Bock beer

Bock beer is a strong, bottom-fermented beer. In bottom fermentation the yeast sinks to the bottom of the fermenting vessel during fermentation, just as with pilsner. De Nederlandse Brouwers, the trade organisation of the large breweries, gives for bock beer an alcohol content from 6.5 percent and a ruby-red colour through the use of roasted malt.

The beer consumers' association PINT describes bock beer as a bottom-fermented barley beer, brewed from barley malt in the Bavarian tradition. PINT mentions an original gravity of 16 to 18 degrees. An old rule of thumb says the beer lagers for as many weeks as it has degrees of original gravity, so 16 to 18 weeks for a bock.

Bock beer goes back to the beer from Einbeck, a Hanseatic town in what is now Lower Saxony. According to the Einbecker Brauerei, in the fourteenth century each of the town's 700 full citizens had the right to brew. The oldest surviving account dates from 28 April 1378 and concerns the sale of strong beer to Celle. For the long transport routes the beer was brewed stronger.

Via the Hanseatic League the beer, according to the brewery, travelled from Amsterdam to Reval. In 1614 Duke Wilhelm V brought the Einbeck brewmaster Elias Pichler to Munich. The brewery explains that in the Bavarian dialect ‘Ainpöckisch’, in the Einbeck manner, eventually became ‘Bockbier’ via ‘Oanpock’. PINT notes that this derivation is not certain. The German word Bock means ram, and that is why, according to the BJCP, a billy goat often appears on the label.

In the Netherlands bock beer is mainly an autumn beer. De Nederlandse Brouwers calls it a typical seasonal beer available in autumn and winter. According to PINT, Dutch brewers have moved the introduction of the bock earlier over time, from the middle of winter to the start of autumn. In Germany bock beer is by law not a seasonal beer.

In spring comes the lentebok, also called meibock. According to PINT, it is ready in February or March. De Nederlandse Brouwers describe the lentebok as usually blond in colour. A fixed moment in the autumn season is the Bockbierfestival of PINT in Amsterdam. In 2026 it was held on 2 and 3 October in De Hallen Studio's.

The Beer Judge Certification Program, BJCP for short, describes four bock styles. The Dunkles Bock is the dark bock with 6.3 to 7.2 percent alcohol. According to the BJCP, this style began in Einbeck and was brewed anew in Munich from the seventeenth century. The Helles Bock or Maibock is lighter in colour, has 6.3 to 7.4 percent alcohol and is a spring beer that belongs to the month of May.

The Doppelbock is heavier, with 7 to 10 percent alcohol. The style originated in Munich, where monks of Francis of Paola were already brewing it before 1700 for Lent. The Eisbock arose in Kulmbach at the end of the nineteenth century. Brewers freeze a doppelbock and remove the ice, which makes flavour and alcohol more concentrated: 9 to 14 percent.

The shop currently stocks 79 bottles of bock beer. Most come from the Netherlands, with further bottles from Belgium and Spain. Among them are the Berging Herfstbock and the Berging DB26 Dubbel Bock Oak Aged, the Gooische Bock from the Gooische Bierbrouwerij, the Scheepsbok from Brouwerij Homeland and the Zweize Vosbock from Brouwerij Vos. From Volendam, the Ouwe Bock Oak Aged and the Volenbock Donkere Bock are on the shelf.

Also available: Kompaan Tonka Bock, Leute Bokbier, Hengelo Bier Stewige Dubbel Bock, Walhalla BORR Urbock and Walhalla Heimdall Imperial Rye Bock, and from Spain the Alhambra Reserva Roja Bock. Grolsch, Gulpener, Texels, Sancti Adalberti, Moersleutel, Eggens, Frontaal, Gallivant, Muifel, Sion, Tesselaar and Brouwerij Kees also have a bock. Looking for a bock for the season or for cooking? Feel free to call or drop by ’t Bockje at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.