BJCP Style 5
5D.  Eisbock

Examples: Ayinger Maibock, Summit Maibock
Serving Temp: 50°- 55°
Glassware: Flute, Pilsner, Snifter, Tulip

Aroma: Rich malt profile with pronounced alcohol presence.
Appearance: Pours clear, copper to brown with red highlights and a large pillowy off-white head that may dissipate quickly due to the elevated ABV. Look for legs in this beer just like you would do for wine.
Flavor: Rich malt sweetness, no hop flavor and very little bitterness.  Dark fruit flavors may be present.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, low carbonation, pleasant spicy alcohol warmth and smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German, Meat: pork, game.  Cheese: earthy (camembert, fontina). Dessert: rich and spicy.

HopHeadSaid: Eisbocks are originally brewed as doppelbocks.  After fermentation, they are frozen to remove extra (unflavored) water content, which fortifies the beer. The remaining fortified beer is higher in alcohol (as high as 14%) and much sweeter than a doppelbock    

BJCP Style 5: Bock

5C.  Doppelbock

Examples: Paulaner Salvator, Spaten Optimator, Eyinger Celebrator
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Flute, Pilsner, Snifter, Stein (small) or Tulip.

Aroma: Little to no hop aroma but a very strong malt presence that can be toasty or even a caramelly.
Appearance: Pours clear, copper to brown with red highlights and a large pillowy off-white head that may dissipate quickly due to the elevated ABV.
Flavor: There is nothing but malt sweetness in a doppelbock.  These will be rich and complex with toast, caramel and sometimes even dark fruits.  Spicy noble hops and alcohol try to balance the sweetness in this malt-balanced beer.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with average to low carbonation, alcohol warmth and smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German, Meat: pork, game.  Cheese: earthy (camembert, fontina). Dessert: rich and spicy.

HopHeadSaid: Doppelbocks are bocks on steroids!  These are definitely sipping beers and should be consumed in small quantities.  The character of any beer changes as it warms but this style is perhaps the best example.  Taste this beer right after you take from the fridge, don’t let it warm. Pour it into a snifter or a tulip glass and wrap your hands around the glass to warm it.  Pay attention to how the beer’s character changes from prickly carbonation with little malt character to smooth, rich malt flavors and a pleasant alcohol warming sensation.  

BJCP Style 5: Bock
5B. Traditional Bock

Examples: Einbecker Ur-Bock, Great Lakes Rockefeller Bock
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Flute, Pilsner, Seidel, Stange, Stein or Tulip
Aroma: Strong toasty or biscuity aromas with very low or no hop aroma.
Appearance: Pours clear, copper to brown with a long lasting off-white head.
Flavor: Complex maltiness (toast, biscuit, caramel) with enough hop bitterness to keep the sweet malt from becoming overbearing.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, warming alcohol and smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German, Meat: pork, game.  Cheese: earthy (camembert, fontina). Dessert: rich and spicy.

HopHeadSaid:  Bocks are great sipping beers in my opinion. Their full body and higher ABV should keep you from consuming mass quantities and are best enjoyed on chilly evenings.

BJCP Category 5.Bock
5A.  Maibock/Helles Bock

Examples: Ayinger Maibock, Capital Maibock
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Flute, Pilsner, Seidel, Stange or Stein

Aroma: Strong malt aroma, light toast, spicy noble hop aroma.
Appearance: Pours clear, dark gold to light amber with a large creamy white head.
Flavor: Bready sweet with little or no caramelization.  Moderate hop bitterness - just a touch more than needed to balance the sweet malt flavors.
Mouthfeel: Warming alcohol presence, medium-bodied, pronounced carbonation but smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German, Itallian. Meat: pork, seafood.  Cheese: nutty, Asiago, Parmesan.

HopHeadSaid: These beers are not the easiest to find so if you see one, and it is in season (meaning it isn’t passed its best by date) then be sure to pick one up.  Their crisp lager profile accentuates the hop flavor/bitterness. The malt sweetness isn’t cloying making it a great accompaniment to any warm spring day!

BJCP Style 4: Dark Lager
4C.  Schwarzbier

Examples: Kostritzer Schwarzbier, Samuel Adams Black Lager
Serving Temp: 40°- 45°
Glassware: Pilsner, Pint, Seidel or Stein

Aroma: Hints of roasted malt that can be coffee like (but never burnt) are present.
Appearance: Pours dark brown with garnet highlights around the edges and a long lasting tan head.
Flavor: A light biscuity malt sweetness balanced by a light bitter-chocolate layer, noble hops (herbal/spicy) and a clean lager finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German, Mexican or other hearty and/or spicy foods. Meat: smoked or grilled.

HopHeadSaid: This subcategory is my favorite of the Dark Lagers.   Schwarzbiers are a perfect mix of sweet malt, smooth bitter chocolate and just a touch of roastiness. The beer also has a crisp and refreshing lager quality.  This is great beer to pair with other foods because its moderation (flavor, alcohol and body) keep the beer from dominating any pairing. Also, its light roastiness resonates with many grilled or lightly smoked meats.

