Styles FAQ: 3/3
Jon Binkley
Written by Jon Binkley, bin...@fafner.stanford.edu
Part III: Styles of Lager
This part of the rec.food.drink.beer Styles FAQ describes the
various different types of lager. Lager, and how it is different from ale,
is defined in Part II of this FAQ, "Brewing Processes and Ingredients."
For each style of lager below, there is a brief description followed by a
table listing some objective specifications for that style. The
definitions of the terms used in the tables are given in the Appendix of
Part II.
Contents of Part III:
III.A. BLONDE LAGER
III.A.1. BOHEMIAN PILSNER
III.A.2. GERMAN PILS
III.A.3. HELLES
III.A.4. EXPORT
III.A.5. NORTH EUROPEAN LAGER
III.A.6. NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT LAGER
III.A.7. CREAM ALE
III.B. AMBER LAGER
III.B.1. VIENNA LAGER
III.B.2. MAERZEN (Oktoberfest)
III.C. DARK LAGER
III.C.1. DUNKEL
III.C.2. BLACK BEER
III.D. STRONG LAGER
III.D.1. BOCK
III.D.2. DOPPLEBOCK, EISBOCK, and *NOT* ICE BEER
III.E. SMOKED LAGER
III.F. CALIFORNIA COMMON BEER ("Steam Beer")
********
III.A. BLONDE LAGER
III.A.1. BOHEMIAN PILSNER
Blonde colored lager, which most of the planet now generically
considers "beer," traces its origins to the town of Pilsen in the western
reaches of the Czech Republic. Of the many beers which call themselves
Pilsner, true Bohemian Pilsner is the most complex. Not only is it the
hoppiest of lagers, in bitterness, aroma, and flavor, but it also doesn't
shy away from malt, as its rich body, slightly sweet background, golden
color, and malty aroma will attest. The traditional triple decoction mash
is to thank for this. Even fermentation byproducts, such as the
occasional hint of diacetyl, may sneak in. But in the end it is Saaz
hops, Bohemian natives themselves, who steal the show. Note that the
higher IBUs do not come hand in hand with a terribly sharp bitterness; as
described in the Brewing Ingredients section, this is because the water
used to brew true Pilsners is very soft.
STYLE NAME: Bohemian Pilsner
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.056
COLOR: 3 - 5 SRM; Yellow to Gold
BITTERNESS: 35 - 45 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Pilsner Urquell (Pilsen, Czech Republic)
III.A.2. GERMAN PILS
The German version of Pilsner is lighter in color and body than
its Bohemian parent; less malt is evident in the flavor and aroma. These
can be some of the bitterest tasting beers around, despite lower IBUs
than some other styles- lighter body, harder water, and less competition
from malt account for this perception. Hops are also quite prevalent in
the aroma, flavor, and dry finish. Typically these are German hop
varieties such as Hallertau or Tettnang, but Saaz are also used.
STYLE NAME: German Pils
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.050
COLOR: 2.5 - 4 SRM; Pale Yellow to Gold
BITTERNESS: 30 - 40 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Bitburger Pils (Bitburg, Germany)
III.A.3. HELLES
Helles (which means "light" in German) took root in Bavaria in the
early part of this century; it copied the pale color of Pilsner and the
malty character of the indigenous dark lager (Dunkel). The generic beer
of Munich has a pale golden color, and a lightly hoppy aroma balanced by
malt. The body is light to medium, bitterness is mild. The flavor is on
the malty side of balance, but the finish is dry. This style is
unchallenging but quite satisfying. American megabrewers would do well to
imitate it.
STYLE NAME: Helles
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.052
COLOR: 3 - 5 SRM; Yellow to Gold
BITTERNESS: 18 - 25 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.5 - 5.5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Spaten Premium (Munich, Germany)
III.A.4. EXPORT
Sometimes known as "Dortmunder," after the city that made it
popular. The watchword of Export is Balance. Less hoppy than a Pils, more
so than a Helles. Less malty than a Helles, more so than a Pils. A touch
higher in alcohol, and a touch more body and color than either. A fine,
every-day kind of beer, unworthy of its poor reputation in its home
country.
