Indian Wells Lobotomy Bock:
Greeting friends and neighbors and welcome back to another great American beer review done by your’s truly.  Today let’s look at a long time favorite of mine: Indian Wells Lobotomy Bock, which is a nice and strong Doppelbock that makes our Texas bocks look…well…meek.  So how does a Left Coast brewery beat us Texans at making a German beer?  Hell if I know, all I know is that it’s more than double the strength of Shiner (10.5% vs. 4.4% ABV) and it’s more at home in the heavy porter/stout side of the isle then anywhere else.  Poured from a bottle, the beer pours a dark brown with a subtle head of tan foam with little lacing to speak of and nose of dark caramel malts and brown sugar.  The beer’s taste is very similar to all the other bocks that have graced us with their presence but add a touch more burnt sugar taste and a heavier mouth feel and you have a Lobotomy…bock.  Lobotomy Bock I mean, ‘cause, you know, it’s not cool to drink a surgical procedure.  Just sayin’.  So here is the hang up on this beer and it’s one that we already talked about when the Abita Amber came down for a review and that problem is freshness; this beer, if fresh in the bottle or on-tap, is awesome but if it even turns slightly, it’s down right terrible so buyer (and drinker) beware.  All that aside, this is awesome in it’s taste and depth of character and should be enjoyed by any and all who love themselves a Shiner Bock.