(Bottle 50 cl) Courtesy of MoritzF. Clear, pale golden with a small, white head. Clean and malty nose. Medium body with clean, malty and grassy notes - and an edge of cardboard. Fairly hoppy finish. 190707

Bottle, 4.8%. Weak chalky aroma. Pale golden colour, stable white head. The flavour is nicely citric and slightly fruity with a little hay and malt. Dries out a little towards the end giving room for a little bitterness.

Bottle. Golden, low carbonation, thin froth. Fruity, somewhat wooden malt nose, minerallic hops. Fat malt, yet thin on the palate, light sparkly mouthfeel. Dry herbal and sodalike finish, metallic retronasal.

(draught at the brewpub) No Bock this winter by Borbecker Dampfbierbrauerei. Clear, dark brown colour with a beautiful and moderately persistent foamy off-white head. Quite shy and slightly sweet roast-malty aroma with light notes of caramel and herbal hops. Moderately bitter flavour, roasted malt, caramel on a herbal background.; dry and medium-bitter finish. Unspectacular but balanced Schwarzbier, which reminds me of the Fastenbier from Essen-Borbeck (12.12.06).

(from the tap at the brewpub) Clear and dark amber colour with a medium-sized, slightly off-white foam, slowly lacing. Aroma of toasted malt with liquorice and a dense herbal hoppy background. Sweet flavour, toast-malty taste with a touch of caramel; medium to full body, smooth carbonation; quite sweet but aromatic malty finish with a late arriving bitterness and a light hoppy blend; liquorice in the aftertaste. Quite dark for a classic Maibock, but nonetheless a tasty and warming brew. Well-done (16.05.06).

On tap (@the brewpub): Clear amber coloured, mid-sized off-white head; sweet malt in the nose, distinctive traces of caramel and toasted malt and some bitterness; first sweetish-bitter flavour, switching over to a drier maltiness; quite medium bodied; sweet bitter finish with a big touch of toasted malt, again. A pleasant, well rounded, moreish Bock. So far the best brew from Borbeck........

(on tap at the brewpub) Dark almost black coloured with a mid-sized foamy and stable grey head. Shy but distinctive roastmalty aroma. Bitter and roasted flavour, light to medium body, well carbonated mouthfeel. Dryish, light sweet roastmalty taste with caramel and hints of dried fruits in the background; dry malty and roasty bitter finish with notes of liquorice and chocolate in the lasting aftertaste. One of the few goodies from that brewery.

Draught (at the brewery): Very dark with red tints, medium-sized lacing off-white head; dark malty nose with a tinge of molasses and toasted malt; dry, mild and bitter flavour, light bodied; soft malty finish with a chocolatey bitterness. Well done, quite pleasant Bier

(tap at the brewpub in Essen-Borbeck) Clear and dark amber colour with a reddish shine and a short foamy off-white head. Sweet and toasty malts aroma with dried fruits (plums, raisins) and caramel; medium to full bodied, sweet malty caramelly taste with a tinge of dried fruits. Mainly sweet malty and slightly herbal hoppy finish with a moderately bitter aftertaste. Not bad - the best one of the Borbecker Brauhaus collection I had so far (16.01.06).