'05 Maibock Taps

[steveh]

I stopped in at my local good beer bar to sample a couple of this year's Maibock offerings and took some notes.

Spaten Maibock - This gem used to be available in the bottle over here, but seems to only show on tap, in time for Spring any more. Perceptively coined as the "Mind Block" by a few Chicago, old German neighborhood, bar-tenders and waitresses for the deceptive alcohol content...and staggering, unwary drinkers.

Bright gold color with a fine, white head that holds up well - served too cold for my tastes.

Toasty malt nose with mild, spicy alcohol - some mild DMS.

Toasty, nutty, sweet melanoidin malt with spicy alcohol present. Some mild, tart hops back.

Light body with a firm mouth-feel.

Dangerously smooth and delicious with a clean finish - too easily quaffable.

Capital Maibock - Deeper gold than the Spaten, similar - if not thicker, firm white head.

Munich/Pilsner malt nose, spicy alcohol and vague DMS in nose - slightest fruit esters back.

Sweet carapils flavor with a similar alcohol spiciness as the Spaten. Some very mild fruitiness apparent, fermentation or hops? Mild bitterness in finish.

Light medium body with a soft, smooth, but firm mouth-feel.

Not as clean as the Spaten, and lacking in the melanoidin character. The Capital's smooth mouth-feel is almost syrupy - not clean, yet notale-like in complexity. The Spaten being pasteurized might have much to do with it's being cleaner and crisper.

Both great beers that I never pass up given the opportunity.

S.

[BluesHarp]

All right...back to work!!

melanoidin? Is that a "grainy" taste? I found the fruitiness in Capital, but it lacked the grain flavor that I found in, for example, Tyranena.

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
All right...back to work!!

I get lunch - even on Saturdays. :rolleyes:

melanoidin? Is that a "grainy" taste? I found the fruitiness in Capital, but it lacked the grain flavor that I found in, for example, Tyranena.

No, melanoidin shouldn't be grainy, it's closer to sweet in profile - but not like sugar or chocolate. If you can think of the distinctive flavor in a Spaten Oktoberfest - that's melanoidin.

In the Capital I could taste malted barley, in the form of a light Pilsner or Munich malt, but not a graininess - and it's almost as though the Capital didn't go through a decoction mash to bring out the rich melanoidin character. Or it could be just as Kirby has mentioned before, domestic malts that won't jump the price of a six-pack by 2 or 3 dollars.

S.

Shouldn't you be on the road?

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by steveh
I get lunch - even on Saturdays.


heh,heh...:D




Shouldn't you be on the road?


touche!

Don't work too hard, wish you could make it...

[Stahlsturm]

Spital and Bischofshof are having their Maibock since yesterday. Too bad you can't be here :P

[chazwicke]

Go ahead, rub it in.:rolleyes:

[ADR]

Yeah, its bad enough that Minnesota only got one shipment of Capital Maibock this year and that sold out over a month ago...;)

[steveh]

Originally posted by ADR
Yeah, its bad enough that Minnesota only got one shipment of Capital Maibock this year and that sold out over a month ago...;)

Yeah, well you guys had the Capital Blonde Doppel well before us and I had to get surly with some paint store owners, "No, you don't get it - I am in contact with the BREWERY and they have told me that your distributor has it NOW."

S.

[BluesHarp]

In my fridge...Capital Blonde, Maibock, and Tyranena Maibock...probably should restock this week...

...now what were you saying? :p

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
...now what were you saying?

Got all that (case of the Blonde) now and EKU Pils, EKU 28, some Kulmbach Eisbier, a couple different Flemmish beers from my BotM club, Spring Bock from Fort Collins via Fret, Odell's 90 Shilling via the same source, various and sundry brews from Chaz - including a Dominion growler I need to get at, Ramstein Wheats from Sundontlie, a few bottles of Tyranena Rocky's Revenge, and the ubiquitous rotating 12 pack (Urquell this round).

Now what were you saying?

S.

We posturing or something here? :rolleyes:

[chazwicke]

Go to the Beer Inventory thread....:D

You do need to get at that growler of Imperial Pils. Let me know if it still survives and what you think.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
You do need to get at that growler of Imperial Pils. Let me know if it still survives and what you think.

