Hofstetten's Granitbock ICE

Hofstetten Granitbock: dark, full-bodied, and straightforward.
When working in a mashhouse from 1929, the art of brewing is just that. First, our beer is fermented in open granite troughs. Red hot granite stones are then thrown in, caramelizing the sugars in the wort. Next, the beer is placed in the depths of our lager keller for over 6 months, where it is allowed to slowly mature.

At that point, our famous Granitbock is either filled into bottles or taken through one more step of refinement.

The concept of making an ice bock is really quite simple: You freeze out the water to create a more refined product. With winters as cold as they are here in the Mühlviertel this process felt quite natural to us here.

When beer is frozen, the water is extracted, leaving a concentration of the remaining ingredients powerful enough to blow your hair back. Here it is important to note that this new extract is more than just alcohol (though there is plenty of that, too). Our Ice Bock is a concentration of all the other ingredients, making for a stronger, more flavorful beer.

The final product shimmers a bewitchingly deep red against the light. In the nose you can make out the soft smokiness of a wood fire and hidden raspberry notes. The first sip presents an initial chili-like bite which is then quickly extinguished by the full, almost oily body. Roasted herbs dominate in a warming fusion of sage, rosemary, and a touch of mint. The finish is long, with clear alcohol flavors along with a pleasant bite.