Apparently, beer consumption is finally taking a hit due to our consequential economy. In fact, InBev (anhueser-busch) published a 40% dive in fourth quarter adjusted sales. Yikes…I wonder if they will be hitting up our federal sugar daddy anytime soon? However, craft beer and microbrewery sales (in general) showed 4% growth after rounding out 2008. Overall, off site beer consumption was down nationwide by 9.3%. Do the math…
…it seems that Americans are ditching quantity for a nice quality treat. Kudos to Anhueser for selling their empire before the dive.
With all this in mind, it is cool to see a brewery that straddles the divide and maintains dignity. I am talking about a Genesee. Somehow this little brewery, based out of Rochester, NY slipped past my radar after 125 years of productive existence. Take a look at their site and their line-up. It looks strangely Pabst reminiscent.
But in the grocery store the other day I spied a bright green box (cans) adorned with a goat frolicking in daisies with the words, “Bock Beer” (creative, right?) annotating the liquid content within. It’s not everyday that you see a bock in 12, 12oz cans, especially at a price of $6.99. My curiosity piqued, I slipped a case into my cart.
Here’s is the gist of Genesee’s Bock Beer. It is the best $6.99 12 pack of canned beer I have ever (yes, ever) tasted. It is far from the best beer, the best bock, the best dark beer, etc, but for it’s class, there is no competition. I was expecting a beer that simply used bock to generate interest, but the sweet malty character was true to tradition. The bready finish was not half bad. A bit over carbonated, and a tad lighter than it should have been, but remember…it was $6.99!!! At that price range I believe my only other choices are Milwaukee’s Best Keystone Ice, or some other crud.
I doubt that Genesee strategically planned their Bock Beer for such a time as this in our economy (the beer, including the artwork, was conceived in the 70′s) but they are strategically poised folks low on money and craving more than a second rate beer.
Pick up a case…you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
I’m gonna keep my eye out for this one. Thanks for the heads up.
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Sounds like a good ‘go to’ beer! In a can nevertheless!
See, I would have never thought of trying that, but I would consider it now that you’ve tried it out and gave it a thumbs up!
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Totally agree, best damn beer in a can, period. I’m glad I just picked one of these up because I liked the sound and the look of it. I need to get a few cases of this to put in the basement for later this year, I love it!
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Thanks for stopping by Ben. I too was lured in by the packaging. I might pick some up tonight!
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Glad to see GENESEE BOCK is back…I used to buy it years ago but I think that it has only popped up occasionally in recent years. I’ll be on the lookout for it, and will be most curious to see if it is still made to the same recipe it was when I enjoyed it 35-40 years ago. Actually, back then, Pabst (when they still actually had breweries and still made some beers with character) made a pretty good take on Bock beer (until they changed formula and dumbed it down in the late 1970′s…eventually they just gave up on it).
Now if Genesee would only bring back their 12 HORSE ALE. That was another surprisingly good product from one of the larger regionals.
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Professor,
Thank you for the most informative comment. I am always grateful when someone adds to the discussion!
I do hope that you find some Genesee Bock and stop back to let us know if the recipe is what it used to be.
Thanks Again!
Nate
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Heineken used to be my favorite beer until I decided to drink Genesee again. Their Bock Beer is the best hands down! Compared to this, my Heinekens now taste like water with a kick! I am from Rochester, NY and everyone should try it if they were born in my generation (1980s). If you drank Genny Bock 35-40 years ago, you will not be disappointed.
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I need to try this. I asked Nate to save me a can but he hates me, so he didn’t. Just kidding, of course, but I should try this some time. As far as Heine is concerned, it’s not terrible but I don’t drink it very much anymore. If I’m in a pinch at a restaurant I’ll settle on it.
Thanks for the visit David. I hope you enjoyed this and some other content on our site. Please come back.
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I used to love Heineken until I tried Genesee Bock Beer. I’ve had four Genny Bocks already and another 12 pack is now cooling off in my fridge. It saddens me that this is a seasonal beer. Those dolts at Genesee/High Falls Brewery have a winner here and they are letting it slip through their fingers like they did in the 80s. What is wrong with these people? I was happy to find actual reviews regarding this particular beer. It seems to be a hit in Pennsylvania! I’ll definitely be back here and thank you!
