Beer of the Weekend #618: Huber Bock

Sadly, I did not go to a football game tonight. That means Friday Night Lights is done for another year. Aww… BotW reclaims Friday night for itself — which definitely makes my life easier. I will no longer have to force myself to write two posts on Friday.

Speaking of BotW, the beer of the weekend is Huber Bock, brewed by the Minhas Craft Brewery of Monroe, Wisconsin.


Serving type: 16-ounce can. No freshness date.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown into a nonick pint glass. A finger of dense, buttery, light brown head dissipates evenly, leaving an even skim and ring around the edge, with a very short trail of lacing stuck to the glass.

Smell: Toasty, nutty, and fruity. It reminds me a lot of a brown ale. Toasted malts and caramel dominate, and they are followed by a massive aroma of hazelnut (I assume that is what it is; it is some kind of nut), and peat-like earthiness. It is also a little smoky. There are also touches of vanilla, cocoa, perhaps toffee, and cherry. The fruit, though, fades as the beer warms. Other reviewers mention charcoal, and I would agree that it is there, too. A little booze is noticeable at first, but it also fades as the beer warms.

Taste: It mostly mirrors the aroma and reminds me of a supercharged brown ale. (Not really supercharged, I guess. It is more like a six-cylinder compared engine to a four-cylinder.) Toasted malts, caramel, toffee, smoky peat, hazelnut, cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar, a hint of molasses, and a little cherry.

Drinkability: This is tasty and very drinkable stuff. It is smooth, flavorful, cheap, and it is not too boozy for a bock. (It is not boozy at all for a bock.)

Fun facts about Huber Bock:

-Style: Bock.

-Price: $4.49/four-pack at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.

-Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.

-Serving temperature: It has been a long time since I included a serving temperature. Written on the can is, “Served chilled at 3ºC/38ºF.”

-Food pairings: According to the beer’s webpage, “Huber Bock will go well with hearty beef soups and stews, heavier sauces and salty foods. It pairs real well with soft and semi-soft cheeses such as spiced Havarti and Limburger.” Damn it! I’m all out of Limburger.


The Quiet Man’s grade: B.

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