Urbock - Annual First Tapping

Dominikanerhofice scaffoldSchlenkerla Urbock is a smoked bock beer for Bamberg's strong beer season (October through December). Matured for months in ancient rock-cellars underneath Bamberg and higher in smokemalt concentration and alcohol, it is similar to, but much bigger and more complex than the classic Maerzen style.

Bock beers were originally being brewed in the city Einbeck in central Germany. As other brewers started to adapt the style, they were hence copying the “Einböckisch” beer, and through the centuries the vernacular formed the word “Bock”. Schlenkerla carries in addition the suffix “Ur”, for it is by style the ancestor of all bock beers, as Smokebeer is the original type of beer in central and northern Europe. Before the industrialisation in the 18th century kilning was only possible through sun or open fire, and with the moist climate in those regions only the latter was feasable and thus all beers were smoky to some extend. Schlenkerla Urbock is therefore a zip of “bock-beer-history”.

The Urbock is lagered in the old rock cellars under the Schlenkerla brewery, which used to be cooled by ice harvested from scaffolds in the winter time (see image, in front of the scaffold are Margareta and Michal Graser). After warm winters, with not enough ice, sometimes it was even transported by train as far as from Finland to Bamberg.

On the first Thursday in October the Schlenkerla Urbock is tapped at Schlenkerla in Dominikanerstra?e. In addition to the regular serving at the "Brauereiausschank", there is an outdoor tapping at Dominikanerhof next door from Schlenkerla.

Schlenkerla rock cellar from 14th centurySchlenkerla Urbock has an original gravity of 17,5% which results in an alcohol content of 6,5%, and it is brewed with 100% Schlenkerla Smokemalt from the houseown maltings. Through the higher malt content, it has a very strong aroma and full mouthfeel. The multiply awarded Urbock is available until early January.

Date 2024: Thursday, October 10th

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