In praise of vanishing brews: Bock and Porter
America’s hop-crazy craft beer fans may be driving some beer styles to the brink of extinction.
Anchor Brewing’s traditional spring seasonal release -- Anchor Bock -- is making its way to bars and shops for the last time. The pioneering San Francisco craft brewery is launching a new lineup of seasonal brews, and there just isn’t room on the production schedule for the classic lager.
Bock beers are an old, German-style brew traditionally associated with spring (and billy goats), and the strong, malty beers are not the most popular style with increasingly hop-crazed craft beer consumers. Brewed since 2005, Anchor’s version bucks the trend and features a female goat (Hazel) on the label and a more middling alcohol content (5.5%). Learn more in this cool video.
The brewery won’t be making Anchor Bock again, so this season is your last opportunity to try the dark and malty lager.
Bock beers never achieved levels of popularity among craft drinkers or craft brewers that many styles of ale have, but even some of those previously adored styles are now feeling squeezed out by America’s love of hoppy IPAs. Porters, another style that emphasizes malt flavor over hops, is also feeling this pressure.
Though craft brewers are experimenting with new flavors in some porters -- there’s a preponderance of coconut, pecan, coffee, vanilla, chili, maple, et al -- the more workaday robust porter seems to be a dying breed. In the last few months several breweries (notably Ska Brewing and Boulder Beer) have put their porter offerings out to pasture, and now joining them is Walker’s Reserve Porter by Firestone Walker.
The last batch of Walker’s Reserve is being distributed now, so if you’re a fan of the roasty, chocolate-y brew, track some of these last bottles down while it’s fresh.
As the market for craft beers grows, there will naturally be contraction and expansion of different styles, but let’s hope that craft brewers don’t become so focused on the hoppy brews all the rage now that they neglect the other flavors that craft beer can offer. Not every new beer needs to be a West Coast / double / white / session / Belgian IPA, and not every porter needs to be laced with coffee beans, nuts or fruitcake.
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