Point Brewery unveiled its new edition of Point Spring Bock on Tuesday, Jan. 20, with a special luncheon to introduce it.
Joe Martino, the operating partner of the Stevens Point Brewery, said the coming of spring means the traditional return of bock beer.
For years, Point Bock was a specialty beer, brewed in the winter and introduced every spring. Then it became year-round product known as Point Bock Beer. In January 2003, Point Spring Bock was introduced as a seasonal specialty beer and this year's batch is the second season of the beer.
The bock will be available through May in six-pack bottles in liquor stores, supermarkets and convenience stores, with quarter-barrels and half-barrels also available.
John Zappa, brewmaster at Stevens Point Brewery, said he wanted to stay with the rich tradition of bock beer. "We went back to the traditional time of the year, maybe a few weeks early."
He said the beer is brewed with traditional ingredients, including Munich, chocolate and caramel malts and Hallertau hops.
The tradition of bock beer originated in the Middle Ages in the North German town of Einbeck, but the name was often mispronounced "Einbock" and eventually evolved into "bock."
The goat has become the symbol for bock beer because the German word "bock" means male or billy goat and bock beer was often brewed in winter under the sign of Capricorn.
Martino said the city of Munich in Germany always has a ceremony to tap the first keg, or else a celebratory toast with the mayor, so he decided to do the same thing in Stevens Point.
Stevens Point Mayor Gary Wescott said he hopes the ceremony grows to become a bigger event every year. "What better way is there to think of spring?" he asked.
The Stevens Point Brewery traces its history in the city back to 1857, a year before Stevens Point was chartered as a city. "That proves if you build it they will come," Wescott said.