Joseph Brau Winterfest (Dark Double Bock)
I saw this beer at an end cap in Trader Joe’s. I had never heard of it before and was mildly interested but what put me over was where the label said “Joseph Brau Brewing Co. San Jose, Ca”. Being that I am living in San Jose, I was piqued at the thought of another microbrewery opening up in the city.
After doing some research on the Internet, it turns out Trader Joe’s contracts Gordon Biersch to brew this for them and they market it under the Joseph Brau Brewing Company name. Essentially, this is GB’s own Winterfest seasonal.
Appearance: Very nice mahogany color with amber highlights. The head, when poured, is about 2 fingers in height and is a beige color. Very bright beer. After swirling it about a bit, noticeable legs are present. ****
Smell: Breadish, malty sweetness in the aroma with noticeable alcohol on the nose. ****
Taste: It’s a good tasting beer. I am hit with the malty sweetness up front but it’s not even close to cloyingly sweet and ends with a very mild, low hop finish. I can taste subtle fruit undertones… almost prune-ish. ****
Mouthfeel: It has moderate body on the palette. Since it is a lager, it finishes smooth, with none of the alcohol harshness.. Despite the good head size in the initial pour, this beer doesn’t have a high level of carbonation. ****
Drinkability: I find this to be a very drinkable beer. I could easily order one or two pints of this but after that, I’d have to stop. Not necessarily because of it’s taste, but it is listed as a 7.5% ABV beer, so it’s not something you could session the whole night. ***
Food: I think this beer would go well with earthy, nutty, hard cheese like a gouda, or even a semi-hard, trappist cheese. I could see this beer served along with a traditional burger with lots of greens or even a simple meal of bratwurst, saurkraut, and bread. As for sweet/dessert pairings, dark chocolate is a must try.
3.8/5 stars
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April 3rd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I found this to be a pleasant boch beer with a crisp nose and a satisfying flavor, while posting an alcohol content of 7.5%. I believe this beer would go well with any red meat from hamburgers to steak. I especially enjoyed the finish. Thanx Ed Gardner