Lager, Lager, Lager
Lagers are often seen as being a generic beer type, simple refreshing beers that are ideal on a sunny day. Look below the surface and you will find that these beers come in a wide variety of styles, ranging from the light American style lagers through to malt rich bocks and even smoky Rauchbiers. To help you navigate the many styles of lager that are available we have put together a glossary of styles, many of which are available through our shops and webstore. It is also worth noting that on the 5th June we are hosting a Belgian and German Beer Tasting at our Lindfield store, where a table of lagers will be available for you to sample. Until then here is a list of the most common lager styles.
Lager Glossary
Radler – Ther German name for a shandy. Radlers are usually made using cloudy lemonade, are around 2-3% and are a refreshing lower alcohol option. Perfect on a sunny day after a hard day of work.
Light Lager – Light in body, light in alcohol and usually light in flavour. These are simple sessionable lagers, think of the light American lager brands.
Pilsner – One of the palest styles of lager produced, with a gentle influence from the grain bill of the beer. Pilsners are often brewed using Saar hops and have a slightly floral and citrusy character. A crisp and refreshing lager with a slightly bitter finish.
Helles – Light yellow to gold in colour, these clean tasting lagers display a touch of malty sweetness, partnered with gentle, floral hop flavours. These refreshing beers are softer and slightly maltier than Pilsners but retain a crisp finish.
Kellerbier – Light amber in complexion with a slight haze from being unfiltered. They have a similar flavour profile to pilsners but are slightly yeastier. Weaker and less full-flavored examples of Kellerbier are known as Zwickelbier.
Landbier – Less of a beer type and more of a marketing point, particularly for more rural breweries. Landbiers are a traditional beer that can be made in almost any style but are typically made in rural settings such as small towns, villages and farms.
Kolsch – Unlike many lagers, Kolsch is fermented at warmer temperatures and using top fermenting yeasts. This beer originates in Cologne and has a pale golden colour with a soft malty body, a gentle fruitiness and a crisp hoppy finish.
Maibock and Helles Bock – These are both strong pale lagers. The Maibock is brewed especially for spring and is more hoppy than traditional Bocks. A Hell Bock is brewed both in Spring and Autumn and is similar in style to a Maibock.
Vienna Lager – Amber in colour with lightly toasted malt notes with a hint of caramel. The finish is dry with a touch of bitterness from the hops, delivering a crisp, clean and refreshing lager.
Bock – Bocks have a richer malt content and have a dark amber or darker complexion. The caramel, nutty malt flavours tend to take the fore over the light hoppy notes. Bocks are brewed to be stronger than a normal lager and are often associated with festivals.
Festbier/Marzen – These beers are the beers brewed for Oktoberfest and other similar autumn beer festivals. Like Bocks they have a richer malt content than many lagers and will often have toasty flavours that deliver depth alongside their refreshing character.
Amber and Rotbier/Red Lagers – Amber, red or even dark brown in colour with malt forward flavours. They have a biscuity, toasty, toffee character to the flavour profile complimenting a clean finish a light to moderate bitterness.
Dunkel – Dunkel translates from German as dark and are characterized by their dark red to dark brown colour. These malty lagers often have flavours of toasted nuts, toast, caramel and chocolate, with a touch of bitterness from the hops.
Dopplebock – Dopplebocks are powerful dark, rich lagers which are usually brewed over 7% abv. Originally brewed by monks in Munich, they are essentially bocks that are brewed stronger and darker, with the name translating as double bock.
Schwarzbier – Brewed to around 5% abv, with a darkly roasted malts these dark lagers are dryer and darker than dunkels with a touch more sweetness from the extra malt content. The perfect lager for stout fans.
Rauchbier/Smoked Lager – The malts used to brew these beers have been dried over beech wood flames, imparting a smokey character to the beers. These smoked malts add more weight and richness to the beer creating an intense, powerful lager.
