From time to time, I get free beer here at Al Dente HQ. Let’s say I review 15 beers a month, on average. About 11 of them are purchased with my The Wife’s hard-earned cash. About one of them comes from a friend that drops by with a “Hey, you have to try this” offer of a bottle or can. The remainder come via UPS or FedEx from the brewery, courtesy of their marketing staff and/or PR agency.

I prefer to do this deal out of pocket for a couple of reasons: 1) I actually make a little money here, so the idea of writing off my beer purchases against that revenue entertains me. 2) I don’t like anyone thinking that the enticement of free beer will equal a good review. Regarding the latter, I don’t think that any brewery believes that their shipment buys them a favorable review, but I do think they look at a blogger and say, “He’s crapped on our product. Let’s send him more stuff.”

This is why I only do the free thing when the brewery offers (and they do) or if I cannot obtain a particular label or brewery in my area. I’ll be tackling a couple of the latter in coming days. The former is where I am today. Shmaltz Brewing Company‘s firm reached out with an offer I never refuse (free beer) and I obliged.

The Bock Bock is a limited release barrel-aged beer made carrying the He’Brew label. Featuring two chickens on the label (Get it? Bock bock? BAWK BAWK?! Never mind. Shmaltz means chicken fat in Yidd…never mind.), this series of beer was limited to 1,269 cases that was aged and bottled on April 24, 2015. By title, it’s an imperial American bock lager that took a long nap in barrels from one of three bourbonmakers: Jim Beam, Heaven Hill or Buffalo Trace.

Bock Bock presents a problem for me. As a reviewer, I think it’s a good beer. I wish it were a little more refined in its bourbon flavor, like Allagash’s Curieux, but it is still a solid beer. Dominant bourbon aroma and upfront flavor that sweetens through the sip. Ends with a hot, bourbon-like burn. It’s a fine beer.

As a drinker, I didn’t enjoy it at all. Part of my problem is that I don’t like bourbon (I’m a Jack Daniels guy first, scotch guy secondish). And, the beer consumer in me simply did not enjoy the experience of this beer. The bourbon was harsh, it did not take the edge off my day and lacked something (I’m not sure what). Maybe I would be all over this if it were an ale, but I didn’t really enjoy it as a malty bock.

Do I rate the beer based on my personal preference and if I would actually pay for the beer again or on the body of work in the bottle? It’s not what I would call a ringing endorsement when I say, “This beer is great but I would never buy it.”

I know, it’s a tough life I lead.

NOTE: This beer was provided free of charge by Shmaltz Brewing Company as a review sample. No other compensation was received.

Brewer: Shmaltz Brewing Company

Beer: He’Brew Bock Bock

Style: Imperial bock

ABV: 9.2% IBU: n/a

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Price: n/a (provided by brewery) Point of Purchase: n/a

To The Eye: Copper penny in color, with a sudsy foam that hangs out as a thin lacing.

To The Nose: Like sticking your nose in a bottle of Jim Beam.

To The Palate: Carbonation is nonexistent. Beer is full-flavored and bodied. Opens up with a strong bourbon flavor with a caramel undertone. The bourbon flavor is harsh and unrefined until the end, and sweetness does little to mitigate this.

Aftertaste: Like the backend of a glass of bourbon. Some vanilla tones, some woody tones, but definitely the heat of a glass of liquor.

Boozy Factor: Noticeable but not crippling.

On a Scale of 1 to 10, with 10 as highest: 7.5