In the last couple of years, Schlafly has concentrated more on releasing special 750 ml bottles, supplementing their standard year-round 6-packs. The big bottles have been somewhat more inventive and altogether different from their 12-oz. releases, which makes them a fun diversion from the norm.
In celebration of Whole Foods’s 10-year anniversary in Brentwood, St. Louis, Schlafly brewed a limited edition Rye Bock this year, still available in the Brentwood store when I visited last weekend. It’s a unique take on the bock style, brewed entirely with certified organic ingredients except for the flaked rye.
I enjoy Schlafly’s move into untraditional styles, and especially applaud their focus on organic ingredients in this beer. I hope we’ll see more one-offs like these in the future. My review is below.
Schlafly Rye Bock
Specialty Beer
Aroma
Aroma lies somewhere between light and dark stone fruits: apricot, plum jam. No melanoidins or toast scent. Hint of chocolate and just a bit of skunkiness — could be sulfur from lager yeast. No hop aroma. No diacetyl or DMS.
8/12 points
Appearance
Garnet with ruby highlights, just a bit more on the red side than brown for style. Thin, just off-white head that dissipates quickly to a mist of foam. Little lacing on sides of glass. Clear but dark.
1/3 points
Flavor
Dark caramel malts, combined with a pronounced spiciness from the rye that borders on very subtle chili pepper heat. Leans toward malty side with almost no noticeable hop character and becomes especially caramelly as it warms. Big bready aftertaste from seemingly large dose of Munich malts. Finishes sweet, though not cloying. Fruity esters still noticeable, as in aroma. No diacetyl or roasted/burnt character.
16/20 points
Mouthfeel
Nice round, and big, smooth mouthfeel. Moderate to moderately low carbonation. No alcohol warmth.
5/5 points
Overall
There is a richness to this beer that I don’t often associate with Schlafly beers. I quite enjoyed the balance between the spicy rye and the rich malt character. I found this leaned a bit too much toward the fruity, estery side, rather than the toast-vanilla-breadiness that is often characteristic of Munich and Vienna malts in a traditional Bock beer, although the caramel and breadiness did come forward more as it warmed. This may be a result of decoction mashing, though more likely a result of a healthy dose of caramel malt, as is indicated in their description on the website. It’s not entirely clear where the esters are coming from. If it is from decoction, I might try this again without the decoction mashing to concentrate flavors a bit more on the grain itself. It would also help the rye enhance the malts. Great attempt that I’d like to see revised to enhance toast flavors over dried stone fruit character, with a bit more carbonation and a bigger, fluffier head.
6/10 points
Total: 36/50: Very Good.
