The best tasting beers are consumed at brew pubs from barrels that have just been filled. Pale, straw color (sometimes cloudy in unfiltered varieties) and sour, tart, acidic flavors rule in traditional recipes, while many American brewers have been concocting creative styles that showcase lemon, peach, or raspberry infusions. There are many starter kits for hobby and home brewers on the market today. It features barley malt fermented with Weissbier yeast at higher temperatures. The amount of remaining wort makes a beer taste more or less malty. Continue to fill the glass as you tilt it upright to a 90 degree angle, allowing a generous head of foam to form at the top of the glass. 1. Germany’s great history of brewing dates back over 1,000 years. Brilliant clarity in some kölsches remind drinkers of a fizzy white wine, and some varieties offer grape and apricot esters that contribute to its appearance, aroma, and sharp mouthfeel. It features a medium amber to light copper color with ABV ranging from 4.5 to 5.5% and a malty, caramel taste featuring clove and banana notes. Usually falling between 5% and 6% ABV, this is a great wheat beer to serve alongside any dinner of poultry or fish. Bock is a special style of German beer that has a number of sub … With an average ABV between 5% and 8%, serve one at a springtime cocktail party or at dinner alongside pasta dishes, salmon, or shellfish. Sometimes a full-bodied bock can feel almost like a meal in itself, which keeps with the old legend that Bavarian monks subsisted on bock during long spells of fasting. A Brief History of German Beer, from the first millennium forward Tilt the glass or stein at a 45 degree angle. © 1998-2020 Kegworks. Learn all about the different styles of German beer, and what makes them great. 2. Traditionally, beer was stored in wooden barrels in cold cellars (Keller). Banana and clove flavors are definitive of the style. German Beers Available in North America, the brands you can actually purchase nearby! Please tell us your stories about Germany, German beer reviews and travel adventures. It’s a beautiful beer with a dark amber to brown complexion, and its German noble hops infuse a slight, refreshing, full-bodied finish without being overly sweet. The brew master monks of the Southern German abbeys of Weihenstephan and Weltenburg surely qualify. Germany’s Dortmunder Union brewery gave us this beer—once made by and for the working class—a century ago. The smoked beers of Bamberg are mostly lagers, ranging from pale in color to amber or brown. Ranging between 4% and 6% ABV, this popular summertime beer is a party favorite at picnics and barbeques, especially if you’re serving burgers or bratwursts off the grill. 2. All Rights Reserved. Shop German Beer Glassware, Guinness and Murphy's Kegerator Conversion Kits, Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH, Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying, Hops & History: A Complete Guide to India Pale Ale (IPA) Origins and Styles, The KegWorks Field Guide to English Beer Styles, The KegWorks Guide to Growler Types & Styles. Beer is a major part of German culture.German beer is brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot, which permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients and stipulates that beers not exclusively using barley-malt such as wheat beer must be top-fermented.. Altbier ranges in color from a light copper to dark auburn or brown. Get the latest recipes, news and special offers... German Foods North America, is an independent blogger, importer and retailer based in Washington, DC. It is generally known as more of a marketing term than it actually refers to a specific type of beer. Prost! Germany is a country known for its beer diversity, the usual suspects; pale Lager, dark Lager and Wheat beer are joined at the bar by regional styles and seasonal specials. “Ice” bocks build a highly concentrated body, flavor, and alcohol content by freezing and removing a portion of water from the beer during production. Both kellerbier and zwickelbier names refer to more about the process that the lager was brewed with than it being an actual style of beer with its own characteristics. Unfiltered beer styles, such as Wheat beers, have yeast particles that can get trapped at the bottom of the bottle. Beer How To's & Guides. All rights reserved. It also goes well with the all-American dessert, apple pie. Gose is a nice springtime beer for drinkers who appreciate sour, tart, salty, or fruit flavors. During this phase, the grain enzymes convert the grain starches into maltose sugars and essential nutrients are dissolved in the mash water. Either swirl the beer around the bottom of the bottle or roll the bottle between your palms to agitate the yeast. This process determines the color and flavor of beer. Zoigl beer is brewed in the Oberpfalz, which is a region of the German state of Bavaria that borders the Czech Republic. This brought the region notoriety for being the home for this style of German lager. Weighing in between a 5% to 7% ABV, the sweet, toasty, nutty aroma and flavor is a wonderful addition to a warm holiday meal of veal, pork, or beef or as a nice companion to an earthy cheese course. Altbier is made with a top-fermenting yeast, like an ale, instead of the “newer” style of bottom-fermenting lager yeast, which brewers in Dusseldorf resisted using at the time. While traditional dampfbier isn’t regularly imported from Germany to the United States, the California Common style of beer in this country is brewed in a similar style using lager yeast. 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