Betr.: RE: [HBF] Bock questions

[Flannery, Phil]

**the Catholic Monasteries where the most important brewers...**

You know BTW that this is grammatically incorrect.  It's 'were' the most important brewers.....;-)

Very interesting Bernhard.  Thanks for the info.  I do find it pretty strange that the North and Holland have more of a tradition for brewing (or lets just say 'labelling') their beers Maibock than does Bavaria seeing as how you already pointed out they are traditionally Protestant. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernhard Landauer [mailto:b.landauer at utanet.at]
Sent: 03 February 2004 22:56
To: Flannery, Phil; 'Hausbrauerforum'
Cc: 'strongg42 at hotmail.com'
Subject: Betr.: RE: [HBF] Bock questions


Phil wrote:
> It's available from March through April and maybe the first
> part of May.

As far as I know the historic backround of the "Bock" is that these strong beers where especially brewed for the fast-time before Easter (which is not on the same date every year of course...). You must know that in many areas - especially in Bavaria - the Catholic Monasteries where the most important brewers...
The idea behind that: Drinking does not break the fast...
This may be a reason for the regional differences in the tradition (and availability) of "Bock" between the Protestant North and the Catholic parts of Germany and Austria.
Nowadays you can find "Bock"-beers also around christmas - a Christian holiday-season again!
If you are looking for different names here is one more: "Festbock" which indicates the connection between this special beer-type and (Christian) holidays again.

greetings from
Bernhard