It’s Maibock drinking season, at least according to the Germans. Since 1614, the first kegs are tapped at Munich’s Hofbräuhaus during the last week of April as they bid auf wiedersehen to winter and welcome the warming days of spring with a lager strong enough to withstand cooler nights but aromatic enough to match the flowering trees and budding plants outside. Maibocks (mai-, pronounced “my,” is German for May), like other bocks (stout lagers) are malt-forward, full-bodied beers with a stronger alcohol content (6.3 to 8.1 percent). But, unlike their darker brothers the dopplebock, Maibocks highlight floral hop characteristics that keep the sweet, malty experience light and bouncy. Because Maibocks came at a time when the availability of pale malts changed how brewers approached beer, you will occasionally find the term “Maibock” interchangeable with heller bock or helles bock (helle is German for bright). Since it’s May, Peaks and Pints presents a to-go Maibock flight we call Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: Maibock Beer Flight.
Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: Maibock Beer Flight
E9 Brewing Elders
6.66% ABV, draft
A collaboration with Varietal Beer, E9 Brewing brewed this Maibock before Varietal’s Goatfest Festival in Sunnyside, Washington, Saturday, May 12. Brewed with Weyerman Barke Vienne and Barke Pilsner malts, this rich, caramelized, quaffable bock with malty goodness sports crispy, crackle, and pop flavors of biscuit, biscotti, and pretzels. With aromas of a lovely summer day in May with the wildflower blooms of Sunnyside at Goatfest with friends.
Block 15 Alpine Ibex
6.9% ABV
Block 15 Brewing’s Alpine Ibex is a strong Maibock brewed with Hallertauer Mittelfrüher and Czech Saaz hops. It hits the nose with bready and lightly caramel malt, light grassy hops, lemon, and a touch of toffee, which is also the flavor plus honey, caramel, dried red berries, and floral elements. It’s an interesting mixture of dry and semi-sweet flavors with light dry field herbs character, and hops on the finish.
Bayern Maibock
7% ABV
Bayern Brewing’s owner, Jurgen Knoller, came to Missoula, Montana, from southwestern Germany in 1987 and he brews this spring beer to style with Harrington, and Munich malt, plus moderate amount of Hallertauer and Saaz hops. The mouthfeel is sharp and clean, with an average carbonation level. Sweet aroma of caramel malt, estery dried fruit, hints of grassy hops is followed by caramel malt with light biscuity elements, toffee, light grassy hops, tapering off to a somewhat drier, earthier caramel malt finish with light grassy hops.
Ayinger Maibock
7% ABV
About 25 kilometers from the Oktoberfest grounds in Munich, lays a little town called Aying, home to the beloved Ayinger Brewery (Brauerei Aying). This 144-year-old brewery has a deep family history, and remained almost completely unchanged until a new, updated brewery was built in 1999 to keep up with the growing market. Again and again Ayinger has won awards for its beers, including the World Beer Cup, and the Deutschen Landwirtschafts Gesellschaft — DLG (German Agricultural Society) gold and silver medals. In keeping with spring, Ayinger’s Maibock is a lighter representative than the dark doppelbocks from their brewhouse. Its golden-yellow color and malty aroma go hand in hand with the sweetness of a real bock beer, softened by Hallertau hops.
LINK: Peaks and Pints cooler inventory
