Glissade Golden Bock appeared in our local grocery store within the last couple of weeks and you know I had to give it a try.  There’s two reasons for that. One, I’m a fan of golden bocks (and other color bocks, for that matter). And two, Sierra Nevada’s consistently good quality.  It is a new beer from Sierra Nevada, released this month.  I saw a press release suggesting it is the first of several new beers to be introduced by Sierra Nevada, though I have no idea what is coming next. Last summer, I took a strong liking to their fresh/wet hop brews.  With those, Sierra did a great job of featuring the flavor and aroma of hops without being overpoweringly bitter.

Glissade Golden Bock on the other hand isn’t about hops. And that’s true to the style for golden/helles bocks. This one pours a see-through light golden color that trends a little towards yellow.  Frankly, it is a beautiful beer. It has a thin white head that disappears fast which is common for a lager. It has a fairly strong malt/grain aroma that leads into an initial taste to match.  There’s a fairly high carbonation level and a nice balance of hops.  The hop bitterness level doesn’t take away from the featured malt, but does keep the malt in check to keep it from becoming too sweet. The finish is grain, which I tend to like in a golden bock. It is easy drinking and quite enjoyable.

Name: Glissade Golden Bock
Brewery: Sierra Nevada, Chico, CA.
Style: Golden Bock.
Color:  Light gold, white head.
Packaging: 12 oz. bottle.
Stats: 6.4% abv, 42 IBU.
Bought: local grocery store.
Ruling: Three out of Five Hops. Nice, smooth, balanced golden bock.