With the commitment this month being to talk about bocks it could take a bit of logistics to have a bock to talk about from the home brewery. As it happens I have a bock in the cellar that I have been aging to see how age affects it.
Recipe:
10 lbs Munich Malt
4 lbs Vienna Malt
1 lb Demerrara sugar
1 oz sterling 6%aa 60 minutes
1 oz Saaz 2.6%aa 20 min
1 oz Saas 2.6%aa 5 min
yeast WLP 833
Method:
Triple decoction
Dough with a water to grain ratio at 1.75 with a target temperature of 120 degrees. Hold this for 20 minutes.
First decoction heat decoction to 150 degrees and hold for 30 minutes then bring to a boil and hold at boil for 15 minutes. Return to mash and bring the temp up to 140 degrees. Hold for 20 minutes.
Second decoction heat to 150 degrees for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Return to mash for 150 degrees for 30 minutes.
Last decoction boil for 5 minutes. Return to mash to mashout at 160 degrees.
Sparge then do a 1.5 hour boil
After cooling pitch yeast. After visible fermentation store in cooler allowing to drop to between 40 to 50 degrees (I maintain roughly 45 degrees). Primary should take 2 weeks to 1 month. Move to secondary and allow beer to condition for 3 months.
Time for a pint...
I really get a lot out of what it takes to make a bock. Every time I read about your beer making I think if my dad. I have a few fun stories to share about that. :D
ReplyDeleteI love beer stories.
DeleteMy brother would love to have a go at this as he runs Irish Craft Brewers and like experiments with different types of drinks.
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to experiment.
DeleteI always learn something new on your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteSo Jon, have you had a beer float yet? We had one with recently using vanilla ice cream with this "banana bread" beer. Supposedly brewed with real banana's. It was very bitter even with the ice cream, and it didn't taste like banana's, bread, or any combination of the two.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of those. Might have seen one or two. But I tend to like my beer to be beer. I don't really get in to beertinis or anything like that. Even though it is a classic, I have never really cared for Black and Tans either.
DeleteNice post! Easy to read, good step-by-step explanation of decoction.
ReplyDeleteDid you base your recipe on any bock in particular? Salvator for example?
I have never really done a clone recipe. But I do like to do samplings of other beers when I am designing a new recipe. This one originally came about from my tastings of Salvator in the past. But this particular recipe was changed slightly from the original.
DeleteMaybe you have written about it before, but above you mentioned your bock came out with 7.5% alcohol. How does a brewer determine the alcohol content of what they brew?
ReplyDeleteWithout a lab it is impossible to know exactly. But on a smaller scale it is possible to get an approximation. By measuring the sugar content with a hydrometer before fermentation and then after, you are able to find how much sugar the yeast have converted to alcohol. This is a standardized measurement, so the readings hold true (relatively speaking) whether you are Budweiser or some jo shmo homebrewer.
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