Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Bock

Exquisite bock flavour pairings and recipes, revealed through data science.

Bock instantly conjures the embrace of malt and the bracing kiss of toast, woven with delicate hints of raisin, molasses, and burnt that give it remarkable depth. Understanding how these elements interplay is the secret to unlocking truly exceptional pairings.

To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the fresh, green cis-3-hexenal in tomato can carry bock, and how kale's leafy notes forge a beautiful synergy with its toasted aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. maillard, acidic, and herbal) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

Unlocking Flavour Combinations

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Malty Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between malt and chlorophyll flavours. Since bock has a distinct malty flavour, try pairing it with the green flavours of kale.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing bock with kale.

Harmonious Flavours Of Bock

Just as our analysis revealed that malt and mouldy flavour accents often complement each other, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in bock. For instance, the toasted flavours of bock are strongly associated with asparagus and oleic notes.

The notes complementary to the various aroma accents of bock can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of tomato offers many of the aroma accents complementary to bock, including tomato and raspberry notes. Because the flavour profile of tomato has many of the of the features that are complementary to bock, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of tomato across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with bock.

Recipes That Pair Bock With Tomato

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of bock, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of bock, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma notes complementary to bock.

Which Vegetables Go With Bock?

Choose vegetables that ground its sweetness or enrich its warm aroma. Tomato offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Aubergine add a gentle, oniony brightness, while squash introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with bock's toastiness. The addition of white mushroom, with its subtle mouldy notes, can complement the malt beautifully. Flat mushroom bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while portobello mushroom lends a pungent aroma.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Bock), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.