A few weeks ago we told you about the origin of the Bock style , and also its name. The word "Bock" on a German beer label indicates that it is a strong recipe. Normally, it accompanies the base style:
- Helles Bock is a strong pale lager ;
- Dunkles Bock the dark version .
- Maibock a beer that is consumed only in May .
And there are a few more Bock varieties.
Today we are going to talk about the Eisbock. Let's go back to the name, what does it mean? If you look closely, in German "eis" is the word used to say ice. So, literally, we are dealing with a style of beer called "ice goat". Surprise yourself, don't you think?
The origin of the name Eisbock
We love beer styles with stories behind them. And this variety of Bock has a very beautiful one: they say that in the winter of 1890 two barrels of Bock in a courtyard of the Reichelbräu brewery in Kulmbach, Bavaria, were mistakenly buried under the snow. And with the snowfall that fell they waited for it to melt to get them out of there. When the snow melted, the brewmaster of that time wanted to punish the person in charge of keeping the barrels in the cellar, making him drink the liquid (in principle, bad) that was still inside them. To his surprise, he saw how the boy drank one cup after another with unexpected enthusiasm and then discovered a concentrated and delicious beer. So they intentionally decided to repeat the process thereafter.
This experiment could have gone wrong (imagine a wine barrel that freezes and then you have to drink it...), but this time a very special style was discovered. Traditionally, Reichelbräu has brewed this beer once a year, between October and September, to be consumed at the Eisbock Festival that takes place in the city at the end of March.
Eisbock: characteristics of the style
Eisbocks are the strongest and rarest style in the Bock family, and also one of the most peculiar on the planet. Its particularity is due to this origin that we have told you about: an Eisbock would be a strong Bock or a Dopplebock in which, by freezing, it is possible to separate part of the water to obtain an even more intense, concentrated and alcoholic beer.
But due to the long brewing process, since the amount of beer is considerably reduced after freezing, it is not a type of craft beer that has been produced in large quantities.
Eisbock: sensory profile
- Eisbocks are strong, dense, malty beers and full of flavour.
- It obviously has a strong presence of alcohol (it's a distilled beer) but it should be smooth, never harsh or burning.
- Its body is robust and full and the carbonation will be moderate or low.
- Their color can go from intense copper to dark brown and they can have reddish flashes. With perfect transparency, they have a head of foam that can range from off-white to ivory, and are characterized by moderate or low foam retention (again, the high presence of alcohol conditions the creation of foam).
Do you know the trick of looking if the beer has formed tears in the glass to determine its alcoholic degree? Well, an Eisbock will leave many tears.
- This alcohol presence is balanced by an intense sweet malt character, which should never be cloying. And that is where we will find flavors of toasted bread, caramel, molasses and even sweet chocolate, to which is added a good amount of esters reminiscent of dark fruits such as dates, figs or raisins.
- Finally, hops have virtually no presence in the aroma, and the bitterness must be just enough to balance the heavy malt load.
Technical characteristics of the style
- Alcohol: 9-14%
- IBU: 25-35
- EBC Colour: 36-60
Pairing and conservation of Eisbock
As we have already told you, this style is rare. Its recipe and its complex manufacturing process mean that it is not a common variety among brewmasters. But the good news is that if you have a bottle of Eisbock, you can keep it for a few years, as they are considered “guard” beers, which stand the test of time and mature well.
And when you find a special moment you can taste this very special style. To help you with the pairing, think that they could take the place of a Jerez, Port, or Madeira at the table; that is to say, it can accompany desserts, ice creams, strong and blue cheeses, or serve as an after-dinner glass. Health!