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Ales | Lager | Mixed | Mead | Cider

LAGER

Lagers are produced with bottom-fermenting Saccharomyces uvarum (a.k.a. S. carlsbergensis) strains of yeast at colder fermentation temperatures than ales. This cooler environment inhibits the natural production of esters and other fermentation by-products, creating a "cleaner-tasting" product.

12. German-Style Bock

a) Traditional German-Style Bock

Traditional bocks are made with all malt and are strong, malty, medium- to full-bodied, bottom-fermented beers with low hop bitterness that should increase proportionately with the starting gravity. Hop flavor should be low, and hop aroma should be very low. Bocks can range in color from deep copper to dark brown. Fruity esters may be perceived at low levels.

b) German-Style Helles Bock/Maibock

The German word "helles" means light colored, and, as such, a helles bock is light in color. Maibocks also are light-colored bocks. The malty character should come through in the aroma and flavor. Body is medium to full. Hop bitterness should be low, while "noble-type" hop aroma and flavor may be at low to medium levels. Bitterness increases with gravity. Fruity esters should be minimal. Diacetyl levels should be very low. Chill haze should not be perceived.

c) German-Style Doppelbock

Malty sweetness is dominant but should not be cloying. Doppelbocks are full bodied and deep amber to dark brown color. Astringency from roast malts is absent. Alcoholic strength is high, and hop rates increase with gravity. Hop bitterness and flavor should be low and hop aroma absent. Fruity esters are commonly perceived but at low to moderate levels.

d) German-Style Eisbock

Deep copper to black and very alcoholic. Aroma and flavor profile is similar to doppelbock. Traditionally this beer is brewed by freezing a doppelbock and removing the resulting ice to concentrate the beer and increase the alcohol content.

13. German-Style Dark Lager

a) Munich-Style Dunkel

These beers have a pronounced malty aroma and flavor that dominate over the clean, crisp, moderate hop bitterness. A classic Münchner dunkel should have a chocolatelike, roasted malt, breadlike aroma that comes from the use of Munich dark malt. Chocolate or roast malts can be used, but the percentage should be minimal. "Noble-type" hop flavor and aroma should be low but perceptible. Diacetyl is acceptable at very low levels. Fruity esters and chill haze should not be perceived.

b) German-Style Schwarzbier

Dark brown to black. It has a medium body. Roasted malt evident. Low sweetness in aroma and flavor, Schwarzbier has low to medium bitterness—low bitterness is from roast malt. "Noble-type" hop flavor and aroma are OK. No fruitiness, esters. Low diacetyl is OK.

14. German-Style Light Lager

a) Munich-Style Helles

This beer has a relatively low bitterness. It is a medium-bodied malt-emphasized beer, however certain versions can approach a balance of hop character and maltiness. There should not be any caramel character. Color is light straw to golden. Fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived.

b) Dortmunder/European-Style Export

Both starting gravity and medium bitterness are somewhat higher than a Munich helles. Hop flavor and aroma are perceptible but low. The color of this style may be slightly darker, and the body will be more full but still medium bodied. Fruity esters, chill haze and diacetyl should not be perceived.

15. Classic Pilsener

a) German-Style Pilsener

A classic German Pilsener is very light straw/golden color and well hopped. Hop bitterness is high. Hop aroma and flavor are moderate and quite obvious. It is a well-attenuated and medium-bodied beer, but a malty accent can be perceived. Fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived. There should be no chill haze. The head should be dense and rich.

b) Bohemian-Style Pilsener

Pilseners in this subcategory are similar to German Pilseners, however they are slightly more full bodied and can be as dark as light amber. This style balances moderate to high bitterness and "noble-type" hop aroma and flavor with a malty, slightly sweet, medium body. Diacetyl may be perceived in very low amounts. There should be no chill haze. The head should be dense and rich.

c) American-Style Pilsener

This classic and unique pre-Prohibition American-style Pilsener is straw to deep gold in color. Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are medium to high, and use of "noble-type" hops for flavor and aroma is preferred. Up to 25 percent corn in the grist should be used, and some slight sweetness and flavor of corn are expected. A low level of DMS is acceptable. Malt flavor and aroma are medium. This is a medium-bodied beer. Fruity esters and citrusy flavors or aromas should not be perceived. Slight diacetyl is acceptable. There should be no chill haze.

16. American-Style Lager

a) American-Style Lager

Very light in body and color, American lagers are very clean, crisp and aggressively carbonated. Malt sweetness is absent. Corn, rice or other grain or sugar adjuncts are often used. Hop aroma is absent. Hop bitterness is slight, and hop flavor is mild or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

b) American-Style Light Lager

According to Food and Drug Administration regulations, when used in reference to caloric content, "light" beers must have at least 25 percent fewer calories than the "regular" version of that beer. These beers are extremely light colored, light in body and high in carbonation. Flavor is mild, and bitterness is very low. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

c) American-Style Lager/Ale or Cream Ale

This mild, pale, light-bodied ale is made using a warm fermentation (top or bottom) and cold lagering or by blending top- and bottom-fermented beers. Hop bitterness and flavor are very low. Hop aroma often is absent. Sometimes referred to as cream ales, these beers are crisp and refreshing. A fruity or estery aroma may be perceived. Diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

d) American-Style Premium Lager

Similar to the American lager, this style is a more flavorful, medium-bodied beer and may contain few or no adjuncts. Color may be deeper than the American lager, and alcohol content and bitterness may be greater. Hop aroma and flavor are low or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.

e) American-Style Dark Lager

This beer’s maltiness is less pronounced, and its body is light. Non-malt adjuncts often are used, and hop rates are low. Hop bitterness flavor and aroma are low. Carbonation is high and more typical of an American-style light lager than a European dark lager. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

17. Vienna/Märzen/Oktoberfest

a) Vienna-Style Lager

Beers in this category are reddish brown or copper colored. They are light to medium in body. The beer is characterized by malty aroma, slight malt sweetness and clean hop bitterness. "Noble-type" hop aromas and flavors should be low to medium. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

b) German-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest

Märzens are characterized by a medium body and broad range of color. Oktoberfests can range from golden to reddish brown. Sweet or toasty maltiness should dominate slightly over a clean hop bitterness. Malt character should be toasted rather than strongly caramel. Hop aroma and flavor should be low but notable. Fruity esters are minimal, if perceived at all. Diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.

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