Day 21: Winter-Böckle

Winter-Böckle

Origin: Fürst Wallerstein Brauhaus (Wallerstein, Germany)

Style: Doppelbock

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: Not Listed

Description: There’s something about a doppelbock that I find so satisfying. I have always been a fan of the style, but my appreciation took a complete turn once I discovered the history of this beer style. German Monastic monks, the stand-up citizens of civilization hundreds of years ago, had several periods throughout a year that required them to fast for holy reasons. The longest of these periods was Lent, during which the monks would fast for 46 days, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Throughout this time, no solid food would be consumed. However, they did believe that liquids purified the body and the soul. As such, they developed a beer that had a filling, bready quality to it to nourish their bodies.

In other words, they would spend a period of over a month ingesting nothing but beer while adhering to strict religious doctrine. These are guys I could really get along with.

Enough with the history lesson. As for this particular doppelbock, the overall quality is there to hold itself up with some pretty famous brews. The pour is a dark, rich, striking amber with a quickly fading yellow beige head of large bubbles. Particularly beautiful in the glass, I spent a few minutes admiring the colour tones themselves.

The nose brings many wonderful scents, including red currants, cranberries, plum and raisin. Distinctive toffee sweetness is at the forefront of palate at first sip, which slowly fades to a mouthfeel akin to chewing bread. That fades to a light spice kick towards the end, while a bit of sweetness remains on the tongue in a very satisfying manner.

All in all, a fine beer. Doppelbocks are not really meant to be paired with food. They are meant as a replacement for a meal, and really stand as a dessert in themselves. But if you were to have one with food, I would suggest tapas of some sort. Rich seafood, such as mussels in a thai curry sauce or oysters in sambal would work well. Pick up an Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, held high as the original and best of all doppelbocks, stocked year around on Legacy Liquor Store shelves, and experience one for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. -C.L.

Day 14: Imperial Schwarze Gams

 

Imperial Schwarze Gams

Origin: Privatbrauerei Loncium (Kötschach-Mauthen, Austria)

Style: Bock

ABV: 7%

IBU: Not Listed

Description: Budweiser and Clydesdales. Milk stouts and dairy cows. Brandy and St. Bernards. Some animals are synonymous with certain beers (beer styles) or spirits. But what about bocks and goats? What’s their connection and do goats carry kegs up to mountain tops and have a big ol’ party? I’ve seen countless times the two goats dueling over a pokal glass of bock on the Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock label, but never gave them much thought. Seeing there’s another goat on the label of Loncium’s Imperial Schwarze Gams, I know it’s time to do some research.

Bock, according to Google’s investigative work, started out as an ale made in Einbeck, a Northern German city. Then Munich brewers adapted it using lagering techniques and called it “Einbock” in their Bavarian dialect.  Eventually the name was shortened to Bock, which also means “goat” in German. There! The mystery’s solved! Now I can go drink this beer.

The Imperial Schwarze Gams is a medium-bodied dark bock that pours a beautiful, rich amber colour. The head is thin and dissipates quickly; swirling the glass brings the head back but ever so briefly. Malt is front and centre in its aroma – a little sweet like toasted caramel and vanilla but not heavy handed at all. The flavour is in line with its aroma, but balanced with a bit of hoppy bitterness. To be honest, I was expecting a little bit more complexity – maybe some dark fruits like raisins and plums – especially with the word ‘Imperial’ in its name, but it’s still a solid bock.

This beer would pair well with game meat dishes – how about a whole roasted duck with some seasonal root vegetables?

There are many styles of bock – from the lightest in maibock to darkest and booziest in eisbock. In between you’ll find the traditional bock, weizenbock and doppelbock. Give them all a try and see which style you enjoy best. Some of my recommendations are the aforementioned Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock. Want to try something made locally? Check out Moon Under Water’s The Victorious Weizenbock and Vancouver Island Brewery’s Hermannator Ice Bock. – C.T.

Loncium’s logo looks similar to Firestone Walker’s, both featuring a lion and a bear.