does not have its own brewery. Although this beer proudly states that this cold beverage was "Brewed and Bottled by Trader Joe's Brewing Co, San Jose, CA", I just don't buy it.

If fact, I didn't buy it. It was a purchase by the fam during a dinner visit at the rent's house. Now, I'm happy to accept and consume any free beer, but I was initially dubious of a brew without a real brewery. After a quick Internet scan, it seems Trade Joe's contracts with Gordon Biersch, Firestone Walker, and Unibroue to make their brand label brew. After this reassurance, I delved right in.

The Hofbrau Bock pours a rick golden color with basically no head. The beer has a distinct banana smell of many traditional European hefeweizens. The smell does not correlate to taste as it hits the palate with a larger type feel with a crisp clean aftertaste. Despite this lager feel the brew does pack a punch. This bock stands proudly at 7% alcohol. Very high for most beers. Surprisingly it is quite drinkable. I wouldn't want to take on more than two at a time, but the fact that one goes down easy is impressive for the abv.

With no incredible flavors or features this seems like your average bock. Which it is. However, for anyone who has shopped at Trader Joe's knows, the store is dirt cheap. The sixpack total according to the receipt was $5.29. $5.29! Total. That's remarkable. For an average beer with a high alcohol content this might be the best bang for your buck out of any micro type six pack. I know Kirkland Brand (Costco) also initiated a deal with Gordon Biersch for some future brews so we'll have to see if they can beet this price. (Most likely they can do to bulk purchasing). However, with the price increases of most sixpacks steadily increasing during this hop shortage I really can't fault Trader Joe's for an reasonably priced average beer. I might just try their other selections.

Cheers.

Anchor Brewing Co.: Bock Beer

This is the last Anchor I needed to throw (back). I've now officially tasted the full repertoire. I must say I'm impressed all around. Minus the Anchor small (which is 3% alcohol) every beer is very flavorful, satisfying, and tasty.

Specifically, Anchor bock is a rather unique beer. It has a sour flavor. Not quite a sour ale. And not sour as in a spoiled sense but more the opposite of sweet. A pleasant sour. The other prominent flavor is the coffee flavor. It mixes with the maltiness providing a solid body.

Appearance wise, as you can see from the picture that this is quite a dark beer. Definitely darker than most bocks. Especially strange as a bock is technically a lager. But this beer is clearly as dark as any porter or stout. Outer appearance wise, the goat on the label seems weird at first. On further review, it turns out that the animal represents the sign of the Capricorn because Bocks used to only be brewed at the end of winter as a signal of the warmer seasons to come. If you are in San Francisco now you might feel that with this 65 degree whether that winter is already over. If you are stuck somewhere in the cold, you might want to pull up your anchor, head to California, and grab this seasonal brew. Cheers.