Bockbeer
/ˈbɒkˌbɪər/noun
A strong lager traditionally associated with the German brewing style known as bock.
Did you know?Bock beer was probably named after Einbeck beer: as the name traveled into Bavarian German, “Einbeck” was reinterpreted as ein Bock, meaning “a buck.”
Etymological Timeline
13th–14th Century
Middle Low German
Einbeke / Eynbeke
“The name of Einbeck, the northern German town famous for its strong beer.”
14th–15th Century
Middle Low German
Einbecker bier
“Beer from Einbeck; its reputation spread through German-speaking Europe.”
16th Century
Bavarian German
ein Bock
“A buck or male goat; this became a punning reinterpretation of the sound of Einbeck.”
16th–17th Century
German
Bockbier
“Strong beer associated with the “buck” name and the Einbeck brewing tradition.”
19th Century
English
bock beer
“An English name for the strong German lager style.”
Modern English
English
bockbeer
“A spelling variant of bock beer, referring to the same strong lager style.”