What Is Shiner Bock (and What Type of Beer Is It)?

There’s only a handful of beers in the world worth trying at least once. And Shiner Bock is one of them. This American dark lager has a crisp, clear taste and a lightly hopped character perfect for drinking in any weather. Especially during summertime.

A Shiner Bock doesn’t appeal to every beer drinker in the world, but it hits home for many.

Would you believe that Spoetzl Brewery ships 7 million cases of Shiner Bock to 49 states every year?

For a Bock that’s been around since 1913, a Shiner Bock definitely has its place among the many Bock beers available today.

What’s special about a Shiner Bock, anyway? And who would enjoy it the most? You’ll find the answers to that and more in this guide.

What Beer Style Is Shiner Bock?

Shiner Bock is a lightly hopped American-style dark lager. Considering the term lightly hopped and the name “Shiner Bock,” does that make it a Bock too?

It definitely falls into the category of Bock beers; however, its light hoppiness would make it lean more towards a Maibock.

Maibocks are a type of Bock that have malt-dominant flavors but have a more pronounced hop flavor than other Bocks.

Compare a Maibock to a Doppelbock or traditional Bock, for example. A Doppelbock and traditional Bock won’t have any hop flavor. In a Maibock, some hop flavor is perceivable but not to the extent that it becomes a hoppy beer or as bitter as an IPA.

Shiner Bocks have an ABV of 4.4% and 13 IBUs. Compared to a Bock with an ABV of 6% to 7% average, a Shiner Bock falls short of the ABV strength mark.

But for IBUs and malt flavor, a Shiner Bock is a spot-on American Bock.

Wait – American Bock? Yup. Compared to a German Bock, there are notable differences (more on this in the later sections).

Now, here’s the thing. German Bocks tend to have a fuller flavor. Not just in terms of body. But also in terms of the flavor profile. A Shiner Bock isn’t exactly a strong beer.

That’s another odd reason why Shiner Bock is listed in the Bock category. After all, German-style Bock lagers are strong. You’d immediately be able to tell the difference between drinking a traditional Bock like La Trappe Bockbier and a Shiner Bock.

The difference in strength is wide.

That said, a Shiner Bock is quite mild and an easy-to-drink beer. In fact, a Shiner Bock packs a good flavor profile enough to make you want to crack open another.

Is Shiner Bock a Lager or Ale?

A Shiner Bock is a dark lager. But take note, it’s an American-style lager.

What does that mean? Put simply, there’s a difference between American-style beers, be it lagers or ales, and German-style beers.

Here’s a closer look at the differences between the two styles:

Differences	American-style beers	German-style beers
Alcohol Strength	Alcohol content ranges from 3.5% to 3.8%. People in Germany consider American-style beer to have a watered-down taste.	Alcohol content ranges from 4.5% to 5.5%, but it can go as high as 16% in some styles. People in America think German-style beer is too strong.
Innovation or Tradition	The American market prefers taking new angles in beer. Even if that means straying away from tradition. American beers can contain just about any ingredient. Weird ones too, like pizza crust or Jolly Ranchers.	German-style beers don’t focus on innovating their beers. Instead, it’s more about tradition and perfecting the craft. For German beer, there’s no need to fix a brewing tradition that isn’t broken.
Quality	It’s easier to find a variety of cheaper and weaker beers in America. The quality isn’t bad, but you’ll hardly find anything similar in Germany. American ranges from low-quality/affordable to high-quality/high-priced beers. For example, Coors and Budweiser are great examples of lower-priced beers.	German beers are strong and high-quality beers. That also means their prices can be a tad bit higher than most American beers. However, you’ll find a lot of lower-priced high-quality German beers. This is also due to Germany’s purity law, also known as the Reinheitsgebot. It’s a law that maintains the purity of the beer and its ingredients.

So, what does that mean for a Shiner Bock?

It’s safe to say that because a Shiner Bock is an American-style lager…

Compared to a German-style Bock, a Shiner isn’t as strong. But it’s also worth mentioning that just because it isn’t strong, that doesn’t make it an undesirable beer.

Some beer drinkers on Beer Advocate might mention that it’s not strong enough for a Bock or that it’s boring. After all, when most people think “Bock,” they expect a strong punch of flavor and alcohol.

Although a Shiner Bock doesn’t have that Bock strength quality, it’s a beer that fits a specific purpose. And that’s being able to enjoy it for long sitting sessions. If you’re looking for an easy-drinking lager you can drink multiple cans of without the tipsy feeling, this is it.

Is Shiner Bock a Pilsner?

A Shiner Bock isn’t a Pilsner. Why not?

Because not all lagers are Pilsners. Here’s a better way to understand the difference between the two.

Lagers? Simple. Crispy and clean beer. Think Budweiser. Coors. Miller. Those are all lagers.

Now, what about a Pilsner?

If a lager could be more than what it is, that’s a Pilsner. In fact, it was invented by one guy: Josef Groll. He was brought in from Bavaria to aid the Bohemians with their spoiled beer. His advice? Add Saaz hops.

So, with a Pilsner, it’s going to be spicier than a typical lager. How spicy? Like a harder bite than what you’d taste in a Budweiser.

But that’s not the only difference. A Shiner Bock has noble hops so doesn’t that make it a Pilsner?

That’s a fair point. But one thing you should remember is that Pilsners aren’t dark lagers. Never. Nada. Zilch. A Pilsner is bright yellow and never dark brown. With a Shiner Bock, there’s a reason why Spoetzl Brewery mentions it’s a dark lager.

It may almost seem like it’s a Pilsner, but that’s also because Pilsners and lagers are closely related. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the same.

Every Pilsner is a lager, but not all lagers are considered Pilsners. In the case of a Shiner Bock, you’re looking at an American-style lager. A dark lager.

Is Shiner Bock an Amber Beer?

You might have heard people describe a Shiner Bock to have a dark-brown or amber appearance. And they’re not wrong. But, a Shiner Bock isn’t an Amber beer.

For starters, Amber beer is an ale while a Shiner Bock is a lager.

That difference alone is enough to say a Shiner Bock isn’t an Amber beer.

Sure – a Shiner Bock may resemble some of the qualities of an Amber beer, such as:

An ABV between 4% to 7%
Light caramel or toffee notes
Amber or dark-brown appearance

However, a Shiner Bock uses German noble hops while an Amber beer uses American variety hops.

