The Bock Hog: A Collaboration with WhistlePig
December 14, 2020
If there was ever a boss in the world of lagers, it would be the famed and formidable Doppelbock.
Rightfully dubbed “Liquid Bread,” the Doppelbock is the ultimate malt-lover’s dream, showcasing an unabashed array of melanoidin goodness with little interference from hops, fusel alcohols, or esters. In an attempt to improve a near-perfect style, The Bock Hog is conditioned in a combination of Spanish Oak and South American Teakwood barrels that previously housed WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic.
Chosen to represent the first two waypoints on Magellan’s global circumnavigation, the barrels were hand-selected to give The Boss Hog VII a one-of-a-kind world-class finish. Knotty, porous, and high in tannins, Spanish Oak is difficult to work with but offers an unparalleled amount of flavor when used for barrel aging. Similarly, South American Teakwood, a golden hardwood of uncompromising durability, is responsible for the ocean of cinnamon and vanillin aromatics found in this Boss of Hogs.
Split between the two emptied barrel types and blended before bottling, The Bock Hog gains some incredibly unique characteristics from its extended conditioning that elevate and round out an already complex flavor profile. In addition to base notes of toasted rye, toffee, rum raisin, and cacao, the barrels add an extra layer of flavor with top notes like holiday spice, roasted nuts, vanilla, and char. Nontraditional but well within the limitations of German Reinheitsgebot (beer purity laws), The Bock Hog is a distinctly modern take on a classic Bavarian style.
Cheers to our friends (and VT neighbors) at WhistlePig for another barrel-aged collab. Please don’t stop exploring!
Spread the malty lager love and enjoy this with friends and family. Pour yourself a sidecar of WhistlePig The Boss Hog VII for the perfect cold weather combo.
