I like the fact that Boston Beer, the brewers of the Samuel Adams line of beers, sponsors an annual Longshot competition to feature the recipes of homebrewers around the country. And each year, three of those recipes make it to the big time-they're brewed commercially by Boson Beer and featured in the Longshot sampler pack. Sometimes, that's shame, because we only get to try two bottles each. But that's quickly remedied with the purchase of another six-pack sampler.

This year, I did just that to get a few more bottles of Longshot Traditional Bock. That's because I really, really like this beer. As those of you who have read my reviews in the past should be aware, bocks and double bocks re my favorite styles of beer. And this one, rich and bursting with toasty melanoidin flavors as it is, sort of straddles the line between the two. At 6.8% alcohol by volume, it's on the edge of the two in that regard, too.

Bocks are not a style of beer that a lot of homebrewers make, and fewer still do them well. Quite simply, that's because of the nature of the beast: bocks are lagers, and lagers have to be cold fermented and cold conditioned. This usually entails storing a large carboy of beer in a refrigerator for weeks or, better yet, months, and only the most dedicated of homebrewers have the required cold storage for that. Ales, which are far less demanding, are usually more often brewed.

This bock, formulated by California homebrewer and contest winner Alex Drobshoff, is not the first in the Longshot series. Back in 1997, Meleq Kacani and Rocky Hebert, also of California, brewed up the first Longshot Bock. That beer too was a very good interpretation on the style, though to my notes  a bit darker than Alex's version. 

Longshot Traditional Bock pours to a dark chestnut brown color with a minimal wispy head formation and a wonderfully enticing nutty malt nose. The beer has a rich, full mouthfeel that slides across the tongue. There's no mistaking this as a bock-it explodes with melanoidin flavors-toasted nuts, dark chocolate, and sweet molasses. A late burst of grassy, herbal hops balance the finish nicely, but don't overpower the malt. If someone told me this was an imported German bock, I would certainly believe them.

Alex Drobshoff took a chance, and it paid off. So why don't you? Picking up a six-pack sampler of this year's Longshot beers is easy enough to d, and you'll get to try three great beers, including Longshot Traditional Bock.

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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