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Home to the oldest brewery in the world, German beer is a staple in the UK and throughout Europe.
Whether you’re a fan of German beer or not, 23rd April is a momentous day on a beer drinker’s calendar.
We’ve listed 10 different types of German beer so that you’re ready for 23rd April, some types you’ve probably heard of and some you might not.
German Beer Day is celebrated because of the creation of the Reinheitsgebot, the “purity law”, that was issued on the 23rd of April in 1516.
The new law dictated how beer was brewed and sold in Bavaria, which permitted only water, barley and hops to be permitted in the beer. This law began to protect consumers from becoming victims to poor quality and overpriced beer.
The law gradually spread to the rest of Germany and was rolled out nationwide by 1906. The Reinheitsgebot is the oldest consumer protection law still in use but has seen several modifications over the years.
Here we’ve listed 10 popular types of German beer for you to try this German Beer Day.
Whether you’re looking to try something new or stick with a favourite, there’ll be a beer here for you.
Lager, along with ale, is one of the two most common beer categories.
Lagers come in a variety of styles, which differ in colour, alcohol content and flavours.
Lager has an ABV of around 4-6%.
Weissbier is a classic Bavarian wheat ale that is top-fermented and known for its foamy and cloudy appearance.
Weissbiers are typically malty and have a subtle bitterness and are fermented with yeast strains that can typically provide clove, banana or smokey aromas.
Weissbier has an ABV of around 5%.
German Pilsner is a light, clean-tasting lager and is brewed from barley malt with spicy hop bitterness and a herbal, malty taste. Pilsner has an ABV of around 4 or 5%.
Bock beer is a strong German bottom-fermenting lager with an ABV of around 6.5%. Most bock beers have a mild bitterness and are slightly sticky from the malt sugars.
Altbier falls somewhere between a lager and an ale - fermented warm like an ale but then aged cool like a lager.
Altbier is typically malty and crisp with a copper or amber colour. This beer has an ABV of around 4.8%.
Doppel translates as double, so doppelbock is developed as a slightly stronger version of German bock style beer. Doppelbock has an ABV of around 7%.
Rauchbier is translated as smoked beer, made with smoked malt. A clean and clear beer with medium hop bitterness, with smokey and malt tastes.
An easy-drinking beer with an ABV of around 3.9%.
Kölsch beer is a pale yellow, highly fermented, fully-rounded ale with an ABV of around 4.8%
Helles is a more malt-forward beer and has a firmer body than Pilsner and other lager styles. It is a clean, refined, dry, but fresh beer with light hop bitterness combined with subtle malt sweetness.
Helles has an ABV of around 5.5%.
Dunkel is a dark lager associated with Bavaria and Munich. This type of beer is typically smooth and subtly sweet with a subtle hop character- an easy-drinking beer.
This beer has an ABV of around 5.5%.
If this beer-filled blog has you craving a cold one, check out our range of beers and ciders to be delivered to your door within 30-45 minutes, if you live in London.
Alternatively, if beer isn't to your current tastes, we have something for all with our selections of spirits, wines, and champagnes.
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