Drab sunset-hued Mardi Gras fave fails to impress from its washed-out pale amber hue to its ridiculously inappropriate mildness. Astringent honey-soured caramel malting, musty orange-banana-cherry trickle, phenol spicing, and caraway seeding make for ineffectual Maibock or Helles bock traits.

Brownish maroon bock sprawls coffee souring across deep chocolate resonance and roasted hop dryness but meager pine tinge concealed. Brewery defunct: 2007.

Early astringency nearly inhibits honey-roasted malt creaminess, chocolate cherry splurge, and dried raisin imminence of turbidly tawny bottle-conditioned medium body. Yet imaginative sweet ‘n’ sour mocha-molasses variance perfectly suits sharply spiced banana-clove finish.

Cocoa-soured pumpernickel breading surrounds premature green grape and sugared fig accents to oaken-dried quince finish, picking up mineral grain earthiness. But expectant prune-like bock luster hidden beneath sputtering chocolate-caramel malting.

Fine German-styled rye lager counters cracked wheat sweetness with dry fig-plum-walnut dryness. Marble rye malting and bittersweet prune swoon lead to dour sour grape finish. Though lacking alcohol binge of more assertive bocks, moldy fruit moistness and vegetative earth tones add to its resolute peculiarity.

Indistinct spice-hopped wheat-backed amber-cleared lightweight closer to weak dirty-grained pilsner, lacking expected wintry floral accents and firm bock strength. Earthy rye constraint, sugarplum vestige, and gooey malt souring lack resolution.

Complex 8% alcohol dark amber wheat-based bock surrounds initial yellow grape waft with floral yeast tangent, melon-y fig-prune-banana snip, and pivotal clove-cinnamon spicing. Aggressive bruised orange midst builds above Belgian candi sugar-like sweetness ’til barleywine-bourbon warmth surpasses sour mocha torrent.

Original ’03 sampling found mahogany-hued porter-like bock bending distant mocha and roasted hops into fizzy off-dry peat malt finish. But better ’05 tasting brought bittersweet prune-raisin liveliness to bruised cherry, brown chocolate, and macadamia resilience, impacting fine barleywine continuance.

Bodacious 7.2% alcohol strength leads the way for amazingly consistent, rust-hued, chocolate malt-flavored bock. Soft silky head and web-like texture provide champagne-like flow (minus nose-tingling carbonation). Sweet barley and candied mocha blend with bountiful floral bouquet to create interesting barleywine palate that’s neither too heavy nor overwhelming for gentler tastes. Brewery defunct: 2005.

Fine frothy-headed bock leaves lavish Brussels lace and heavy carbolic fizz atop buttery wheat-dried citric-hopped effervescence. Soothing prune-raisin-cherry tartness underscores medium-bodied fare. Just a tad less busy, bold, and filling than most German bocks while in need of more pronounced adjuncts at port-like finish to put it over the top.

Light springtime pale bock enhances buttery barley sugaring and pale Munich-Vienna malting with rye highlights. Hop-toasted fig-raisin conflux informs sweet candied finish for simple elegance. An easygoing softie for lighter thirsts.