Comparison
Bock vs Eisbock
What is the difference between Bock and Eisbock?
The short answer
The main difference is yeast fruitiness (esters): Eisbock has noticeably more of it than Bock. Bock also leads on roast and nutty; Eisbock on chocolate & cocoa.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, malt intensity, carbonation, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Bock | Eisbock | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Bock & strong lager | Bock & strong lager |
| Fermentation | Bottom-fermented (lager) | Bottom-fermented (lager) |
| Origin | Germany | Germany |
| Category status | Established | Established |
| Strength | 6.3–7.6% ABV | 9–14% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 20–27 IBU | 25–35 IBU |
| Colour | Dark amber to brown — 14–22 SRM, 28–43 EBC | Deep copper to black — 18–30 SRM, 35–59 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.064–1.072 | 1.078–1.120 |
| Final gravity | 1.013–1.019 | 1.020–1.035 |
| Serving temperature | 8–11°C | 10–14°C |
| Carbonation | 2–3 vol CO₂ | 1.6–2.2 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Willi Becher, Goblet | Snifter, Goblet |
| Clarity | clear | clear |
How they taste different
| Character | Bock | Eisbock |
|---|---|---|
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Not characteristic | Low–Moderate |
| Chocolate & cocoa | Not characteristic | Low–Moderate |
| Roast | Trace | Not characteristic |
| Nutty | Low–Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Sweetness | Moderate | High |
| Body | High | Very high |
| Hop aroma | Trace | Not characteristic |
| Alcohol warmth | Low–Moderate | High–Very high |
| Caramel & toffee | Moderate | High |
Which should you choose?
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.