John Harvards Weizenbock

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 5

On tap at the Monroeville John Havards in Pittsburgh. Looks like ginger ale and is not hazy. Has a rapidly fading head. Lots of spices in the aroma, somewhat overpowering. First taste is pretty bitter, even for a bock, the alky content is not well hidden. This is probably one of the more powerful brews from John Havard. This one is certainly not watered down like many of the other JH brews. Good medium tingly carbonation. Taste is a little over spiced, it covers the wheat complexities and makes this brew a bit single minded. Though this is a weizen, there is not any haze, it must be filtered. The alky finish leaves an uncomfortable medicinal industrial bitterness that is more than I would expect for a wheat bock. Also, the spices in this brew really do overpower the aroma and taste. This brew kind of tastes and smells like the JH dunkel weiss and the belgian summer ale. They must use the same spice combinations.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Poured a cloudy, brown amber color with a medium sized, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of banana, nuts, caramel malts, pine and citrus as well. Taste of caramel malts, nuts, light clove, some banana, with more citrus, and a medium, bitter hop finish as well.