Beer of the Weekend #332: Pandora's Bock
As a naturalist I do not personally acknowledge Lent for its religious connotations. However, I do celebrate its beer history and BotW will be doing that tonight — kind of.
The beer of the weekend is Pandora’s Bock, brewed by the Breckenridge Brewery of Denver (not Breckenridge), Colorado.
I just realized this is the second straight proper BotW featuring a Centennial State beer. It is unintentional.
Obviously, Lent is directly linked to doppelbock. Pandora’s Bock is just bock so I am only half honoring Lent’s beer tradition. It is still pretty boozy, though.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is medium amber/copper. Two fingers of lightly tanned head dissipated fairly quickly to leave a spotted, sparse lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: Nice, sweet aroma. It is a pleasant blend of toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, and chocolate covered cherries.
Taste: It has a surprising herbal hop presence, which imparts a subtle grassiness. Though not powerful, it is there. Overall, the taste is as sweet as the smell. The flavors are subdued and fleeting: toffee, caramel, and light cherry (somewhat reminiscent of cough syrup or a throat lozenge, though in no way offensive (or soothing)). The alcohol is completely hidden, and at the end a smooth flavor of maple emerges.
Drinkability: Personally, bock never really impresses me and this is a typical bock experience. It is sweet and the flavors are muted. It is okay.
Fun facts about Pandora’s Bock:
-Style: Both Breck and BA classify it as bock.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends German cuisine, earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate, and game meat.
-IBU: 16.
-Pandora’s Bock is Brecks post-Christmas seasonal beer, available from January to March.
-While browsing the Breck website, I discovered Breck brews an autumn ale available in September and October. How have I missed it? I will definitely need to put that on my “wants” list. (Note to self: make a “wants” list first, though.)
-Denver seems to be a de facto capital for the country’s microbrewery scene. It hosts the Great American Beer Festival and is home to a growing number of breweries. The last time I was there was when I drove through on my move to California, so I think a return for the sake of beer curiosity should be considered. However, I would have to drive across Nebraska. The thought itself is enough to send chills up my spine.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
The beer of the weekend is Pandora’s Bock, brewed by the Breckenridge Brewery of Denver (not Breckenridge), Colorado.
I just realized this is the second straight proper BotW featuring a Centennial State beer. It is unintentional.
Obviously, Lent is directly linked to doppelbock. Pandora’s Bock is just bock so I am only half honoring Lent’s beer tradition. It is still pretty boozy, though.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is medium amber/copper. Two fingers of lightly tanned head dissipated fairly quickly to leave a spotted, sparse lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: Nice, sweet aroma. It is a pleasant blend of toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, and chocolate covered cherries.
Taste: It has a surprising herbal hop presence, which imparts a subtle grassiness. Though not powerful, it is there. Overall, the taste is as sweet as the smell. The flavors are subdued and fleeting: toffee, caramel, and light cherry (somewhat reminiscent of cough syrup or a throat lozenge, though in no way offensive (or soothing)). The alcohol is completely hidden, and at the end a smooth flavor of maple emerges.
Drinkability: Personally, bock never really impresses me and this is a typical bock experience. It is sweet and the flavors are muted. It is okay.
Fun facts about Pandora’s Bock:
-Style: Both Breck and BA classify it as bock.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends German cuisine, earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate, and game meat.
-IBU: 16.
-Pandora’s Bock is Brecks post-Christmas seasonal beer, available from January to March.
-While browsing the Breck website, I discovered Breck brews an autumn ale available in September and October. How have I missed it? I will definitely need to put that on my “wants” list. (Note to self: make a “wants” list first, though.)
-Denver seems to be a de facto capital for the country’s microbrewery scene. It hosts the Great American Beer Festival and is home to a growing number of breweries. The last time I was there was when I drove through on my move to California, so I think a return for the sake of beer curiosity should be considered. However, I would have to drive across Nebraska. The thought itself is enough to send chills up my spine.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
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