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From: jvs@ihu1e.UUCP (John V. Smith)
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: Bock Beer
Message-ID: <212@ihu1e.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Mar-84 11:45:49 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1e.212
Posted: Thu Mar 29 11:45:49 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Mar-84 02:24:56 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 47

<no-blank>

It's spring time, and for beer drinkers that means it's Bock Beer season.
I picked up some Bock last weekend for the first time in about six years.
While drinking it, I was reminded of Porter which I had experianced a few
months ago for the first and only time.  Bock had a taste very similar to
that of Porter.  But the Bock taste was not as strong.  Bock was also lighter,
less thick, and I found it to be a more refreashing drink than Porter.
Anyway, while drinking, I recalled some things that I had always wondered
about Bock.  And a few new questions came to mind also.

1.	What exactly is BOCK?  It's called a Beer so I assume the brewing
	processes are similar.  I know that Bock is aged longer than beer,
	but why is this significant, since beer is not known to improve
	with age.  People, who don't know what they are talking about, have
	often tried to tell that Bock is made of the residue scraped off the
	brewing kettles when they are cleaned at the end of the year. Any
	comments?

2.	Why is Bock seasonal, and why spring?

3.	What does the goat have to do with anything.  All Bock beers, regardless
	of brand or brewer, always have a picture of a goat's head on the
	container.

4.	Why is Bock darker that regular American beer?

5.	Is Bock really a light Porter or Stout?

6.	Is Bock Beer unique to the U.S.A.?  I never saw it in Europe while
	I was over there and I have never seen any Canadian Bock.

7.	Why is Bock Beer season perpetuated among brewers.  I don't know
	very many people who have ever drank it or even heard of it.  I
	haven't drank that much of it myself, and I like the stuff.  There
	doesn't seem to be that much of a demand for it.  Yet every spring
	almost every american brewer I have ever seen puts out a special
	Bock edition of their regular beer.

So beer drinkers, let's have some comments.  I hope I'm not the only one
on the net that likes Bock.

P.S.	By the way, has anyone else ever heard of "white beer"?
-- 
					Is I is, or is I aint,

						John V. Smith