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2. EUROPEAN PALE LAGER
2A. Bohemian Pilsner
Aroma:
Rich with a complex malt and a spicy, floral, Saaz hop bouquet. Moderate diacetyl acceptable.
Appearance:
Light gold to deep copper-gold, clear, with a dense, creamy white head.
Flavor:
Rich, complex maltiness combined with pronounced soft, rounded bitterness and flavor from Saaz hops. Moderate diacetyl acceptable. Bitterness is prominent but never harsh, and does not linger: The aftertaste is balanced between malt and hops. Clean, no fruitiness or esters.
Mouthfeel:
Medium-bodied, medium carbonation.
Overall Impression:
Crisp, complex and well-rounded yet refreshing.
History:
First brewed in 1842, this style was the original clear, light-colored beer.
Comments:
Uses Moravian malted barley and a decoction mash for rich, malt character. Saaz hops and low sulfate, low carbonate water provide a distinctively soft, rounded hop profile.
Ingredients:
Low sulfate and low carbonate water, Saaz hops, Moravian malted barley.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.056
IBUs: 35-45 FG: 1.013-1.017
SRM: 3-5 ABV: 4-5.3%
Commercial Examples:
Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus Pilsner, Budweiser Budvar, Staropramen.
2B. Northern German Pilsner
Aroma:
May feature grain and distinctive, flowery, noble hops. Clean, no fruitiness or esters.
Appearance:
Straw to medium gold, clear, with a creamy white head.
Flavor:
Crisp, dry and bitter. Maltiness is low, although some grainy flavors and slight sweetness are acceptable. Hop bitterness dominates taste and continues through the finish and lingers into the aftertaste. Hop flavor can range from low to high but should only be derived from German noble hops. Clean, no fruitiness or esters.
Mouthfeel:
Light to medium body, medium to high carbonation.
Overall Impression:
Crisp, clean, refreshing beer that prominently features noble German hop bitterness accentuated by sulfates in the water.
History:
A copy of Bohemian Pilsner adapted to brewing conditions in Northern and Central Germany.
Comments:
Drier than Bohemian Pilsner with a bitterness that tends to linger more in the aftertaste due to higher attenuation and higher-sulfate water.
Ingredients:
Pilsner malt, German hop varieties (especially noble varieties for taste and aroma), medium sulfate water.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.050
IBUs: 25-45 FG: 1.008-1.013
SRM: 2-4 ABV: 4.4-5.2%
Commercial Examples:
Bitburger, Kulmbacher Moenchshof Pils, Jever Pils, Holsten Pils, Paulaner Premium Lager.
2C. Dortmunder Export
Aroma:
Low to medium German or Czech hop aroma. Malt aroma is moderate.
Appearance:
Light gold to medium gold, clear with a noticeable white head.
Flavor:
Neither malt nor hops are distinctive, but both are in good balance with a touch of sweetness, providing a smooth yet crisply refreshing beer. Balance continues through the finish and the hop bitterness lingers in aftertaste. Clean, no fruitiness or esters.
Mouthfeel:
Medium body, medium carbonation.
Overall Impression:
Balance is the hallmark of this style.
History:
A style indigenous to the Dortmund industrial region, Export has been on the decline in Germany in recent years.
Comments:
Brewed to a slightly higher starting gravity than other light lagers, providing a firm malty body and underlying maltiness to complement the sulfate-accentuated hop bitterness.
Ingredients:
High sulfate water, German or Czech hops, Pilsner malt.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.048-1.060
IBUs: 23-30 FG: 1.010-1.015
SRM: 4-6 ABV: 4.8-6.0%
Commercial Examples:
DAB Export, Dortmunder Union Export, Kronen Export, Saratoga Lager.
2D. Muenchner Helles
Aroma:
Grain and malt aromas predominate. May also have a very light hop aroma.
Appearance:
Medium to deep gold, clear, with a creamy white head.
Flavor:
Slightly sweet, malty profile. Grain and malt flavors predominate, with just enough hop bitterness to balance. Very slight hop flavor acceptable. Finish and aftertaste remain malty. Clean, no fruitiness or esters.
Mouthfeel:
Medium body, medium carbonation, smooth maltiness with no trace of astringency.
Overall Impression:
Characterized by rounded maltiness without heaviness.
History:
Created in Munich in 1895 at the Spaten brewery by Gabriel Sedlmayr to compete with Pilsner-style beers.
Comments:
Unlike Pilsner but like its cousin, Munchner Dunkel, Helles is a malt-accentuated beer that is not overly sweet, but rather focuses on malt flavor with underlying hop bitterness in a supporting role.
Ingredients:
Moderate carbonate and sulfate water, Pilsner malt, German hop varieties.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.055
IBUs: 18-25 FG: 1.012-1.017
SRM: 3-5 ABV: 4.5-5.5%
Commercial Examples:
Hacker Pschorr Munich Edelhell, Spaten Premium Lager.
