Bock is a strong lager, which has origins in the Hanseatic town Einbeck, Germany. The name is a corruption of the medieval German brewing town of Einbeck. The original Bocks were dark beers, brewed from high-coloured malts. Modern Bocks can be dark, amber or pale in colour. Bock was traditionally brewed for special occasions, often religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter or Lent.

In the twentieth century, bock beers gained an undeserved reputation (primarily in the United States) for being brewed from the dregs of previous brewings. This is impossible, as the "dregs" were not clearly defined and the leftovers from the brewing process are not fermentable. The rumour may have started because some brewers used inferior ingredients or a large quantity of adjuncts in their bocks.

Bock Styles

• Maibock (May bock): A pale-coloured bock traditionally brewed for consumption in Spring.
• Weizenbock (wheat bock): A very strong wheat beer; named a bock because of its strength.
• Doppelbock (double bock): A stronger bock, derived from the beer brewed by monks for fast days; The names of Doppelbock brews commonly end in -ator in honor of the original, Paulaner Salvator (Latin, "Savior").
• Eisbock (ice bock): The strongest of bocks, this beer begins as a doppelbock but is partially freeze distilled to concentrate the flavour and alcohol in the beer.

Many bock beer producers have displayed goats on bottle labels since Bock in German means billy goat. In the local dialect, Einbeck is pronounced similar to "Einbock", which sounds like ein Bock (a goat).