Dunkler Bocks

Tasting Notes

The origin of dunkler bock is widely recognized to be Einbeck, located in what is today the northern German state of Lower Saxony. Dunkler bock is medium- to full-bodied, dark amber to brown in color, smooth, and strong in alcohol. These beers have a hint of malty sweetness in aroma, and flavor that can include some toasted, chocolate-like undertones, especially in the darker bocks. Dunkler bock is sometimes associated with a goat (the reason: "bock" in German means "goat"). Christmas bocks often are brewed to be consumed under the astrological sign of Capricorn.

Ingredients

In bock beers a high hop rate is needed to compensate for the malt sweetness. The spicy Hallertaurer is typically used in traditional bocks, followed by Hersbrucker, Saaz, and Tettnanger. American brewers use Northern Brewer and Perle hops as well as Mount Hood and Liberty. The strain of yeast chosen should be highly flocculent and moderately attenuative, capable of working in a high-gravity environment to produce a clean, malty flavor. High carbonate waters are necessary to buffer the brewing water from acidification by the addition of large quantities of dark malts.

Brewing Techniques

The normal pitching rates for dunkler bocks are 15 million cells/ml. The fermentation temperature is kept between 5 and 10ºC during primary fermentation, which can last for 7 to 14 days. Lagering is typically for 2 to 6 months between 0 and 1ºC. Carbonation rates generally range from 2.1 to 2.3 volumes of carbon dioxide.

Aass is brewed using a double-decoction mash, a long boil, and 5 to 6 months' maturation. Einbecker uses a double-decoction mash, with a relatively short boil under pressure. Hallertauer Northern Brewer, Perle, and Hersbrucker hops are added twice, as pellets and as extract.

The information on this page was provided by beer-brewing.com (http://www.beer-brewing.com).