Bock beer – a historic beer specialty for the cold season
However, the origin of bock beer has nothing to do with winter itself. Strong beers were already being brewed in the Hanseatic city of Einbeck in Lower Saxony in the Middle Ages. “Einbeck beer had a higher original wort content and therefore a higher alcohol content. This increased the beer's shelf life,” explains Johannes Leitner, master brewer at the Freistädter Brewery. Beer from Einbeck was already being exported at that time and ended up in Munich, among other places. People there were so enthusiastic that they promptly poached the master brewer from Einbeck and brought him to Munich. From then on, he brewed “Einbeck beer” there. Over time, and under the influence of the Bavarian dialect, this became “Oa-Bock beer” and later the Bock we know today.
Beer as a fasting drink
The fact that Bock is particularly popular today in the run-up to Christmas and, in some places, also before Easter, can be traced back to the monastery breweries. Beer played an important role, especially during Lent. “Liquids do not break the fast. That's why the monks brewed strong beers with more nutrients and calories for Lent,” explains master brewer Reinhard Bayer from the Schlägl Abbey Brewery. And since the monks had mastered the art of brewing, the taste was not to be sneezed at either.
And nothing has changed in that regard to this day. Bock beer is brewed with water, hops, and malt, but it is mashed with a little more malt. More original wort – a bock beer must have at least 16° Plato – results in more sugar and more alcohol content, and thus also more sweetness. The hops ensure a balanced flavor, as master brewer Reinhard Bayer explains: “The secret to bock beer is to harmonize the raw ingredients: the sweetness from the malt and the bitterness from the hops.” With bock beer, brewmasters have a little more individual leeway, says Johannes Leitner: “Bock is a specialty of every brewery. And that makes bock beers an important and interesting part of the diversity of beers in the Mühlviertel hills.”
A holiday for brewers
“The Bockbieranstich is something of a holiday for brewers,” says the Freistadt master brewer. “You look forward to tasting the beer, and at the same time you can review the brewing year. And say thank you, for example to the farmers who supply us with barley and hops every year.” His colleague Reinhard Bayer agrees: “The bock beer tapping is a wonderful occasion to celebrate with customers and suppliers.” And the two master brewers agree on another point: enjoyment is very important when it comes to bock beer. Whether in front of the tiled stove in the evening or during a holiday meal with the family, bock is a special beer for a special time of year.
