No matter your religious beliefs or feelings, we can all agree that certain valued traditions have emerged from organized religion. Traditions that we all love and continue to take part in. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day are all holidays rooted in religion, but enjoyed by many regardless of their beliefs. Mardi Gras, as another example, celebrates “Fat Tuesday,” the day before Ash Wednesday, in which Catholics mark the official start of Lent. During Lent, Catholics traditionally fast for “forty days and forty nights” prior to Easter. It’s a Catholic tradition to celebrate one day of decadence before 40 days of sacrifice, but who doesn’t like to celebrate decadence?

The German monks would fast all through Lent in spiritual preparation of Easter. It was a long, cold forty days and forty nights. The monks have a secret, though. Around this time each year they would craft their batches of a special type of beer with a high grain content to help sustain them through the lean times ahead. That beer was the German Bock, which they also refer to as “liquid bread.” Because they brewed this beer at the same time each year, it became a traditional spring beer, and many communities in Germany and the United States mark the coming of spring with a Bock festival. 

The Alcoholmanac is celebrating its own Bockfest to welcome the coming spring with a two-part series on bock beers. This first installment focuses on traditional bocks — those bocks the monks drank through lent. Next issue we’ll talk about a lighter, more spring-like bock, the maibock, or May-bock.

Bock beer gets its name from its place of origin, a massacred form of “Einbeck”, Germany. The labels on many bock beers feature imagery of goats. This is because bock is also the German word for billy goat. Before it became identified with spring and Lent, it was traditionally brewed to mark special occasions.  It is a full-bodied, smooth, often semi-sweet lager. Its color varies from light copper to dark brown or amber. There is usually very little to no evidence of hops. If there is any at all, it is simply to counterbalance the rich, malty flavor. Also due to the high grain content, there is usually a higher alcohol content associated with it. Doppelbocks, triple bocks and the freeze-distilled Eisbocks have the highest alcohol content, reaching above 14% ABV.

The specific characteristics of a traditional bock are a relatively lower alcohol content compared to other varieties (but still higher than other types of beer) at 6.3%-7.2% ABV.  It should have a large, creamy, persistent off-white head with moderately low carbonation.


They say:
Hearty and full-bodied, this is a “big” bier. Brewed in the Reinheitsgebot tradition, our bock comes by its mahogany hue naturally.


I Say:
They’re being modest. I can honestly say that I look forward to the release of this seasonal brew every year. Great name for a hearty mid-western brew, and if the name isn’t enough to make you smile, they throw “Reinheitsgebot” into the description. Their textured paper label is printed only in red, and features a tapped oak barrel reminding you of this beer’s monastic roots. These guys will win no awards for their label designs or marketing (and with the regional popularity of their Spotted Cow, you’d think they could invest some of that dough into a better labeler.) I suppose they’ll have to rely on the merits of their beer. Not a problem. The light tan head of thick, persistent bubbles, leaves good legs in the glass as it diminishes. The dark brown body, although nearly opaque, is actually quite clear when you hold it up to light. Both mildly hopped and carbonated, this is definitely a high gravity brew. Like mommy always said, chew before swallowing. The aroma is sweet and caramely with notes of chocolate and coffee. It has velvety mouth feel, and a sweet, roasted chocolate or burnt caramel flavor that hides a tinge of alcohol. This darker variety of bock is reminiscent of a stout. Robust and satisfying.



They say:
“Shiner Bock is a distinctive, rich, full-flavored, deep amber-colored beer. Its handcrafted brewing process creates an inviting smooth taste without the excessive bitterness that characterizes many micro, specialty and imported beers.”

I Say:
Shiner, Texas celebrates this hometown favorite a unique “Bocktoberfest” in October rather than in the early spring months. Confused as to when this beer is supposed to be celebrated? Nah. They just want an excuse to keep it around all year. What do you know, the bottle features a goat ... excuse me, ram. Their label says something about a story regarding this ram, but I couldn’t find elaboration on the website. Guess you’ll have to travel to Shiner for the story. As microbreweries go, this one is pretty old. Ninety-nine this year. By the quality of their label (including a nice neck label), I’m guessing they’re pretty big down in Texas, but this was new to me. This looks like a caramel, smells like a caramel, tastes like a caramel. I’d like to press it into little cubes wrap it in clear plastic and turn it into grown-up candies. Damn, this is a sweet beer. Virtually no evidence of hops. It has a very thin, quickly diminishing, slightly yellowish head. The very clear, amber-bodied beer is easy drinking ... in fact, you could guzzle this stuff. As far as a sophisticated and refined flavor this is a bit on the weaker side, but this would be safe to serve to any of your friends.



They Say:
This is a brand new seasonal for them, so there wasn’t any available info on their site and there was no info on the label. I tried to reach them for a description, but hadn’t heard back at press time.

I Say:
Around here a blaze orange label would be reserved for an autumn seasonal, but down in Missouri I guess it reminds them of spring. This is one zany looking beer on the outside. It features a goat (of course) wearing sunglasses in a thick, hand-drawn-looking line art. Okay, timeout here. Note the name ... ALE?? Bocks are lagers. I don’t know what they’re about, but they have something messed up here — either the name, the label, or the variety. All of the other varieties brewed at O’Fallon seem to be ales, so that leads me to believe that they don’t brew any lagers. Identity crisis aside, this is a high gravity lager ... ale ... whatever. It pours with a quickly diminishing head that is off-white in color. The deep reddish amber body is moderately carbonated. The beer has a sweet, roasted aroma. Somewhat tart, roasted coffee notes counterbalance its sweet flavor. Goat’s Breath definitely has a stronger tinge of alcohol than the other bocks tested. The aftertaste is of burnt caramel.



They Say:
A traditional bock beer, using 100% Munich malt and balanced with German Hallertau hops. This big, malty, sweet brew is ideal for the transition from winter to spring.

I Say:
What do you know ... another goat! If you’re keeping track, that’s three goats on five bottles. This one looks a bit more “old country.” Almost a wood-carved, iconic looking goat set on a triangular shield just above the word “Bock” in a big, bold, authentic-looking German font. Very unassuming label, very unassuming name. The label describes this seasonal brew as “a dark, hearty lager.” Sorry to disagree, but it seems less dark and hearty than many of the contenders. The pour gave off a sweet clover and honey aroma. The pale yellow head of tight bubbles holds up well. This one is moderately carbonated. The body is clear and amber-red — not very dark. It is sweet and flavorful. Not a really deep sort of sweet ... more of a lighter, honey sweet. There is a light hop flavor just above average for this variety. There is definitely a higher alcohol content, but I would say that the whole beer is well balanced. A surprisingly light and crisp, easy-drinking bock.


They Say:
“This malty, sweet, dark amber colored German-style bock is brewed with imported malt and hops. Its uncommon smoothness and impeccable taste make it the perfect companion to a cold winter night.”

I Say:
All except the snow, this label confuses me. There’s a big frosty hand in the foreground of a snow covered, pine-tree-lined field. There’s some sort of stamped-looking circular design in the background night sky that I can barely make out. There isn’t even a clever name to make you think you’re just missing the inside joke. Just plain old “Winter Bock.” The very thick, off-white head holds well and leaves good legs in the glass.  It has a dark red body, and is slightly cloudier than the others tasted. The flavor is still sweet with notes of caramel, but definitely hoppier than you might expect from a typical bock. It finishes with a slightly tart tinge of alcohol.

Whether you drink bock for Lent, for the hope of warmer days, or for the goats, always remember that it’s a great reason, because beer is just good spelled wrong.