German Beer Styles

Along with ale, lager is one of the two main beer categories, and in terms of production, it is the most common beer style in the world. The main distinction between lagers and ales depends on the type of yeast. Lagers use Saccharomyc... READ MORE

Helles is a German-style lager that first appeared in Munich in 1894. It was a Bavarian answer to light Czech pilsner. Although Bavaria heavily relied on strong and dark lagers, the popularity of crisp and golden pilsner beers in... READ MORE

Dunkel is a German dark lager that is mostly associated with Bavaria and Munich. This dark beer, which can range from copper to dark brown, is mainly brewed from Munich malt which gives the beer its typical caramel-like and toasty charact... READ MORE

Weissbier is a classic Bavarian wheat ale that is top-fermented and characterized by its mousse-like foam and cloudy appearance—which is a result of a large proportion of wheat and a small amount of barley malt used in its productio... READ MORE

Kölsch (the Low German name for Cologne) is a specialty beer brewed only in Cologne. A document known as the Kölsch Convention was signed in 1986 by the directors of two dozen Kölsch breweries, ensuring that Kölsch beer can onl... READ MORE

German Pilsner is a light, clean-tasting lager that was modeled on the namesake Czech variety. It is brewed from barley malt, and it typically has a flowery, herbal, and spicy hop bitterness that is balanced with a moderately malty backbo... READ MORE

Bock beer is a German bottom fermenting lager that nowadays comes in a wide range of sub-styles. Traditional versions may range from golden to amber, and sometimes even dark brown. They are typically lightly hopped, rich, creamy, smooth, ... READ MORE

Rauchbier is a German beer style that is associated with Franconia and the city of Bamberg. Translated as smoked beer, the style is made with smoked malt, and it initially appeared in the 14th century. At the time, using smoked m... READ MORE

Doppelbock is a German beer style that was first brewed in Munich by Paulaner monks. As the name might suggest—doppel translates as double—this style developed as a slightly stronger version of traditional Ge... READ MORE

Märzen is a German beer style from Bavaria that is closely connected with Oktoberfestbier and shares some similarities with Vienna lager. This style officially appeared in 1841 when it was brewed by Spaten brewery, but a similar styl... READ MORE

Berliner Weisse is a wheat beer that is characterized by low alcohol content, sour flavor, and a light body. Most representatives of the style are soured with the use of lactic acid bacteria, which gives the beer its specific funky, tart,... READ MORE

Altbier, meaning old beer, is a German beer style which originated in Düsseldorf. The style falls somewhere between a lager and an ale—the beers are fermented warm like ales but are then aged cool like lagers. The name altbier,... READ MORE

Dortmunder Export is a German beer style that was first brewed in the late 19th century. Named after the city where it originated, this beer style was modeled on pilsners, and it was primarily invented as a thirst-quenching brew ... READ MORE

Schwarzbier is a German dark lager style. These beers are not overly powerful or harsh, and they tend to be smooth and refreshing. The use of malted barley will give them a lightly roasted malt backbone that is accompanied by hints of cho... READ MORE

Weizenbock is a German beer style that was introduced in 1907 by the Schneider Weisse Brauhaus brewery located in Munich. Weizenbock was supposed to be a middle-ground between the rich and malty doppelbock and wheat beer (weissbierREAD MORE

Dunkelweizen is a moderately dark, wheat-based German ale that is often described as a cross between a dunkel and a hefeweizen (weissbier). These refreshing beers typically range from copper to dark brown and ar... READ MORE

Gose is a German beer style that is usually brewed with the addition of salt, and it is traditionally spiced with coriander. It is characterized by medium sourness, malt and yeast aromas, as well as fruity and salty nuances. It is not kno... READ MORE

Maibock is a Bavarian lager style that first appeared as a special brew to celebrate the beginning of the garden season—hence the name Mai, which translates as May. Falling in the category of Bock ... READ MORE

Eisbock is the strongest beer style that falls in the category of bock beers (bockbier). This beer style is primarily brewed as doppelbock, but then it undergoes freeze distillation—in which the water is partially ... READ MORE

Roggenbier is a historical rye beer style that hails from Bavaria. Although it is rarely produced these days, it was commonly brewed before the introduction of the German Beer Purity Law in 1516. The law said that only water, barley, and ... READ MORE

Lichtenheiner is a historical wheat beer that originated in Lichtenhain, Thüringen. It is a refreshing, smoked, and moderately sour style that was at its peak during the 19th century. The beer is low in alcohol, typically around 4%AB... READ MORE