Style: Helles Bock

All Styles

Style Profile based on 314 recipes

BU:GU

0.42

Hops

3.9 g/L

Mash pH

5.53

Style Guidelines BJCP 2015 Beer
OG
1.064 1.072
1.069
FG
1.011 1.018
1.017
IBU
23 35
29
ABV
6.3% 7.4%
6.9%
SRM
6 11
Description

A relatively pale, strong, malty German lager beer with a nicely attenuated finish that enhances drinkability. The hop character is generally more apparent than in other bocks. History: A fairly recent development in comparison to the other members of the bock family. The serving of Maibock is specifically associated with springtime and the month of May. Style Comparison: Can be thought of as either a pale version of a Dunkles Bock, or a Munich Helles brewed to bock strength. While quite malty, this beer typically has less dark and rich malt flavors, and can be drier, hoppier, and more bitter than a Dunkles Bock. Has more of a rich malt character and more alcohol than a Festbier.

Examples: Altenmünster Maibock, Ayinger Maibock, Capital Maibock, Blind Tiger Maibock, Einbecker Mai-Urbock, Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock, Mahr’s Bock

Typical Grain Bill

% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%

Common Additions

% of Helles Bock recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)

Hop Usage by Addition Type

g/L · median with IQR range

Bittering
0.68 g/L 1.5 g/L
1.09 g/L
Flavour
0.53 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.75 g/L
Aroma
0.64 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.75 g/L
Whirlpool
0.38 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.75 g/L
Common Hops

% of Helles Bock recipes using each hop

Dry-Hop Rate by Year

g/L · median with IQR range

2020
0.21 g/L 0.21 g/L
0.21 g/L
2023
0 g/L 0 g/L
0 g/L
2024
0.5 g/L 0.5 g/L
0.5 g/L

dated Helles Bock recipes with at least one dry-hop addition

Mash Profile
  • 65% Single Infusion
  • 19% Step Mash
  • 16% Decoction

37 recipes with mash data

Typical Water Profile
  • 60 ppm Ca²⁺
  • 5 ppm Mg²⁺
  • 10 ppm Na⁺
  • 80 ppm Cl⁻
  • 55 ppm SO₄²⁻
  • 29 ppm HCO₃⁻

median across recipes with a declared water profile

Similar Styles

Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.