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Boy was I depressed! I was so looking forward to trying to Chattanooga Chick Bock you see, but when I tried to get a mug at Taco mac, the keg kicked before I got there. Now, that is pretty depressing, but it wasn’t anywhere near as depressing as when I finally got my hands on some Chattanooga Chick Bock. Because, well, you see when I did, I didn’t, and though that sounds confusing all will become clear shortly.
First off I might do well to explain why I wanted to try this beer so desperately. I love bocks you see, doppelbocks are my favorite style of all, but bocks of any kind really butter my bread. I also am very fond of the Chattanooga Brewing Company of Chattanooga, TN, despite the fact I’ve only tried one of their beers. That beer was Chattanooga Imperial Pilsner, which is not really an Imperial Pilsner but is indeed a pilsner. I know, this review is getting increasingly cryptic. We here at bruguru.com appreciate your patience ever so much.
I won’t go into all the reasons I think Chattanooga Brewing is so cool, other than that they are about an hour away from me. Although in a different state, they are very much a local brewery for me. After you’ve finished reading all about their bock, I encourage you to click the link above to learn their history and more about the naming of their pilsner.
Back to bock. Here’s how the brewery describes this 6.1% by volume, 35 IBU beer:
A German style dark lager, medium bodied and relatively low in hops. A portion of proceeds are donated to the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy. So lift a pint and help save the watershed!
Anyway, I was pretty excited to get 32-ounce growler of Chattanooga Bock for a mere $7.50 at Stout’s Growlers here in Canton. Until I got it home. Here’s what I noted then:
Chattanooga Chick Bock pours to a pale golden color with a moderate head of creamy foam and a nose that’s replete with-popcorn butter? It is, and that’s not what I want in a bock. Taking a sip, I get the foundations of a pale bock here with some chewy malt up front, but through it all that rancid diacetly popcorn butter dominates, right on into the bitter hoppy finish (and it is bitter). Butter has no place in a pale bock!
2 thumbs down on that, and boy was I depressed!
Some research revealed other reports of this defect, though curiously nobody reported a pale colored beer.
On my next trip to Stout’s, I reflected upon my disappointment. The owners got really excited and reported that we got a mislabeled keg, right brewery but wrong beer. Whatever it was wasn’t good, but they got a new keg of the real stuff. So, let’s try again!
The real Chattanooga Chick Bock is rich ruby red color with a medium sized head of creamy foam and a soft nutty malty nose. Taking a sip, I get the light chocolate and toasty nutty Munich malt notes I want in a bock, and they’re smooth and delicious and glide over the tongue beautifully. The surprise here is the hop finish: grassy and herbal and very bitter, with a really sharp hop bite that lingers long and dry on the palate. That’s a bit of a departure for the style, but still pleases this bruguru.
Now that’s more like it friends…..I’ll be bock for more of this one for sure.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft