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'Bock' is a strong lager which has origins in the Hanseatic town Einbeck, Germany. The name is a corruption of the medieval German brewing town of Einbeck. The original Bocks were dark beers, brewed from high-coloured malts. Modern Bocks can be dark, amber or pale in colour. Bock was traditionally brewed for special occasions, often religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter or Lent.
Bocks have a long history of being brewed and drunk by Roman Catholic monks in Germany. During the Spring religious season of Lent, monks were required to fast. Bock beers are higher in food energy and nutrients than other beers, thus providing sustenance during the holiday. It was rumored that Martin Luther drank this beer during the Diet of Worms.
In the twentieth century, bock beers gained an undeserved reputation (primarily in the United States) for being brewed from the dregs of previous brewings. This is impossible, as the "dregs" were not clearly defined and the leftovers from the brewing process are not fermentable. The rumour may have started because some brewers used inferior ingredients or a large quantity of adjuncts in their bocks.

Contents

Variants

Traditional bock

Maibock, or Helles bock

Doppelbock

Eisbock

International Variations

Notes

External links

Variants

Traditional bock

Bock beer originated in the Northern German city of Einbeck in the 14th to 17th century, and was recreated in Munich in the 17th century. Alcohol content ranges from 6.3% to 7.2% by volume. It has a complex malty flavor dominated by the richness of Munich and Vienna malts, which contribute toasty flavors. It has a low hop bitterness, usually enough to not overwhelm the malt flavors, allowing a slight sweetness to linger into the finish. It is light copper to brown in color with reddish highlights, with good clarity despite the dark color. It has a large, creamy, persistent off-white head, and moderate to moderately low carbonation.^[1] Commercial examples include Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel, Aass Bock, and Great Lakes Rockefeller Bock.

Maibock, or Helles bock

The maibock style can be thought of as a pale version of a traditional bock, or a Munich helles that has been brewed to bock strength. It is a fairly recent development compared to other styles of bock beers, frequently associated with springtime and the month of May. Alcohol content ranges from 6.3% to 7.4% by volume. The flavor is typically less dark and malty than a traditional bock, and may be drier, hoppier, and more bitter, but still with a relatively low hop flavor, with a mild spicy or peppery quality from the hops or alcohol content. It is a clear lager, deep gold to light amber in color, with a large, creamy, persistent white head, and moderate to moderately high carbonation. There is some dispute as to whether the Helles ("pale") bock and the Mai ("May") bocks are the same style, but they are generally agreed to be the same. Some authorities feel that that Maibock is a "fest" type beer that reaches the limits of hopping and color for the style. Commercial examples include Ayinger Maibock, Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock, Einbecker Mai-Urbock, Augustiner Hellerbock, Hofbräu Maibock, Capital Maibock, Victory St. Boisterous, Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock, and Abita Mardi Gras Bock. The word "bock" in German also means "billy-goat", and many commercial breweries include images of goats on bottle labels.

Doppelbock

Doppelbock is a Bavarian specialty beer that was first brewed by the monks of St. Francis of Paula. Alcohol content ranges from 6% to over 10% by volume. Historic versions had lower alcohol content and higher sweetness, and was considered "liquid bread" by the monks. Most versions are dark colored, but pale versions do exist. The color ranges from deep gold to dark brown in color, with a large, creamy, persistent head ranging from white for pale versions to off-white for darker versions, although doppelbocks with higher alcohol content may not display good head retention. It has a very stong malty aroma, with some toasty aromas. Some alcohol aroma may be present, and darker versions may have a chocolate-like or fruity aroma. The flavor is very rich and malty, with toasty flavors and noticeable alcoholic strength. Most versions are fairly sweet, due to little or no hop flavor. Paler versions may have a drier finish. Commercial examples include Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Spaten Optimator, Tucher Bajuvator, Augustiner Maximator, Weihenstephan Korbinian, Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock, EKU 28°, Eggenberg Urbock 23, Samichlaus, Bell's Consecrator, Abita Andygator, and Moretti La Rossa. The Minim monks who originally brewed Doppelbock named their beer "Salvator", which today is trademarked by Paulaner. In homage to the original, it is traditional for breweries to give their Doppelbocks names that end in "-ator". [1]

Eisbock

Eisbock is a traditional Kulmbach specialty beer that is made by freeze distilling a doppelbock and removing the ice to concentrate the flavor and alcohol content. Alcohol content ranges from 9% to over 14% by volume. It is deep copper to dark brown in color, often with ruby highlights. Head retention is frequently impaired by the higher alcohol content. It has a rich, sweet malty flavor, balanced by a significant alcohol presence. It has a clean, lager character with no hop flavor. Commercial examples include Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock, Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock, Niagara Eisbock, Capital Eisphyre and Southampton Eisbock.

International Variations

In Austria, Bockbier is traditionally brewed only around Christmas and Easter, when nearly every brewery brews its own bock.
The Italian Moretti Doppio Malto (also known as Moretti Rosso) is very similar to the Bock style, and some consider it intermediate between a light Maibock and a dark bock.
American brewing authority Charlie Papazian claims to have once done a beer tasting where a malt liquor was slipped into a tasting of Maibocks and placed rather highly, indicating possible affinities between the two styles. Samuel Adams Triple Bock, brewed since the mid-1990s, is not a true bock, since it uses an ale yeast and contains a fair amount of maple syrup. The city of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA has hosted a Bockfest celebration since 1993 celebrating its German-style brewing history and the coming of Spring.
Bocks are also brewed in Norway, where they are known as "bokkøl" (bockbeers) and available during the whole year. Notable examples of bock brands are Aass, Borg, Frydenlund and Mack.
A variation of bock called 'bokbier' is also brewed extensively in the Netherlands and occasionally in Belgium. Most larger Dutch breweries, such as Heineken, Grolsch, Amstel, Brand and Dommelsch, market at least one variety.. Microbreweries may prefer to seasonally brew a bokbier, such as the eco-beer biobok, made in autumn by Bierbrouwerij 't IJ in Amsterdam. The city of Amsterdam also hosts a well known festival in honour of bokbier in its former stock exchange organised by P.I.N.T ^[2]. Belgium-based InBev produces Artois Bock^[3], which is exported internationally and can be found in areas where bock is not traditionally available.

Notes

1. Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidelines for Beer, Mead, and Cider, , , , , 2005
2. ''Euopean Beer Guide'' on the Bokbierfest
3. ''Real Beer' on Artois Bock

External links

★ GermanBeerGuide