Devils Backbone Brewmaster Jason Oliver Talks Maibock

We spoke with Devils Backbone Brewing Co. brewmaster Jason Oliver about Maibock.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
I came up with the Maibock recipe in 2008, our first year. I spent half of my career before Devils Backbone in German-focused breweries so I love Germanic beer. Maibock is one of my favorite beer styles to brew and drink.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?  
I love the tradition of this beer as well as its approachability and lager drinkability. There is a certain flavor that lagers get as you go higher in gravity (and alcohol), which I love. It brings a complexity, but, once again, with this great lager finish. It certainly drinks like a lower-ABV beer.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
The name of Maibock is also the style. “Mai” refers to the month of May and is a traditional German spring beer. Maibock can be placed into a larger category called Hellesbock, but not all Hellesbocks are Maibocks. We had an award-winning Hellesbock called Turbo Cougar which was paler and hoppier than what I like in a Maibock. I like our Maibock to be honey-hued and on the darker edge of burnished gold, with a slightly malty mouthfeel and mild bitterness. I like the fact you can have several interpretations within Helles/Maibock.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?” 
Maibock could be one of my desert island beers. It checks off the boxes of being both savorable and easily drinkable.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Replete with fulfilling bready and honey elements.

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
My favorite Maibock story is from the first year we brewed it at DB (& the first spring DB was open). I was hiking over Three Ridges Mountain, which overlooks Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows on the Appalachian Trail with DB’s founders Steve & Heidi Crandall. It was a heck of a workout with thousands of feet of vertical gain. It was a 9-11 mile hike with 2/3 of it being uphill, and I had really stiff boots on. We finished the hike in the afternoon and went straight to DB Basecamp where Maibock was freshly on tap. We were sitting outside on the patio drinking Maibock on a beautiful bright spring day. My feet no longer hurt, I was exhausted from the hike, yet fortified from the Maibock and in a perfect state of mellowness. There was a sense of satisfaction and perfection with time and place. All was right with the world. 

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?  
Roasted or grilled chicken would be perfect as would a nice cheddar cheese with crackers. No need to be fancy with this hearty brew.

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