I'm just now trying this beer from last year's winners and if memory serves me Alex Drobshoff placed in a couple of different categories, so they were sure to pull one of this cat's entries. This traditional bock seems to encompass what I've come to enjoy in this type of beer. It pours a deep dark copper with light head. There is a definite malt backbone to it from either the Munich or Veinna malts. There is a sweet nose of banana or fruit bread, fruitcake? Taste is titillating plums/raisin with a tartness of cherries. The malt backbone and low hop allow the sweet part of the taste to linger on the palate throughout. 6.8%abv and I'd buy it if it were a commercial (I mean his own label). Here's a list of the guys he beat out since McDole's Double IPA was placed in this year's due to last years hops shortage for his recipe:
Alex Drobshoff of California Traditional Bock
Michael Robinson of New Hampshire Espresso Stout
Aaron Schenk of North Carolina German Pilsner
Chad Warner of Massachusetts English Brown Ale