STYLE NAME: Export
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.048 - 1.056
COLOR: 4 - 6 SRM; Gold to Light Amber
BITTERNESS: 23 - 29 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.8 - 6% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: DAB (Dortmunder Actien Brauerie) Export (Dortmund,
Germany)
III.A.5. NORTH EUROPEAN LAGER
Pick a random human from a random location on the planet and check
what kind of beer she/he/it is drinking. There's a very good chance it
will be this kind, or its close sibling below. The style originated in
the ports around the North Sea as a lighter, milder copy of Pilsner, but
now every country in the world that makes any beer at all makes at least
one version of this beer- be it Germany, Holland, Denmark, England,
Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Russia, Israel, Nigeria, India, Thailand,
Philippines, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, USA,
Mexico, Jamaica, or points in between. It is what *Homo sapiens* wants to
drink, apparently. It's very light in color and body, helped in that
regard by the use of corn, rice, or unmalted barley adjuncts. It has
little to no malt character. It has low to medium hop bitterness, aroma,
and flavor. It sells remarkably well. This is probably because Earth is,
by and large, a warm place, and it's refreshing to drink a cold, bland
lager after a long day's work in the hot sun.
STYLE NAME: North European Lager
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.052
COLOR: 3 - 5 SRM; Yellow to Gold
BITTERNESS: 18 - 35 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.5 - 5.5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Heineken (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
III.A.6. NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT LAGER
The ubiquitous style of North America has little to no hop aroma
or flavor, very low bitterness, little to no malt aroma or flavor, and is
very light in color and body. High corn or rice adjunct content is used
in the mash. It's not as low in alcohol as most people think (5% by
volume is typical). Unlike any other beer style, it tastes best ice-cold;
this is because any flavor the style has is likely to be an off-flavor,
and these are masked at near-freezing temperatures. Canadian and Mexican
varieties have slightly higher bitterness than those from the US, and
sometimes just a touch of hop smell, but are otherwise just as character-
free.
The AHA recognizes a large number of subcategories that are
virtually indistinguishable from each other by taste. "Light" is low
calorie, achieved by either lowering the alcohol content (as with Miller
Lite) or by reducing the non-fermentable carbohydrates (as with Coors
Light). "Standard" is the common flagship product of the large breweries;
the specs below are for Standard. "Premium" is made from a slightly
higher proportion of real malt, occasionally resulting in a hint of
flavor. "Malt Liquor" is brewed with an even larger amount of adjuncts
than the Standard, giving it a higher alcohol content (5.5 - 8.5% by
volume). "Dry" is more thoroughly fermented, giving it even less flavor
and body than the Standard, and slightly higher alcohol (5 - 6%). "Ice
Beer" is a strange, meaningless marketing ploy, described more fully
below. A few of the breweries produce a "Dark" beer, some examples of
which, Eckhardt claims, are just Premium with caramel coloring added to
it; in any case, the additional color rarely comes along with any
additional flavor.
STYLE NAME: North American Light Lager
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.040 - 1.050
COLOR: 2 - 3 SRM; Pale Yellow
BITTERNESS: 10 - 20 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Rolling Rock (LaTrobe, PA, USA)
III.A.7. CREAM ALE
I'm putting this here because it is most similar in flavor profile
to American Light Lager. "Cream Ale" is most commonly a lager fermented
at ale temperatures, but can also be an ale conditioned at lager
temperatures. Like American Light, it is very light in color, has very
low bitterness, little to no malt aroma or flavor, and little to no hop
aroma or flavor. It has a bit more body than American Light. What sets it
apart from most other lagers is the presence of fermentation by-products,
giving it a very mild fruity or buttery flavor, hence the name.
STYLE NAME: Cream Ale
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.055
COLOR: 2 - 4 SRM; Pale Yellow to Gold
BITTERNESS: 10 - 22 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.5 - 7% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Genesee Cream Ale (Rochester, NY, USA)
III.B. AMBER LAGER
III.B.1 VIENNA LAGER
Vienna lager is pale amber to rich red in color, and is
assertively malty in aroma and flavor. The maltiness of Vienna Lager
doesn't have to come hand in hand with sweetness, as with the dark lagers
and bocks described below; instead, it can be a rather dry and spicy
maltiness. These features spring from the aromatic, kilned malt used to
produce it, also bearing the name Vienna. It may have low to medium hop
flavor and bitterness, but leans ever to the malt side of the equation.
This style was popular in its eponymous city a century ago, but according
to Jackson is virtually unknown there today. It remains popular in
Mexico, which was briefly under the sphere of influence of the Austrian
Empire in the nineteenth century. It also caught on in Bavaria, where it
is interpreted in the richer rendition described immediately below. Many
American microbreweries have also taken to producing this pleasing style.
