Its arrival was announced when Dolores said one evening: "I got you some Amstel Bock."
She knows I like it so snapped it up when she saw it on special offer.
Having picked it out as a good 'un a couple of times in blind tastings, I'm confident of its quality. And 52 euro cents for 0.3 l of 7% beer. That's effing cheap, too.
Why support a multinational? Good question. Back when I lived in Britain in the 1970's and 1980's, I had no problem drinking beers from the Big Six. If they were good. To encourage them to still make them. If I'd boycotted the big brewers I'd have deprived myself of some wonderful beers. There's a Mild from Leeds that comes to mind. What was the name of that brewery? What sane person would have deprived themselves of a well-kept pint of Draught Bass?
I keep drinking it because I like it and want them to keep brewing it.
But it pisses me off, too. Amstel Bock is proof that Heineken can brew a pretty good beer for a great price. When they can be arsed. Why don't they do it more often?
I've a suggestion: bring back their Münchener. Properly done, a tasty beer for sure. I've got the recipe, in case they've lost it.
Ron, the one and only time I was in Holland was to attend a function at which a writer (the late Alan Davidson) was awarded the Erasmus Prize by the Dutch Royal Family. It was about this time of year, and I took the opportunity to bring home a bunch of boks. I found them all quite different, some were very sweet, some dry, some top-fermented, some not, and the colours varied too although none was blond IIRC.
ReplyDeleteIs this is a fairly loose style in your view? This was 10 years ago so things may have changed since then.
By the way Heineken makes a dark lager, but perhaps you are thinking of a different dark beer?
Gary
Have you posted the Münchener recipe? A quick search didn't find it. I'd be interested in it. Inspired by my trip to Bavaria earlier this month, I've just brewed a 100% dark Munich malt Dunkel, which is my usual recipe.
ReplyDeleteAhh, bokbier season. I was fortunate enough to be in Amsterdam last October, and enjoyed several Dutch bockbiers on tap at the Arendsnest.
ReplyDeleteGary is right, they were all fairly different, but they had the common feature of being dark and not very hoppy. The Jopen bokbier was really good.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteno, never published that one. Nor any of the other Heineken recipes I have. Or the Amstel ones. I've only ever published a tiny percentage of what I have.