When the end of winter is near, there are few beers we look forward to more than the classic bock. You know, the traditional German dark lager known for its heavy malt presence, toasted flavors, and sweet finish, primarily derived from Munich or Vienna malts. But while we see the word “bock” written on various goat-adorned bottles and cans, it should be noted that there are actually a few different types of bock. This includes Helles bock, Maibock, and doppelbock.
At Uproxx, we love them all. Especially in the late winter and early spring.
But why do we drink bocks in spring, besides the fact that being a little darker (when talking about the classic bock) and maltier? Traditionally, these beers were brewed during the winter months by Bavarian monks and then imbibed in the spring during Lenten fasting periods. And while you don’t have to be a monk or even do intermittent fasting to appreciate these spring staples, you should find a few to drink in the weeks to come.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help. Also lucky for you, myriad American brewers have tried their hand at this beer style and we rounded up some of the best. Keep scrolling to see eight great American bocks, ranked.
8) Stevens Point Bock
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $9 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This is the type of bock your grandfather, dad, and maybe now you drink. This is because it’s been brewed since 1938 (with a slight break between 1942 to 1945 for WWII). Brewed with Carapils and Caramel malts as well as Tettnang hops, it’s known for its sweet, roasted malt flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
For a bock beer, the nose is surprisingly light. There’s some caramel, yeasty bread, and floral hops, but it’s all very light. The palate has slightly more to offer with some roasted malts, brown bread, caramel, and lightly herbal hops. Overall, it’s just really thin.
Bottom Line:
This beer has all of the flavors bock beer fans crave. It’s sweet and malty. It’s just a little thin and watery.
7) Shiner Bock
ABV: 4.4%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
When it comes to American bock beers, there are none as famous as Texas’ Shiner Bock. Originally brewed in 1913, this year-round beer is brewed with roasted malts and German specialty hops. The result is a malty, lightly hoppy beer you’ll drink all spring long.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all yeasty bread, toffee, roasted malts, and light floral hops. Not much else. The palate continues this trend. It’s surprisingly sweet with flavors like caramel, bready malts, toasted grains, light spices, and floral hops. Sweet, malty, but unexciting.
Bottom Line:
Shine Bock is a great cheap beer to drink if you’re not looking for a complex flavor profile. Otherwise, grab something else.
6) Genesee Spring Bock
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $12 for a 12-pack
The Beer:
Available from January until March every year, Genesee Spring Bock has been brewed since 1951. The Rochester, New York-based brewery’s take on the classic German style, it’s known for its sweet, malty flavor, well suited for the end of winter and beginning of spring.
Tasting Notes:
Light fruity, malty, caramel, and toasted grain flavors can be found on the nose. It’s not overly complex, but enough to draw you in. The palate is filled with notes of brown bread, toffee, honey, dried fruits, grassy, herbal, floral hops, and light spices. The finish is dry, sweet, and filled with caramel flavor.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t the most complex bock you’ll find on the market, but for the price, it’s definitely the type of beer you’ll want to stock up on before it disappears like the snow.
5) Karbach Crawford Bock
ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Named for the outfield section of seats at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, Karbach Crawford Bock is brewed with 2-row Pale, Medium Crystal, Munich, and Black malts. It gets its floral, herbal, hoppy flavor from the addition of Chinook and Cascade hops.
Tasting Notes:
Classic bock aromas of yeasty bread, toasted malts, caramel, dried fruit, lightly candied nuts, and floral hops are prevalent on the nose. On the palate, you’ll find cereal grains, honey, brown bread, caramel, and lightly floral, herbal hops. It’s simple, clean, and very easy to drink.
Bottom Line:
Karbach Crawford Bock isn’t an overly exciting beer. It’s a little light, but all the flavors bock fans enjoy are right there.
4) Saint Arnold Spring Bock
ABV: 6.9%
Average Price: $9 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Higher in alcohol than many of the bock beers on this list, this spring banger sits at a potent, warming 6.9% ABV. Available from January through March, this German-style lager is known for its nice mix of caramel malts and Noble hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is a very malt-heavy beer. Perfect for winter, the nose is loaded with bready malts, cereal grains, caramel, toffee, dried fruits, and honey. No hops on the nose, but that’s okay. More of the same on the palate with brown bread, toasted malts, butterscotch, candied nuts, and gentle, herbal Noble hops at the very end to tie everything together nicely.
Bottom Line:
This is a warming, malty respite from the end of winter and the beginning of spring. There are a few beers more well-suited for this in-between time of year.
3) Rogue Dead Guy Ale
ABV: 6.8%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
You might not realize it because Rogue Dead Guy Ale has been a craft beer staple since 1990, but this skeleton-adorned beer is a Maibock-style beer. Brewed with 2-row, C15, and Munich malts as well as Perle and Sterling hops, it’s the Oregon-based brewery’s flagship beer for a reason.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of toasted malts, freshly-baked bread, dried fruit, honey, light spices, and floral hops are found in the nose. Drinking it reveals light spices, more yeasty bread, a light fruity flavor, butterscotch, toasted malts, and a final flourish of floral, lightly piney hops.
Bottom Line:
Rogue Dead Guy Ale is a popular beer and for good reason. It’s big, bold, malty, and lightly spicy. A great beer for winter’s last gasp.
2) Community Texas Style Bock
ABV: 6%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
If you had to pick one state to find great bock-style beers, we think you’d have a hard time finding one better than Texas. And one of the best the Lone Star State has to offer is Community Texas Style Bock. This 5.9% ABV year-round offering is known for its malt-forward flavor profile with enough hop presence to temper it.
Tasting Notes:
Butterscotch, candied nuts, chocolate, toasted malts, toffee, dried fruits, and lightly floral, herbal hops are found on this beer’s nose. The flavor is a nice mix of caramel malts, yeasty bread, a nutty sweetness, raisins, light spices, and floral hops at the back end.
Bottom Line:
This is a complex, well-balanced, well-made beer. It has a nice mix of sweet malts and spicy hops that will leave you wanting more.
1) Schell’s Bock
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: $9 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Another beer only available from January through March, this 6.5% ABV bock is known for its rich, sweet, malty flavor. It’s fermented over a longer period of time and lagered for an extended time to create a well-balanced, complex winter and early spring sipper.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. Almond cookies, dried fruits, honey, toffee, bready malts, spicy hops, this beer’s nose has it all. The palate follows suit with notes of wet grass, raisins, pecans, caramel, toasted malts, and spicy, floral hops at the end.
Bottom Line:
For the price, you won’t find a better balanced, flavorful bock beer. Schell’s definitely knows what it’s doing with this beer.
