Capital Brewery is a brewery in Middleton, Wisconsin . Founded on March 14, 1984, by entrepreneur Ed Janus in Madison, Wisconsin , it is now situated in a former egg processing plant. The company first began production in 1986 and now produces over 20,000 barrels of beer annually. It produces 24 distinct beers, of which nine are annuals, five are seasonal, and ten are limited edition. Most are made using the strict Reinheitsgebot guidelines.
31-637: Bock ( German: [bɔk] ) is a strong German beer , usually a dark lager . The style now known as Bock was first brewed in the 14th century in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck in Lower Saxony. The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced "Einbeck" as "ein Bock" ("a billy goat "), and thus
62-574: A beer boot. At gatherings in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, beer boots are often passed among the guests for a festive drinking challenge. Since the movie Beerfest appeared in 2006, beer boots have become increasingly popular in the United States. Glass beer boots are either manufactured using a mold or from mouth-blown glass by skilled artisans. In Germany, beer boots usually contain between 2 and 4 litres and are passed from one guest at
93-412: A bountiful, persistent off-white head. The aroma should be malty and toasty, possibly with hints of alcohol , but no detectable hops or fruitiness. The mouthfeel is smooth, with low to moderate carbonation and no astringency . The taste is rich and toasty, sometimes with a bit of caramel. The low-to-undetectable presence of hops provides just enough bitterness so that the sweetness is not cloying and
124-430: A century of history and culture behind them. It is commonly believed that a general somewhere promised his troops to drink beer from his boot if they were successful in battle. When the troops prevailed, the general had a glassmaker fashion a boot from glass to fulfill his promise without tasting his own feet and to avoid spoiling the beer in his leather boot. Since then, soldiers have enjoyed toasting to their victories with
155-504: A large outdoor Bier garten (a.k.a. 'Middleton's Backyard') that plays host to events throughout the year. One of the more notable events is Bockfest, held on the last Saturday of February. Bockfest ushers in the annual release of Capital Blonde Doppelbock, Capital's award-winning brew. Blonde Doppelbock was awarded platinum six times in the past ten years at the World Beer Championships. The Capital Brewery Bike Club
186-408: A lot, especially if poured incorrectly. A customary manner is to swirl around a bit of (preferably cold) water in the glass to wet it and afterwards pouring the beer slowly, holding the glass in an angle of approximately 45 °. A beer stein (or simply a stein / ˈ s t aɪ n / STYNE ) is an English neologism for a traditional type of beer mug. Steins may be made of stoneware (rarely
217-576: Is a 16- to 18-day festival held annually in Munich , Bavaria , Germany , running from late September to the first weekend in October. Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich with a minimum of 13.5% Stammwürze (approximately 6% alcohol by volume) is allowed to be served in this festival. Upon passing this criterion, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer. Large quantities of German beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during
248-456: Is a traditional specialty beer of the Kulmbach district of Bavaria, made by partially freezing a Doppelbock and removing the water ice to concentrate the flavour and alcohol content, which ranges from 8.6% to 14.3% by volume. It is clear, with a colour ranging from deep copper to dark brown in colour, often with ruby highlights. Although it can pour with a thin off-white head, head retention
279-413: Is clear, with colour ranging from dark gold, for the paler version, to dark brown with ruby highlights for a darker version. It has a large, creamy, persistent head (although head retention may be impaired by alcohol in the stronger versions). The aroma is intensely malty, with some toasty notes, and possibly some alcohol presence as well; darker versions may have a chocolate-like or fruity aroma. The flavour
310-466: Is frequently impaired by the higher alcohol content. The aroma is intense, with no hop presence, but frequently can contain fruity notes, especially of prunes, raisins, and plums. Mouthfeel is full and smooth, with significant alcohol, although this should not be hot or sharp. The flavour is rich and sweet, often with toasty notes, and sometimes hints of chocolate, always balanced by a significant alcohol presence. The following are representative examples of
