If you happen to go to Bamberg, Germany, make sure you drink the Rauchbier. That specialty of the area should not be missed, and you would be remiss in your duties as a beer enthusiast if you pass it up. If you go at Weihnachstzeit  (Christmas time), however, you should be sure to enjoy a liter or two of Mahr’s Brau Weinacht’s Bock or Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock as it is sold here in the United States. Mahr’s is located in Bamberg, and when traveling one should always eat and drink the local goodies.

Shelton Brothers, the US importer, says this about the beer:

Darker and hoppier than the brewery's regular bock, this robust, flavorful bock was brewed especially for the holiday season. This is a brand-new offering from Mahr's that sold out in two hours at the brewery. …..Only a few hundred cases were produced for the USA, so get it while you can.

The notion of special Christmas beers is an ancient European one. Such beers were just another way to brighten the holidays in Germany, England and many other European nations, and today American craft brewers have embraced the tradition with open arms.  San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing was the first to produce an American Christmas Ale. Brewer Timothy Morse brought the idea with him when he crossed the country to work at Rhode Island’s sadly defunct Hope Brewing company. Still, his Hope Christmas Ale was a treat I enjoyed all the way back in 1988. The rest is history, and I am still seeking out new holiday brews to this day. Brews like Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock.

Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock pours to a bright mahogany color with a moderate creamy tan head formation and a delightfully nutty malt nose. The palate is smooth and creamy, quite nutty and dark malty with hints of Munich malt toastiness, a touch of chocolate and chewy caramel. This is a “single” bock of 6% alcohol by volume, not a doppelbock, and although it has plenty of tasty dark malty notes, they aren’t quite so complex here as in a doppel. That makes the beer all the more drinkable, though, and I can easily imagine a few bottles of this paired up with some spicy Pfeffernusse cookies or a slice of stolen. Then too, the beer is permeated with a fresh malt character reminiscent of chewing a handful of barley straight from the maltster.

The malty sweetness (did I say malt again?)  is nicely balanced out by a rather aggressive hop bitterness, at least as the style goes. It’s grassy and herbal in aroma and deposits a light bitter buzz on the tongue after sipping. Nobody does bock like the Germans do, and Mahr’s Christmas Bock is another example why. A bit pricey at $5.99 for a half liter bottle, but worth it to try this rare treat.

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

 

 

 



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