Einbecker 1378 4Pk

Einbecker 1378 4Pk (Ainpöckisch Bier 1378) is a naturally cloudy, unfiltered German bock beer at 6.7% ABV, sold in a four-pack format. This historical recreation draws on a recipe documented since 1378, tied to the Einbecker Brauhaus in Lower Saxony — the city widely credited as the birthplace of bock beer itself.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.7%  |  Origin: Einbeck, Lower Saxony, Germany  |  Style: Unfiltered Bock  |  Brewery: Einbecker Brauhaus

Production & Heritage

Einbecker Brauhaus operates from Einbeck, the medieval trade city whose strong, malt-forward beers were so prized that the Bavarian corruption of "Einbeck" eventually gave the entire bock style its name. The 1378 expression is brewed strictly under the Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law), using only water, malt, hops, and yeast. Unlike the brewery's filtered flagship bocks, this version bypasses full filtration — a centrifuge adjusts turbidity to a controlled, reproducible level — producing the characteristic natural cloudiness that drinkers in the 14th century would have known. The brewery has promoted this beer as a recreation of Martin Luther's most beloved beer, a nod to historical records connecting the reformer to Einbeck's brewing tradition.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bready pale malt and cereal grains lead the nose, followed by a light honey sweetness. Behind the malt, earthy and grassy hop notes emerge alongside a warm waft of alcohol and faint banana and clove from the yeast.

Taste: The entry is malt-driven, with caramel sweetness and bready grain giving way to ripe stone fruit — particularly apricot — at the mid-palate. A fruity, almost banana-like character develops alongside touches of orange citrus. The body is creamy and nearly syrupy, with a noticeable sweetness balanced by grassy, herbaceous hop bitterness that builds steadily.

Finish: Medium-long, with dry herbal notes and a lingering warmth from the 6.7% ABV. Residual malt sweetness fades into a lightly bitter, earthy close with a subtle metallic minerality.

How to Drink Einbecker 1378

Pour into a traditional German stange or tulip glass at cellar temperature (around 46–50°F) to allow the malt complexity and natural haze to express fully. The higher carbonation typical of bock beers benefits from a deliberate pour that releases aromatic compounds. While this is a beer best appreciated on its own, three cocktail-adjacent serves work well: a Bock Radler, blending the 1378 with fresh lemon soda to cut the malt sweetness on warm days; a Black Velvet variation, layering the cloudy bock with dry sparkling wine for textural contrast; or a Bock Shandy with ginger ale, where the spice plays against the beer's banana and clove notes.

Best For

• History-minded beer enthusiasts exploring pre-modern European brewing traditions
• Hosting a German-themed dinner alongside hearty Bavarian fare
• Gifting to a craft beer fan who appreciates Old World bock styles
• A winter evening session beer with enough body and warmth to match the season

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Einbecker 1378 taste like? Einbecker 1378 is a malt-forward, naturally cloudy bock with prominent bready cereal, caramel, and honey sweetness balanced by earthy, herbal hop bitterness. Secondary notes of apricot, banana, clove, and a touch of orange citrus add complexity to its creamy, almost syrupy body.

How does Einbecker 1378 compare to Einbecker Ur-Bock? Einbecker Ur-Bock is a filtered, clear bock with a cleaner, more polished malt profile, while the 1378 is intentionally unfiltered, yielding a hazy pour with a fuller mouthfeel and more pronounced yeast-driven fruit and spice character. The 1378 also leans slightly sweeter and carries a more rustic, historical identity compared to the modern refinement of the Ur-Bock.

Is Einbecker 1378 good for sipping on its own? Yes — this is a contemplative bock meant to be enjoyed at a slow pace, ideally poured at cellar temperature into a proper glass so the unfiltered malt and yeast character can develop fully.

Where is Einbecker 1378 made? Einbecker 1378 is brewed by Einbecker Brauhaus in the town of Einbeck, Lower Saxony, Germany — the historic city considered the original home of bock-style beer, with brewing records dating back to the 14th century.

What foods pair well with Einbecker 1378? Roasted pork or schweinebraten, where the malt sweetness complements caramelized meat; aged Gouda or Gruyère, whose nuttiness matches the bready grain; soft pretzels with mustard, a classic German pairing; braised sausages like bratwurst or bockwurst for savory-sweet balance; and apple strudel, where the beer's fruit and clove notes echo the dessert's spice.

What sizes does Einbecker 1378 come in? Einbecker 1378 is commonly available in a four-pack format suitable for sharing or sampling across multiple sessions.

Is Einbecker 1378 worth the price? Einbecker 1378 positions as a specialty import bock at a moderate price point, and its unfiltered, historically inspired recipe offers something genuinely distinct from mass-market German lagers — strong value for drinkers interested in traditional European brewing heritage.

Why Einbecker 1378?

What separates this beer from the crowded bock category is provenance that no competitor can replicate: Einbeck is the city that gave bock beer its name, and this specific expression attempts to honor the 1378 recipe that made Einbeck's exports famous across the Holy Roman Empire. The decision to leave the beer unfiltered is not a trend-chasing move but a historically accurate one, producing a texture and yeast character absent from the brewery's own modern lineup. At 6.7% ABV, it sits in a satisfying middle ground — strong enough to reward slow sipping, restrained enough to drink a full glass without fatigue. For anyone who wants to understand where the bock tradition began, this is the most direct connection still being brewed.