341-419: Is reputedly the oldest existing brewery in the world (brewing since 1040). In 2004, Oettinger replaced Krombacher as the best selling brand in Germany. The alcohol -by-volume, or ABV , content of beers in Germany is usually between 4.7% and 5.4% for most traditional brews. Bockbier or Doppelbock (double Bockbier) can have an alcohol content of up to 16%, making it stronger than many wines. A Weizen glass
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#1732764638352372-498: Is the traditional glass for German pilsner beers. Sizes are typically around 300 millilitres (11 imp fl oz; 10 US fl oz), but can be as large as 500 millilitres (18 imp fl oz; 17 US fl oz). When used in restaurant settings, a small piece of absorbent paper is placed around the base to absorb any drips from spilling or condensation. Beer boots ( Bierstiefel in German) have over
403-983: Is trademarked by Paulaner . Brewers of modern Doppelbock often add " -ator " to their beer's name as a signpost of the style; there are 200 "-ator" Doppelbock names registered with the German patent office. The following are representative examples of the style: Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel, Spaten Optimator, Augustiner Brau Maximator, Tucher Bajuvator, Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock, Capital Autumnal Fire, EKU 28, Eggenberg Urbock 23º, Bell's Consecrator, Moretti La Rossa, Samuel Adams Double Bock, Tröegs Tröegenator Double Bock, Wasatch Brewery Devastator, Great Lakes Doppelrock, Abita Andygator, Wolverine State Brewing Company Predator, Burly Brewing's Burlynator, Monteith's Doppel Bock, and Christian Moerlein Emancipator Doppelbock. Eisbock
434-561: Is typically less malty than a traditional Bock, and may be drier, hoppier, and more bitter, but still with a relatively low hop flavour, with a mild spicy or peppery quality from the hops, increased carbonation and alcohol content. Doppelbock or Double Bock is a stronger version of traditional Bock that was first brewed in Munich by the Paulaner Friars, a Franciscan order founded by St. Francis of Paula . Historically, Doppelbock
465-454: Is used to serve wheat beer . Originating in Germany, the glass is narrow at the bottom and slightly wider at the top; the width both releasing aroma, and providing room for the often thick, fluffy heads produced by wheat beer. It tends to be taller than a pint glass, and generally holds 500 millilitres with room for foam or " head ". In some countries, such as Belgium, the glass may be 250 ml or 330 ml. Wheat beers tend to foam
496-458: Is very rich and malty, with noticeable alcoholic strength, and little or no detectable hops (16–26 IBUs). Paler versions may have a drier finish. The monks who originally brewed Doppelbock named their beer "Salvator" (literally "Savior", but actually a malapropism for "Sankt Vater", "St. Father", originally brewed for the feast of St. Francis of Paola on 2 April which often falls in Lent), which today
527-568: The Beverage Testing Institute's World Beer Championships in 1998. The brewery was also rated #7 in the world at this time. Capital was named the Grand National Champion in the 2013 US Open Beer Championship , winning six medals. Capital Brewery’s beers are currently distributed in four Midwestern States: Wisconsin , Iowa , Illinois , and Minnesota . Capital Brewery has an indoor Bierstube and
558-534: The Czech Republic and Austria . The traditional serving of beer, known as a Kranz (wreath), is typically carried by a server ("Köbes") and contains traditional Stange glasses and, in the center, larger modern glasses. While the beer market is weaker but more centralized in northern Germany, southern Germany has many smaller, local breweries. Almost half of all German breweries are in Bavaria, where
589-539: The 16-day festival in 2007. In 2015 the festival officially served 7.3 million liters of beer. Other festivals include In many cases, the beer festival is part of a general funfair or volksfest . Capital Brewery The company's brews have won awards at a number of competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival , and The Great Taste of the Midwest . The brewery was awarded
620-471: The aftertaste is muted. The Maibock style – also known as Heller Bock or Lente Bock in the Netherlands – is a strong pale lager , lighter in colour and with more hop presence. Colour can range from deep gold to light amber with a large, creamy, persistent white head, and moderate to moderately high carbonation, while alcohol content ranges from 6.3% to 8.1% by volume. The flavour
651-604: The beer became known as "Bock". A goat often appears on bottle labels. Bock is historically associated with special occasions, often religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter, or Lent ( Lentenbock ). Bock has a long history of being brewed and consumed by Bavarian monks as a source of nutrition during times of fasting. Substyles of Bock include: Traditionally Bock is a sweet, relatively strong (6.3–7.6% by volume), lightly hopped lager registering between 20 and 30 International Bitterness Units (IBUs). The beer should be clear, with colour ranging from light copper to brown, and
