Photo By BockFest

The BockFest goat (pictured here on the Over-the-Rhine festival's poster) is ready to kick off the two-day celebration of late winter beers.

Many German towns have their own version of a Bockbierfest to celebrate the release of bock beer. (After a long winter, it seems people are looking for just about any reason to get out and have some fun.) So the beer flows, the oom-pah bands dot their oom-pah-pah and the dancing girls dance wearing clunky black shoes and mid-shin length blue dresses. Sounds great, I know, but assuming you don't have time to jet off to Munich for a raucous weekend of Teutonic partying, Cincinnati's own BockFest kicks off on Friday with a parade in Over-the-Rhine.

First, you should know that "bock" is the German word for "goat," which is why you often see fierce-looking rams on the labels of German and American bock beers.

Next, beer, in its purest form -- the fermented product of grain, hops, yeast, and water -- might be the oldest known alcoholic beverage. Archeological evidence indicates it was brewed before the dawn of recorded history, between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago.

And, finally, bock beer is traditionally brewed in Germany during the winter, then released in mid-March after several months of lagering (the period during which beer cools after fermentation). Usually made from malted barley, the addition of wheat to produce "weizenbock" is not uncommon.

It's said that the Paulaner monks brewed the first heavily fortified bock beers to give them extra energy during the Lenten fast. According to Brian Sprance of Cincinnati's BarrelHouse Brewery, bock beer is usually characterized by this elevated alcohol content, but not necessarily by a certain color.

"Our Hellesbock ("helles" is German for "light"), which will be released on the weekend of BockFest, is a smooth, medium-bodied golden lager," says Sprance. Other versions -- such as Christian Moerlein's Doppelbock -- are dark, rich and malty, showing little hop character and lower carbonation.

Cincinnati's BockFest parade is a German version of Mardi Gras with floats, bands, lots of beer and -- if you're lucky -- lederhosen. And you can bring the kids since there won't be any coeds showing the goods for the Girls Gone Wild cameras. Starting around 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Arnold's Bar & Grill (210 E. Eighth St., Downtown), the annual parade will be led up Main Street and back down Clay by a real goat (bock, remember?) towing a barrel of beer. Parade participation is very informal; there's no fee to enter, and the Best Float (think "quirkiest") receives a one-of-a-kind, hand-blown, goat-head beer stein created and donated by the Art Academy of Cincinnati, recently relocated to Over-the-Rhine.

After snaking through the historic neighborhood, the parade culminates with a traditional blessing of the beer and a mayoral proclamation on 12th Street, between Clay and Main. In addition to the real goat, other draws include an 18-foot tall wooden "Trojan Goat" float, the crowning of the first-ever BockFest Queen (male and female contestants are encouraged to enter), and Cincinnati's The Bier Band, whose slogan is: "The more you drink, the better we sound." This year's Grand Marshall is Nick Linz, a winner of 2005's The Amazing Race: Family Edition.

Related activities continue following the parade through Saturday night. Food and beer specials as well as musical performances will be offered at the five official BockFest Beer Halls: Arnold's, Courtyard Café (1211 Main St.), Jefferson Hall (1150 Main St.), Harry's Bar and Pizza (1207 Main St.), Kaldi's (1204 Main St.), and RBC/Japps (1142 Main St.). Each venue will feature bock on tap from one or more of the festival's brewery sponsors -- BarrelHouse, Christian Moerlein, Rock Bottom, Sam Adams and Spaten. If you're interested in an educational component, beer-related presentations are planned at many venues. In addition, neighborhood walking tours will highlight local churches as well as several historic brewery buildings in the neighborhood.

In the late 1800s, Cincinnati had more than 30 breweries, most operated by German immigrants. They held to Old World traditions and released their bock beers on the same day, near the beginning of March. Folks from all over the city flooded the neighborhood around Vine Street to celebrate and -- according to Ronda Androski, the current owner of Arnold's -- basically drank until the beer was gone. She says Jim Tarbell, Arnold's former owner and now Cincinnati's vice mayor and the Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company revived the tradition 15 years ago with BockFest. The iconic "Trojan Goat" joined the marching line a number of years later, adding even more whimsy to the already eccentric atmosphere.

For more information about attending (or participating in) what might be Cincinnati's funkiest festival, go to www.bockfest.com or call Mike More, one of the festival organizers (513-304-4900). While the parade is free, some venues charge nominal fees to enter and for related events. But where else can you do something cultural to celebrate the city's Germanic and beer-making heritage while downing a few steins of great beer and eating brats?

If you're wondering why bock beer is named after a goat, there are many colorful theories. One says that after you've had a few high-alcohol bocks, you feel like a goat's kicked you in the head. More likely, it's a shortening of the phrase Einpökisch Bier -- Old German for "beer from Einbeck," which, back in the 17th century, was the place in Germany many thought made the best beer. Over time, the phrase in Bavarian dialect became "Oanpock" and, later, "bock" beer. The goat association, it seems, is probably just a coincidence. ©

Tasting Notes: Bock Beers
If you want to try bock beer, but you can't make it to BockFest this weekend, look for the following:

Christian Moerlein Doppelbock. A venerable Cincinnati label now contract brewed in Pennsylvania, this beer shows good dark fruit flavors and pronounced clove and cinnamon aromas, picking up some caramel on the finish.

Sam Adams Double Bock. A hometown product, it's dark amber with excellent malty aroma and flavors; shows a bitter hint of dark chocolate on the finish, but hides its 8.8 percent alcohol well.

Spaten Optimator. The 7.2 percent alcohol announces itself on the nose, but the very malty, sweetish palate hides any heat and lets the nutty, caramelly complexity shine through. A very traditional style.

Also look for: Paulaner Salvator, the original Munich double-bock; Ayinger Celebrator, the first Bavarian double-bock; Einbecker Ur-Bock, supposedly what everyone else is just copying; and G. Schneider & Sohn's Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock -- after brewing, this beer is frozen and the ice removed, concentrating the alcohol to 12 percent. (Talk about a kick in the head!) Finally, there's Hofbrau House Adulterator, a doppelbock that might be available for a few more days on tap in Newport.