The hop variety imparts different hop flavor notes in each beer. As a result, you wouldn’t taste the same flavor profile in a Shiner Bock and an Amber beer.

Is Shiner Bock a Stout Beer?

Shiner Bocks aren’t Stout beers. How can you tell?

Taste a Stout beer and you’ll notice its unique coffee-like taste. In fact, a lot of people associate Stouts with their coffee-like flavors.

A Shiner Bock, on the other hand, will have a bready, malty, and light caramel flavor profile. Not to mention, Shiner Bocks use roasted barley malt whereas a Stout uses unmalted roasted barley.

And finally, there’s the classification of Stouts. Stout beers are ales. Or put simply, top-fermented beers. That means the yeast strain used to brew a Stout ferments in warmer temperatures.

In contrast, Shiner Bocks are lagers or bottom-fermented beers. In other words, the yeast strain for a lager ferments in colder temperatures.

In addition, a Shiner Bock has an even closer ABV range to a Porter than a Stout. Porters have ABVs that range from 4.8% to 6.5%. Yes – it’s slightly stronger than a Shiner Bock, but closer indeed. Stouts will have an ABV that ranges between 5.5% to 8%.

That alone should tell you a Shiner Bock isn’t anywhere close to a Stout beer.

Is Shiner Bock a Red or a Brown Ale?

Appearance-wise, you might mistake a Shiner Bock for a Red ale, but these are actually two different styles.

Red Ales will normally have a lot of “mediums.” Basically, that means it will have…

Medium body
Medium fruity aroma
Medium malt character
Medium hop bitterness

There might be a few qualities that a Red ale will have equal to that of a Shiner Bock.

But remember: Red ales are, put simply, an ale. A Shiner Bock is a lager.

Red ales will also have toasty, caramel, and buttery toffee flavors. That’s not exactly the flavor profile you’d find in a Shiner Bock.

Now, what about Brown ales?

Again, these are ales, not lagers so a Shiner Bock and a Brown ale are vastly different.

Furthermore, Brown ales have varying styles – 5 to be exact. And then there’s the appearance. A Brown ale will be…well, obviously brown. Hence the name, right?

But that’s not the biggest reason why a Shiner Bock isn’t a Brown ale. Due to the varying styles of a Brown ale, you could have several flavor profiles too, such as:

Cocoa-like malt
Chocolate notes
Lactic sourness
Oak-like and woody character notes

Some Brown ale styles will also have more hop bitterness than other styles. Compared to a Shiner Bock with only 13 IBUs, a Brown ale might even taste more bitter.

That being said, the verdict is clear. A Shiner Bock isn’t a Red ale, nor is it a Brown ale.

Is Shiner Bock an IPA?

A Shiner Bock is not an IPA. Not in any chance will a Shiner Bock ever be. If you’re wondering why there’s a strong emphasis on why a Shiner Bock isn’t an IPA, here’s why.

In a Shiner Bock, maltiness takes the center stage. Shiner Bock = malt-dominant flavor
In an IPA, it’s the hops that shine or take the front seat. IPA = hops-dominant profile

When hops take the center stage, it’s not just the flavor that’s different.

You also taste more bitterness in your beer. For a regular IPA, you’re looking at 55 to 70 IBUs. That’s a lot higher than the measly 13 IBUs of a Shiner Bock.

Flavor-wise, an IPA will mostly have floral or citrusy notes. Other variations like a New England IPA, East Coast IPA, or Milkshake IPA will have juicy, fruity notes.

All in all, there are a lot of reasons why IPAs are vastly different from a Shiner Bock. From the flavor down to the ingredients, these two styles are like opposing sides of a coin.

Is Shiner Bock a Wheat Beer?

Shiner Bock isn’t wheat beer, and that’s because there’s a certain qualification for a beer to be wheat beer.

Shiner Bock uses roasted barley malt as part of its grain bill. For a wheat beer, though, the majority of its grain bill should be wheat. To be more specific, wheat beer should have at least 50% wheat. Some styles go as high as 70% even.

In fact, the German purity law Reinheitsgebot states it’s not a true wheat beer if it isn’t brewed with 50% wheat. And then there’s the cloudy appearance of wheat beers.

A Shiner Bock has a clear, amber appearance, which is far from what you’d see in a wheat beer. And finally, the taste. Wheat beers will have banana, clove, and even bubblegum flavor notes. Shiner Bocks don’t have any of these flavor notes and lean more towards caramel or roasted notes.

It’s worth noting though that Spoetzl Brewery produces wheat beer known as Shiner Weisse N’ Easy. However, it has a lower ABV and IBU than a Shiner Bock, coming in at 4% ABV and 10 IBUs.

What’s interesting about Shiner Weisse N’ Easy is the twist they’ve added to it. This unfiltered, full-flavored wheat beer is brewed with Texas Dewberries. And guess what. It’s only 95 calories.

Is Shiner Bock Actually a Bock?

A Shiner Bock is categorized as a Bock; however, it’s not surprising if some might consider it not to be. For starters, a Shiner Bock has a lower ABV compared to any other Bock, sitting at just 4.4%.

According to the BJCP style guidelines, a traditional Bock has an ABV between 6.3% to 7.2%. A Maibock and Dunkles Bock will have a similar ABV range. And finally, a Doppelbock will have an ABV between 7% to 10%.

However, the malt-centric flavors in a Shiner Bock do shine, and it’s what you’d expect from a Bock too.

There’s also one thing to note. A Shiner Bock is an American-style lager. That means you shouldn’t expect a high ABV compared to say if a Shiner was a German-style lager.

The closest style you would find in the BJCP style guidelines for a Shiner would be an American dark lager. Its ABV ranges from 4.2% to 6%.

Now, that’s just about the sweet spot for what a Shiner Bock is. So, what is a Shiner Bock, really? Is it a Bock? Yes, it is. But more like an American-style Bock lager.

Is Shiner Bock a Strong Beer?

Shiner Bock isn’t a strong beer, and it’s fair to say that it wasn’t Spoetzl Brewery’s intention to do so. Why is that?

If you go to their website, on one of their product descriptions for a Shiner Bock it says:

“Pairs nicely with porch sitting, washer tossing, and dog petting.”

That pretty much tells you a Shiner Bock is meant to be an easy-drinking lager meant for those who prefer light beer.

It’s a lager that doesn’t quite give you the same hit you’d get with a beer that’s 5% ABV and up. However, it makes for a great session beer if that’s your preference.

