BJCP · Category 9 · 3 styles
Strong European Beer
High-gravity lagers where malt, body, and alcohol take charge. Doppelbock and Eisbock are Bavaria's strongest bocks, the latter concentrated by freezing; Baltic Porter is English porter reinterpreted as a lager in the Baltic countries.
The 3 Strong European Beer styles
The numbers at a glance
| BJCP style | ABV | Bitterness | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doppelbock | 7.0–10.0% | 16–26 IBU | 6–25 SRM |
| Eisbock | 9.0–14.0% | 18–30 IBU | 18–30 SRM |
| Baltic Porter | 6.5–9.5% | 20–40 IBU | 17–30 SRM |
How to tell the styles apart
These are the strongest lagers in the guide, but each gets there by a different route. Doppelbock (9A) runs from 7 to 10% and varies the most in color, from dark gold to dark brown (6–25 SRM); rich malt with toasted bread and dark fruit leads, with low bitterness (16–26 IBU).
Eisbock (9B) is concentrated by freezing out part of the water: it reaches 9–14% with a gravity of up to 1.120, it's dark (18–30 SRM), and it has a dense, liqueur-like body. Baltic Porter (9C) is the least alcoholic, 6.5–9.5%, the most bitter (up to 40 IBU), and the only one with roasted malt: chocolate, mild coffee, and licorice over caramel and dark fruit.
Brew it yourself
Which one to brew first
Start with Baltic Porter (9C). It has the lowest gravity of the three, and the roast hides small flaws better than the bare malt of a Doppelbock. It's still a strong lager, though: you need temperature control, plenty of yeast, and patience. Doppelbock (9A) is the next step, and Eisbock (9B) comes last, because it starts from a well-made doppelbock and adds the freezing process.
Common mistakes
- Underpitching or not oxygenating. Above 1.070, fermentation gets stuck and the beer ends up sweet and with diacetyl; work out your cell count and oxygenate before pitching.
- Raising the fermentation temperature to finish sooner. At high gravity, yeast produces fusel alcohols that give a hot, solventy character; better to go slow and cold.
- Bottling the Eisbock and relying on the remaining yeast. After freezing and long lagering there are hardly any live cells left; add fresh yeast to carbonate, or keg it.
- Brewing the Baltic Porter with ale yeast at warm temperatures. The style calls for a clean lager fermentation; with ale esters it turns into a strong English porter.
How to serve them
Serve them warmer than other lagers: Doppelbock and Baltic Porter at 9–12 °C (48–54 °F), and Eisbock at 10–14 °C (50–57 °F) in a small snifter. For the other two, a tulip glass concentrates the aroma. They go with game, stews, blue or aged cheeses, and chocolate desserts.
Frequently asked questions
Which styles make up the Strong European Beer category?
According to the BJCP 2021 guidelines, 3: Doppelbock, Eisbock, Baltic Porter.
Which is the strongest Strong European Beer style?
Eisbock, which can reach 14.0% ABV.
Which is the most bitter?
Baltic Porter, with up to 40 IBUs.
Which is the palest and which is the darkest?
The palest is Doppelbock and the darkest is Eisbock.
Classification and statistics: BJCP category 9 (Strong European Beer), 2021 edition.