Bock Bock

It's been one of those weeks. Just when I have things in shape more distractions arrive that make me feel like I'm fighting a rear-guard action. Still, I don't mind having to do some work over the weekend, as long as it gets out of what's left of my hair. So, after a stressful day stripping wallpaper and then preparing pain-in-the-ass documents for a potential customer, what better way to relax than a couple of bockbiers? Well, that was the plan...

First up was the Mönchshof Bockbier, 6.9% with a beautiful, rich amber with a healthy foaming head. The aroma is definitely malty with an edge that reminds me of old apples down in the cellar, and a faint rasty, toffee hint. Initially, I found it alot mor ebitter than I expected, with a slight pine resin note. By the same token, it wasn't as sweet as I expected either, and although there's lots of dark bready and malty flavours going on, it finished relatively dry. It's a fine beer, but personally I'd prefer a little less resin. Yet again, I blame this on the use of hop extract, and guessed it was used before i read it on the label. I have to admit though that as it warmed up it seemed to shed some of the bitterness and it became a bit more rounded.

I followed this up with the slightly heavier (7.1%) Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel, a striking reddish-brown beer wth a sugary-sweet nose and a slightly fruity undertone, like strawbwerries or maybe strawberry candyfloss. The thing that most stood out for me with this beer was the smoothness. It does not feel like 7.1%, and goes down very easily. It's very malty-sweet, but thankfully not cloying, and has a long malt finish. I hate to use the word malty so much, but that's pretty much describes this beer. A bit one dimensional perhaps, and I was a little disappointed. Only a little, mind.

In an hour or so I'm setting off for Copenhagen, via the office. Looking forward to a tasty drop or two tonight so, and to not being woken up by my son at 6am. What is it with him recently? He comes in and, after looking at my bedside clock, proclaims loudly "Daddy, it's six-oh-three", followed a short while later by "Daddy, it's six-oh-four" and so on, ad nauseum, until I give up and get out of the scratcher.