Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on April 15, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I'll be the first to admit that I'm often pretty critical of the LCBO in this column, on my blog, and pretty much anywhere else that beer is discussed. It's certainly not without good reason, as the beer selection on their general stock list is still lacking, especially in the area of craft brews from other provinces and the US (although things are slowly improving on that front).
Still, I'm also forthcoming with praise for the ol' Board when they do things right. Despite its faults, the general list does feature a number of truly world class beers, some of them being the benchmarks of their style, and a few more appear on a limited basis as part of promotions that run at select outlets every few months. (It's still not enough to keep a lot of local beer drinkers from making runs across the border every couple of months to stock up on American craft brews and imports that aren't available up here, but hey, at least it's a start.)
One of the highlights in the latest seasonal beer blitz to hit the shelves is Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock (LCBO 893974 - $3.25/500 ml), a doppelbock brewed at the Weltenburg Abbey in Bavaria, Germany. It's not the original doppelbock - that honour goes to Paulaner Salvator, first brewed in Munich by monks of the order of Saint Francis of Paola in the 1600s - but it's still considered one of the best in the world, currently ranking number four in the style on RateBeer and number six on Beer Advocate. Not to mention that the brewery at Weltenburg has been in operation since 1050, making it the oldest monastery brewery in the world.
Doppelbock means "double Bock", and refers to the fact that the beers are a stronger variant on the Bock style, which is itself a relatively strong German lager. The original doppelbocks were a bit lower in alcohol than the 7% to 10% that is common in the style today, and were also heavier and sweeter, which led the monks to nickname them "liquid bread", and to drink them for sustenance during times of fasting. Nowadays, the sweetness has been toned down, but good examples are still full flavoured and satisfying without being heavy or cloying.
And speaking of good examples, Asam-Bock is undoubtedly one of them. It pours a dark brown colour with flashes of ruby and a thick beige head. The aroma is rich with notes of earthy malt, toffee and chocolate, and those same notes come through in the flavour, where they're joined by a bit of coffee and some dried fruit (notably prunes and raisins). The body is full with a very soft mouthfeel, and the flavour starts sweet on the palate, but has a moderately dry finish, providing great balance.
Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock is available now - but not for long - at a number of LCBO outlets. For those who miss out, the aforementioned Paulaner Salvator is on the LCBO's year-round list (LCBO 926121 - $2.10/300 ml), and will provide a suitable substitute until Asam-Bock (hopefully) returns next spring.
