Category 5, Bock Beer
This Classes Beers
(The below descriptions are from the May 2008 version of the style guide, For the latest style information always check the Style Center)
Bock
5A. Maibock/Helles Bock
Please get your sample of 5A. Maibock/Helles Bock (Einbecker Mai-Urbock) and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and then score this beer. IMHO scoring these beers without the style guide is critical to your learning curve and it better prepares you for the tasting portion of the exam. After you have scored the beer check the style guide and see if you would have changed anything, not during or before. You have a pretty good idea of what these, and other, styles are about.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
Note: even though it is the same beer, it is NOT from the same bottle and may exhibit some different characteristics than yours. Also, we all have different palets, and perceive different flavors at different thresholds so your perceptions may be somewhat different than that of our judge. It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Now Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to "The Jamil Show" on Maibock and Helles Bock
Overall Impression: A relatively pale, strong, malty lager beer. Designed to walk a fine line between blandness and too much color. Hop character is generally more apparent than in other bocks.
Comments: Can be thought of as either a pale version of a traditional bock, or a Munich helles brewed to bock strength. While quite malty, this beer typically has less dark and rich malt flavors than a traditional bock. May also be drier, hoppier, and more bitter than a traditional bock. The hops compensate for the lower level of melanoidins. There is some dispute whether Helles (“pale”) Bock and Mai (“May”) Bock are synonymous. Most agree that they are identical (as is the consensus for Märzen and Oktoberfest), but some believe that Maibock is a “fest” type beer hitting the upper limits of hopping and color for the range. Any fruitiness is due to Munich and other specialty malts, not yeast-derived esters developed during fermentation.
History: A fairly recent development in comparison to the other members of the bock family. The serving of Maibock is specifically associated with springtime and the month of May.
Ingredients: Base of Pils and/or Vienna malt with some Munich malt to add character (although much less than in a traditional bock). No non-malt adjuncts. Noble hops. Soft water preferred so as to avoid harshness. Clean lager yeast. Decoction mash is typical, but boiling is less than in traditional bocks to restrain color development.
5B. Traditional Bock
Please get your sample of 5B. Traditional Bock (Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
(No Jamil Show at this time)
Overall Impression: A dark, strong, malty lager beer.
Comments: Decoction mashing and long boiling plays an important part of flavor development, as it enhances the caramel and melanoidin flavor aspects of the malt. Any fruitiness is due to Munich and other specialty malts, not yeast-derived esters developed during fermentation.
History: Originated in the Northern German city of Einbeck, which was a brewing center and popular exporter in the days of the Hanseatic League (14th to 17th century). Recreated in Munich starting in the 17th century. The name “bock” is based on a corruption of the name “Einbeck” in the Bavarian dialect, and was thus only used after the beer came to Munich. “Bock” also means “billy-goat” in German, and is often used in logos and advertisements.
Ingredients: Munich and Vienna malts, rarely a tiny bit of dark roasted malts for color adjustment, never any non-malt adjuncts. Continental European hop varieties are used. Clean lager yeast. Water hardness can vary, although moderately carbonate water is typical of Munich.
Here is an article about Tradional Bock written by Ray Daniels,
5C. Dopplebock
Please get your sample of 5C. Dopplebock (Paulaner Salvator), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to "The Jamil Show" on Dopplebock
Overall Impression: A very strong and rich lager. A bigger version of either a traditional bock or a helles bock.
Comments: Most versions are dark colored and may display the caramelizing and melanoidin effect of decoction mashing, but excellent pale versions also exist. The pale versions will not have the same richness and darker malt flavors of the dark versions, and may be a bit drier, hoppier and more bitter. While most traditional examples are in the ranges cited, the style can be considered to have no upper limit for gravity, alcohol and bitterness (thus providing a home for very strong lagers). Any fruitiness is due to Munich and other specialty malts, not yeast-derived esters developed during fermentation.
History: A Bavarian specialty first brewed in Munich by the monks of St. Francis of Paula. Historical versions were less well attenuated than modern interpretations, with consequently higher sweetness and lower alcohol levels (and hence was considered “liquid bread” by the monks). The term “doppel (double) bock” was coined by Munich consumers. Many doppelbocks have names ending in “-ator,” either as a tribute to the prototypical Salvator or to take advantage of the beer’s popularity.
Ingredients: Pils and/or Vienna malt for pale versions (with some Munich), Munich and Vienna malts for darker ones and occasionally a tiny bit of darker color malts (such as Carafa). Noble hops. Water hardness varies from soft to moderately carbonate. Clean lager yeast. Decoction mashing is traditional.
5D. Eisbock
Please get your sample of 5D. Eisbock (Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to "The Jamil Show" on Eisbock
Overall Impression: An extremely strong, full and malty dark lager.
Comments: Eisbocks are not simply stronger doppelbocks; the name refers to the process of freezing and concentrating the beer. Some doppelbocks are stronger than Eisbocks. Extended lagering is often needed post-freezing to smooth the alcohol and enhance the malt and alcohol balance. Any fruitiness is due to Munich and other specialty malts, not yeast-derived esters developed during fermentation.
History: A traditional Kulmbach specialty brewed by freezing a doppelbock and removing the ice to concentrate the flavor and alcohol content (as well as any defects).
Ingredients: Same as doppelbock. Commercial eisbocks are generally concentrated anywhere from 7% to 33% (by volume).
This is an article written by Paul Etcheverry called The Pleasures of Bock, note the gravities vary somewhat from current guidelines.
