Back to Bock

Even the most knowledgeable Cincinnati expert can be a little confused about Bockfest.

What is “bock” beer?

What are all these monks doing here?

What’s with all the goats?

You may have other questions about Bockfest. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying the wacky parade, the strange Sausage Queen Competition, and the very specific Spring beer.

Like so many things in Cincinnati, we need to look back to Germany for answers, specifically Bavaria. Luckily, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

Bockfest describes its eponymous beer as ​a “rich, complex, malty, low-hop style of lager,” with an alcohol content from roughly 6.3% to about 12%.

This is a STRONG beer. (Eisbocks can have an alcohol content as high as 43%!) So if you see people acting a little strange this weekend, it’s not just Spring Fever.

Historically, bock beer was associated with religious occasions, like, say Lent. The beers were often brewed by monks to have as a source of nutrition during times of fasting. (Like, say, Lent.)

Though originally brewed in the northern town of Einbeck, the style gradually moved south to Munich during the Middle Ages. As is sometimes the case, pronunciations varied in different parts of the country. To the Bavarians, the name of the beer sounded like “ein bock,” which means “billy goat” in German.

Goats, we got goats.