Goat beer is here
Yuengling is releasing a Bock Beer, on tap. It is actually a re-release, as the brewery is resurrecting its long-ago practice of releasing the dark lager in Lent.
The beer, again available only on tap, is described by Jim Helmke, manager of the Yuengling brewery in Tampa, as having " an alcohol content of just over 5 percent by volume and good foam and cling. It is a modern beer with a distinguished past."
I was wondering why Bock beer always has a goat in its logo. There seem to be several theories, explained on a Web site called NoRelevance. They range from mispronunciation of the name of the European town known for the beer, to the idea that the beer, like the goat, has a "kick."
What story did you hear about why Bock beer almost always has a goat on its label?
Anyone tried this Yuengling Bock?
Where did you find it?
Comments
I love that website's segue from Bock Beer to Anton LaVey to heavy metal legends Venom.
Domestically, I remember drinking Pabst Bock in college in the early 80s (essentially slightly darker PBR), and having Huber Bock in Wisconsin ($7/case of longnecks) which was a bit better. Beer scribe Lew Bryson swears that Stegmaier Bock is great stuff, but i have never had the pleasure. I'll have to go on a fact-finding mission to PA to check it out sometime.
Posted by: Volker | February 26, 2009 3:47 PM
Mahaffey's Pub on Dillon St behind the Safeway in Canton has it, plus lots of other great craft selections.
Posted by: MC | February 26, 2009 5:53 PM
have been enjoying Huber Nock for the last 20 years - year round in Chicago area where I live and in Wosconsin, when we go camping and vacationing. Still the best value in Craft Brew in America - with its all malt and heritage pedigree.
- Mark B.
Posted by: Mark Belanger | February 27, 2009 2:21 PM
From Wikipedia:
Bock is a strong lager which has its origins in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck, Germany. The name is a corruption of the medieval German brewing town of Einbeck, but also means male deer or goat in German; the word is a cognate of the English "buck". The original Bocks were dark beers, brewed from high-colored malts. Modern Bocks can be dark, amber or pale in color. Bock was traditionally brewed for special occasions, often religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter or Lent.
Posted by: Scott | February 27, 2009 7:03 PM
Rob: As to your question concerning the connection of the goat to bock beer, our Baltimore German social club held a Bock Bier Fest a few years ago and I gave out a history of the beer's origin. Here's an excerpt: The term “bock” probably originated in Germany in the Lower Saxony town of Einbeck around 1350. It seems likely that the identity of brews from this town was, in time, abbreviated to “beck bier” (not to be confused with the Beck’s Brewery in Bremen). Later, that contraction was corrupted into “bock” in the Bavarian dialect. The billygoat is the traditional symbol of bock beer. That’s because, after all this word corruption, the German word for goat is “Ziegenbock”, or just “bock”. Did you follow that?
Posted by: nofohboh | February 28, 2009 9:38 AM