Editors Note: Every week until I take the BJCP exam on Nov. 5, I will be posting reviews of the commercial examples of beer styles that my study group is required to taste. My scores will appear in normal font and the BJCP judge’s score will follow at the end in italics.
Name: Weihenstephaner Korbinian
Brewery: Staats Brauerei (Germany)
Style: Doppelbock
Price: $3.75 per 16 oz. bottle
ABV: 7.4%
Final Grade: B+
Score: 41
Judge’s Score: 40

Thank you, Plymouth, N.H. You have a nice little beer store there.

After being forced to skip two of the study group’s tastings because I couldn’t find the beer in my area, Chase Street Market in downtown Plymouth had both beers that I needed — Genesee Cream Ale and the Weihenstephaner Korbinian.

The past couple weeks, my BJCP study group has picked some of my favorite beer brands. This week, it picked my favorite style — Doppelbock.

Name: Bock
Brewery: Narragansett
Style: German Bock
Price: $8.69 per 6-pack of 16 oz. cans
ABV: 6.5%
Final Grade: B+
Score: 40

For the second time in recent weeks, I’ve got a ’Gansett up for review. I didn’t plan it this way. It just happened.

Sunday was a brew day, and a buddy of mine and I needed something interesting yet affordable to sip while toiling away over hot burners. That’s pretty much been Narragansett’s m.o. — straddling the line between craft and crap. I’ve got to admit, however, that I enjoyed the Bock more than I expected.

It’s very well done, with big malt aroma and a clean lager taste. The alcohol is in the medium-low range for a bock, but 6.5% was plenty for me. The bitterness is soft and there’s a slight earthy hop flavor, but just barely. The flavors really work well together. Nothing is distracting.

Plus, it comes in those fun cans that you can crush. (see related picture.) If only I’d thought ahead.

My personal favorites from the Vermont Brewers Festival.

When the cashier couldn’t find the price on a bottle of McNeill’s Maibock, I thought I was going to get a deal.

On a dark and stormy night, I decided to punch my liver in the face.

Doppelbocks are for the big beer lover who is sick of the hop bombs that usually represent the American craft beer selection at your local market. And with S’muttonator, Smuttynose has stepped up to the plate and hit double.

Making beer requires a little faith; some beers more than others.

I love big-group brewing. Yesterday, a crew of us Canaanites and a couple from Grantham got together for a double-brew day. (We also had some delicious cheese and played a little Wii, which placed it high in the running for best Sunday afternoon of all time.)
It was cold and overcast, so we stayed inside to brew a “European Bock” and a “Cologne Kolsch.” These are extract brews, but no doubt will be delicious. Here are the recipes:
European Bock:
6.6 lbs. amber malt extract syrup
1 lb. plain light dry malt extract
12 oz. …