Iron Cage
6.2% Helles Bock brewed with Barke Vienna malt and Lagered on Lightly Charred Oak
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Balanced Malt sweetness, light caramel, toasted vanilla, Chardonnay oak, Noble backdrop
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The origin of the Helles Bock / Einbock came from Einbeck, Germany where this execution took place. The grain & hops used also came from this region while the water profile was replicated from the town of Einbeck.
Since the fire that took place was blamed on the victim, to further tie-in, the beer was lagered on lightly charred oak.
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Einbeck, Germany: 1540 CE -
A large citywide fire broke out during a particularly dry season, killing around 500 people. The culprit looked to be a drunk Shepard, but quickly spiraled into a witch hunt conspiracy where everyone was blamed, from Heinrich Diek, to the Duke, Martin Luther, The Pope and even the King.
Diek, a bailiff with hostility towards Lutheranism ultimately ended up being blamed for the fire. He was promptly tortured for a confession and finally executed via the Iron Cage.
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Tortured with “glowing irons”, fire pokers were left in the flames until brought to the skin while being questioned. When answers sought remained elusive the pokers made contact. (Further accounts in this instance are difficult to happen upon, but torture often falls back on eye for an eye, and it’s not a large leap to imagine more fire may have been involved.)
After Diek was tortured he was slathered in sugar/honey and thrown in the Iron Cage. The insects and carrion feeders devoured his broken body until his eventual death from exposure.
His decomposing corpse dangled for a year from the tower beside the city gates as a message to all possible future arsonists.
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The iron cage illustrated here was the actual device used and still resides in the Einbeck Town, preserved in the town hall to this day.
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Pairs well with:
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Metal:
Umbravoid - Evolutionis alieni
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Savory:
Pork Schnitzel
Bratwurst
Zwiebelkuchen
Zwiebelsuppe
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Sweet:
Bavarian Cheesecake
Käsekuchen
Apfelstrudel
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Cheese:
Emmentaler
Aged Gouda