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#1732764638352682-598: The distinction of Madison's Favorite Local/Regional Beer from 1998 to 2004 in The Capital Times / Wisconsin State Journal Reader's Choice Awards. The company has received over 240 major awards in both domestic and international competitions in over 15 categories, and the flagship Wisconsin Amber beer has been available in cans since 1997. Capital Brewery was named "America's #1 Rated Brewery" by
713-663: The form of steins . At the Octoberfest beer is available in Maßkrug or half-litre 'Halb'. A Stange (stick or rod) is a cylindrical glass that is traditionally used for Kölsch beer. A Becher (tumbler), traditionally used for Altbier , is similar to a Stange but is slightly shorter and much thicker. Stangen are carried by placing them into holes in a special tray called a Kranz (wreath). In Cologne Stanges are usually served by traditional waiters called Köbes . The Pilstulpe ("Pilsner Tulip") or Biertulpe ("Beer tulip")
744-408: The inferior earthenware ), pewter , porcelain , silver , glass , or wood . They may have open tops or may have hinged pewter lids with a thumb-lever. Steins usually come in sizes of a half-litre or full litre (or comparable historical sizes). Like decorative tankards , they are often decorated in nostalgic themes, generally showing allusions to Germany or Bavaria . It is believed by some that
775-660: The lid was implemented during the time of the Black Plague to prevent diseased flies from getting into the beer. The Maß (pronounced [maːs] ) is a term used in German-speaking countries for a unit of volume, now typically used only for measuring beer sold for immediate on-site consumption. In modern times, a Maß is defined as exactly 1 litre. As a Maß is a unit of measure, various designs are possible: modern Maßkrugs (Maßkrüge in German) are often handled glass tankards, although they may also be in
806-540: The seven main breweries produce 158 million US gal (6.0 million hl) annually. In total, about 1,300 breweries in Germany produce over 5,000 brands of beer. The highest density of breweries in the world is found in Aufseß near the city of Bamberg , in the Franconia region of Bavaria, with four breweries and only 1,352 citizens. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan brewery (established in 725)
837-678: The strength of a Doppelbock. Beer in Germany Beer ( German : Bier pronounced [biːɐ̯] ) is a major part of German culture . According the Reinheitsgebot (German beer purity law), only water, hops , yeast and malt are permitted as ingredients in its production. Beers not exclusively using barley-malt, such as wheat beer , must be top-fermented . In 2020, Germany ranked third in Europe in terms of per-capita beer consumption, trailing behind
868-471: The style: Colorado Team Brew "Warning Sign", Kulmbacher Reichelbräu Eisbock, Eggenberg , Schneider Aventinus Eisbock, Urbock Dunkel Eisbock, Franconia Brewing Company Ice Bock 17%. The strongest ice beer, Strength in Numbers, was a one-time collaboration in 2020 between Schorschbrau of Germany and BrewDog of Scotland, who had competed with each other in the early years of the 21st century to produce
899-498: The table to the next one clockwise. When almost reaching the bottom of the boot, it suddenly starts bubbling. By some accounts, drinker who caused the bubbling has to order the next boot. There are also boots known with 6 and 8 litres. That being said, beer boots are almost never seen in Germany, even among friends who do drink as much and more beer on an evening out together; normal glasses are preferred. They are, however, very commonly used in drinking games in fraternities. Oktoberfest
930-480: The world's strongest beer. Strength in Numbers was created using traditional ice distillation, reaching a final strength of 57.8% ABV. Weizenbock is a style that replaces some of the barley in the grain bill with 40–60% wheat. It was first produced in Bavaria in 1907 by G. Schneider & Sohn and was named Aventinus after 16th-century Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus . The style combines darker Munich malts and top-fermenting wheat beer yeast, brewed at
961-504: Was high in alcohol and sweetness. The story is told that it served as "liquid bread" for the Friars during times of fasting when solid food was not permitted. However, historian Mark Dredge, in his book A Brief History of Lager , says that this story is myth and that the monks produced Doppelbock to supplement their order's vegetarian diet all year. Today, Doppelbock is still strong – ranging from 7% to 12% or more by volume. It