Or, if you’ve had a heavy drinking session with friends the other day but you’re still craving a beer, then…

Grab a Shiner Bock.

You could drink a 4-pack or even a 6-pack easily sitting on your porch or couch while binge-watching Friends.

How Much Alcohol Is in Shiner Bock?

A Shiner Bock has 4.4% ABV. Don’t expect it to be at the same level as a German-style Bock. Many have mentioned that a Shiner Bock isn’t a true Bock. However, if you’re only looking at it from the German-style perspective, of course, that’s what you’d believe.

A Shiner Bock leans more towards an American-style Bock. That means it’s less aggressive on almost all counts. So apart from its ABV, the malt flavor is prominent but not as high or as pronounced as a German Bock.

The body of a Shiner Bock is also lighter, including its tan head and hop flavor & aroma. However, its carbonation is somewhat quite high. High enough to leave an impression on those who don’t enjoy a beer that’s too carbonated.

Overall, a Shiner Bock has a low ABV similar to the pale lagers in the American market.

How Many Calories in Shiner Bock?

In a Shiner Bock, a good estimate of the number of calories would be about 132 calories for a 12 oz. (355 ml) bottle. If you’re drinking a 16 oz. (473 ml), the calories would jump to about 176 calories.

When it comes to beer calories, it’s harder to give an exact number. Why? Because to get the exact calories in beer, you’d need the beer’s alcohol by weight. You’ll also need to know the remaining sugar in the beer.

To get the remaining sugar, you’d need to dehydrate the beer first. Then, burn off its organic constituents to get the true weight of the beer’s remaining sugar.

And that’s not all. You only have the calories of beer from the alcohol. You still need to get the calories from the carbohydrates in your beer.

Rather than go through all the hocus-pocus, you can use an ABV calorie chart or a beer calorie calculator. Both are free online, by the way. For an ABV calorie chart, you’ll be able to tell how many calories a beer has depending on its pour size and ABV for every 0.5% difference.

With a beer calculator, you’ll need the original and final gravity of your beer as well as the beer’s ABV and pour size.

So, if you have a beer with a pour size of 16 oz. at 6% ABV, if you run that in a beer calorie calculator, you get…

About 240 calories. Phew. That’s quite a lot for one beer, ey?

Here’s something you need to remember about beer calories:

A higher ABV and higher pour size mean more calories.
A beer that’s sweeter, has a thicker mouthfeel, and has a darker appearance will have more carbs.

Between a 12 oz. beer with 4.5% ABV and a 12 oz. beer with 5% ABV, the 5% ABV 12 oz. beer has more calories.

Does Shiner Bock Make a Light Beer?

Apart from Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery also has a few light-bodied beers to offer. These include the following:

Shiner 1909: A crisp, well-balanced light-bodied lager with an ABV of 4.5%. Its ingredients include Heritage 2-Row barley, Noble hops, artesian water, and Shiner’s lager yeast.
Shiner Light Blonde: Think a Shiner Bock, but even lighter in ABV and body. It’s an easy-drinking, smooth lager with only 99 calories for every 12 oz. (355 ml) bottle.
Shiner Strawberry Blonde (seasonal): A light-tasting blonde ale with a hint of strawberry. Made from a blend of wheat and pale malts to give a crispy finish.

What Are the Ingredients in Shiner Bock Beer?

Spoetzl Brewery doesn’t say much about Shiner Bock beer’s ingredients except for roasted barley malt and German hops.

However, you might be able to find recipes online that attempt to brew a Shiner Bock clone. These recipes should give you an idea of the grain bill, hop variety, and even yeast strain in a Shiner.

A Shiner Bock is more closely similar to an American dark lager as shown in the BJCP style guidelines. If you look at the commercial examples listed under American dark lager, it displays Shiner Bock and the following:

San Miguel Dark
Devils Backbone Old Virginia Dark
Baltika #4 Original
Dixie Blackened Voodoo

For a Shiner Bock’s grain bill, it’s safe to say 2-row or 6-row barley is a good malt option. Adjuncts like corn, rice, and sugar are viable options as well.

BYO also has its own Shiner Bock clone recipe with the following ingredients:

3 lbs. or 1.36 kg of 6-row Pale malt
2.66 lbs. or 1.2 kg of corn grits
3 lbs. or 1.36 kg of Vienna malt (4°L)
0.66 lbs. or 0.29 kg of Briess Caramel crystal malt
3 oz. or 86 g of roasted barley malt
0.6 oz. or 16 g of Brewer’s Gold hops
1 tsp. or 5.69 g of Irish moss
White Labs WLP940 yeast strain
1/2 tsp. or 2.84 g of yeast nutrient
7/8 cup or 175 g of dextrose for priming

Some recipes use flaked corn instead of corn grits; however, it’s up to you.

If you decide to go with corn grits, it’s best to make it into a cereal mash. To make a cereal mash, you need to follow certain steps.

In the later sections, you’ll learn how it’s done along with the brewing process.

Does Shiner Bock Have Yeast?

Shiner Bock has yeast, of course. Whether it’s an ale or lager, every beer needs a yeast strain. And not just so that fermentation can happen. Yeast plays a vital role in every beer. Basically, if you brew beer without yeast, it would taste bland or you’d get a flat beer.

Some yeast strains impart flavor notes like what you’d taste in a Hefeweizen, for example. The clove and banana flavor notes come from the yeast strain used.

For a Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery didn’t give any specific information about the yeast strain they use. Nevertheless, there are a good number of yeast strains that work well if you want to make a Shiner Bock.

These yeast strains include the following:

German Bock lager yeast (White Labs WLP833)
LalBrew Diamond lager yeast
Mexican lager yeast (White Labs WLP940)
European lager yeast (Wyeast 2247)

What Hops Are in Shiner Bock?

A Shiner Bock will use German noble hop varieties, however, it’s not clear specifically which hops were used.

If you look at most online recipes, you’ll find that Northern Brewer and Brewer’s Gold are ideal hop options.

According to the BJCP style guidelines, the hop flavor should be low to none. If there’s a low hop flavor, it leans towards floral, herbal, or spicy notes.

Does Shiner Bock Have Corn?

Shiner Bock has about 1/3 corn grits as part of the grain bill. Corn, sugar, and rice are all adjuncts that fit the style guidelines of an American dark lager.

In fact, the Brewers Association doesn’t consider Spoetzl Brewery a craft brewery. Why is that? Mainly because Spoetzl uses adjuncts in brewing.

