Saturday, May 18, 2013

Mendocino Brewing Co. -- Bock Beer


Mendocino Brewing Company is based out of Ukiah, California which is about two hours north of San Francisco up the 101.  The name Mendocino is the name of the county, and the name of the county traces its origins to Spanish exploration.  That area of California known for redwood trees, wine, marijuana, and craft beer.  Like many craft breweries the founders started out home brewing.  They opened a brewpub in 1983 with their flagship beer Red Tail Ale (which is still around and very tasty).  They were the first brewpub in California and the second in the U.S. to put the pieces together that craft beer and food would sell well together.  They have grown to be the 30th largest craft brewer in the U.S., 6th biggest in California, and have their beers distributed in 43 states.

Bock Beer is seasonal so unfortunately it's not stocked all the time.  It pours dark amber with very little head.  It has a slightly sweet malty smell, and the taste is a smooth malty-biscuit-butter-slightly sweet flavor.  Like most bocks it is really mild so any food you pair it with needs to be mild as well otherwise the spices will overwhelm it.  The aftertaste is short, malty, and yeast-y.  It is hard to pick up on the hops in this beer, but they do add some bitterness.  It's 6.0% ABV, medium bodied, and overall a bock that is pretty true to form.  It is a good beer if you're looking for something sweet and smooth.  Cheers!

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