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Bock to Basic

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A classic bock at 6.5% ABV, brewed to a German recipe. Full-bodied and malty, with notes of caramel, chocolate and a hint of roasted nuts. Noble Hallertau and Saaz hops keep the bitterness gentle, and lager yeast holds it tight and drinkable. Bock to Basic is a one-off from Brouwerij Kees in Middelburg, in Zeeland, where Kees Bubberman opened the brewery in 2015.

ABV
6.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber15
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltychocolatenoble hop
malty
chocolate
noble hop
caramel
nutty
roasted
Aroma
The nose opens with rich caramel sweetness and toasted malt depth, followed by subtle chocolate and roasted hazelnut notes.
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bock to Basic

◎ Appearance

Deep amber to copper-brown, clear and bright with fine sediment settling quickly. A dense, creamy head forms and clings to the glass walls with persistent lacing. Carbonation is moderate and even, characteristic of a well-conditioned lager.

deep amberclearcreamy headgood lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with rich caramel sweetness and toasted malt depth, followed by subtle chocolate and roasted hazelnut notes. Noble Hallertau and Saaz hops contribute a restrained, herbal spice without assertiveness. The lager yeast remains clean and unobtrusive, allowing the malt character to dominate.

caramel maltroasted hazelnutnoble hop spiceclean lager

◐ Taste

Entry is full and malty with immediate caramel and chocolate presence. The mid-palate develops roasted nut complexity and a pleasant toasted grain character. Bitterness from the Edelhopfen is gentle and integrated at 25 IBU, never harsh, while body remains solid and satisfying without heaviness.

full-bodiedmalty-sweetgentle bitternesschocolate-caramel

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately long, with caramel and chocolate fading into a soft, dry aftertaste. A hint of roasted grain lingers pleasantly without astringency.

dry finishmalt persistence
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 9–12°C

Serve at 9–12°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Bock to Basic

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About Bock

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Bock?

Bocks are strong German lagers with 6.5–7.5% ABV. Rich malt sweetness — toast, chocolate, caramel — with low bitterness and a warming finish.

Finding a similar Bock

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same full-bodied, malty, chocolate character as Bock to Basic will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Bock beers in hopIQ →Browse Netherlands beers →