Heller Bocks

Tasting Notes

Heller bock possesses the same characteristics as traditional bock (maltiness, strength, and palate fullness), except for the toasted chocolate character. However, they are lighter in color - gold to light amber. They are medium- to full-bodied, emphasizing the malty flavors, whereas dunkler bocks and dopplebocks embody some darker caramel as well as smoky or chocolate flavors. The maltiness comes from the lighter malts such as Pilsner and Munich. Hop bitterness is usually low, but higher than for the dunkler bocks.

Although German breweries produce and sell heller bock year around, Maibock is sold only in May. Maibock, a more assertive version of the heller bock, is hopped more, aged longer, and has a little more color.

Brewing Techniques

Pale malts are used primarily to achieve a more intense and pure malty character without caramel or roasted malts. In addition to pale malt, light-colored Munich and Vienna malts are used. In Heller bocks, higher hopping rates should be used, with waters low in carbonates.

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