Every culture has its own brewing tradition, each morphing beer to fit its own tastes and desires, fitting it seamlessly into its cultural life. That is why we see such a diversity in beer. Each tradition concocts its own approach to beer, changing ingredients, crafting its own methods and processes to make something that, at least historically, was not available anywhere else. It may be that beer and music are the most direct expressions of a culture’s identity (anthropologists may disagree). The advance of the modern world has blurred cultural lines, and has certainly made every beer tradition available to any brewer. But just because a beer can be made anywhere, it doesn’t mean its historical and cultural roots are lost. Take for example a style rarely known in these parts: Maibock.

Maibock is a traditional German lager designed to celebrate the arrival of spring. Its construction honours renewed life, hope for a new year and the rebirth of fertility and virility (and we know what that leads to…). It is smooth, rich and deceptively potent, as it should be.

All of this is a rambling set up to mention that Paddock Wood’s latest seasonal is a Maibock. I received an advance bottle recently (through my favourite way to get beer – refer to a previous post) and have had a chance to give it a try.

Paddock Wood’s version is darker than other Maibocks I have tried, producing a reddish-copper beer with a fine, off-white head. Its aroma is classic for the style bread, toffee and biscuit sweetness. The flavour duplicates the bread and toffee, but accents it with a sharper note that may come from the hops. This is not a bitter beer, but I think the hops to balance the beer in a unique fashion. The beer’s complexity grows as you sip it. My response at the first sip was that it could be more malty in the finish, but as I continued through the glass, I found myself appreciating the layers of malt character in the beer. It is a multi-dimensional beer. Plus, it completely lives up to the billing of dangerous. I hardly noticed the 7% alcohol content.

We don’t see a lot of Maibocks in this part of the world. It may not be a classic version like you might find in Germany, but it is without question a satisfying and a good effort at a challenging style to brew. It is not easy to draw out a big malt flavour and alcohol without too much colour or alcohol heat. I will have no trouble using this beer to help ring in the return of spring.

It will be available in the next week or two. In Saskatchewan your best bet is to call the brewery directly to find out where to get it. In Alberta head to better beer stores. I am afraid Manitoba residents might be out of luck, unless you have a relative in Saskatoon.