Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock

Review Date 9/25/2000  By John Staradumsky

  Style: Maibock   Brewery: Einbeck   Country: Germany   State: N/A   $ Per OZ: $.21 (B)   ABV: 6.5%

This is a beer I had been wanting to try for a long time. I've drooled over pictures of it in beer books, and wondered if I would have to wait until the day I visit Germany before I would have a bottle before me. Thanks to the fine importers at Beverage United, however, I was able to buy it right here in the good old US of A.

Einbeck, located in North Germany, is the center of the bock universe and by most accounts the area from whence all bock beers came. The Einbecker brewery has a slogan: "Ohne Einbeck gäb's kein Bockbier"(without Einbeck there would be no bock beer), and it is quite true. The story goes that the name of the town, Einbeck, was corrupted into Ein Bock, which means a goat. Like any good old goat, bock beer does have a kick to it, and you will see a goat on the label of many a bock beer. Einbeck was famous for the quality of its hearty beers (then ales) as early as the 13th century. Today, bock is heavily associated with the South German city of Munich, especially doppelbock which was invented there. In the early sixteen hundreds, the Bavarians, well aware of Einbecks's brewing reputation, invited a brewer from that city to visit and never allowed him to leave. Today of course that would be illegal, but you have to give the Munich locals credit for taking their beer seriously.

Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock comes in a beautiful bottle (even if it is green) complete with raised lettering on the glass. Even with my high expectations the beer doesn't disappoint: it's light orange in color with a bubbly, spritzy head that quickly forms and just as quickly dissipates, leaving behind a somewhat syrupy brew with a sweet malty nose. Palate is rich and malty with good toastiness and a slightly sweet, warm alcohol (6.5% by volume) finish. A classic Maibock and a world class brew, and at about $14 a six-pack on the expensive side.

Still, it's worth every penny to sample a beer of this caliber.