STYLE NAME: Vienna Lager
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.048 - 1.055
COLOR: 8 - 12 SRM; Amber to Copper
BITTERNESS: 22 - 28 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.5 - 6% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Dos Equis Amber (Mexico)
III.B.2. MAERZEN (Oktoberfest)
Maerzen gets my vote for the most beautiful appearing beer style-
crystal clear, orange-amber to copper, topped by a dense, white head. The
name derives from the month when it was traditionally brewed, March.
After cool fermentation, it was lagered in cold caves all summer and
hauled out for the harvest festivals of September and October. The
traditions have been somewhat corrupted today, but the staple beer of the
Bavarian Oktoberfest is still a strikingly copper colored, rich, malty
delight. Hops provide a mild, crisp bitterness, but otherwise bow out to
the intense malty aroma, the spicy malt flavor, and the dry, malty
finish. Aromatic, kilned Munich malts provide the bulk of the grist and
the bulk of the character for this style.
STYLE NAME: Maerzen
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.052 - 1.064
COLOR: 7 - 14 SRM; Amber to Copper
BITTERNESS: 22 - 28 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.8 - 6.5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Spaten Ur-Maerzen Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany)
III.C. DARK LAGER
III.C.1 DUNKEL (Dark)
The original lagers were, like all beers of the time, quite dark.
The best examples of dark lager are still brewed where they were first
brewed, in Bavaria and Franconia in south central Germany. These beers
are medium to full in body, but are not especially high in alcohol. Mild
hop bitterness, and little to no hop flavor or aroma- malt is the
centerpiece, both in the coffee-like qualities of the roasted malts, and
in the richness from the decocted pale malts used to produce the style.
STYLE NAME: Dunkel
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.052 - 1.056
COLOR: 17 - 30 SRM; Deep Copper to Very Dark
BITTERNESS: 16 - 25 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.5 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Ayinger Dark (Aying, Germany)
III.C.2. BLACK BEER (Schwartzbier)
There is overlap in color between German lagers labeled "Dunkel"
and "Schwartzbier" (Black beer), but those beers falling unquestionably
in the Black camp are nearly opaque black. When held to the light, they
may give off a blood-red hue. Once again, malt takes the day. The intense
roasted maltiness of these beers is there from start to finish, and can
bring to mind rich, black coffee, licorice, or sweet sherry; these
distract you from what little hop character might be there. Very few
German examples of this German style find there way to American markets.
Surprisingly, some of the best examples of it found in the US come from
Japan, where it has been brewed largely following German tradition from
the late 1800s.
STYLE NAME: Black Beer
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.044 - 1.052
COLOR: 25 - 40; Very Dark (but not quite opaque)
BITTERNESS: 22 - 30 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 3.8 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Sapporo Black Beer (Tokyo, Japan)
III.D. STRONG LAGER
III.D.1 BOCK
The Bock style is broad and diverse. Bocks are often stereotyped
by Americans as dark beers, but many examples of "Helles-bock" (light
bock) exist as well. All should be strong, full-bodied, smooth lagers.
Hops are usually not evident, but may make themselves felt in some of the
paler versions with a subtile bitterness or dryer finish. Malt is always
emphasized in flavor and aroma, and all Bocks should be free of noticible
fermentation byproducts. Bock was traditionally the strong, nourishing
beer of winter and spring. The name is probably a corruption of the last
syllable in the name of the town credited for its origin, Einbeck, but
other theories exist (most of them dealing with goats...).
STYLE NAME: Bock
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.066 - 1.074
COLOR: 4.5 - 30; Gold to Very Dark
BITTERNESS: 20 - 35 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 6 - 7.5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Einbecker Ur-Bock (Einbeck, Germany)
III.D.2 DOPPLEBOCK, EISBOCK, and *NOT* ICE BEER
Dopplebock means "double-bock," but only a handful of examples are
really twice as strong as regular bocks. The first was made by the
Pauline Monks in Munich for nourishment during the fasts of Lent. They
called it Salvator, which means "Savior." The Paulaner Brewery is no
longer in a monastery, but still makes Salvator. Other Bavarian
Dopplebocks have adopted the -ator suffix as a tribute to the original.
Like standard Bock, it is a broad style with both dark and light
examples. Usually it is intensely malty and mildly to highly alcoholic.
Some have a winey, tannic quality stemming from the huge amount of malt
needed to produce them. There are several very strong examples of
Dopplebock, over 10% in alcohol, with very syrupy consistancy. These are
best when aged and sampled in very small doses. Particularly strong
versions are the German EKU 28 and the Swiss Samichlaus, in the 12 - 14%
abv range. The more traditional Bavarian versions run in the pleasantly
warming but less lethal 8 - 9% abv range; less thick and syrupy as well,
they are a bit more approachable by the average palate.
