·European-Style Pilsener
Continental Pilseners are straw/golden in color and well-attenuated beers. This medium-bodied beers is often brewed with rice, corn, wheat or other grain or sugar adjuncts making up part of the mash. Fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived. There should be no chill haze.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.044- 1.05 (11 - 12.5 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.010 (2 - 2.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.6 - 4.2% (4 - 5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (17 - 30)
Color SRM (EBC): 3 - 4 (7 - 10 EBC)
·German Licht\European Low-alcohol Lager
These beers are very light in body and color. Malt sweetness is perceived at low to medium levels while hop bitterness character is perceived at medium levels. These beers should be clean with no perceived fruity esters or diacetyl. Chill haze is not acceptable.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.026- 1.032 (6.5 - 8 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.006 - 1.010 (1.5 - 2.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 2.0 - 2.6% (2.5 - 3.3%)
Bitterness (IBU) (17 - 28)
Color SRM (EBC): 2 - 4 (5 - 9 EBC)
·Munchener Helles
Paulaner of Germany introduced the first Helles (light) in the 1920's. It is the term used by the people of Munich (Munchen in German) to depict a light everyday beer as opposed to some of the traditional dark styles also available from this region. 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 an caramel character. Color is light straw to golden. Fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived.
Classic Producers
Hell Urtyr (Paulaner, Germany), Urbräu Hell (Hofbräuhaus, Germany) Award Winning American Beers Hellcat & Zepplin (Liberty Street Brewing), Bergoff Original Lager (Joseph Huber Brewing), Hubsch Lager (Sudwerk Privatbrauerei), Export Gold (Stoudt Brewing), Golden Spike Lager (Riverside Brewing)Penn Light Lager (Pennsylvania Brewing), Los Gatos Lager (Los Gatos Brewing), Adler Brau Lager (Appleton Brewing), Sun Valley Sawtooth Gold Lager (Sun Valley Brewing), Hopfen Helles Beer (Weeping Radish Restaurant)
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.044- 1.050 (11- 13 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.012 (2 - 3 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.8 - 4.4% (4.5 - 5.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (18 - 25)
Color SRM (EBC): 3 - 5 (7 - 12 EBC)
·Dortmunder\European Export
Dortmunder style beers are always labeled Export in their home city even though they are not commonly exported to other regions. Dortmunder is a golden lager that is more full in body and color than a Pilsener. It also employs less hops for bitterness and aroma. However, Dortmunders are dryer than Helles Lagers and less carbonated.
These beers are deliberately not thoroughly attenuated. The unfermented matter ads to the body. These beers represent an older style that is not as popular locally as they once were but has a strong following internationally amongst beer lovers. Both starting gravity and medium bitterness are somewhat higher than a Munchener 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.
Classic Producers
Dortmunder Actien Brauerei (DAB, Germany), Dortmunder Kronen (Kronen Brauerei, Germany), Dortmunder Union Brauerei (Brau und Brunnen, Germany), Sapporo (Sapporo Breweries, Japan)
Award Winning American Beers
Gordon Biersch, Export Gold (Stoudt Brewing), Saratoga Lager , Stoudt (Stoudt Real Beer)
Complementary Foods
Chicken, spit roasted meats, salmon, ham, bacon, stew
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.048- 1.056 (12- 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.010 - 1.014 (2.5 - 3.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 4 - 4.8% (5 - 6%)
Bitterness (IBU) (23 - 29)
Color SRM (EBC): 3 - 5 (8 - 13 EBC)
·Vienna Lager \Marzen\Märzen\Oktoberfest
All these terms are related to a style developed around Vienna, Austria. These beers have a soft maltiness or aroma and palate that make them an excellent beer to match and marry the flavors of a wide variety of foods. They often have a amber-red to copper color that highlights the maltiness.
During the days of the Austrian Empire this style became popular in such far off lands as Mexico where famous brands such as Dos Equis, Negra Modelo and the outstanding Christmas brew Noche Buena are based in this style, although they are lighter in body and less malty than the originals.
The terms Marzen and Oktoberfest refer to beer either brewed in March to be stored for the summer or beers produced for the Oktoberfest celebrations. Beers produced and labeled as Marzen or Oktoberfest are likely to be of the Vienna Lager style, although fest beers may be paler in color and may be higher in gravity and alcohol than the breweries regular interpretation. Includes Vienna, Marzen and Oktoberfest styles which are described below. Vienna Lager Beers in the 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. Nobel hop aromas and flavors should be low to medium. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.
Classic Producers
Spaten (Spaten-Franziskaner-Braü, Germany), Ayinger (Germany) Award Winning American Beers Red Bone Red Lager (Specialty Brewing), Samuel Houston's Austin Lager (Waterloo Brewing), Michael Sheas Irish Amber (Highfalls Brewing), Heckler Brau (Heckler Brewing), Brooklyn Lager (The Brooklyn Brewery), Golden Rail (Cherryland Brewing), Newman's Albany Amber (William S. Newman Brewing) Other Fine American Beers Negra Modelo (Cerveceria Modelo, Mexico), Ambier (Ambier Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Perfect for sweet spiced recipes or relatively sweet tasting meats. Very good with potatoes, minestrone soup, fennel-spiced sausages, Italian sausages, pizza, spit-roasted chicken, pork stew, loin of pork, pork ribs and chicken in mole sauce. One of the few beers that matches well with tomato based dishes.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.048- 1.056 (12- 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.012 - 1.018 (3 - 4.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.8- 4.3% (4.8 - 5.4%)
Bitterness (IBU) (22 - 28)
Color SRM (EBC): 8 - 12 (16 - 30 EBC)
Marzen/Oktoberfest
Marzens are characterized by a medium body and broad range of color. Oktoberfests can range from golden to reddish-brown. Sweet maltiness should dominate slightly over a clean, hop bitterness. Malt character should be toasted rather than strongly caramel. There should be more pronounced malt character than in Viennas. Hop aroma and flavor should be low but noticeable. Fruity esters are minimal, if perceived at all. Diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived. Fine European Beers Luisenbraü (Germany), Salonbier (Borbecker, Germany)
Award Winning American Beers
Market Street Oktoberfest (Bohanon Brewing), Gartenbrau Oktoberfest (Capital Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Perfect for sweet spiced recipes or relatively sweet tasting meats. Very good with potatoes, Fennel-spiced sausages, Italian sausages, pizza, spit-roasted chicken, pork stew, roast loin of pork, pork chops and chicken in mole sauce, chicken salad.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.050- 1.056 (12.5 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.012 - 1.020 (3 - 5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 4- 4.7% (5.3 - 5.9%)
Bitterness (IBU) (18 - 25)
Color SRM (EBC): 4 - 15 (10 - 35 EBC)
