| Wednesday, January 23, 2008 |
| International Variants |
Austria
In Austria, Bockbier is traditionally brewed only around Christmas and Easter, when nearly every brewery brews its own bock.
ItalyThe Italian Birra Moretti Doppio Malto (also known as Moretti La Rossa) is very similar to the Bock style, and some consider it intermediate between a light Maibock and a dark bock.
North AmericanAmerican 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.
Shiner Bock is the flagship beer of Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. They hold an annual Bocktoberfest in Shiner Texas to celebrate the German history of Bock beers.
The city of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA has hosted a Bockfest celebration since 1993 celebrating its German-style brewing history and the coming of Spring.
Norway
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.
Dutch
A variation of bock called 'bokbier' is also brewed extensively in the Netherlands and occasionally in Belgium. Most larger Dutch breweries, such as Heineken International, Grolsch, Amstel, Brand and Dommelsch, market at least one variety. Most bokbier tned to be seasonal beers (traditionally autumn, although there are currently also spring, summer and winter boks). They are among the only few specialty beers that existed besides lager for a long time. Microbreweries may prefer to seasonally brew a bokbier, such as the eco-beer biobok, made in autumn by Brouwerij '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 . Belgium-based InBev produces Artois Bock, which is exported internationally and can be found in areas where bock is not traditionally available. |
posted by Wine Addict @ 6:37 AM   |
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| Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock. |
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| posted by Wine Addict @ 6:36 AM |
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| 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. Commercial examples include Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel, Lakefront Bock,Aass Bock, Great Lakes Rockefeller Bock, Huber Bock and Berghoff Bock.
Maibock, or Helles bock
The maibock style is a pale version of a traditional bock. 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 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. 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.
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 strong 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, Troeg's Troegenator, Augustiner Maximator, Weihenstephan Korbinian, Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock, EKU 28°, Eggenberg Urbock 23, Samichlaus, Bell's Consecrator, Abita Andygator, and Birra 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".
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 Schneider Aventintinus Eisbock,Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock, Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock, Niagara Eisbock, Capital Eisphyre and Southampton Eisbock. |
| posted by Wine Addict @ 6:36 AM |
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| Bock |
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, but also means goat (buck) in German. 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 consumed by Roman Catholic monks in Germany. During the Spring religious season of Lent, monks were required to fast. High-gravity Bock beers are higher in food energy and nutrients than lighter lagers, thus providing sustenance during this period . Similar high-gravity Lenten beers of various styles were brewed by Monks in other lands as well (see Trappist beer). It was rumored that Martin Luther drank this beer during the Diet of Worms[2].
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. It was not uncommon to use a some of the "dregs" containing active yeasts to start the next batch fermenting in traditional brewing as well.
Many commercial breweries include images of goats on bottle labels, as "bock" means billy-goat in German. It may tangentially refer to the increased "kick" of the style, as well. |
| posted by Wine Addict @ 6:36 AM |
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| Paulaner Salvator, a doppelbock |
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| posted by Wine Addict @ 6:35 AM |
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| Bock |
| Welcome to Bock |
| posted by Wine Addict @ 6:35 AM |
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