Almost the End of May-Bock

As we prepare to say goodbye to the end of May and the end of spring, there is one more thing we must prepare to say farewell to, and that is the seasonal beer, maibock.

Almost, but not quite yet.

Earlier this month (actually, it was at the end of April), I went to Ottawa's Kichesippi Beer Company to try their seasonal beer, Maibock, which was brewed in limited quantities and is only available at select pubs and restaurants in Ottawa for the month of May. If you haven't tried that one, I'd find out who still offers it and get yourself some.

I've since also tried Mill Street's offering, its Helles Bock, which is not a seasonal and is available year-round. But I don't think you can get it at the LCBO (at least, I couldn't find it through the liquor board's Web search).

Another local maibock that is available for a limited time and in limited locations is Ottawa's own Clocktower Brew Pub's Maybock. And when I say limited, I mean limited.

Maybock

Clocktower Brew Pub, Ottawa ON

$5.97, 20 fl oz; 5.5 ABV

The Clocktower Maybock (spelled so that it's easier to pronounce?) displays a crystal-clear, deep amber colour with a beige-white, creamy head. On the nose, I detected an orange-citrus scent; when I breathed in deeply, I imagined hints of lime that tickled deep within my nostrils. The bouquet was clean and refreshing.

This is a light bock, at 5.5 percent alcohol. So, in the mouth, this maibock was light and refreshing. The mild hops cleansed my palate and left a slight nutty finish. This is a great patio-weather bock.

Unfortunately, it's not around for long. And unfortunately again, it's only available at four locations in Ottawa: The Clocktower on Bank (where they brew the stuff), the Byward Market, in New Edinburgh, and in Westboro (where I had mine). And Maybock is only around for a couple more weeks, until Westfest wraps up.

So enjoy it while you can. Time's running out at the Clocktower.