What is a Weizenbock?
Weizenbocks: where they come from, their appearance, flavour & aroma, palate & mouthfeel, food pairings and serving suggestions are all explained in this Beer Styles 201 article.
By The Beer Community on Nov. 24, 2016
What is a Weizenbock?
Weizenbock is a unique, strong, wheat beer first produced in Bavaria in the early 20th century.
Weizenbocks are growing in popularity and are loved for their high ABV% and high amount of wheat malt. The German Reinheitsgebot require Weizenbock to be made with at least 50% wheat malt, but usually it is made with 60-70%. The rest is Pils, Vienna or Munich malts. Weizenbocks are known as a “winter wheat beer”.
If a Hefeweizen beer and a Dopplebock had a baby, Weizenbock would be it.
How to Pronounce “Weizenbock”:
“Veye-tssen-bock”
Weizenbock Essential Information:
Style Region:
Germany
Appearance:
Weizenbocks are pale to amber in color with an opaque appearance.
Flavour & Aroma:
The flavour of a Weizenbock is spicy and clove-like from the special yeast with which it is fermented.
Palate & Mouthfeel:
Slightly caramelized malts gives Weizenbocks a full-bodied mouthfeel with a rich and satisfying malty finish.
What foods pair well with Weizenbocks?
Hearty meats like venison and lamb are fabulous, but Weizenbocks work well with veal too. For something sweet, try a Weizenbock with apple pie or strudel, plum tarts or banana pudding.
How to serve a Weizenbock:
This beer varies quite a bit so you might want to serve darker versions warm and lighter versions cool, but always in a weizen glass.
Comparable styles to a Weizenbock:
Bockbier is similar in style but it is a lager and the Weizenbock is an ale. Weizenbocks can also be compared to a Hefeweizen or Weissbier but with a higher ABV%.