1. Bock
Style Description
Ingredients
Recipe Design
The Malts Of Bock

2. The Bock Family Several stories of the origination of the name Bock
According to style guidelines, they started in Einbeck and the name came from a dialect difference (Einbeck  ein bock)
Used to be one category in 2008 BJCP Guidelines, now spread across three
Helles Bock/Maibock (4C) – Pale Malty European Lager
Dunkles Bock, formerly Traditional Bock (6C) – Amber Malty European Lager
Doppelbock (9A) – Strong European Beer
Eisbock (9B) – Strong European Beer

3. Common Characteristics of Bocks
Malty, malty, malty – these are the anti-IPAs, with BU:GU ratios (bitterness relative to gravity) among the lowest of all styles, 0.4 for Helles, down to near 0.2 for a Doppelbock
Reference – around 0.9 for IPAs
Hops – Noble hops (typically Hallertau)
Little to no hop aroma and no hop flavor
Just enough bitterness to keep the beer from being sweet
Helles Bock and pale Doppelbocks can have more hop bitterness and flavor

4. Common Characteristics of Bocks
Long, clean fermentation – well controlled, lager temperatures (no fruity esters, no harsh heat from alcohol), long lagering period
MAKE A STARTER!
Aerate a ton (use oxygen)!

5. Traditional Ingredients – Hops
Pretty simple – Noble hops
Hallertau – top choice among many
Tettnang
Saaz
Can try something neutral such as German Magnum for bittering

6. Traditional Ingredients – Yeast
Stick with German lager yeasts at their recommended temperature ranges (48°F to 52°F)
White Labs
WLP838 Southern German Lager Yeast (my favorite, I find it accentuates malt well, note: it throws tons of sulfur)
WLP830 German Lager Yeast (seems to be very neutral, maybe not malty enough)
WLP833 German Bock Lager Yeast (doesn’t seem to clear as well)
WLP820 Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager Yeast
Wyeast
2308 Munich Lager
2487 Hella Bock
2124 Bohemian Lager
2206 Bavarian Lager
Dry option – Saflager 34/70

7. Traditional Ingredients – Water
Chloride over sulfate (to emphasize maltiness) but neither to excess – high carbonate is good for bocks, but usually don’t need to add any
Cincinnati water is fairly close, although sulfate can be high – you may want to get a water report (W-6 Household kit from Ward labs is a good option -
Note on Helles Bock: Chloride/Sulfate balance can go a bit more towards sulfate and carbonate should be lower

8. Processes
Mash
Bocks historically used decoction mashes, but it is less necessary due to modern modified malts. However, many brewers swear by a decoction mash to produce the complex flavors found in a Doppelbock.
If single, use around 150°F, can go to 154°F with better attenuating yeast. Stay closer to 150°F on single infusion Doppelbocks to avoid cloying finish.
Boil
Long boil for carmelization, Maillard reactions – 90 minute minimum, can go up to 4 hours (collect extra wort to compensate or top off with water)

9. Traditional Ingredients – Malt
Helles Bock & Pale Doppelbock – Continental Pilsner (Weyermann, Best Malz, Avangard) and optionally some Vienna/Munich
Other bocks – Usually mostly Munich or a Munich/Vienna mix, possibly some Pilsner
Other grains in small quantities
Some recipes mention Chocolate, Crystal (not a fan of either)
I have tried small amounts of Melanoidin (like a super Munich), Aromatic, Special Roast, and CaraAroma with success
Consider Victory or Extra Special malt in small quantities for complexity

10. Dunkles Bock – Close Relatives
Doppelbock
Czech Amber Lager
Märzen
Helles Bock
Malty 
ABV 
Darker
Atten. 
Malty 
Malty 
Bitter 
Bitter 
Malty 
ABV 

11. Dunkles Bock Recipe Options – Malt
Not much to mess with on Bocks – the Germans pretty much have it figured out – but there is some flexibility, especially on malt options
Malt flavors and aromas
Bready/malty
Rich Maillard products (melanoidins)
Toasty
Some caramel/sweetness
Slight dark fruitiness
No roast/burnt

12. Dunkles Bock Recipe Options – Malt
Base plan – Munich/Vienna (2:1)
Munich/Pilsner (2:1 or 3:1) with or without decoction
Munich/Vienna with other alternate grains – Melanoidin, Aromatic, all the Cara versions (Caraaroma, CaraPils, CaraMunich, CaraVienna), Crystal, Victory, Special Roast, Special, Chocolate, Carafa, etc

13. Decoction Basics
Multiple step mash where temperature increases do not come from hot water or direct mash heating, instead:
Measured amount of the mash is removed from the main mash
Heated to next rest temperature(s) and held
Boiled with occasional stirring
Returned to main mash which increases the total temperature
Common rests:
Acid – 95°F
Protein – 130°F (under-modified malts should be held closer to 122°F)
Conversion – 154°F
Mash-out – 170°F

14. Malt Sampling
Sample of several grains seen commonly in Bock recipes, used in my recipe, or considered for a future recipe
Aroma – just smell it
Flavor
Chew it
Grain tea
SMaSH
Write down your perceptions
Do they fit the aroma/flavor descriptions of Bock?

15. Grain Characteristics
Flavors/Characteristics
Name
Potential
SRM
Mash Req.
Aromatic
Biscuit
Body
Burnt
Caramel
Chocolate
Coffee
Grainy
Head
Malty
Nutty
Roasted
Smoked
Sweet
Toasted
2-Row Malt
1.036 2 X
Golden Promise
1.038
White Wheat
1.040
Maris Otter 3
Optic
Briess Pale Ale Malt 4
Vienna Malt
Munich Malt
1.037 9
Crystal 10
1.034 10
Carastan 15 15
Munich 10
1.035
Crystal 20 20
Munich 20
Melanoidin Malt
Amber Malt 22
Belgian Biscuit Malt 23
Brumalt
1.033
Gambrinus Honey Malt 25
Belgian Aromatic 26
Victory Malt 28
Crystal 30 30
Carastan 35 35
Crystal 40 40
Special Roast 50
CaraMunich 56
Crystal 60 60
Brown Malt
1.032 65
Crystal 80 80
Crystal 90 90
Crystal 120
120
CaraAroma
130
Crystal 150
150
Special B
1.030
180
Roasted Barley
1.025
300
Chocolate Malt
350
Coffee Malt
165
Carafa II
412
Black Patent Malt
500
Black Barley