Today I am drinking a bottle of Saranac Roggen Bock. This is a new beer for 2004, a German styled rye bock brew. Roggen is German for rye, hence the name. As mentioned previously, Roggen Bock is one of twelve beers in the collection. Along with those already mentioned you will get one bottle each of:

Saranac Pale Ale

Saranac Black and Tan

Saranac Black Forest

Saranac India Pale Ale

Saranac Adirondack Amber

Saranac E.S.B.

Saranac Chocolate Amber

Saranac Seasons Best

Saranac Caramel Porter

Rye beers are rare in Germany; much more so here in the United States. Thus, my interest was piqued when I heard Saranac would be including this beer in this years Twelve Beers sampler. Rye adds a distinctive spiciness to beer, and that should not surprise. Rye bread, after all, is much more flavorful than wheat bread. Why should beer be any different?

Saranac claims to use German malt and hops exclusively here, along with 20% rye malt. Every year, I admonish budding beer lovers to pick up this sampler. It is a great way to try twelve different beers and expand your beer horizons considerably, all for a very reasonable $11. Getting a rare interpretation of a rye bock is icing on the cake.

Saranac Roggen Bock pours to a deep rusty chestnut color with a thick creamy head formation and a spicy rye nose. The rye aromas are like a slice of chewy fresh rye bread, without the caraway seeds, of course. Once you sip, the beer is medium bodied and imbued with a delicate spicy rye character. Not overpowering, mind you, but enough to let you know its there.

The malt character is slight nutty and a little chocolaty, too. I am getting some Munich malt flavor here, too, though it is subtle. In the finish, a dash of hops balances nicely, and the chocolate and rye notes intensify.

Overall, this is a nice beer. It will not knock your socks off, and its not over the top (but then few Saranac beers are). It is, however, a good, solid brew and a great value, just like most Saranac products. It another reason to pick up this years sampler. And maybe, just maybe, they will release this one in six-packs.