Does Shiner Bock Have Wheat?

Shiner Bock doesn’t have wheat in its brew. Apart from the corn adjuncts mentioned earlier, a Shiner Bock will also have roasted barley malt.

Some crystal malt and Vienna malts may also be present, but wheat isn’t one of them.

It’s safe to say that a Shiner Bock doesn’t have any allergens that may be harmful to others. Unlike roasted barley malt, wheat malt is considered an allergen.

However, Spoetzl Brewery offers beer that uses wheat as one of its main ingredients. And one of those beers is the Shiner Weisse N Easy.

Does Shiner Bock Have Sugar?

A Shiner Bock doesn’t have any sugar. In fact, if you search for the Nutritional Facts of a Shiner Bock, you should see 0 g next to the sugar content label.

Now, why wouldn’t a Shiner Bock have any sugar?

A better way of saying this is that, most beer doesn’t have sugar.

The basic ingredients used to make beer – malt, water, hops, and yeast – result in a beer that can pack whopping calories. However, sugar is out of the picture.

Know why?

Mainly because the sugar is converted into alcohol during fermentation. Most of the sugar comes from the malt. However, during fermentation, the yeast ferments the sugar present in the malt and converts it to alcohol.

So, beer doesn’t exactly have sugar in it, but that’s because the sugar is converted. In other words, if you drink a nonalcoholic beer, expect there to be some sugar.

For example, Heineken’s 0.0 Alcohol-free beer has 1.3 g of sugar. Athletic Brewing Company’s Run Wild IPA has an ABV lower than 0.5% and 4.3 g of sugar.

When you remove alcohol from beer, you get a lower ABV or alcohol content but the sugar content also goes up.

Does Shiner Bock Have Caffeine?

Shiner Bock doesn’t have caffeine. Unless stated on the label, beer isn’t normally brewed with caffeine. Whether it’s any malt or hop variety, none of these ingredients have caffeine.

However, some beers will have mild caffeine levels if say coffee or chocolate flavorings or additives were added.

In addition, caffeine and alcohol are very different compounds. Alcohol is made when yeast breaks down sugar, which releases ethanol and carbon dioxide.

In contrast, caffeine is made when smaller compounds join together and turn into a complex chemical. See the difference? Alcohol is made when larger compounds are broken down while caffeine is made by joining small compounds.

Now, here’s what’s interesting. Every year, Shiner releases a limited-edition beer to celebrate the number of years they’ve been brewing beer.

On Shiner’s 108^th birthday, they released a beer made with cold brew coffee. It was brewed with Chameleon Cold Brew, which is another Texas-based company.

Unfortunately, you won’t find a Shiner Cold Brew Coffee Ale in stores anymore.

Is Shiner Bock Gluten Free?

Shiner Bock isn’t gluten-free because it uses barley as one of its ingredients. Barley is a gluten grain, so there’s no way for a Shiner Bock to be considered gluten-free.

You might’ve heard a rumor before that a beer can be considered gluten-free even if it’s made with barley. Why? Because apparently, the barley is removed during fermentation.

So, does that mean Shiner Bock is gluten-free? Not at all.

The US Authority on alcohol production & labeling specifically states that…

Beer cannot be gluten-free if they were made with gluten grains.

Is Shiner Bock Beer Vegan?

Shiner Bock is a vegan-friendly beer. Hooray!

According to a company email from Shiner on Barnivore, Shiner doesn’t use any of the following ingredients:

Gelatin
Nitrates
Nitrites
Isinglass
Artificial preservatives
Any animal products

In fact, all of Shiner’s beers are vegan-friendly except for one: their Hefeweizen. Shiner’s wheat beer uses honey as part of the ingredients, but it’s also the only animal ingredient in their Hefeweizen.

Is Shiner Bock Kosher?

You’ll be happy to know that Shiner Bock is a Kosher-certified beer.

The kosher tradition began with Spoetzl Brewery’s first brewmaster Kosmos Spoetzl. Kosmos brewed beer that followed the Reinheitsgebot tradition.

Reinheitsgebot also translates to German Purity law. It’s a law that limits German brewers to using 4 ingredients when making beer. Or rather, the 4 basic ingredients: hops, yeast, malt, and water.

When Carlos Alvarez took over as the owner of the Brewery in the 1990s, he stuck with the same tradition and applied for kosher certification.

To this day, Spoetzl Brewery maintains kosher-certified practices. In fact, Rabbi Joseph Krupnik inspects the brewery once a year to make sure the ingredients are still kosher.

What Does Shiner Bock Beer Look Like?

Shiner Bock has a copper to amber color or appearance. It can also pass for a medium-brown color. After pouring a Shiner Bock into a glass, you’ll notice a light tan head but it fades quickly.

And finally, Shiner Bock may be a dark lager but it’s not exactly dark brown or black. Amber is a more accurate term. It’s a lager with a clear body and no inclusions. You won’t see any sediment in this beer.

What Color Is Shiner Bock?

Some describe Shiner Bock as a medium-brown-colored beer. Others say it has an orange/brown appearance but orange seems a little odd, though.

The best color to describe a Shiner Bock is deep amber. Think a Yuengling, but darker. Whether you prefer to stick with medium brown, amber, or just brown is fine.

Is Shiner Bock a Blond or Dark Beer?

A Shiner Bock is more of a dark beer than a blonde beer. It’s worth noting that the term “blonde beer” is derived from its color characteristics.

The color of a blonde beer will usually range between deep gold, pale yellow, and light orange. A Shiner Bock leans more towards an amber or medium-brown color.

Blonde beers also tend to have a combination of hoppy and fruity aroma notes. In contrast, a Shiner Bock will have a sweet bready or malty aroma with hints of caramel.

And finally, the flavor and mouthfeel. Some mention that a Shiner Bock has a malty sweetness that may taste cloying after having about 3 or 4 bottles. A blonde beer will have a distinct sweetness in its flavor profile too along with hints of caramel.

Although both a blonde beer and Shiner Bock have similar qualities, they’re both different in other ways too. If you want to try a Shiner blonde beer, you should give Shiner Light Blonde a shot.

What Does Shiner Bock Taste Like?

Upfront, you’ll taste sweet maltiness, some grainy and bready malt, and light caramel & roastiness. There’s some bitterness too, but the maltiness dominates the flavor. As for hop flavor, it’s very light with no hop aroma at all.

