When beer enthusiasts think about some of the best places in America to live, almost invariably areas like the New England states, the Mid-Atlantic, parts of the Midwest, California and of course the Pacific Northwest come to mind. Rarely, if ever, will anyone ever mention the south, and for good reason. Beer and brewing here have been long hampered by restrictive laws and social mores that have greatly limited a beer lover’s options.

Happily, I think that is about to change. To be sure, it will take some time, but already Atlanta has developed a burgeoning beer scene boasting a number of brewpubs, two very good microbreweries, and plenty of multi-tap beer bars and restaurants. It’s exciting to be in on a craft beer revolution in the area from the ground up, and I’m very optimistic about the expansion of the local beer culture.

The growth isn’t all in Atlanta, however, and I’m always happy to stumble upon a new southern microbrewery. A few years ago, I did just that when I enjoyed a pint of Thomas Creek Double Bock at Atlanta’s Summit's Wayside Tavern , a great local beer bar offering more than 100 taps. The Thomas Creek Brewery is located in Greenville, South Carolina, and has just begun expansion into Georgia.

The company will celebrate its seventh anniversary this July, no mean milestone indeed in the very competitive beer business. Initially, Thomas Creek Double Bock was a draft only offering, but the brewery now bottles the brew, and six-packs have finally arrived in Atlanta. This is a lower strength version of the style, more by necessity than the brewer’s choice. South Carolina limits the alcohol content of beer to 5% by weight, or about 6.2% by volume, which is the alcohol content of Thomas Creek Double Bock.

That being the case, this would be more aptly named as a bock than a doppelbock. Still, the brewery gets an “A” for effort, since most southern micros seem to be more comfortable with ales than lagers anyway (they’re easier to make).

As in Georgia, efforts are under way in South Carolina to amend the law to allow for stronger beers. According to Thomas Creek, they are also pushing to allow beer to be sold to consumers directly from the brewery, too, a welcome prospect indeed for beer lovers in the Greenville area.

Some specs from the brewery:

Barley: 2 Row Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Caramel 60 Malt, Black Patent Malt, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Cascade, Tettenger, Hers. Hallertau
Yeast: German Bock Lager White Labs
IBU: 20.7
Plato: 1.062
ABV: 6.25%

Thomas Creek Double Bock pours to a dark brown to chestnut color with a thick creamy head and a lightly fruity nose. The palate is deep and rich, full and satisfying with dark malt flavors and a subtle touch of fruit. The beer is slightly roasty with a tasty Munich malt toasty character. The roasted notes increase into the finish and a pronounced bitterness more aggressive than usual for the style emerges.

Thomas Creek Double Bock is lagered for 30 days at around 32 degrees, but perhaps could use just a little more time in the lagering tanks to round out the subtle fruity notes. The beer is a quirky example of a double bock, but overall I am impressed with just how good it is when enjoyed on its own merits and when viewed in light of the legal constraints under which the brewery operates.



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