German Beer – Lagers, Ales and Hefeweizen
Germany’s Beer Styles, Varieties and a Brief Brewing History
Germany has more breweries than any other nation in Europe. Germany has a wide variety of beers throughout the country. Germans brew light beer, heavy beer, dark beer, wheat beer, ales, lagers and everything in between. If variety is the spice of life, than German beer drinkers have a very good life.
A Brief History of German Beer
German beer brewing goes as far back as three thousand years. Going back to around the 8th century, most of the beer in Germany was brewed in the home. Some time around the 11th century commercial breweries started to appear. It’s interesting to note that beer at this time were top fermented ales.
German Purity Law or Reinheitsgebot
In 1516 William IV, the Duke of Bavaria instituted the purity law, known as Reinheitsgebot. The Reinheitsgebot stated that the only ingredients in beer are water, barley, and hops. Yeast was added to the law in 1857. The law expired in 1987, but many beer connoisseurs still believe that the purist of beers abide by the German purity law.
German Beer Styles and Varieties
These are just a few of the more popular styles and varieties of beers brewed throughout Germany.
Lagers - Bottom Fermented
- Helles is a lager that’s pale and malty with little hops present. Brewing Helles is very popular in Bavaria, the southern region in Germany.
- Marzen is a malty lager that is usually darker than Helles because of the type of malts used. Marzen is also popular in Bavaria and is the most common beer at the Oktoberfest in Munich.
- Pilsner is a lighter pale beer with more of a hops presents than most German Lagers. Pilsner is the most popular style of beer in Germany and is brewed extensively throughout the country.
- Export is a paler beer that is similar in color to a pilsner but with less of a hops presents. Export is popular in the Dortmund area of Germany
- Bock beer is popular in the Bavaria area of Germany but can be found throughout the country. Bock is heavy and malty yet smooth and refreshing. There are many varieties of Bock beer like Mailbock, Dunklerbock, Doppelbock and Eisbock. They can be average to heavy in alcohol content and amber to dark in color.
- Dunkel is a dark lager that is malty with little hops presents. The Bavarian area around Munich is famous for their malty Dunkel Lagers.
- Schwarzbier translated means black beer with a roasted deep malt flavoring that is well balanced with a nice hops bitterness.
Ales - Top Fermented
- Altbier has a darker amber coloring with a lot of hops bitterness. The area around Dusseldorf is famous for their Altbier.
- Kolsch is lighter colored pale ale that has a good hops presents. Only breweries around the city of Cologne are legally allowed to use the name Kolsch
Hefeweizen - Wheat Beer
- Weizenbier is the normal German word for Hefeweizen. By German law at least 50% of the malt must be from wheat. Weizenbier is brewed throughout Germany.
- Berliner Weisse is a sour and tart yet a fruity beer with a lot of carbonation. Naturally this wheat beer in a specialty of Berlin.
- Weizenbock is a dark and strong wheat beer with a heavy malty characteristic. Weizenbock can be found throughout Germany.
When it comes to Beers in Europe, Germany not only has the most breweries but the most varieties of beer as well. The weakest beer and the strongest beer can be found in Germany. Beer is very much a part of German culture and has been for hundreds of years. In fact if it weren’t for the recent microbrew explosion the U.S., Germany would have the most breweries of any nation
Liter Mug of German Beer
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