We’re starting a new tradition in the Bierhalle, paying homage to a centuries-old tradition in Germany: the commemoration of Starkbierzeit, which translates to “Strong Bier Season.”
In Munich, Starkbierzeit is an Oktoberfest-style celebration lasting three weeks in the middle of Lent, which Germans refer to as “the fifth season.” Starkbierzeit is traditionally only celebrated by locals without millions of tourists and weekend revelers common to Oktoberfest.
And, instead of the traditional Munich Festbier (the only bier served at Oktoberfest), only one style of bier is served during Starkbierzeit: doppelbock, the rich, malty and full-bodied bier created by 17th Century Paulaner monks in Munich to sustain them during their Lenten fasts. This is how the style became known as flussig brot, or “liquid bread,” in Germany.
Starting Saturday, March 16 at 11:00 AM, we’re putting a bunch of doppelbock-style biers on tap, where they’ll remain for several weeks or until our guests finish the kegs! These biers are available in very limited quantities, so there’s no guarantee they’ll all last the duration of Starkbierzeit. This is an excellent opportunity to sample multiple doppelbock biers together as well as taste a few of the non-Reinheitsgebot-compliant biers we create, namely, the barrel-aged doppelbocks.
- Mai-O-Maibock: An amber doppelbock lager based on the same recipe as our traditional Maibock. The wort is concentrated to create a much higher alcohol content, yet it remains the same drinkable balance as the base bier. Crisp, clean and refreshing with rich malt flavors of honey and toasted biscuits, and a hint of boozy character. (10% ABV)
- Bourbon Barrel Dunkelbock: A double-strength version of our most popular year-round bier. A dark doppelbock lager with rich malt flavors of chocolate and coffee with notes of anise and raisin, and a hint of boozy sweetness from aging in bourbon barrels. (10% ABV)
- Blessed Doppelbock: Rich, smooth and full-bodied amber doppelbock lager with malt flavors of caramel, molasses and toasted bread. The original “liquid bread.” (7% ABV)
- Whiskey Barrel-Aged Doppelbock: Our traditional amber doppelbock lager aged in whiskey barrels, which adds notes of booze, oak and vanilla to the malt flavors of caramel, molasses and toasted bread. (7% ABV)
- Bourbon Barrel Über-Fest: A high-octane spin on our traditional Festbier recipe. A smooth and clean amber doppelbock lager with rich biscuit malt flavors and boozy sweetness from barrel-aging. (10% ABV)
You’ll need a hearty meal to hold up to the bier, so we invented a new “German-style” special menu item to accompany the bier: the German Chili Brat = any of our bratwurst topped with pork gulasch.
Mai-O-Maibock released in limited edition 6-packs last week. They’ll be available for sale during Starkbierzeit. In case you missed that announcement, click here for details.
Hope to see many of you here!
We’re excited to announce the full list of bier to be featured at our upcoming 5th Anniversary Bier Festival, which is set for Saturday, Feb. 16, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in our brewery and bottling hall. (FAQs and other event details can be found 
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.
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.
