Just when I thought that 2020 could not get any worse, I see the news of the giant murder hornets causing mayhem and destruction. Maybe I will just make the most of this self-isolation and never leave the house again.
After all, groceries and craft beer are being delivered straight to my door, and pajama pants have now become part of the all-day every-day wardrobe as I work from home.
Our cold and snowy April has finally departed, with the month of May bringing sunnier days that finally allow me to enjoy a few cold ones out on the dock. One of my annual drinking traditions this time of year is to mark the end of the blustery winter cold with a pint of Maibock, an ancient beer style historically brewed in the winter and released for consumption on the first day of May each year.
Back in the middle ages, Bock was traditionally brewed in the Winter or Spring seasons, using dark roasted malts and very little hops. This resulted in a slight caramel flavor in the beer, and very little bitterness.
For those wanting a bit more of a kick, some people would make Eisbock (Ice Bock) by putting a traditional Bock outside to freeze, then chipping off the frozen water, leaving a higher alcohol beer. North American hillbillies would copy this method hundreds of years later to increase the alcohol content of a fermented apple cider into hard cider, sometimes called Scrumpy Jack.
Bock beers were originally very dark in color and had a relatively high alcohol level. In the 14th century, Bock beers were brewed and consumed primarily by Catholic monks. As the monks were required to fast during Lent, they soon found the sweet and malty Bock beers to contain more food energy than lesser beers, and began referring to Bock as liquid bread, which was able to sustain them without becoming sickly with malnourishment during their long fast.
Remember, this was in the days before refrigeration, so beer could only be brewed in the colder months, as the wild yeasts and microorganisms in the air during the summer would spoil the beer.
That’s where Maibock comes in. In preparation for the coming of spring, a large batch of beer would be brewed up around Easter, then saved for the spring festivals to celebrate the arrival of the warmer seasons. Since this beer was cracked open at the beginning of May, it became known as Maibock.
Eventually, a particular style evolved for this first beer of spring, with a much paler color than the traditional Bock beers. Like other Bocks, Maibock is still a high-alcohol beer, generally around 6-7% ABV. While all Bocks have a relatively sweet taste, Maibock is slightly more hoppy, with a cleaner and slightly spicy and aromatic finish.
The true origins of the Bock name have been lost in the beer-soaked mists of time, but the most popular assumption is that Bock is a corruption of the word Einbeck, the small Bavarian town that invented this particular style.
Interestingly, Bock is also the German term for a male goat, so the high-alcohol brew is often assumed to have the kick of a billy goat. Further in line with the whole goat mythos, Bock is normally brewed while Capricorn (aka the goat) is ascendant in the heavens, so you’ll just have to pick the story you like best.
Fortunately, many Alberta breweries are producing one-off seasonal Bock beers, so you will not have to go all the way to Munich to try one. My local favourite is the Summer Body Maibock from Calgary’s Inner City Brewing, which arrived at my door this afternoon from the hardworking and under-appreciated front line delivery workers that are helping the rest of us stay safe at home.
Pouring a pale golden colour into my glass, the sturdy malt bill was nicely balanced by a blend of aromatic and bittering hops, making it an easy drinker despite weighing in at 5.9% ABV.
Faithful readers may recall that darker beers are my preferred tipple, but the malt-forward Maibock style was the perfect transition beer that let me say goodbye to the dreary winter months and welcome the coming days of outdoor drinking, even if it is isolated at home alone instead of on a sunny patio with friends.
