Taking the Beer Cure at Barley & Hops

The “beer cure” is an old German remedy for staving-off the winter blues that tend to set in towards the end of the season. The beer those Germans used to cure themselves was Bock, a rich, malty brew that was traditionally ready for drinking in late April and early May. My late-winter blues haven’t been too bad this year, but I haven’t been taking any chances, either. I’ve been drinking plenty of Bock. And Tuesday night at Barley & Hops I had one that was so good, it caught me off guard.

Lakefront Brewery’s Bock Beer is a traditional Bock that is dead-on style wise. Amber hued with a deep, malty aroma the beer is smooth and rich and just slightly sweet. Still, it finishes clean and isn’t the least bit cloying. It’s a full, satisfying beer that’s incredibly easy to drink. I’ve had this Bock from the bottle before and it hadn’t made much of an impression on me. Wednesday was the first time I'd tried it on draught and the beer came across much better. Maybe it was the right beer at the right time.  Or perhaps this is an exceptional batch. I know I’ll be back for more. After all, going the German route and taking the “beer cure” seems like an absolutely reasonable prescription; especially on a day like this in Oshkosh when winter seems unwilling to go into remission.