German Beer Styles Flashcards
Weissbier
Color: Pale straw to gold.
Flavor: Banana, clove, bubble gum.
Medium-light to medium body.
Bavarian origin.
Examples:
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier.
Ayinger Brau Weiss
Funky Buddah Floridian Hefeweizen
Dunkelweizen
Color: Light copper to dark brown in color.
Flavor: Banana, clove, but more caramel flavor.
Texture: Medium-light to medium full.
- Darker version of a hefeweizen.
Bavarian origin.
Weizenbock
Color: The color can vary from light copper to dark and opaque. SRM is 6-25
Flavor: Medium to high maltiness with low banana or spiced flavors.
Lighter version have more bready or toasty flavors.
Heavier versions can have flavors like fig, grapes, or raisins.
Texture: Medium-full to full.
The original Weizenbock was created by Aventinus in 1907 by Schneider Brauhaus in Munich. Paler versions are a recent creation.
Examples:
Schneider Weiss Aventinus (dark)
Weihenstephaner Vitus (dark)
Ayinger Weizenbock (light)
The Bruery Shegoat
Berliner Weiss
Color: Straw
Flavor: Tart, lactic acid, with soft bready malt flavors. Light fruity flavors can be present usually as peach or pear.
Texture: Medium-full to full-bodied.
Made with lager yeast and lactobacillus.
Examples:
Bayerischer Bahnoff Berliner Style
The Bruery Hottenroth
Professor Fritz Briem 1809
New Glarus Berliner Weiss
Gose
Color: Straw to light gold.
Flavor: Tart, lactic acid with floral flavors, coriander, and faint salinity.
Texture: Medium light body and highly carbonated.
Historically brewed in Leipzig and had been nearly extinct until German reunification.
Examples:
Bayerischer Bahnhof Leipziger Gose
Westbrook Gose
Anderson Valley The Kimmy, the Yak, and the Holy Gose.
Dunkles Bock
Color: Amber to brown
Flavor: Toast, bread crumb, nutty malt flavors. Occasionally
caramel or toffee. Low hop profile.
Texture: Medium to medium full body.
Required by German law to be 16° Plato making the final ABV 6.0% or higher.
Examples:
Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel
Schell’s Bock
Mahr’s Christmas Bock
Dopplebock
Color: Gold to brown. Has a wide range of colors.
Flavor: Toast, bread crust, nuts. Light caramel and dark fruit.
Texture: Full bodied.
Required by German law to be 18° Plato equaling 7.0% ABV or higher.
An increase in malts and decrease in hops separates this from Dunkles Bock.
Examples:
Paulaner Salvator
-Flagship of the style
Ayinger Celebrator
Troegs Troegenator
Helles Bock
Color: Gold to light amber.
Flavor: Bready and lightly toasted malt flavors w/ low spicy and/or floral hops.
Texture: Medium bodied.
Elevated ABV usually around 6.0 to 7.5%
Also known as a Maibock as they were often made for celebration in May.
Examples:
Ayinger Maibock
Hofbrau Maibock
Eisbock
Color: Dark amber to dark brown.
Flavor: Rich, toasty, and caramel malt flavor.
Often dark fruit flavors with significant alcohol warmth.
ABV is often very high- 9.0-14% ABV
This beer undergoes a process of freeze distilling where the water is separated alcohol and sugar and is concentrated. Since water has a lower freezing than ethanol the water freezes and leaves mostly alcohol.
Examples:
Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock
Capital Eisphyre
Schneider Aventinus
Altbier
Color: Amber to deep copper.
Flavor: Malty, rich with grainy characteristics. Strong interplay between higher hop levels and malty sweetness. Good examples will be well balanced.
Texture: Medium bodied and smooth with a moderately high level of carbonation.
Cold conditioned, top-fermenting beer from Dusseldorf.
Examples:
Zum Uerige Doppel Sticke
Bolten Alt Bier
Pure Project Alternate Estate
Kolsch
Color: Straw to light gold.
Flavor: Bready malts w/ hop flavor and aroma. Typically German hops so more earthy and herbal hop characteristics. Subtle fruit from fermentation.
Texture: Medium-Light and moderately carbonated.
A Kolsch is essentially a lagered ale meaning it’s an ale brewed with lager yeast. Fruity and herbal flavors with a clean yeast profile.
Examples:
Reissdorf Kolsch
Sunner Kolsch
Goose Island Summertime Kolsch
