Bockstoot

Bockstoot month at Hooghoudt

Ideal for those who love specialty beer and gin. The Bocksto o t. Years ago, I thought “does that have to be such a “  headbutt”  ?” until I discovered that these two drinks enhance each other in taste when properly matched. A whole new experience. I was around. It's nice to know that there's a whole new world of flavors that I can enjoy. Think of it as it is a good marriage, 2 people who bring out the best of each other and appreciate each other for the qualities that they themselves do not possess. I hope to inspire you to discover a new taste world with this bock beer and jenever combinations. Experiment and discover your favorite combination!
Laurens Speek, Tastemaker at Hooghoudt

The origin of Bockbier

The name Bockbier originated in Bavaria in Germany at the beginning of the 17th century. In the Middle Ages, Einbeck, located in the state of Lower Saxony, was a very famous beer town. The Einbecker beer was exported to the Dukes of Bavaria. “The Einbecker” beer was pronounced completely differently in Bavaria. Instead, the word 'Ainpöck' and even 'Ein Bock' were used. In the Netherlands this was such a funny story that they linked it to a male goat and thus gave it the name bock beer. 

The Kopstoot, or a "Headbutt"

“Kopstoot”- literal translation means “a headbutt”, linked to the boozy “kick” of the drink. We know the headbutt as a set of a beer with a young drink. A fresh combination without a fuss. Why would you even want to drink a headbutt? Pilsner/special beer and jenever find each other in the same origin: grains. The process of brewing beer and distilling malt wine for jenever is exactly the same in the beginning (see the diagram later on this page). If you are going to distill beer and you add juniper, you can call it jenever. 

Taste: The taste of the beer is, just like with jenever, already determined by the choice of grain and yeast type. In addition to the enzymatic malt, the brewer can opt for caramel malts that give color and flavor to the beer. However, the distillers rarely use these malts because color disappears through distillation. In addition, the brewer can go for botanicals, including hops or different hop varieties, to flavor the beer. Fruit and herbs and spices can be added as well, just like in the gin-making process. And then as a brewer and distiller you can choose to age your malt wine or beer in oak barrels. It's called a Barrel Aging. 

Because the basis of beer and jenever is the same, you can make beautiful combinations in which the two drinks add to each other.
Think of it as a marriage, where two complement each other so that they become more experienced together and it is more exciting than alone. That's why the headbutt 2.0 has been selected for its taste properties. A good headbutt combination brings out the best of both drinks. If you also combine a tasty snack, the experience becomes very pleasant! You can combine endlessly, as long as he combination lies between:

• Harmony  – The properties of jenever and properties of beer are largely the same. But they are both slightly different and therefore complement each other well. A harmonious experience.
• Contrast  – The properties of beer and gin are so different that they reinforce each other's features. They bring out the best of each other. An exciting combination. 

Please note, only selecting opposites will not work, because there has to be an agreement in the base, a `bridge' between the two drinks, otherwise our brains will not understand the combination. That bridge can be the similarity in smell, mouthfeel or a taste.

THE COMBINATIONS:

Would you like to get more inspiration and learn how to drink a Kopstoot? Send an e-mail to   marketing@hooghoudt.nl    and receive your own Bockstoot inspiration booklet!