It was the Spring Ale, something or other... I tried it with a friend a few weeks ago, we enjoyed about half - but I wasn't evaluation focused. I capped it, swirled it well to stir up the carbo, released the cap to allow the carbo to push out any oxygen, and re-capped. I'll let you know how it faired.

S.

[YamahaXS]

I am a big fan of Capitol's Maibock... great beer!

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
You do need to get at that growler of Imperial Pils.

Dominion Spring Brew 2005 (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/402/21968/)

8.5%?! There's no way they poured the right beer in that growler Chaz...now I'm gonna have to give it another taste tonight, 'cause I sure don't remember any alcohol bite in that tasting... :eek:

S.

[chazwicke]

Try it again. I hope it is still good. Bruno got the draft Oak Barrel Stout, You got the Imperial Pils and Kalleh got Hop Pocket Ale I think. Unless the growlers got mixed up. ;)

[hops99]

I stopped in at my local good beer bar to sample a couple of this year's Maibock offerings and took some notes.

I was in Chicago at a conference Sunday and Monday, and I stopped at the Map Room Sunday night. Never been there, and they happened to have the Spaten Maibock on tap (I didn't even know that Spaten brewed a Maibock). Man, it was tasty - really tasty. Easily my favorite brew of the night, and I had some other great ones too.

[chazwicke]

Maproom, piece and Macs are all places I missed in Chicago. I guess that means I need another trip.

[hops99]

I only had time to hit Clark Street Alehouse (which I'd been to before) and Maproom - I want to try Piece someday soon too.

Clark Street was a good place; it seemed that much of their tap selection was fairly local (lots from Bell's and Three Floyds especially). Maproom had a pretty eclectic tap lineup, including some stuff I've NEVER seen on tap, like the Spaten Maibock and Monschof (sp?) Schwarzbier. I liked Maproom a tad better, but my only real complaint with both places was the heavy smoking. Actually, it seemed like the ventilation was a little better at Clark Street, because my allergies starting killing me at the Maproom.

But, any night where I can have a "pizza pot pie" and flatbread at Oven Grinders (washed down with Goose), Bell's Oberon and Victory St. Boisterous at Clark Street, and Spaten Maibock, Konig Hefe and Monschof Swarzbier at the Maproom is pretty damn cool.

[steveh]

Originally posted by hops99
But, any night where I can have a "pizza pot pie" and flatbread at Oven Grinders (washed down with Goose)

Ooh - yeah, Oven Grinders - now yer talkin'! I haven't been there in years. Did you give a tip of the hat to the Valentine's Day Massacree site?

S.

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by steveh

We posturing or something here? :rolleyes:

????

Just a bit of gloating at my easy access to nearly inexhaustible supplies of these fine local beverages...there are a few other things in my fridge... ;-)

[chazwicke]

Clark Street was great. Bells Two Hearted on cask. and batch 6000 on tap. I liked the place but when we got there it was just our group mainly. So not a lot of smoke. I'd go back there in a minute.

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
Just a bit of gloating...

Posturing, gloating, one begets the other and vice versa. I'll call you from the Landmark Friday evening and the Firkin Sunday afternoon - we can discuss the "inexhaustible supplies" then... ;)

S.

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by steveh
I'll call you from the Landmark Friday evening and the Firkin Sunday afternoon -
S.

...Sorry, but I'll be spending Sunday with my Mother and my Mother-in-Law (who is very cool BTW ). I hope you invited your mom to the Firkin...;) .
Sunday also happens to be my wife's birthday...

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
...Sorry, but I'll be spending Sunday with my Mother and my Mother-in-Law (who is very cool BTW). I hope you invited your mom to the Firkin...

Oooh, aren't we Mr. Sanctimonious! But I can read the martyrdom between the lines. ;)

Besides, I didn't say which Sunday! And my mom has been to the Firkin...or at least the Tavern (next door, remember?).

S.

Nice footnote on your MIL, your wife reading the site now? :-D

[BluesHarp]

Only when I'm not looking...and, boy, did I get a talking to....:(

Actually, my MIL is pretty cool...she had me burn her copies of my Tab Benoit CD's...

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
Only when I'm not looking...and, boy, did I get a talking to....

he he he he he - hope it didn't have anything to do with the RealBeer Guys thread! ;)

S.

[BluesHarp]

...not what you might be thinking...
...actually, it was more of an offline thing...;)