What Kind of Beer Is Shiner Bock? Bock: a History

Shiner Bock beer has become a famous beer not only for its flavor profile and alcohol content, but also for its history, which, truth be told, is fascinating. But what is bock beer, anyway? And what makes this a “Shiner” bock?

Read on for the complete answer to the question “what kind of beer is shiner bock?”

Bock: A History

The story begins in the 1400s. In the German city of Einbeck, brewers created a concoction that was a strong, flavorful, dark beer.

For a couple of hundred years, this beer was brewed by monks traditionally for celebrations like Christmas, Easter, or Lent, and it served as a source of nutrition during periods of fasting.

By the 1600s, the Einbeck beer was adopted by Bavarian brewers, and because of the accent there, Einbeck sounded like “ein bock.” Over time, the beer was simply called bock.

Bock: Alcohol Content & Flavor Profile

The alcohol content of bock is typically relatively strong for a beer, between 6.3% and 7.2% ABV. Bock is slightly sweet, malty and toasty, and it usually does not include hints of hops or fruit.

The lager version of bock is brewed only with barley malt, and the ale version includes wheat malt.

Is shiner bock a dark beer?

Definitely. At least traditionally, shiner bock is a dark beer. It is actually so dark in color that many are actually surprised by how fresh it tastes, expecting, judging by its color, a much less drinkable beer. Make no mistake, it does have the typical flavor of a dark beer, with a significant touch of roastiness and depth, but it’s also sweet and fruity and it has a clean, refreshing finish.

Shiner bock looks impressive and imposing, particularly when served in an elegant beer glass, with a sturdy base. It also looks really nice in a goblet.

The Goat?

You will often see a picture of a goat on the label of a bock beer as a visual pun over the name.

Ein bock translates to billy goat, and even though the beer is not technically named ein bock, the name stuck.

Seasonal and Celebratory

Historically, bock has continued to be a celebratory, seasonal beer, sticking with that original “nutritious” tradition. Indeed, there are even a variety of types of bock that apply to each season.

Maibock

Representing the month of May and spring festivals, the maibock is usually paler and more hoppy than the original.

Dopplebock

Translating to “double bock,” this version of bock seasonal beer is a stronger, maltier version.

Weizenbock

A “wheat bock,” this version usually has 40% to 60% wheat.

Eisbock

Eisbock translates to “ice bock,” which refers to its much stronger version made partially by freezing the beer and then removing the ice that forms.

Shiner beer: A History

Leap forward a few more hundred years and hop over the ocean to the United States, and you will find a small collective of brewers in the town of Shiner, Texas. In the late 1800s, some farmers got together and began brewing beer for the community. They were amateur brewers, but their beer became widely known and very popular.

Then, in 1909, a Bavarian born man named Kosmos Spoetzel, came to the attention of these brewers. He had professional brewing experience, having served as a brew master in Cairo, Egypt, before immigrating to Texas.

The farmers recruited Kosmos, and he accepted the challenge. He took over the brewery, established it as Spoetzel Brewery in 1909, and began brewing bock, as tradition would have it, seasonally.

Bock beer became a huge hit. Though it is not technically true to its roots, as it comes in at 4.4%, the people love it. It is widely beloved and well-reviewed. Tan, dense, clear, and with a deep amber (although traditionally darker) color, Shiner Bock is sweet and not too hoppy.

Kosmos went on to brew Shiner Bock for another 50 years, and over time, the beer became so popular that the Spoetzel brewery began offering it year-round. Today, Spoetzel is an independent brewery owned by Gambrinus, a brewing company based in San Antonio, Texas.

On Top of the Hops

Shiner Bock follows the tradition of most breweries when it comes to its hops. The general rule of thumb is that to brew a fresh-hop IPA, you must get your hops from bine to brew kettle within a very short time period, as little as a day.

Because Spoetzel sources its hops from the Pacific Northwest, like most breweries, it harvests its crops at Crosby Hop Farm in Woodburn Oregon and ships them on rush straight to Shiner, Texas. They do this in under 36 hours, every time.

Breaking the Law

Apparently, Kosmos was so determined to continue brewing his famous bock that he even did so during Prohibition. When the authorities caught on, they arrested him, and the court system put him in jail for two years for breaking the law.

Of course, as soon as he was released, he got right back to business, brewing his famous recipe.

Bock at the Heart

Shiner, Texas, and the Spoetzel Brewery today are who and what they are because of the popularity of Shiner Bock. It has a 100-year history that has won the hearts and palates of the American people.

Shiner Bock has earned 17 awards since 2001 alone, including six Great American Beer Festival medals and two World Beer Cup awards.

Bottom line, if you have not tried a bock beer, now is the time to check it out. And, depending on where you are located, it would be an interesting experiment to see how closely you believe Shiner Bock aligns with the traditional, dyed in the wool bocks from Germany and Bavaria.

And, perhaps, just to add to the festivity of it all, enjoy one or two of the seasonal bocks as the spring festivals will soon be in full force.

Cheers!

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Sources:

  1. https://vinepair.com/articles/shiner-bock-beer-guide-spoetzl/
  2. https://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/its-all-about-bock/
  3. https://thefullpint.com/beer-reviews/reviewed-shiner-bock/

 


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