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I know what you mean about the seasonal beer thing David. However, I can tell right now that this in of itself can be a marketing strategy. I know a very reputable company (Bells) that only releases their seasonal Oberon Wheat for a short period of time. They probably believe (whether erroneously or not) that they can’t get the type of sells that they want year around. By doing this they build anticipation and people by more than they normally might, simply because it’s “special” for this time of year. Maybe Genesee Brewery could sell this year around but I bet you look forward to when it comes out. Who knows what is going on in their head. Maybe they are messing up.
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Oh! And I’m really glad that you’ll be back! Cheers.
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Actually, this year was the first time I had ever heard of Genesee Bock Beer and I am a collector of breweriana. Someone online said that it was very popular in the 1970s. This type of cult following could come back around today. To be completely honest, those retro looking cans are what first lured me in. Now, what’s inside of them is just as appealing!
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It is good to be back, lol.
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Thought you all might be interested in this bright news regarding genesee:
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2009/06/01/daily202.html
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[...] of beer. So, I decided to try a few more beers in the can. Nate has already done a review of Genesee Bock, so he is a little ahead of me in this respect (and there’s Nate at his cheesiest). But I [...]
they only sell this in Rochester, New York!
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Hi Lou,
That’s a bummer…they must have changed distribution. I bought it last year in Toledo, Ohio.
thanks for stopping by our site!
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Lou, do mean that’s the only place they sell it in NY? If you mean they sell it exclusively in Rochester and nowhere else, then I’m afraid you’re wrong. That is unless they changed distribution, like Nate said.
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I just grabbed a 12 pack is for the superbowl. I live in the Cleveland area. Marks had it on sale for 6.99 Cheers
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sorry not Mark Giant Eagle
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Thanks, Bill. I’m glad you helped us clarify this. Hope to see you again.
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I picked up a twelve pack last night.
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Lou is ABSOLUTELY Wrong….You can purchase this anywhere that Genesee is distributed…throughout the Northeast, i.e. NY, PA, OH…etc.
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Ahhh…Bock Beer season and the old thread comes alive!
I haven’t spotted Genesee Bock in these parts yet (NJ) but I did stumble on another treasure…Yeungling Bock. Apparently this is the first time in many MANY years that it has been sold in bottles. I picked up a sixpack and it is quite good (as an American style bock in the manner of Genesee and the ones offered years ago by Pabst, Schlitz, Miller, Ballantine, Schaefer, and just about every other American brewer of years gone back.
A nice beer, in nicely presented retro designed packaging. Check it out if Yeungling is sold where you live!!
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I’ve never seen nor been able to get Yeungling anywhere I’ve lived. I’m trying to talk Nate into saving me a can of this one just to see what’s up with it. I love Bock season.
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Thanks, Brian. I wish he would have said more. It seemed like he was almost implying that Nate was falsifying the post or something. We’ve certainly confirmed that it’s still being sold a lot of places.
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being from rochester ilove the genny.
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I tried this last night. A rep was taste testing it at the local Avon, CT Liquor Depot. I was splendidly surprised at what I tasted. The price was clearly marked before I tasted, so I gave it one of those ‘I’ll try anything once’ tries. Really good! I bought a twelve pack and am going to enlighten some friends tonight. Cheers!
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beer_scientist Reply:
March 6th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Good stuff. We love this kind of feedback. Thanks for the comment and for taking the time to read our blog.
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I just picked up a few cases all the way up in Michigan’s upper peninsula (Marquette). Excellent beer for the price, definitely worth grabbing a few more cases for basement aging. So nice to get a decent case of beer for less than a sixer of Schlitz (also a favorite). Cheers!
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Checked out the reviews to see if it was worth buying,because a local discount store is selling a 30pack for $12.88 in Asheville, NC. I am on my way to pick up one. Thanks for you input dude.
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beer_scientist Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 9:41 am
We’re glad to be able to help.
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Fan of the Cream Ale…Have never seen the bock down in Florida any way someone can send me a few cans? Will pay pal.
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beer_scientist Reply:
February 2nd, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Steve,
I believe Nate purchased this in Ohio. I’ve not seen it around here. However, there are plenty places online that sell it. Here is one http://www.halftimebeverage.com/browse.cfm/genesee-cream-ale-4-6pk/4,2182.html
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beer_scientist Reply:
February 2nd, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Oops! Looks like that store only had the cream ale
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