Home > RateBeer Archives > Styles & Seasonals

Beer Styles - Bocks

Styles & Seasonals June 10, 2005      
Written by Oakes


Richmond, CANADA -

Bock - The romantic story goes that Bock beers originally hailed from the town of Einbeck, but were popularized in Munich when the beer was brought down by Einbeckers attending a royal wedding. The unromantic story goes that bock was the beer made from the dregs at the bottom of the barrel that were cleaned out during spring cleaning. Neither are correct.



Einbeck beer was widely exported during the Middle Ages, though the term “bock” had yet to be coined. The beer was popular in Munich, but Munchner attempts to recreate the style were stymied by a whole host of factors. What the ultimately came up with, however, was the ancestor to the beer we know today as bock – a strong, dark, sweet lager. The word bock was the result of shortening and corrupting the name Einbeck. It also means goat, hence all the goats on the labels of bock beers.



The basic form of bock ranges between 6-7.5% abv, is dark brown, and very malty. Bocks have long finishes, some showing a little bit of earthiness or dryness from the hops, but that is all the hop character you’ll get from a traditional bock. Lagering times are some of the longest in beer – 3 months is not uncommon.



Another form of bock is pale bock, in German helles bock. These are frequently made for late spring, and are often called maibock. They are the same strength as dark bocks, but use pale malts in place of dark ones. So the character is still sweet, with minimal hops, but the depth of earthiness or chocolateyness will not be present – simply a cleaner, bready note akin to that of a helles, only much larger.



Most popular examples: Rogue Dead Guy (USA), Aass Bock (Norway), Einbecker Mai-ur-Bock (Germany), New Glarus Uff-da Bock (USA), Marh’s Brau Christmas Bock (Germany)



Some of my favourites: Sierra Nevada Pale Bock (USA), Stoudt’s Anniversary (USA), Amber Kozlak (Poland), Ayinger Weihnachts-Bock (Germany), Hofbrau München Maibock (Germany)



Colour: 2.5 – 4.5 (1 – 2.5 for Maibock)

Flavour: 3.25 – 4.25

Sweetness: 3.5 – 4.75



Doppelbock – Unlike standard bock, doppelbock has a definite origin. Paulaner monks in Munich had been brewing an extra-strong bock beer to sustain themselves during Lent, and in 1780 they put in on sale for the public. Thus, Paulaner Salvator was born, and has become the most famous doppelbock the world over. The –ator name has been taken up by many doppelbock brewers as a tribute to the original.



Doppelbocks are extra strong bocks. They are almost always dark, but there are a few pale ones out there. They start at 7.5% and can go up to about 10%, though more than 8.5% is unusual. These tend to carry a range of dark malt flavours. Sweetness can be excessive in some, but a well-made doppelbock will be produced with some form of decoction mash and have a hop rate up in the 30’s or 40’s in order to keep the sugars in check.



Most popular examples: Paulaner Salvator (Germany), Spaten Optimator (Germany), Ayinger Celebrator (Germany), Samiclaus (Austria), Weltenberg Asam-Bock (Germany)



Some of my favourites: Andescher Doppelbock Dunkel (Germany), Ayinger Celebrator (Germany), Ettaler Curator (Germany), Eggenberg Urbock 23 (Austria), Weltenberg Asam-Bock (Germany)



Colour: 3.5 – 4.5

Flavour: 3.5 – 5

Sweetness: 3.5 – 5



Eisbock – The strongest in the bock family, eisbocks are a very rare style. They are produced by partially freezing either a bock or doppelbock. The ice is then removed, which has the result of concentrating the remaining beer. This procedure really knocks out whatever hop character there may have been, increases the alcohol and changes the character of the malt as well. Eisbocks are high-end products, and are often lagered for many months prior to release.



The alcohol ranges from 8% at the light end to well over 12% - one is listed at 18%. Sweetness is high, but the best will not be cloying, but soothing, like an ice wine (totally different production process, by the way). The character will be rich, carbonation typically quite low, and hop character non-existent. Alcohol flavour will show in beers this strong. Eisbocks are the consummate dessert beer.



Occasional, limited run specialties like Aventinus Weizen Eisbock or Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock have proven popular with serious beer lovers.



Most popular examples: EKU 28 (Germany), Kulmbacher Eisbock (Germany), Niagara Falls Eisbock (Canada), New Glarus Unplugged Eisbock (USA), Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock (Austria)



Some of my favourites: Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock (Austria), Southampton Double Ice Bock (USA), Kulmbacher Eisbock (Germany), Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock (USA)



Colour: 3.5 – 4.5

Flavour: 3.5 – 5

Sweetness: 4 – 5



Weizenbock



Weizenbock is, not surprisingly, a combination of weizen and bock. A wheat beer is brewed, typically with the inclusion of dark malts, to a higher strength. It is fermented like any other German-style wheat, with the appropriate top-fermenting yeast. (There are examples, of course, that are pale, or fermented with a clean yeast).



The resulting beer is strong (6.5-8%), dark and opaque with the fluffy head and high carbonation typical of a wheat beer. The flavour mixes strong dark malt notes, deep fruitiness and spiciness from the yeast, alcohol. The overall character is sweet, as the beer is only lightly hopped as is typical with wheat beers. Weizenbock is the most intense member of the wheat beer family (excluding lambics).



Most popular examples: Schneider Aventinus (Germany), Samuel Adams Winter Lager (USA), Victory Moonglow Weizenbock (USA), Erdinger Pinkatus (Germany), Mahr’s Brau Weisse Bock (Germany)



Some of my favourites: Schneider Aventinus (Germany), Victory Moonglow Weizenbock (USA), Mahr’s Brau Weisse Bock (Germany), Ramstein Winter Wheat (USA)



Colour: 2.5 – 4.5

Flavour: 3 – 4.25

Sweetness: 3 – 4.25

Comments

No comments added yet

You must be logged in to post comments

Anyone can submit an article to RateBeer. Send your edited, HTML formatted article to our Editor-In-Chief.