What Exactly Makes Beer A Bock?

Unlike wine, where distinctions are based on region or grape varietals, beer classifications leave room for a bit more ambiguity. While there are technical qualities that differentiate a pilsner from a typical lager or an ale from a lager, subcategories of beer are where the boundaries start to become a bit less rigid. Especially in the case of a lesser-known beer (such as a bock), knowing what exactly you're consuming makes the tasting experience all the more appreciable.

A bock is a subcategory of a lager, meaning brewers use bottom-fermenting lager yeast. Bottom-dwelling yeast produces deeper, more robust flavors, and bocks are left to ferment for longer intervals to mellow its strong taste. Originally a dark German beer, the most defining characteristic of a bock is a malt-heavy flavor profile. While the malt in a bock can be either Munich or Vienna, bock producers most commonly use Munich malts, giving the brew a toasted bread-like quality.

The color range for a bock is anywhere between amber and dark brown. Its smell and taste are akin to its color, heavy and robust. Toasted bread and rich caramel notes headline its flavor. Because malt-forward beers can have an overpowering sweetness, brewers smoothen it out with a high alcohol content — a bock hovers around 6% and 7% ABV.

Subcategories of the bock subcategory

To make matters even more complex, there are subcategories to a bock. While a traditional bock is a dark, heavy German lager, other types of bock range from a pale lager to a sweeter version of a typical bock.

On the lighter side of the spectrum, helles bocks and maibocks are a pale brown in color. They retain a bock's signature maltiness with a cleaner, more refreshing feel and aftertaste. Helles bocks and maibocks are touted for their easy-to-drink nature. Doppelbocks lie on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are equally as dark and bold as a generic bock — however, a powerful sweetness highlights their flavor. Notes of chocolate and caramel are present in doppelbocks. To soften the sweet qualities, doppelbocks feature a higher alcohol content.

Though traditionally a German beer, bocks are present around the world. American consumers are most likely familiar with Shiner Bock, a Texas-hailing beer that lies on the smoother side of bocks.

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