BJCP Style 4: Dark Lager
4B.  Munich Dunkel 

Examples: Gordon Biersch Dunkels, Hofbrau Dunkel, Konig Ludig Dunkel
Serving Temp: 40°- 45°
Glassware: Pilsner, Pint, Seidel or Stein

Aroma: A complex malt sweetness that includes bread crust, hints of caramel or toffee and a touch of chocolate.
Appearance: Pours a dark copper to brown with garnet highlights with a creamy tan head.
Flavor: As it smells, light bread crust with a very light but sweet caramel/toffee and bitter chocolate layer.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full, rich smooth texture and a pronounced

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German or other hearty and/or spicy foods Meat: smoked or grilled meat.
HopHeadSaid: Coming Soon!

BJCP Style 4: Dark Lager
4A.  Dark American Lager 

Examples: Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager, Heineken Dark Lager
Serving Temp: 40°- 45°
Glassware: Pilsner, Pint

Aroma: Little or no malt (slight roast or caramel if any) or hop (hint of spice if any) aromas.
Appearance: Pours dark amber to brown with red highlights with a short-lived light tan head.
Flavor: Crisp and clean with low levels of caramel sweetness.  There may be a hint of coffee or molasses but strong roasted malt flavors should not be present. Hop bitterness is low.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium body

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German or other hearty and/or spicy foods. Meat: smoked or grilled meat.

HopHeadSaid: Even though the subcategory says Dark American Lager you can see that there are international examples as well. As a matter of fact Heineken Dark Lager spent some time as my go to beer.  This is an incredibly easy drinking style with a clean lager taste (very little fruitiness), sweet caramel and cocoa notes and very little bitterness.

BJCP Style 1e.  Dortmunder Export

Examples: Ayinger Jahrhunder, Gordon Biersch Golden Export,
Serving Temp: 35°- 40°
Glassware: Flute or Pilsner

Aroma: Low to medium noble hops with a pronounced malt sweetness.  May have low DMS but no diacetyl.
Appearance: Light gold to deep gold and clear with persistent white head.
Flavor: Balanced between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Some minerals and hop bitterness may be present in the finish but it should be clean tasting with no fruity esters or diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and medium carbonation.  Smooth.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German or other hearty and/or spicy foods. Cheese: soft and mild (ex. Gouda, Havarti). Meat: Pork, Poultry, or Seafood.

HopHeadSaid: Dortmunder Exports are characterized by their balance. Everything from its color and aroma to its mouthfeel and flavor is in balance.  This medium-bodied beer pours crystal clear, light to deep gold in color and produces a long lasting head.  A sweet malty aroma is void of any fruity esters but a light noble hop –herbal or spicy - aroma balances it.  The initial malt sweetness is balanced by a crisp medium carbonation and a light hop bitterness that lingers after each drink.

As a side note, export is a beer strength category. Historically “export” meant the beer had a higher alcohol content, which provides extra stability in shipping the beer long distances, but almost always an “export” beer it is charged a higher tax in its home country because of the elevated alcohol content.

BJCP Style 1d.  Munich Helles

Examples: Hacker- Pschorr Münchner Gold, Paulaner Premium Lager, Spaten Premium Lager.
Serving Temp: 35°- 40°
Glassware: Flute or Pilsner

Aroma: Grainy sweet, clean with a low to medium noble hop aroma.  No fruity esters or diacetyl should be present.
Appearance: Medium yellow to pale gold with a creamy white head. Clear.
Flavor: Slightly sweet and malty with a low to medium-low hop bitterness and flavor.  There should be a clean, malty finish with no fruity esters or diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: German or other hearty and/or spicy foods. Cheese: soft and mild (ex. Gouda, Havarti). Meat: Pork, Poultry, or Seafood.

HopHeadSaid: This style is a medium-bodied, malt showcase beer.  Because this is a German beer there are no adjuncts used in brewing and the all malt recipe produces a smooth beer that is more filling. The flavor is malt driven meaning that the hops play a supporting role by balancing the grainy sweetness.  There will be a subtle spicy hop aroma and flavor but no fruity esters from the yeast hiding under the malt.  The beer will pour a pale gold and crystal clear with a medium lasting creamy white head, again resulting from the all malt recipe.  A medium carbonation ensures the smooth malt flavor shines through without a carbonic bite.

BJCP Style 1c.  Premium American Lager

Examples: Full Sail Session, Red Stripe, Stella Artois
Serving Temp: 35°- 40°
Glassware: Pilsner

Aroma: Low malt and low hops. A slight grainy, sweet or corn-like aroma may be present.  Green apple, DMS or fruitiness optional may also be present.  Diacetyl should not be present.
Appearance: Pale straw to gold. Low head retention. Very Clear.
Flavor: Low hop flavor and bitterness. Even balance. No diacetyl or fruitiness.
Mouthfeel: Light-med body. High carbonation.

Food Pairings: All malt versions of these medium bodied beers pair well with light salads and creamy cheeses such as Brie.  The relatively high carbonation helps to cleanse savory flavors off the palate.

HopHeadSaid: Premium American lagers are similar to Lite and Standard American lagers but the major difference is in the ratio of malt used to brew these beers.  Adjuncts may be used but at smaller quantities and this increases the body and darkens the beer slightly - pale straw to golden.  The increased malt proportions mean the beer will also need more hops to balance the beer’s sweetness so these beers will have an increased hop aroma (herbal or floral) and an increased bitterness.  Even with a higher bitterness level, you may perceive these beers to be maltier because the hops are used only to “cut” the malt sweetness and not make it bitter and do nothing to tamp back the malt flavor.  These beers are still highly carbonated and refreshing but the increased malt proportion increases the body and makes these beers a little more filling.