Now, that doesn’t make it bad, though. It’s actually perfect for the style of a Shiner Bock.

Compared to a German Bock, a Shiner Bock has a light body and thin mouthfeel. There’s also a raisin-like aftertaste. Overall, it’s an enjoyable beer meant for longer drinking sessions. And it’s not just because of the ABV.

Because of its light body, it doesn’t feel heavy to drink on any occasion. It’s a great beer if you want a light lager with a good malty profile and faint bitterness. Some may find this beer cloying though after a couple of bottles.

And that’s probably due to the corn adjuncts. When drinking a Shiner Bock, don’t expect it to be at a level anywhere near a German-style Bock or lager. It’s like a Bock, but weaker and much lighter.

Not to mention, the sweetness in a Shiner Bock is more pronounced. If you don’t enjoy the bitter taste in beer or want a light lager with a little more adventure, a Shiner Bock is definitely worth trying.

What Is Similar to Shiner Bock?

If you’re looking for a Bock with similar caramel notes and a crisp finish as in a Shiner Bock, Saint Arnold Santo is a great option.

But if you’re looking for something within the lines of a dark lager, Creemore Springs urBock is a dark lager worth trying as well. Against a Shiner Bock, a urBock will have more hop flavor, though.

Samuel Adams Boston Brewery also offers Bock beer; however, it’s either a Doppelbock or Triple Bock. These are much heavier and stronger than a Shiner Bock.

And finally, Kokanee Gold and Sleemans Honey Brown are amber lagers that have similar qualities to a Shiner Bock. Although both of these beers aren’t dark lagers, you taste more maltiness and a slightly stronger caramel note.

Be careful, though. All these beers have a higher ABV than a Shiner Bock.

How Is Shiner Bock Made?

A Shiner Bock is made with German hops, corn adjuncts, and roasted barley malt. It’s also available year-round. As for the other ingredients, Shiner hasn’t revealed specifically what these ingredients are.

After all, when you’ve been brewing a beer that’s been around for more than a century, divulging the specifics isn’t exactly an option, right?

From the flavor profile of a Shiner Bock alone, you can tell some caramel malts were used in the brew. Apart from the roasted barley, Vienna malt could also be used to add a darker color and maltiness.

As for the German noble hops, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which hop variety Shiner would use. There are a ton of hop varieties available today. Not to mention, you could use substitute hop varieties.

Tettnang and Saaz are common examples of German hops. Lastly, the yeast strain for a Shiner Bock is without a doubt a lager yeast strain.

It’s possible that a Bavarian lager yeast strain was used, specifically WLP330.

How to Homebrew Shiner Bock

You’ll find a few recipes online similar to Shiner Bock. One of the best recipes is from BYO. As mentioned earlier in this guide, they also provide a full list of ingredients to make their own Shiner Bock clone.

These ingredients include the following:

3 lbs. or 1.36 kg of 6-row Pale malt
3 oz. or 86 g of roasted barley malt
3 lbs. or 1.36 kg of Vienna malt (4°L)
0.66 lbs. or 0.29 kg of Briess Caramel crystal malt
6 lbs. or 1.2 kg of corn grits

For the hops, you can use 0.6 oz. (16 g) Brewer’s Gold or Northern Brewer hops. The yeast strain that BYO uses is White Labs WLP940; however, you aren’t limited to just that. Other homebrewers have used different yeast strains, such as:

LalBrew Diamond lager yeast
European lager yeast (Wyeast 2247)
Mexican lager yeast (White Labs WLP940)
German Bock lager yeast (White Labs WLP833)

Be sure to add ½ tsp. (2.84 g) of yeast nutrient as well.

For clarification purposes, you can add 1 tsp. (5.69 g) of Irish moss and finally, for carbonating your beer, 7/8 cup (175 g) of dextrose is sufficient.

If you decide to use corn grits instead of flaked corn, it’s best to make a cereal mash. The homebrewing process for a Shiner Bock is as follows:

Step 1: Making Your Cereal Mash and Mashing

When making a cereal mash, you need to mix your corn grits, 6-row malt, and water. Here’s how to do it:

Mix 5 oz. (141.7 g) of 6-row malt with corn grits and 3.3 qts. (3.13 L) of 159°F (71°C) water
Maintain the temperature of your cereal mash at 148°F (64°C) for 15 minutes
Let your cereal mash rest
Pour the remaining grains into your kettle
Mash at 140°F (60°C)
Heat your cereal mash up to a boil and let it continue to boil for 30 minutes
After boiling, add your cereal mash to the main mash
Adjust the temperature of the water to hit 152°F (67°C)
Continue mashing for 45 minutes
Heat mash to 165°F (74°C) and then mash out

Step 2: Collecting Wort, Sparging, and Adding Hops & Clarifying Agent

After the mash out, it’s time to collect your wort. The steps from here are as follows:

Recirculate your wort until its clear then collect your wort (about 5 gallons or 19 L should suffice)
Sparge with water at a temperature between 165°F to 170°F (74°C to 77°C)
Add 1.5 gallons (6 L) of water then boil the wort for 90 minutes
Add your hops with 60 minutes left in the boil
Add Irish moss and yeast nutrient with 15 minutes left in the boil

Step 3: Wort Cooling, Pitching Yeast, and Fermentation

Fermentation for a lager is crucial.

Unlike ales, lagers must undergo a diacetyl rest to remove any DMS, which creates off-flavors in your beer.

After the boil, cool your wort. A good temperature range is 54°F to 65°F (12°C to 18°C)
Pitch yeast sediment
Ferment the beer at a temperature of 54°F (12°C) for at least 10 to 12 days
Let the temperature rise naturally to 60°F (16°C) to begin diacetyl rest

Step 4: Cooling and Lagering

From here, you have to be patient, especially during the lagering process.

35 to 40 days is a good lagering period; however, some even go longer and lager up to 60 days. Generally, the longer, the better. But not too long that you end up losing all of your beer’s flavor.

The best way is to taste your beer first and make a decision from that point.

Taste the beer before the cooling process
Rack the beer to a secondary fermenter
Cool beer at a temperature between 32°F to 40°F (0°C to 4°C)
Lager beer for at least 35 to 40 days

Is Shiner Bock Seasonal?

Shiner Bock isn’t a seasonal beer, but it started out as a seasonal offering by Spoetzl Brewery. It wasn’t until 1973 that fans demanded Shiner Bock be offered year-round.

