Hallo!
Steve Holle here, founder and owner of KC Bier Co., with another installment of our bier nerd blog series. This edition focuses on Maibock — our next seasonal release — with some interesting history on the origins and development of bock bier as a style.
Bock is the German word for billy goat, but it’s also the name for a moderately strong German lager. While Bock is most commonly identified as a Bavarian style, the origins may be linked to a strong ale from the northern city of Einbeck around the 16th Century. Historians believe that Bavarian Royalty was so fond of the style that they had it brewed at their court brewery, Hofbräuhaus, but as a lager, rather than an ale. Beer folklore suggests that because Einbecker Bier in the Bavarian dialect was pronounced Ainpöckisch, the name was shortened to Pöckisch Bier, and finally Bock Bier. So, the name historically has nothing to do with a billy goat, although many brewers still depict a goat on the label.
In Germany, lagers with an original extract of 16° Plato or higher (i.e. 16% sugar by weight) but less than 18° Plato, are classified as Bock, which usually means 6% to 7% ABV. Lagers which are 18° Plato and higher are classified as Doppelbock (Double Bock), which usually results in ABV greater than 7%. Traditionally, Bock and Doppelbock are copper to dark brown, malt-forward styles produced with a high percentage of Munich malt and small amounts of dark caramel or roasted malts. Doppelbock is a traditional winter seasonal, especially in late winter during the Lenten season when Monks were permitted to consume nutritious Doppelbock during their fast.
Maibock (May Bock) is lighter in color than traditional Bock and associated with spring as the term Mai (May) suggests. Some versions are extremely pale and golden and are referred to as Heller Bock (pale bock). The lighter-colored Maibock provides a springtime transition from the dark and chewy Doppelbocks of winter to the refreshing golden Helles Lager of summer.
KC Bier Co.’s Maibock has an original gravity of 16.25°Plato, 18 IBUs and 6.25% ABV. The bier presents a reddish amber color, smooth maltiness accented by flavors of honey and toasted biscuits derived from a majority portion of Vienna-style malt, and subdued bitterness from a single addition of Perle hops from the Bavarian Hallertau Valley. The bier offers a rich maltiness accentuated by double decoction mashing, yet it remains crisp and refreshing. Our version leans toward the amber end of the style’s color scale in comparison to the Blind Tiger in Topeka, Kan., that brews an excellent version of the style that is lighter in color.
Following our Maibock tapping party in the Bierhalle on Jan. 29, we will release Maibock in bottles and on draught in stores and taverns on February 1st. A month later, we follow up with a 10% ABV Doppelbock version of Maibock that we call Mai-O-Maibock, which will be available on draught and in our white label bottles exclusively sold in the Bierhalle. Mai-O-Maibock has the same recipe as Maibock, but it is brewed to a higher ABV. Comparing Maibock and Mai-O-Maibock allows the consumer to experience the boozier flavor effects of higher ABV and associated fermentation by-products in combination with more concentrated malt flavors.
Remember, no matter what version of Bock bier you prefer, KC Bier Co. has your Bock!
We will be Bock with more nerdy bier information soon.