The AHA defines lagers above 1.090 in original gravity as a
separate style, "Eisbock." I reserve that term for the true, ice
distilled beverage, examples of which are unknown in the US and untried
by yours-truly. Real Eisbocks are strengthened by freezing the beer and
removing the ice. The ice contains only water, concentrating both the
sugars and alcohol in the beer. The large American brewers are
insinuating that this is what they're doing with their "new" Ice Beer
styles. This is not the case; all they are doing is filtering the beer at
extremely cold temperatures, removing precipitated proteins and
carbohydrates, resulting in even less flavor and body than their standard
flavorless, bodyless product. Coors has been pulling this trick for
decades. Ice Beers usually start out slightly stronger than the standard
product (5.5 - 6%), but any water removed in the process is added back
later. Taxes for distilled beverages are a lot higher than for fermented
ones; until you see the red and white tax stamp on an Ice Beer bottle,
you may safely assume they are not making Eisbock.
STYLE NAME: Dopplebock
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.075 - 1.125
COLOR: 6 - 50; Light Amber to Opaque Black
BITTERNESS: 17 - 33 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 7.5 - 14% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Paulaner Salvator (Munich, Germany)
III.E. SMOKED LAGER
Contrary to a myth spread by a certain large brewery in St. Louis,
the best use of beechwood with respect to beer is *not* aging, but is
setting it to a slow burn in a smokehouse along with a fine two-row
German malt. The resulting smoky product is one of only two beer styles
which, upon first tasting, shocked me. Rauchbier! It's not for everyone.
It's not an everyday quaff. Biting into beef jerky is the most similar
experience I can think of- not what one normally expects when sipping a
cool lager. We have the city of Bamberg to bless (or curse) for this
wonder. A close relative of the style called "Steinbier" (Stone Beer), is
produced by tossing red-hot river rocks into the brewing wort! (Egads!
Are these guys really Germans? Malt, hops, water, and ROCKS!) Check them
out if you can, but make sure to keep an open mind. They must go
good with barbeque, 'though I've never sampled the combination myself.
(By the way, the other beer style which shocked me the first time was
Lambic.)
STYLE NAME: Smoked Lager
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.048 - 1.052
COLOR: 10 - 20 SRM; Copper to Brown
BITTERNESS: 20 - 30 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 4.3 - 4.8% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Kaiserdom Rauchbier (Bamberg, Germany)
III.F. CALIFORNIA COMMON BEER (Steam Beer)
The only uniquely American style of lager dates from the latter
days of the California gold rush. In the east, as in Europe, lager was
becoming all the rage. But in the wild west there was no refrigeration
technology to make lager "properly," so brewers improvised by fermenting
beer with lager yeast at the only temperature available to them- one more
appropriate to fermenting ales. They called their product Steam Beer, now
a trademark of the Anchor Brewing Company; the generic style name has
been dubbed California Common. The style favors hops at all stages
(Northern Brewer); it is bitter from start to finish, medium bodied,
amber in color, yet has a solid, dry, malty background. But what really
sets it apart from other lagers is the presence of fermentation
byproducts. These take on some of the complex fruitiness associated with
ales, but also have an earthy tang unique to under aged lagers.
STYLE NAME: California Common Beer
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.040 - 1.055
COLOR: 8 - 17; Amber to Deep Copper
BITTERNESS: 35 - 45 IBU
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 3.6 - 5% abv
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE: Anchor Steam Beer (San Francisco, CA, USA)
********
IN THE BEGINNING, FRITZ CREATED...
The very existence of Steam Beer today stands as the "creation
legend" of the modern American craft brewery movement. In the 1960s Fritz
Maytag, an heir to the washing machine empire of the same surname, was an
undergraduate at Stanford University. Like many of his classmates then
and now, he enjoyed tipping the occasional Anchor Steam Beer to take the
edge off his studies. Imagine his dismay when he discovered that his
favorite brewery was about to go belly-up, the same sad fate as almost
every other American brewery with any modicum of character up to that
time. Luckily, our hero had the will (and capital) to prevent this
tragedy. Maytag purchased the brewery, learned how to brew great beer,
improved the product, expanded the line to include other beer styles long
forgotten in this country, and eventually turned a profit. This
demonstration that a high quality brewery could succeed in this country
paved the way for the Grants, the McMenamins, and, yes, even the Kochs of
today. On behalf of the readers of this newsgroup, I offer a hearty
"Cheers" to Fritz Maytag.
********
FAQ written and maintained by:
Jon Binkley
bin...@fafner.stanford.edu