LETS LOOK AT LAGER.
A type of beer that is pale in colour and usually contains a lot of bubbles. This is the Cambridge Dictionary definition of lager. Well, that doesn’t help at all. Let us have a look into the history of lager and what defines it.
Where do we begin?
The word comes from German word lagern (“to store”); due to the procces in making this brew.
A few thousand years ago; most beers were brewed using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae strain of yeast. This yeast is sometimes called “top fermenting” yeast. It ferments warm and relatively quick.
In Northern Europe (now what is Germany and Austria); they were brewing in the colder months. This brew was stored in ice packed caves during fermentation. A different strain of yeast was used for this process; Saccharomyces Pastorianus (aka bottom fermenting yeast). This yeast ferments at a slower rate and prefers the cold. It is a possibility that the Cerevisiae strain evolved into Pastorianus. Where ever this yeast came from, it was perfect for the colder climate.
Hues in the lager brews.
The beer was usually dark; through the years different colours and styles were made to suit tastes. Gradually the pale brew became more popular. This is could be accredited to two brewers at the time; Gabriel Sedlmayr of Spaten Brewery in Munich and Anton Dreher of Austria.
There are many colours and styles available these days. Here are a few popular ones.
(Thanks Mangrove Jacks for breaking this down so nicely – https://mangrovejacks.com/a/blog/mangrove-jack-s-guide-to-beer-styles)
Pale Lager and Pilsner
Originally from Germany, pale lager is one of the most popular types of beer in the world. Traditional lager styles are an easy way to get commercial lager drinkers into craft beer. Pilsner originated from Pilsen in the Czech Republic and has a more hoppy and full aroma.
| ABV % | IBU | ||
| American Light | A lower ABV version of the American lager | 2.8-4.2 | 8-12 |
| American | On the lighter side in flavour, colour and alcohol content. | 4.2-5.3 | 8-18 |
| Munich Helles | Bright gold colour and a stronger malt flavour than a traditional pilsner. | 4.7-5.4 | 16-22 |
| German Pils | Pale gold colour with a medium hop flavour and some malt notes. | 4.4-5.2 | 22-40 |
| Czech/Bohemian Pilsner(premium pale lager) | Bitter hop flavour with a floral aroma. Straw-coloured beer. | 4.2-5.8 | 30-45 |
Amber Lagers
A malty amber-coloured lager with an interesting caramel or toast quality and restrained bitterness. Smooth, easy-drinking lager character.
| ABV % | IBU | ||
| International Amber | Strong malt flavours with different levels of hop flavour. Darker colour, caramel aroma and smooth taste. | 4.6-6.0 | 8-25 |
| Oktoberfest/Festbier/German Style Marzen | A full bodied beer with a dark copper colour and rich, toasted flavour. | 5.8-6.3 | 18-24 |
| Vienna | A moderate-strength amber lager with a soft, smooth maltiness and moderate bitterness, yet finishing relatively dry. | 4.7-5.5 | 18-30 |
Dark Lagers
Stronger and smoother than other lagers, this intensely flavoured brew comes from the town of Einbeck. This beer style is often associated with special occasions or holidays.
| ABV % | IBU | ||
| German Schwarzbier | A dark beer with a relatively light flavour, a slight sweetness with malt notes. | 3.8-4.9 | 22-30 |
| International Dark | A darker and somewhat sweeter version of international pale lager with a little more body and flavour, but equally restrained in bitterness | 4.2-6.0 | 8-20 |
| Dunkles Bock | Dark copper colour with a malty sweet flavour. | 6.3-7.2 | 20-27 |
| Doppelbock | Stronger than the traditional bock with a higher alcohol content and fuller body. | 7.0-10 | 16-26 |
| Weizenbock | A wheat bock with fruity, malt flavours. | 6.5-9.0 | 15-30 |
In a nutshell.
To sum up, a lager is brewed with a cold fermentation process, using certain yeast. Yeast is a completely different subject, we would recommend reading our blog post on yeast. This should give you a better understanding of yeasts. https://www.geterbrewed.com/blog/2018/02/08/choosing-the-right-yeast/
Because of its popularity and verity, it is most likely the first type of beer people would try. Which in turn makes it more popular. This is probably why it’s the worlds most favourite beer.
Whatever the definition is, it’s still a beautiful beer. It might not have the pizzazz of some IPAs and ales, but it doesn’t need to. It is comfort beer. The one you can always count on; and where ever you are in the world, there will be a friendly lager to greet you.
Get stared on your lager brew.
We have a wide selection of yeast to choose from on our website; which will get you the beer you are looking for.
https://www.geterbrewed.com/yeast/
We have a number of beer kit options for an easy larger brew. Here are a few to choose from.
https://www.geterbrewed.com/beer-kits/
https://www.geterbrewed.com/irish-craft-lager-23-litres-4.1-ferments-at-ale-temperatures/
https://www.geterbrewed.com/premium-bohemian-pilsener-all-grain-ingredient-kit/
https://www.geterbrewed.com/refreshing-light-lager-all-grain-ingredient-kit/
https://www.geterbrewed.com/the-helles-bock-hammer-all-grain-ingredient-kit/