Beer of the Week (Vol. XLV)

This week's edition of Beer of the Week brought to you as always by the sprightly folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help put the spring back into your step.

While we're just beginning to see the first hints of spring in the weather, the beers of spring have already made their presence known. When you look at the seasonal selections on the shelves, it's apparent that winter is passing into memory and spring is the hot new thing.

Of the all the seasonal varieties, the beers of spring are usually my least favorite. Most spring beer offerings seem to be a variety of the bock style. While I like some bocks, they are often more on the malty sweet side of the flavor spectrum. I tend to be partial to the more hoppy, bitter beers and so don't usually welcome the beer that accompanies spring nearly as much as the weather.

We'll see if that pattern continues to hold true with this week's beer. Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock:

As winter begins its slide toward the sunny days of spring, we bring you Glissade Golden Bock to help you enjoy the ride. Glissade is a remarkably mellow take on the traditional spring bock. With restrained sweetness, we emphasize subtle malt flavor, balanced against delicate aromas of spicy and floral European hops. This complex balance helps Glissade slide across the palate--bracing us against the last cold nights of winter, while its bright golden color turns our thoughts toward spring.

Standard brown SN bottle. Dark khaki-green colored label features a mountain valley in spring framed by hops.

Beer Style: Helles Bock

Alcohol by Volume: 6.4%

COLOR (0-2): Golden and a bit cloudy. 2

AROMA (0-2): Sweet malt with a hint of hops. 1

HEAD (0-2): White, thick off the pour with good retention and lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Sharp with a burst of bitterness. More hoppy than malty which is not typical of bocks. Medium body with thin mouthfeel. Good drinkability. 3

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Crisp and clean finish. 2

OVERALL (0-6): Not what would you usually expect with a bock. More hoppy and bitter flavors and less of the sweet malt give it more of a sharper lager taste. I was pleasantly surprised by this beer and, as promised, it's a good choice to celebrate the coming of spring. Faster please. 4

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14