Beer Centric: Bock and Doppelbock Beer & the Christmas Season

🎄 Bock Beer & the Christmas Season: A Brew Steeped in Catholic Tradition 🍺

Rich, malty, and warming, Bock beers have long been tied to the Catholic calendar. Originally brewed in the 14th‑century German town of Einbeck, Bocks or "ein Bock" became known as celebratory beers—stronger, darker lagers released for special occasions. Brewers relied on techniques levered from German monastic brewers

By the 19th century, breweries—especially those founded by German immigrants—were crafting seasonal Bocks for Christmas, Lent, Easter, and winter gatherings, making them some of the earliest “seasonal releases” in beer culture. As Christmas approached, a Bock became a small sign of the season’s shift: from the quiet penitence of early Advent to the joyful feasting of Christ’s Nativity. In many Catholic regions, sharing a strong winter beer was part of gathering with family, honoring tradition, and celebrating the Light entering the world.

Traditionally, Bock beer is a sweet, relatively strong lager with an alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging from 6.3% to 13% or more, depending on the variant, and a color ranging from light copper to brown.  It is characterized by a malty, toasty aroma and flavor, low to moderate bitterness (20–30 International Bitterness Units), and a smooth mouthfeel with low to moderate carbonation. 

🍺 What exactly is a Doppelbock?

In contrast, a Doppelbock is a stronger and richer lager that originated in Munich, Germany, and is considered a "double" version of the traditional Bock beer.   It is characterized by its deep, reddish-brown to dark brown color, intense malty sweetness, and a full-bodied profile with a noticeable but smooth alcoholic strength, typically ranging from 7% to 10% ABV, though some examples can exceed 12%.  The style is known for its toasted, bready malt character, with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruits like prune and raisin, while hop presence is minimal or absent.

Historically, it was brewed by monks of the Paulaner order, who referred to it as "Sankt-vater-bier" (Blessed Father beer), later shortened to "Salvator," a name now trademarked by Paulaner. The beer earned the nickname "liquid bread" due to its high caloric content and role as sustenance during fasting periods, particularly Lent. Modern Doppelbocks are well-attenuated, resulting in a less sweet profile than historical versions, with a clean fermentation character and low to medium carbonation.

Domestic examples of each style can be found with Louisiana's Parish Brewing Bock, Settle Down Easy Brewing Frühlhardy  and  Internationally, we enjoy the  Hofbräuhaus Delicator. 

Exploring Virginia Beer at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

After a couple years off we attended the 2021 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival which is one of the liveliest festivals. Held in the Birthplace of Country Music the festival showcases music on venues located on both the Virginia and Tennessee sides of State Street. COVID definitely affected this year's lineup but the organizers were still able to schedule fantastic artists over the three days. The festival targets local and national artists with special attention to Texas musicians. We heard great performances by Yarn, The Steel Wheels, Folk Soul Revival, Big Daddy Love, Town Mountain, and Blackberry Smoke. In addition, John Anderson and Hayes Carll represented Texas and we loved that Carll covered Ray Wylie Hubbard's Drunken Poet's Dream.

We acted like drunken poets at two Bristol breweries located within the festival's parameter. State Street Brewing Company is a relatively new brewery with outside seating accessible to hear the Country Music Mural stage or the continuous music at the Delta Blues BBQ.  The brewery opened a few years ago in the former Hayes Furniture building on the Commonwealth side of State Street and utilizes the 20,000-square-foot building to its fullest. Expect a spacious seating area and a long bar that runs parallel to the brewing equipment. There's enough diversity in their portfolio for all types of tastes - and for morning music we went with the Long Tom Peanut Butter Porter. In the afternoon we transitioned to their Dad Hat Kolsh and Splash Berliner Weiss before ending the evenings with the Cosmos Imperial IPA. 

We've visited Bristol Station Brews & Taproom a few times and it was great to see the brewery within the festival adjacent to the Piedmont stage.  Folk Soul Revival paired with the Piedmont Pilsner as fans are slightly bitter to their breakup and that matched the beer's profile. The Bristol Helle Raiser fit the Hayes Carll set and would have worked with 49 Winchester if we weren't late. It wasn't the Blue Mountain Steel Wheels ESB but the Bearded Goat Bock hit similar notes as the band's Rain in The Valley. And in the evening, give us the Wil's Lucky Dunkelweisen. 

 The BRRR will be back in our regular rotation. Look forward to visiting these and other area winery and breweries until then with theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. Cheers.