Dunkles Bock Thanksgiving Bock (5B Traditional Bock)

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osagedr

Recovering from Sobriety
HBT Supporter
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Apr 17, 2009
Messages
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Location
Winnipeg
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
W-34/70
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter
repitch from slurry
Batch Size (Gallons)
6.5
Original Gravity
1.060
Final Gravity
1.018
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
23.5 IBU
Color
19.2 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
8 days 47 degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
1 week 68 degrees
Additional Fermentation
10 weeks lagering
Tasting Notes
extremely malty; no hop flavour/aroma; no roastiness; no esters; aftertaste lingers
6# Munich 9.0 SRM
6# Munich 6.0 SRM
2# Pilsner 2.0 SRM
1# Caramunich 56.0 SRM
4 oz Chocolate Malt 350 SRM

Hochkurz Double Decoction Mash
Protein rest 25 minutes @ 135
Maltose rest 90 minutes @ 143
Dextrinization rest 60 minutes @ 154 (Decoction)
Mashout 15 minutes @ 170 (Decoction)

90 minute boil
0.5 oz Hallertau (4.7%) 90 mins (FWH)
1.0 oz Hersbrucker (3.5%) 40 mins
0.5 oz Tettnang (4.8%) 30 mins

Aerated 90 seconds pure O2 prior to pitching. Repitched slurry from a Pilsner so had fermentation the following day even after pitching at 47 degrees.

This beer has made me a big fan of Munich malt. In my opinion people tend to use too much Pilsner malt in their traditional bocks. Munich should be the main malt (75-93%) with Pilsner supporting, not the other way around.

Overall a very smooth lager that I expect to improve further with extended cold storage.

**Gold Medal, 2012 National Capital Homebrewing Competition (Ottawa, Ontario)
**Bronze Medal, 2012 Aurora Homebrewing Challenge (Edmonton, Alberta)

bock.jpg
 
Looks like I nice one. I'll give it a shot this weekend. Say 4 months for lagering?
 
The longer you lager it, the better. I had one of the precious few bottles that remain from this batch about a week ago and it is really fantastic. Scored a solid 41 in a recent competition. It is aging extremely well. Very different (better) beer than it was 8 months ago.

I will be doing my next batch of this soon and will be making a couple of changes: mash schedule 122 (protein), 149, 160, 170. A bit of carapils to help head retention. Hallertau Mittelfrueh for hops. A small (SMALL) flavour hop addition very late or at flameout (maybe Tettnang). Cut the chocolate malt back to 2 oz. I was going to repitch 2308 to ferment it but may go with 2206 and a big starter.

I hope yours turns out as well as mine did. I really like this beer. If you become serious about this style pick up "Bock" by Darryl Richman, part of the Brewing Classic Styles series. Everything you need to know!

I encourage Bock brewers to try at least one decoction, but be warned, the volume can be really difficult to get right!
 
Hadn't brewed a (traditional) bock in over a year so finally got around to it again New Year's Day. It's still in the primary. Only did one decoction (for mashout) this time; used some melanoiden, C-120, and cara-pils. All Mittelfrueh for the hops--21 IBUs at 75 minutes; another ounce (3.7 IBUs) at 10 minutes, plus an aroma addition post-chiller. Three packages W-34/70 rehydrated; fermentation seemed to go very well. Have to see how it compares to the version above.
 
Really like the new version so I'll post the recipe. Largely the same but with a few tweaks.

New Year's Bock

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: W-34/70 (three packages rehydrated)
Batch Size (Gallons): 6.5
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.020
IBU: 25.1
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 18.5 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 11 days 48 degrees
Additional Fermentation: diacetyl rest @ 62 degrees
Tasting Notes: malty but with good supporting bitterness. Really nice, smooth lager.

6.5# Munich 9.0 SRM
6.5# Munich 6.0 SRM
2# Pilsner 2.0 SRM
1# Melanoiden Malt
0.5# Carapils
0.5# Crystal 120
0.5# Caramunich 56.0 SRM
2 oz Chocolate Malt 350 SRM

40 minutes @ 146
40 minutes @ 160
15 minutes @ 170 (Decoction)

90 minute boil
2 oz Mittelfruh (4.36%) 75 mins (FWH)
1 oz Mittelfruh (4.36%) 10 mins
0.5 oz Mittelfruh (4.36%) after chiller

Aerated 120 seconds pure oxygen through 0.5 micron stone at pitching and 120 seconds twice the next day.
 
Old thread, I know, but can you give us an update on this one? It sounds amazing and I'm brewing my first Traditional Bock in a couple weeks. :rockin:
 
IMO the decoctions are difficult to reproduce with melanoiden malt. This beer was good in competitions and remains delicious. I re-brewed it in August using Saflager S-23 yeast which I love in some styles but perhaps isn't as good in a bock.
 
What water do you use for your bocks?

I pretty much do RO with mineral additions for most things now. Often try to hit the water profile for the style's traditional region, although I also often let the water stay fairly soft. For example, it would be common for me to add 3g each of calcium chloride, gypsum, Epsom salts & baking soda to 5g RO strike water.
 
You won't be disappointed. Kicked the keg two days ago and wishing I had made more.
 
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