Beer for Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, on this day many Christians around the world will attend Church and be blessed with ashes in recognition of the start of the Lenten Season. “Lent” is a Teutonic word that originally referred to the onset of the “Spring” season and the lengthening of the days that this season brings. Now the word “Lent” is generally used to describe the forty day period of sacrifice, fasting and purification that many Christians undertake in the practice of their faith. It is also closely intertwined with the brewing of particularly tasty beer style, that style being the “Doppelbock.” (Okay, you knew this was coming. This is after all a beer column and not a column devoted to the practice of your chosen faith… unless of course you worship beer.)

As part of the strict Lenten practice, the Monks, who were also the brewers of beer throughout most of Europe, were required to fast from sunrise through sunset. The sole concession to this strict fasting was the intake of fluids. In the early days “fluids” meant beer or wine as the water was frequently too fouled to safely drink. To prepare for this period the monks took to brewing hearty brews that used extra grain to increase the nutritional value of the brew and thus the style “Doppelbock” was born.

The exemplar and gold standard for the style is Paulaner “Salvator” now available year-round thanks to modern brewing techniques. In recognition of the primacy of Salvator, traditional brewers have appended the suffix “ator” to their versions of the brew. For example: Spaten : “Optimator”, Ayinger “Celebrator” Troegs “Troegenator” Augustiner “Maximator” and etc. Stylistically Doppelbock is a lager. This is likely related to the cooler weather during the period leading up to Lent. As brewing was accomplished without the aid of refrigeration “lager” styles were not feasible during the warmer months and Ale yeasts were not active enough to complete the fermentation during the cooler weather. Additionally, as mentioned above, the style was brewed using extra grain, requiring a longer fermentation period, and producing richer and maltier brews and consequently resulting in a higher alcohol content (6.5% to 9% or more).

What should you expect in a typical Doppelbock? Well, the brew will be darker in color, ranging from an oxidized copper through to a deep mahogany brown. The aroma will be toasted or caramelized grain, with some floral hop notes. When tasting, expect some chocolate, roasted coffee and toasted grain accompanied by a toasted malt sweetness that is rounded out with some floral and spicy hop notes. A rich and heady brew, the Doppelbock will sustain you as contemplate the deep philosophical issues raised by the latest episode of “Desperate Housewives.”

In the better stocked stores you can find most of the aforementioned brews. In our own Bayshore Plaza Vingo you may even find,the often overlooked but very tasty, Sam Adam’s “Double Bock.” While you’re fasting don’t overlook the Weizen bocks such as “Aventinus”. Be warned however that on an empty stomach I would avoid the “Eisbocks” such as Kulmbacher’s EKU 28 Kulminator however.

As for me, I have chosen to undertake a Lenten sacrifice in the form of an abstention from alcohol. This should not affect my column and I will continue to contribute to the Herald, though I may be forced to comment on beers that I have purchased and seen in stores and not personally tried. Prior to undertaking my abstention I enjoyed two tasty brews that will sustain me for the challenges to come. First I enjoyed a vinous and roasty A. Le. Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout brewed by AS Tartu in Estonia, followed by a rich and malty St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Quadrupel brewed by Browerij St. Bernardus – Watou NV. Cheers.