After that, Shiner Bock became a year-round beer and has been ever since. However, Shiner releases a few seasonal beers every year. One example is their Strawberry Blonde. A Blonde ale with strawberries? Definitely an interesting beer.

Is Shiner Bock a Summer Beer?

Shiner Bock is a great summer beer to drink. Thank God it’s not a heavy beer, right? Its crisp finish, thin body, and sweetness make for a great go-to beer on warmer days during summer.

However, Shiner Bock isn’t the only summer beer Shiner offers. If you want a beer with good flavor character, try some of Shiner’s seasonal beers:

Shiner Strawberry Blonde
Shiner Ruby Redbird
Shiner Hill Country Peach Wheat Ale

Shiner Light Blonde is also a great option, but it’s lighter than a Shiner Bock. It’s even more sessionable than a Shiner Bock. How light is it? Apart from its even lighter body, the ABV is only 4.2%. And it’s just 99 calories.

Is Shiner Bock a German Beer?

Shiner Bock isn’t a German beer. One sip from a Shiner Bock and you’ll be able to tell it’s not at the same strength nor body of a German beer.

This is why you might find some say that a Shiner Bock isn’t a true Bock. And that’s because they mostly expect it to be like a German-style Bock at first.

The brewers at Spoetzl never intended for a Shiner Bock to follow the same style as a traditional German Bock. But at the same time, it wasn’t meant to be too light that it would taste like water either.

But if you’re used to drinking strong beer or beers with ABVs higher than 5% or 6%, a Shiner Bock will taste watered down. That being said, a Shiner Bock is an American beer, specifically an American Bock. Put simply, American Bocks are weaker than German Bocks in nearly every aspect.

That means a weaker ABV, mouthfeel, body, and slightly tuned down flavor profile. A Shiner Bock will still have a malt-centric profile, but not as full as a German Bock.

As mentioned earlier, an American Bock leans more towards being a session beer. Think lounging by the pool or sitting down by your porch after mowing the grass. You can have 4 bottles of a Shiner Bock and still be, well…totally fine.

German beers or a German Bock isn’t exactly sessionable. Not to mention, going for a Doppelbock is going to hit you even harder.

All in all, it’s important to remember that while a Shiner Bock has the name “Bock” on the label, it’s best to look at its ABV first.

Why? Because it’s unlikely that a German Bock would have an ABV of 4%.

Is Shiner Bock Independent?

Shiner Bock is a beer brewed by Spoetzl Brewery – an independent craft brewery located in Shiner, Texas. Shiner’s beers have the independent craft brewers seal as proof of a certified logo made by the Brewers Association.

It’s also worth noting that Spoetzl is the oldest independent brewery in Texas.

Who Owns Shiner Bock?

Shiner Bock is owned by Carlos Alvarez who also owns Gambrinus Company. The company runs Spoetzl Brewery. How did it happen?

Carlos Alvarez practically grew up learning about the beer business. His father was a beer distributor and made Carlos work hard, learning all the basics about beer.

Soon after, Carlos Alvarez established Gambrinus Company. During this time, he also noticed that Spoetzl Brewery – a small brewery at the time – was struggling.

This struggle was brought about due to how difficult it was for smaller breweries to compete with large breweries.

In 1989, Carlos Alvarez bought Spoetzl Brewery.

Currently, Shiner is the largest craft brewery in all of Texas. In fact, it’s won several awards too. And what about Gambrinus? It’s the 5^th top-selling craft brewery in the country.

In case you’re wondering, Shiner Bock has won the following awards:

Gold 2020 European Beer Star Awards
Silver 2021 Australian International Beer Awards
Silver 2019 Australian International Beer Awards
Silver 2018 Australian International Beer Awards
Gold 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championship
Silver 2017 Great American Beer Festival
Silver 2012 World Beer Cup
Silver 2005 Great American Beer Festival

And so much more. If you want the full list of awards, you’ll be able to find it on the Shiner website.

Where Is Shiner Bock Made?

Shiner Bock is made in Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. In fact, Shiner’s been brewed in Shiner, Texas since 1909. It’s a small town with a population of only 2,069 people.

To this date, Spoetzl Brewery delivers more than 6 million cases of Shiner beer to various states across the country.

Did you know? There are over 46 Shiner Bock recipes on Yummly, which is a food recipe site.

Who Makes Shiner Bock?

Shiner Bock was originally made by Czech and German immigrants and was named Shiner Brewing Association. However, the beer wasn’t very good.

Kosmos Spoetzl – born and raised in Bavaria – bought the brewery and named the brewery after his name. Ever since then and up until today, Shiner Bock is brewed using the same family recipe Kosmos perfected.

Is Shiner Bock Considered Craft Beer?

Shiner Bock is craft beer, as proven through its certified logo of the independent craft brewers seal. However, some might disagree that it is.

The Brewers Association mentions that craft beer is beer made with traditional ingredients. One example is malted barley. Nontraditional ingredients are often added for distinctiveness.

According to the Brewers Association, an American craft brewer has…

“Approximately 3% of U.S. beer sales or an annual production of 6 million barrels or less.”
“Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member.” The member shouldn’t be a craft brewer either.

Now, although a formal definition of “American craft brewer” is established, craft beer isn’t. In other words, craft beer isn’t something defined by the Brewers Association. Instead, it’s defined by the market.

When Did Shiner Bock Come Out?

Shiner Bock first came out in 1913. Two years later, in 1915, Kosmos Spoetzl bought the brewery. However, Shiner Bock was brewed in 1903 but was only released 10 years later.

In addition, Shiner Bock was only available as a seasonal beer when it first came out. It became a year-round beer several decades later. Then, in 1991, Spoetzl Brewery started distributing the beer nationally. In other words, Shiner Bock was only available in Texas for about 82 years.

Why Is It Called Shiner Bock?

You could actually call it Shiner Beer, seeing as it was the first-ever beer brewed in Shiner, Texas. As it turns out, the residents of Shiner, Texas struck water in 1909.

It was this discovery that led to the realization of making great-tasting beer. Enter Shiner beer.

So how did “Bock” come into the picture and turn into Shiner Bock?

Well…

When Kosmos Spoetzl took over the brewery in 1909 as the brewmaster, Kosmos began brewing Bock. This Bock beer became a hit and garnered loyal fans over time.

So, you could say that because Bock was the first beer ever to be made in Shiner Texas, it took on the name Shiner Bock. “Shiner” to represent the beer of a little town with only 2,069 people and one stoplight.

