Have I ever mentioned how much I love bock beers? I sure do. So, apparently, does the Boston Beer Company, makers of the Samuel Adams line of beers. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the facts. They’ve done a Bock, a Traditional Bock, a Double Bock, an Imperial Double Bock, and a Triple Bock. But wait. There’s more. How about a Maibock, a Weizenbock, a Rauchbock, a Chocolate Bock, a Cherry Chocolate Bock, and a Toasted Caramel Bock. See? They love bock, so much so in fact that they’re giving us another one: Samuel Adams Amber Bock, in the 2017 Winter Classics Sampler.

Samuel Adams Amber Bock is a Texas Bock in style (think Shiner Bock). Such beers are malt forward with a light to balancing emphasis on the hops and more of a caramel malt flavor than a Munich malt one. They are somewhat moderate in intensity, a good beer for newcomers to the craft beer hobby.

Here’s what else you get in the 2017 sampler, 2 bottles each:

·         Samuel Adams Boston Lager

·         Samuel Adams Winter Lager

·         Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig

·         Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

·         Samuel Adams Oatmeal Stout

Ingredients from the website:

HOP VARIETIES Tettnang Tettnanger Noble hops

MALT VARIETIES Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, Munich 10

Samuel Adams Amber Bock has an alcohol content of 6% by volume with 25 IBUs. Well, that’s what the website says. My bottle says 18 IBUs. It’s notched as best by April of 2018. I paid $13.29 for my 12-pack at Target.

Samuel Adams Amber Bock pours to a rich amber color with a medium head of creamy foam and a soft malty nose of light caramel and toasted nuts. Taking a sip, the beer has a medium but full maltiness with light caramel and toasted malts leading into a balanced to slightly dry grassy hop finish. A classic Texas Bock, amber bock, quite malty and delicious.

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