Welcome to Beer Tastings, a weekly series in which Utah Beer News highlights a particularly tasty local brew. This week, we grab a bottle of Niner Bock from Roosters Brewing Co. in Ogden. What are you drinking? Let us know!
Beer Tastings: Niner Bock
Rich and malty, the Niner Bock by Roosters Brewing is a perfect sipper for the week before Christmas.
The doppelbock, a German-style lager, clocks in at 9% alcohol-by-volume and features aromas of caramel and honey-slathered toast. Flavors of sweet caramel and some dried fruit give your lips a nice layer of stickiness.
Not much hops character is present (outside the nose), and I picked up a twinge of warm booziness toward the end of a mouth swirl.
It sweetens as it warms, but never gets to the candy-like stage. The smooth, medium-bodied Niner Bock is worth exploring if you’re in the mood for a dessert-like brew.
- Brewery: Roosters Brewing Co.
- ABV: 9%
- Serving Style: Bottle (500 mL)
- Date Tasted: December 17, 2018
- Purchase Location: Utah State Liquor Store (Cottonwood Heights)
Roosters Brewing Co.: Expansion in Ogden
Roosters Brewing Co. sold its first brews in 1995 — the year I graduated high school. If you’re keeping score, that makes it one of Utah’s oldest modern-day breweries.
I don’t make it to the original Ogden location often (on 25th Street, opened by Kym and Pete Buttschardt), but I do pop into the Layton pub (opened 2005) from time to time.
It’s been a big year for Roosters. Not only is it gearing up for its 25th anniversary that will be here before we know it, but it also rebranded with a new logo, new can designs, etc.
Most recently, Roosters opened its B Street Brewery, a big production brewery on B Avenue in Ogden. It also features a 21+ bar with a limited food menu.
Its new 13,000-square-foot facility and canning line increases Roosters’ brewing capacity tenfold, according to the Utah Beer Blog.
Niner Bock — Roosters Brewing Co.
Product Name: Beer
Product Description: From Roosters: Bock is German for goat, a symbol of strength. Our Niner Bock is a Dopplebock, which, as the name implies, is a bock of twice the strength — twice the goat! This beer is big and smooth! A hoppy nose gives way to subtle toffee and caramel malt characteristics and weighs in at — you guessed it — 9% ABV.
- Aroma
- Appearance
- Flavor
- Mouthfeel
Overall Impression
Aromas of caramel and honey-slathered toast lead into a sweet, caramel/fig malt flavor. Not much hops character and a slight twinge of alcohol heat on the finish. Rich, malty, and smooth.
- Aroma: Caramel and honey toast
- Appearance: Brownish garnet (mahogany?) Puffy off-white head
- Flavor: Sweet caramel and dried fruits
- Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth
But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Notes: The tasting notes format is adapted from a Homebrew Academy Beer Tasting Mastery course I took in 2017. Utah Beer News is not compensated in any way for beers mentioned in the Tastings series.