And then “Bock” to represent the first beer brewed by Kosmos Spoetzl. Not to mention, the Bock Kosmos brewed was from a family recipe that he was able to perfect.

What Animal Is on Shiner Bock?

There is a depiction of a ram-like creature, which is the avatar of the term “Bock”. Still, there are no animal ingredients used to make Shiner Bock. Not even isinglass is used in the brewing process.

You might be surprised to know that Shiner Bock is both vegan-friendly and even Kosher-certified. Every drop of Shiner Bock is brewed without the use of any animal ingredients. You also won’t find any artificial preservatives, nitrites, or nitrates in any of Shiner’s beers.

However, there is one animal ingredient used in one of Shiner’s beers. In their Hefeweizen, they use honey as an ingredient.

Is Shiner Bock a Domestic or Imported Beer?

Some people say Shiner Bock is a domestic beer, while others say it’s imported. And then it gets even more confusing when some say that imported beer is also specialty beer?

Whuuut?

By definition, domestic beer is any beer brewed in the US. Imported beer, on the other hand, is a beer that’s not brewed in the US.

Now, here’s what makes it interesting.

Texas used to be an independent country. That is until December 29, 1845, when Texas became a state of the United States. So, technically, that makes Shiner Bock a domestic beer.

But many still disagree that Shiner Bock is an import beer. In fact, you’ll even find a few beer menus with Shiner Bock listed under “Imports.”

When you think of Imported beer or beer that’s not brewed in the US, you would think of beers brewed in countries like:

Mexico
Belgium
England
Germany

Because Texas used to be an independent country, it might be one reason why Shiner Bock is listed as an Imported beer. However, this shouldn’t be the case.

Seeing as how Texas is already a state of the US, listing Shiner Bock as an import beer doesn’t fit the bill. Instead, it should be listed as a domestic beer.

Where Can I Buy Shiner Bock Beer?

You can buy Shiner Bock nearly anywhere in the US. The best way to find Shiner Bock in your area is to go on the Shiner website.

You can use their beer finder to find Shiner beers in your area. All you need to do is input your city or zip code. For example, if you typed Seattle in Shiner’s beer finder tool, you’d get a lot of places to get Shiner Bock, such as:

Whole Foods Market
Quality Food Center
Pike Grocery
Speckled & Drake
Lost Lake Café & Lounge
Northwest Liquor & Wine
Hill Crest Supermarket
Amazon Fresh
Safeway

Is Shiner Bock Sold Outside of Texas?

Shiner Bock is sold outside of Texas; however, it wasn’t always as readily available. Shiner only started distributing Shiner Bock nationwide back in 1991.

Of course, during this time, Shiner Bock was available in several states outside of Texas, but not all. Currently, Shiner Bock is distributed to over 49 states every year.

Hopefully, the list of states Shiner will distribute to expands more in the future.

Does Walmart Carry Shiner Bock?

Not all Walmart stores carry Shiner Bock. Only a handful of them do, which you can find using Shiner’s Beer Finder.

For example, you’ll be able to find a Shiner Bock in Cottonwood, Arizona. The Walmart Supercenter in this area is specifically located at 2003 E Rodeo Dr, Cottonwood, Arizona, as listed on the Shiner website.

In California, the Walmart store in Visalia sells Shiner Bock. In addition, the Walmart Supercenter in Hanford also carries Shiner Bock.

If you type Boston on Shiner’s Beer Finder tool, you won’t find any Walmart stores that carry Shiner Bock. However, you’ll still be able to a find Shiner Bock in various locations around Boston, like:

Roche Bros Supermarket
Simmons Liquors
North Station Liquor
The Tam
All Hands Club
Whole Foods Market
Wine Emporium

For a more accurate and specific search, it’s better to type in your Zip Code.

Can You Order Shiner Bock Online?

You can order Shiner Bock online on several platforms, such as:

H-E-B
Drizly
Binnys
Target
Gotoliquorstore
Totalwine
Halftimebeverage

That said, seeing as how readily available Shiner Bock is in various states, it’s better to use the Beer Finder tool on Shiner’s site.

Finally, it’s worth checking out P&M Getranke’s site. It’s rare for P&M Getranke to not have the beer you’re looking for.

How Much Is Shiner Bock?

The price of Shiner Bock varies depending on where you buy it.

Retail stores will also have different prices depending on the state and location. For example, a 12-pack of Shiner Bock in H-E-B costs $15.40.

On Drizly, this will cost you $2 more, or $17.61. If you buy on Totalwine, it costs $14.99, which is more or less similar to H-E-B’s prices.

Halftimebeverage, on the other hand, sells by the bottle, 6-pack, and a case. A bottle in Halftimebeverage costs $2.99.

Buying from H-E-B is slightly cheaper, coming in at $2.65, and is sold in a can.

All in all, expect to pay about $2 to $50 for a Shiner Bock. Of course, You’d spend $50 if your plan is to buy an entire case. But if you’re looking for either a 6-pack or 12-pack, it’ll cost about $12 to $17. Or, you can even get an 18-pack, which costs roughly $25 on H-E-B.

How Much Is a Keg of Shiner Bock?

A keg of Shiner Bock costs between $84 to $170. It mostly depends on the size you’re after. However, most online platforms sell kegs either in 1/4 BBL or 1/2 BBL sizes.

Does Shiner Bock Beer Come in Cans?

Shiner Bock is sold in cans either as an individual purchase or in larger packaging sizes, such as:

6-pack
12-pack
18-pack
Case

Is there a difference between drinking Shiner Bock in a bottle compared to a can? Both taste the same, actually. Other factors that may affect the taste depend on how long the cans/bottles were stored. In addition, if it’s not refrigerated to keep it as fresh as possible, some of the flavors lose their quality.

What Does Shiner Bock Pair With?

A Shiner Bock pairs with almost any kind of cuisine. Because a Shiner Bock isn’t a heavy beer, you could have it even with an all-American meal. No – not McDonald’s all-American meal. Think burgers, fries, or maybe onion rings and potato wedges.

Or go for something even bigger like a Reuben sandwich or Philly cheesesteak. Nachos are a great snack pairing, but why stop there? You can’t go wrong with pizza and a Shiner Bock.

Heck, even Mexican cuisine pairs well. Fajitas or something as bold as Huevos rancheros is a Shiner Bock pairing you won’t regret.

