Stevens Point Brewery – Point Bock Returns for Winter

(STEVENS POINT, WI) – Point Bock has returned to the Badger State for the winter of 2015.

Eagerly anticipated by bock beer fans each January for decades, the malty seasonal brew is available now on draft only in select Wisconsin markets through March while supplies last. Click here for a list of accounts in the Stevens Point area.

Point Bock’s origins can be traced back to 1938. Point resurrected the rich, dark amber German-style bock beer just for Wisconsin after Point Brewmaster Gabe Hopkins dusted off an old recipe from the late 1980s that he found in the brewery’s archives. A retro tap handle crowned by a vintage Point Bock logo featuring a goat’s head – “bock” means billy goat in German – supports the reintroduction of the handcrafted brew in Wisconsin bars, taverns and restaurants.

“Point Bock is a hearty brew, very malty and sweet with a big body,” Hopkins said. “Smooth and easy to drink, it’s a perfect cold-weather beer that pairs well with hearty fare like roast beef.”

Bock is a centuries-old style of German lager beer, traditionally brewed each year in winter for consumption starting in the early spring. German immigrants who flocked to the America in the mid-19th century brought with them their taste for bock beer and the knowledge to brew it, according to Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery Operating Partner.

“Point Bock was a craft beer long before there was a craft beer market in the United States,” Martino said. “It was an easy decision to bring Point Bock back because it’s a perfect fit for the contemporary craft-beer market, which continues to grow.”

Point Bock is also a tradition for running enthusiasts in central Wisconsin, sponsoring the first Point Bock Run in 1982. The 2015 Point Bock Run is scheduled for Saturday, March 7. The 5-mile road race, limited to the first 2,000 runners (registration is closed), starts and finished at the Point Brewery and crosses the nearby Wisconsin River twice.

Point Bock is available primarily in Stevens Point Brewery’s core markets in central Wisconsin, with some distribution in the Milwaukee and Madison metro areas.

The Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers, including flagship Point Special Lager, which won the gold medal in the American Premium Lager category at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival. The brewery’s year-round lineup features Point Onyx Black Ale, a robust dark ale; Point Belgian White, a Belgian-style wheat ale; Point Cascade Pale Ale, an American-style pale ale; Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; and Point Beyond the Pale IPA, a robust, hoppy India Pale Ale. Point also brews four year-round IPAs available only in the IPA variety 12-pack: Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA.

The brewery’s seasonal products include Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a rich, dark beer available from November through February; Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer for the fall; Point Coast Radler, a thirst-quenching mix of beer and natural citrus flavors for the summer; and Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat, a refreshing, award-winning unfiltered wheat ale.

Whole Hog Limited Edition of “big beers” include Whole Hog Espresso Stout, Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale and Whole Hog Scotch Ale. Whole Hog seasonal portfolio includes Whole Hog Barley Wine, Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout, and Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale.

Point also brews three unique James Page specialty beers sold only in convenient 12-ounce cans: A Cappella Gluten-free Pale Ale, Casper White Stout, and Yhaba Dhaba Chai Tea Porter.

Gourmet soft drinks from the Stevens Point Brewery include Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream, Point Kitty Cocktail and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.

For more information about the Stevens Point Brewery, please visit pointbeer.com or call 1-800-369-4911. Tours of the brewery are available; schedules are listed on the website.