Bock beer is beer usually made from a blend of barley and wheat...it's smooth, not heavy and to my taste not al all bitter.
Stout can be many things....from sweet and "hoppy" to dry...from almost black to quite pale.
And there is a chocolate stout....wonder if that's what you are meant to use?
If your bock is dark-ish...go for it....he!! go for it anyway!
Linda C

Most stouts tend to have a 'roasty' character much like unsweetened coffee. That's probably the character that the recipe is exploiting.

Bock beers tend to be higher in gravity and in alcohol content than stout. The alcohol wouldn't matter since it would cook off. What might make a difference is how hoppy the bock is. Some bocks have a pretty noticeable hop bouquet and bitterness.

Bottom line is, if the beer is a large amount of the liquid, the hop content of the bock might make the recipe a little weird. Stout would add a coffee-ish note to the batch.

If it's not a huge amount, it's probably okay.

What I would do is run down to the local store and get some Guinness. Then make the recipe and drink the rest of the Guinness with the warm bread...:)

Don't know nothing 'bout no beer BUT you have been on my mind all day as I have been watching the traffic nightmare leaving Galveston heading for Houston.

Take care my friend.

Thanks for worrying about me Cathy! I'm hunkered down pretty good. Which is why I probably won't be going to the grocery store for Guinness. Long lines, IF they're still open. Hunkering down is an art, and I ain't leavin my house unless I'm forced to. LOL

lowspark,

My husband is an AVID homebrewer and according to him and his official beer variety book the flavor character is likely to be comparable. Stout has a roasted barley note and a creamy flavor while a Bock is a higher alcohol beer with a malty, toasty flavor and a caramel note. The big difference is the alcohol content (with the Bock being very high). His suggestion was to open and taste the Bock and see if you liked the flavor and could imagine it alongside your other ingredients and then go for it.

Rene

I buy YoungÂs Double Chocolate Stout by the case usually at Trader JoeÂs. I think World Market has it also. ItÂs one of DHÂs favorites so I try to keep it in stock. I have never baked with it but it is a great addition to chili.

When you get time I would love the recipe for the bread. Glad youÂre hunkered down. Stay safe and dry. I will be thinking about you.

Claudia

Stout is a dark ale. Bock is a dark lager.

The difference is that ales have more "fruitiness" in their flavor. Lagers have a more "clean" taste. The explanation for this gets rather involved, but the most important part is that lagers are fermented at cooler temperatures than ales. If you understand how differences in raising bread affects their flavor, you get the idea.

There are great differences in taste among brands of stout and among brands of bock which basically is due to the balance between hops bitterness and malt sweetness. If the time comes when you want to fine tune your recipe, this can be important. Some stouts are sweet, some are not. Regular bocks usually have a less assertive flavor while double bocks can be very assertive. For now, making the substitution should work fine and it sounds wise for you to stay out of the weather just now.

Jim

Thanks!! I'm going for it with the Bock. I have Shiner Bock which is actually my favorite beer so I have high hopes. I promise to report back on how it turns out. And I'll post the recipe later as well.

NOOOOOOoooooooooooo!

Bock has black patent malt in it! That is barley burned to a black shine. I've never seen or tasted a stout with that flavor. Stouts are marked by an extra heavy body... meaning lots of barley used. Many stouts use a sweetener with licorice being one of my favorite flavor notes.

It might fly if you like your Bock but would certainly be a variation from the recipe.

: )
lyra

I agree that bock lager will give a different flavor from stout ale. However, in this situation, it's wise to either substitute what's on hand or postpone the project.

BTW, I personally would probably not choose Guiness for this recipe, as much as I enjoy drinking Guiness. I'm guessing a sweeter stout, which I don't prefer to drink, would work better. Maybe Samuel Adams Cream Stout, for one.

Another BTW. Did you know that Guiness is made differently and tastes different in different parts of the world? I don't find Guiness to be extra heavy bodied. Dark, yes. Assertive, yes. Not especially heavy bodied, although some other stouts are.

Jim

Too late, it's a done deal. I actually wish I'd read the recipe last night because it starts out by mixing the beer, yeast and 2 c flour then leaving them in the fridge for 8 hrs or overnight. I went ahead and mixed it though and it's in the fridge now. I'll go ahead and finish it tonight and bake it tonight but it won't be done till late. I'll report on how it comes out. It did call for Guinness specifically, so at some point I'll probably make it again with the real thing.