Cheese also goes well with a Shiner Bock. And who would’ve thought sushi would taste so good with it too! The only thing you should take it easy when it comes to a Shiner Bock is dessert.

Sorry, sweet tooths.

Why? Because a Shiner Bock is already quite sweet. Not sweet like candy, of course. But it’s sweet enough that pairing with dessert might make it too sweet for some. However, if that’s your jam, go for it.

Big hearty meaty dishes or just any food that’s bulked up with meat goes well with a light beer like a Shiner Bock.

Does Shiner Bock Have an Expiration Date?

Shiner Bock has an expiration date, and it’s worth noting that all beer has too. Beer doesn’t last forever. And this also depends on the ingredients used.

For example, beer made with more hops doesn’t last as long since hops oxidize quickly and lose their flavor.

Where Is the Shiner Bock Expiration Date?

The Shiner Bock expiration date should be at the bottom of the can. The first 6 digits you see on the can should tell you when it expires.

If you bought the Shiner Bock bottle, try checking near the bottle cap or at the bottom of the bottle. Make sure to hold the bottle where some light hits it. It might be hard to find the expiration date on the bottle when the ink used to print it is black.

If the print is white or yellow though, it should be fairly easy to spot. You should also check the label of the bottle.

For 6-packs, 12-packs, and 18-packs, the expiration date should be in the individual bottles/cans.

You could also try checking the packaging itself for a 6-pack or 12-pack.

How Long Does Shiner Bock Last?

How long does a Shiner Bock last? It depends. But most beers will last for about 6 to 9 months past their expiration date.

As always, before buying a Shiner Bock, look for the expiration date or date code. One thing to note is that a Shiner Bock should last fairly long considering it doesn’t use a lot of hops.

IPAs, for example, last for about 3 months. Why is that? Mainly because the hoppier the beer, the faster the beer’s freshness diminishes over time. If you’ve ever bought an IPA and let it sit for about 5 months, you’d be able to tell the flavors are mostly gone or even nonexistent.

For a Shiner Bock, most of its flavor comes from the malt used. Hops are more of a balance to its sweetness. In fact, some have tried a Shiner Bock 2 years past its expiration date. And it tasted fine.

That said, it’s best to drink beer as fresh as possible. That means at least 1 to 2 months after buying it. Unless you’re getting a Trappist ale that tastes better when it ages, don’t let your beer sit in the fridge for too long.

Typically, beers with an ABV of 9% or higher qualify as a beer good for aging for at least a year. And finally, what if you buy a keg? Don’t expect the beer in your keg to last very long. Unlike bottling, kegs aren’t pasteurized, so the shelf life is much shorter.

Since bottled beer undergoes pasteurization, the shelf life is slightly longer. But it also depends on its storing conditions. So if you have beer in a keg, it should last for about 2 months given that it’s stored in cold temperatures.

Does Shiner Bock Need to Be Refrigerated?

It’s always better to refrigerate your beer, and that includes a Shiner Bock. Why? Put simply, beer is vulnerable to 4 factors:

Time
Temperature
Sunlight
Oxygen

You’re already familiar with oxygen being an enemy of beer. During the brewing process, limiting oxygen as much as possible prevents your beer from oxidizing.

But after it’s bottled, other factors like time, sunlight, and temperature can diminish your beer’s quality even more.

Think of time similar to…

How long your beer spends in the stock room of a supermarket or in your own home. Some beers age well like fine wine, but not all. And most beers aren’t meant for aging either.

Now, beer doesn’t exactly spoil like milk if it ages past its expiration date. However, it will taste different. How different? The flavors will be gone basically, including the hop aroma and flavor in your beer.

Put simply, it becomes a flat beer.

For temperature and sunlight, think of it this way. When beer is exposed to warm temperatures, it also spoils your beer faster.

Beer that’s stored on a beer shelf that isn’t refrigerated or directly hit by sunlight practically destroys your beer.

And it’s a clear reason why you need to refrigerate your beer. Freezing is a different story, but for now, keep that in mind.

Refrigerating your beer is a good practice to maintain.

How Long Does Shiner Bock Last in the Fridge?

Refrigerating your beer extends its shelf life and depending on the beer, it can last up to 2 years. For a Shiner Bock, it’s probably not best though to let it sit in the fridge for 2 years.

Generally, you can keep beer in its best quality if it’s stored in the fridge for about 6 to 8 months. Take note. This also means you didn’t pop the cap off yet. If you popped off the cap, drank half of it, and refrigerated it, then…

It’s not going to last very long because the open cap already exposed your beer to oxygen.

Is Shiner Bock Good?

A Shiner Bock is good for several reasons. For starters, it’s much more flavorful than most pale lagers available in the market.

If you enjoyed eating Raisin Bran cereal as a kid, that’s what you’ll get a whiff of in a Shiner Bock. And that includes some sweet bread roll and dark-cherry aromas.

Taste-wise, it’s malt-forward but lacks the body of a German Bock. However, the hint of roast and some caramel notes adds to its flavor profile. What makes it so appealing is that a Shiner Bock is very drinkable.

It’s not just easy to drink. The clean finish of a Shiner Bock creates enough appeal to make you open another bottle.

That’s the second reason why it’s good. A Shiner Bock is very sessionable and with a low ABV of 4.4%, there’s no doubt you can even pop one open while doing the laundry or washing the dishes.

If You Like Shiner Bock …

If you enjoy Shiner Bock and want a few similar beers, a lot of people will say Saint Arnold Santo is a good Bock to try.

However, you aren’t limited to just one beer.

It’s worth trying a Yuengling. It has a similar flavor profile and caramel notes as a Shiner Bock, except it’s slightly sweeter.

As for its ABV, it’s roughly the same, coming in at 4.5%.

Then again, this also mostly depends on your taste preference. If you’re looking for a Bock that’s similar to Shiner Bock but has a little more spice and a richer body, Sammy Winter is a great pick.

A martzen/Oktoberfest beer has just about the same ABV as a Shiner Bock too. One of the biggest differences, though, is that a martzen won’t taste as sweet.

If you find a Shiner Bock to be a little too sweet, and want something similar, go for a Dunkel lager.

And finally, give traditional German-style Bocks a shot. They’re undoubtedly stronger in ABV but also richer in flavor.

Some of these Bocks worth trying include the following:

Paulaner Salvator
Ayinger Celebrator
Kulmbacher Eisbock
Troegenator Doppelbock
Weihenstephaner Korbinian