Robin Shepard
The Great Dane Pub and Brewery has hosted its annual Bockfest for six straight years, each time rolling out about at least ten of its own beers alongside a number of other local breweries. The Dane’s Golden Bock has become a standard at the event, having been served at all of them. It’s a wonderfully smooth, malty, light-colored lager that’s a great way to usher in the bock season.
What is it? Golden Bock from Great Dane Pub and Brewery-Hilldale
Style: The Maibock, sometimes called a helles (light) bock is a golden- to clear copper-colored lager with malty aroma and flavor. Hops are mostly an accent of light herbal and spicy notes used for balance against the malt. These bocks are medium-bodied, flavorful yet clean beers that range from 6 to 8 percent ABV.
Background: The stereotypical bock is amber to dark brown and rich in caramel and bready maltiness. For the first Great Dane Bockfest in 2014, brewmaster Rob LoBreglio tasked his brewers to make a lighter-colored bock as an alternative.
Taking up the challenge were brewers Nate Zukas and Eric Brusewitz, who developed the recipe for this helles bock. It’s one of the Great Dane’s most popular seasonals as craft beer drinkers re-discover lagers. “Lagers also appeal to the old timers who come in here and say they remind them of what beer was like when they were younger, and that’s a real compliment,” says Zukas.
The Great Dane’s Golden Bock has three primary base malts: Pilsner, Vienna and Munich. There’s also some honey malt for added sweetness. Hoppiness is kept low with just a light herbal accent of German Hallertau and mild spicy dryness from Czech Saaz.
Golden Bock finishes at 6.6 percent ABV. It sells for $6/glass and $8/crowler. You can currently find it at the Hilldale Great Dane. It will make limited appearances at the other Great Danes through February and March.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light hints of bready-biscuit maltiness.
- Appearance: Golden color with a creamy white head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied and soft.
- Taste: Smooth, soft bready biscuit notes and toasted maltiness. There’s light crisp herbal hoppiness from the Hallertau in the background
- Finish/Aftertaste: Light malty sweetness, yet a very clean finish.
Glassware: The Willi Becher focuses the bready and malty aromas under the nose.
Pairs well with: the traditional Bavarian sausage platter with German bratwurst, red cabbage and fried shallots (from the Great Dane menu). The light sweetness of Golden Bock makes it a versatile meal beer that also goes well with stews, wild game meats, and sausages.
The Verdict: Great Dane’s Golden Bock is full of wonderful malt character. There is subtle sweetness coming from the graininess of the Pilsner, the toastedness of the Vienna, the biscuity hints from the Munich, and finally the smooth honey malt ties it all together. Mild alcohol warmth plays off all those layers of breadiness. I love all this malt nuance, from this well balanced and clean helles.
