Doppelbock
DOPPELBOCK
The Bock was created in the German city of Einbeck. Einbeck, a smallish city (about the size of New London) with a rich brewing tradition, was once part of the Hanseatic Trading League during the 14th-17th centuries. One of its main functions for the League, other than being a trading post, Einbeck was a brewing region. Their local brew was the lager that eventually became known as a Bock.
As the Hansa League expanded south, the Bavarian brewers wanted in on the action. The monks of t South German region enjoyed the beer of Einbeck so much that they decided to make their own version of it. Things got interesting when the Bavarian vocal dialect bastardized the town name Einbeck to "ein bock," or billy goat. The people of Einbeck didn't seem to mind so much, as their beer was becoming famous, and the adopted the name, and goat imagery, as their own.
As for the Bock beer, and beer in general, member states of the Hansa League spread the brews across Northern Europe. Starting in the Low Countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark, and spreading to Scandinavia, Germany, and into the UK, the Hansa League created an international exchange of finished and mercantile goods. The city states that were involved, and that's what they were, as the coalesced nations hadn't formed yet, benefitted from the trade organization, especially brewers. New mats, hops, and gruit formulas became available to the licensed brewers, and new styles began to emerge.
In Bavaria, the humble Bock was built up. Doppelbock was created by the monks for winter consumption. It's darker, heavier, and sweeter, making it a preferred pairing for Christmas and Lenten celebrations. Nowadays, when traditional Doppelbocks are noticeable by their names, which generally end in the "-ator" suffix (such as Paulaner Salvator or Spaten Optimator).
Doppelbocks were brewed stronger, so as to create the feeling of liquid bread. Periods of fasting, especially during Lent, created a need for caloric energy, and the Doppelbock filled that hole. Over the centuries, it has become stronger and even sweeter, often folding in flavor notes of plum, toffee, and black cherry through the heavily kilned malts and noble hop blends.
Our Doppelbock strays a little from the norm, as it is closer to black in color than the rich dark reds and browns that are normally seen. We add an amount more of darker malt and some domestic base grains that create a modern version of this classic German style. We also don't lager our iteration of the Doppelbock because we are impatient, and when we learned how to make this, we didn't have the equipment to lager it properly. Real brewing monks would age this beer for months in colder climates to create the thick, clean, malty confection that is still enjoyed during the cold Winter nights.
OUR RECIPE
10 lb Munich Malt
5 lb 2-Row Pale Ale Malt
1/2 lb 120L Caramel Malt
1/4 lb Carafa II
2 oz Hallertau Mittlefruh Hops
K-97 Dry German Ale Yeast
Malts We Use
Munich Malt: Versatile and flavorful, Munich malt can be sued as a base or specialty addition to your grist. Typically used in German festbiers, Munich malt represents several sub-styles ranging from mild base malts to more kilned, aromatic malts that add rich colors and flavors to any beer.
2-Row Pale Ale Malt: A basic base malt, this won’t impart too much color and very little flavor. It is a pretty clean, crisp malt that works well with specialty grains and pretty much any style of beer. American varieties are generally less starchy and lighter than English breeds.
120L Caramel Malt: Caramel malts are the most commonly used specialty malts. Rated on a Lovibond Scale for color (L) the 120L is the darkest of the Caramel Malts. The lightest will add very little color and some faint sugary sweetness, while the darkest will give dark caramel, prune, and raisin flavors while adding dark red color to the beer.
Carafa II: Dark roasted German malts, the Carafa series are debittered, allowing the dark roasted flavors and warmth to come through without astringent aftereffects. Carafa II blends espresso and chocolate characteristics with black coloration and some brown highlights.
Hops We Use
Hallertau Mittelfruh: Considered by many to be the classic German noble hop, Hallertau Mittelfruh has left its Bavarian home to become one of the most used European varieties. It offers little hop bitterness but makes up for it with strong aromatic notes of spice, flowers, and fresh hay.
Yeast We Used
K-97: Safale K-97 is a German Ale yeast strain developed so that anyone can make a traditional tasting beer without having to lager. Lagering is the cold fermentation process that can take many months to complete, however with this yeast strain that is no longer an obstacle for home brewers. K-97 will create the classic German beers without having to purchase expensive new equipment of take over your own refrigerator for 6 months.
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