Beer Legend #2: Bock beer is made from what’s left at the bottom of beer barrels after their annual cleaning.
Truth: No, that sounds more like Marmite, the black, salty goo that the English spread on toast. Very much an acquired taste, Marmite is made from yeast extract from the Bass Brewery at Burton-on-Trent, among other breweries.
Actually, bock beer isn’t leftover anything. It’s a strong, malty lager, often a winter or springtime seasonal brew. Bock probably originated in the northern German town of Einbeck, the name of which likely became corrupted over time to “ein bock.” Because the word “bock” also means billy goat in German, bock beers often bear the image of a goat. The two meanings of the word are linked in a tale that describes a drinking contest between two brewers. When one finally stumbles, then protests that he was thrown off balance by a goat, the winner boasts, “Well, I made the bock that knocked you down!” That, however, is another legend for another time.
