Take a walk around the bock

JEFF B. FLINN Managing Editor
05/13/2026 06:00 AM

LOVIN’ THE LAGER

American Craft Beer Week in Boerne celebrates springtime brews

Paying tribute to the area’s German heritage during American Craft Beer Week, six breweries are sponsoring the fifth annual Bock Walk the weekend of May 16 and 17.

American Craft Beer Week started May 11 and runs through Sunday.

Ty Wolosin, general manager of brewing operations at Cibolo Creek Brewing Co., said events Saturday and Sunday should offer a lot of fun for lovers of the strong lager.

“Essentially, it started five years ago, in a conversation between myself and the prior general manager of Free Roam,” Wolosin said. “We were just brainstorming things we could do to spur more people to get more business to breweries.”

The event had humble roots as Wolosin and some friends simply wanted to “‘walk and bock,’ try each other’s bocks. It was that casual; it wasn’t a sponsored event; a ‘word of mouth’ thing.”

After the first foray, a second year led Wolosin and others to make the walk “more official, push it, more and more. Maybe we can get some backing behind it?”

According to brewers, a bock is a strong dark beer brewed in the autumn and consumed during spring.

It is also “a good style for people that do not like really hoppy beer. The bock is still a nice beer to start with,” Wolosin said.

Another brew offered during the Bock Walk, called Maibock, is “a slightly lighter version of a bock. They’d brew a slightly lighter version for the springtime,” Wolosin said.

Mai is German for May. The breweries participating in the walk and their offerings include:

• 28 Songs Brewhouse & Kitchen: “Kicks Like a Goat”

• Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. and Hamby’s: Maibock, “My Neck” • Free Roam Brewing Co.: “High Fence”

• Tusculum Brewing Co.: “Tuba King”

• The Dodging Duck Brewhaus: “My Duck Maibock” A press release about the Walk states, “Beer enthusiasts are encouraged to explore each location, try the unique interpretations of this seasonal favorite, and experience the collaborative spirit that defines Boerne’s craft beer culture.”

There’s no set time for the start of the walk.

“Just ask for the bock; they’ll know you’re on the walk,” Wolosin said.

In addition to the festivities, attendees and supporters can commemorate the occasion with a limited-edition Boerne craft brewery T-shirt, available for preorder online. The exclusive design features all six breweries.