Maisacher Dunkler Winterbock
Brewery: Brauerei Maisach
Town: Maisach
Style: Dopplebock
Color: lightly filtered amber
Head: dense, off-white
Nose: rich malt, hint of chocolate
Body: medium-bodied
Palate: rich malt, biscuit, slight chocolate, dried fruit
Finish: bittersweet
Served: on tap at the brewpub
Impression: Maisacher is one of my favorite Munich area breweries and their Räuber Kneißl is probably my favorite Southern Bavarian Dunkles-style beer. They make a very good Maibock but I had always hoped for them to brew a dark Bock since their signature beer is, after all, dark. So, when I saw they were brewing a special dark Winter Bock, I was quite excited. I got over there as soon as I knew it was on tap, fearing I’d never see it again and it was quite impressive when served. My initial taste was disappointing, not because it wasn’t good but it just wasn’t in the mold of their every day Dunkles. I was hoping for an amped version of it. I also found the finish a bit cloying but once I got my meal, that seemed to no longer be the case. It was a fine Dopplebock and at 7% very smooth. It was better than many brewed by the big breweries in Munich with some fair complexity but it wasn’t nearly as dry as I had expected, as Maisacher beers are generally very much so in that direction. All that said, I hope they brew it again next winter. I’ll be heading back out to give it another shot.
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Greetings, just discovered your website, very nice. Do you know when Maisach Hellen Bock becomes available?
Thanks, Richard. Glad you’re enjoying it. As you’ve probably noticed it’s main focus is Franconia but there are some posts about places as far as South Africa and quite a few from down here in South Bavaria, where I live. Maisach is a local favorite and obviously it must be one of yours too. Since I recently published a book called Beer Hiking Bavaria and was enticed into including hikes/beers from all over the state, I am contemplating expanding my site to include all of Bavaria. I believe the Hellerbock comes out in April but I think it varies each year. I’ve found their feed on Istagram quite helpful. They had a post for the new Winterbock just last week!