THE STORY OF LAGER.
Lager’s birthday isn’t marked on any calendars. The year it was born is beyond our comprehension. What we do know is that throughout the 10,000-year history of beer, lager has gone from being a secretive background player to becoming ubiquitous in less than 200 years.
Brewers used yeast cells to make beer for hundreds of years.
These yeast cells were both top-and bottom-fermenting, and each became active depending on the temperature of the beer—if it was cold, then the lager yeast would get to work; if it was warm, then the ale yeast took over (while the lager yeast sweated out some off-flavors).
Eventually, German brewers realized that aging beer in cool basements or caves for a few months was beneficial, as it added clean depth to the beverage while reducing the presence of unpleasant tastes. Because of the cold storage, the slow-working, progressively developing lager yeast was able to make its way through with relative ease.
Although they knew about yeast, brewers didn’t truly comprehend it until the latter half of the nineteenth century, when they began to scientifically grasp the fermentation process and were able to see inside their tanks using a microscope.
As a result, they were able to see the behavior of top- and bottom-fermenting yeast, as well as extract healthy yeast cells for further study.
Lager’s narrative begins to take an unexpected turn in Bohemia about the middle of the century. Malting techniques improve, allowing for paler malt to be produced; glasses begin to replace tankards as the preferred drinking vessel, elevating the importance of the beer’s appearance; and the increasing use of cold-conditioning results in cleaner-tasting beers as a result of the increasing use of cold-conditioning.
The earliest golden lagers appeared as a result of the mix of paler beer and techniques that promote bottom-fermentation. The technology of fermentation had advanced significantly by the end of the nineteenth century, allowing lager beers to make significant strides in the international market and gain widespread acceptance.
The first American lager beers were created in Philadelphia in the 1840s, and their popularity spread to Chicago and Milwaukee as the brewing industry developed further. The dark British ales that were used to make all of America’s beer existed prior to this. Many Central Europeans immigrated to the United States, and these beer consumers preferred the light, refreshing beers from back home to heavy, muddy Colonial ales.
The introduction of German beers, which were comparable to ruddyred Dunkel Lagers, into major cities began in the 1850s.
According to legend, Adolphus Busch, while traveling through Bohemia, drank a golden lager that altered the course of beer history. Budweiser was founded in 1876 as a result of this moment of inspiration. He brought the formula back with him to America and recreated it there.
In order for the beer to be successful, the brewers had to add rice or maize to the recipe since American six-row barley has more protein than European two-row barley, resulting in a cloudy, clumpy haze settling on the surface of the beer.
In order to reduce the amount of barley used, brewers used rice instead of barley; nevertheless, since the beer was light and served in glasses, it did not have the same forgiving hazy characteristics as black beer served in tankards.
This is the birth of American lager, which differs from European lagers due to the addition of an adjunct grain. Initially popular among immigrant groups, it quickly gained popularity among American consumers.
As the twentieth century came to a close, American lager brewing had a resurgence. Breweries had developed technological improvements such as artificial refrigeration and pasteurization by this point, and had evolved into massive beer factories, as well as established rail networks for the distribution of their products.
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Nevertheless, the situation did not last in perpetuity. Because of Prohibition, there was no alcohol available for 13 years, and soda took its place on store shelves. However, a few of the breweries managed to remain operating by producing “near-beers” with an alcohol content of 0.5 percent.
Following the repeal of Prohibition, beer re-emerged victoriously, but things quickly altered once again. Beer became lighter as a result of the Great Depression, wars, and restrictions of ingredients.
Lagers were tightened even more in flavor, character, and color throughout the 1950s, a decade during which American tastebuds experienced a revolutionary process of homogenization.
In the 1970s, things really started to pick up the pace.
Light beer is a refreshing drink. It’s best consumed with athletic activities in mind. Bid adieu to any additional taste. Within 100 years, American beer was formed, reached its pinnacle of glory, was annihilated, and then steadily lightened until it could no longer be made any lighter and everything tasted the same as before.
As the popularity of pale lagers grew across the globe, the same dumbing down of lager occurred as the taste of the beer was lost to the consumer.
The situation was different in Central Europe, which is known for producing excellent bottom-fermented beers.
It didn’t matter if the styles remained the same, the quality increased, the traditions were kept, or if the rest of the world was watching them. Regional pride helped to keep beers alive; Dunkels didn’t go extinct; Helles and Pilsner coexisted peacefully with Rauchbier and Bock; and Kölsch, Alt, and Weizen helped to keep the top-fermenting side of brewing afloat. Germany, thank you for your cooperation!
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Craft brewers, many of whom were inspired by European beers rather than million-dollar advertising efforts, we’re at the forefront of the struggle against blandness. In an America where every beer tasted the same, new brewers from the 1980s forward sought out things that tasted better, things that tasted fantastic, and they found them.
In response to lager’s bland dominance, flavorful ales arose as a major counterweight. Beers that were inspired by the golden period of American lager before Prohibition began to appear. Lagers with taste and character were created.
Some breweries are now focusing only on the production of lagers and German-style beers, for example. Whatever the kind of beer, most brewers produce something in the German tradition. The United States produces some of the world’s greatest and most fascinating lagers.
Furthermore, small brewers all over the globe have re-invigorated lager, particularly in Italy, New Zealand, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, and South America, by taking old types and either creating their own versions of them or experimenting with them in new ways.
Craft lagers, New Zealand lagers, Imperial lagers, American-hopped Doppelbocks, Japanese-hopped Helles, and British-brewed lagers produced entirely of British ingredients are among the many options available.
When it comes to food, the good stuff is taking on the bad, and it’s gaining in popularity and quality all the time.
In Bavaria and Bohemia, the lagers are still the greatest in the world, but they’re facing some significant competition from other European countries.
LAGER, IMPERIAL
THIS IS SMALLER THAN THE OTHER, BUT IT IS BIGGER. THE DELICATE, LIGHT BODIES OF PILSNER AND HELLES ARE BLOWN UP LIKE A BODYBUILDER IN THESE BREWS. THESE ARE SERIOUS CRAFT BEERS, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LAGER AND IPA. THESE ARE NOT SUPER-STRONG EURO LAGERS OR MALT LIQUORS SOLD CHEAPLY IN CANS WHERE DRINKERS WANT BANG FOR THEIR BEER BUCK. THE BEER IS MORE CIVILIZED THAN AN IPA BECAUSE OF THE COLD-CONDITIONING IN THE TANK AND THE DELICATE LAGER YEAST. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IMPERIAL LAGER AND A STRONG EURO LAGER (OR EVEN A HELLERBOCK) IS IN THE IMPERIAL LAGER'S MORE PURPOSEFUL HOPPING REGIME—EXPECT A LARGE HOP PRESENCE IN BITTERNESS AND AROMA.
Imperial lager is a cross of Pilsner, Helles, and craft lagers from the United States. As the alcohol content rises and the number of hops in the beer grows, you’ll discover a beer with an ABV of 7.0–9.0 percent and an IBU of 40–80. Imperial lagers,
which are often pale to amber in color, are made using lager yeast, which gives the malt and yeast profiles a clean depth and allows the hops to shine. Hops may come from any country and provide a burst of scent and taste rather than a rude bitterness.
The body might be dry and crisp or rounded and rich, with the malt taste taking center stage or serving as the stage itself, supporting the hops. It’s both gorgeous and harsh as a mutant beer style.
Things of Beauty Darling of the US
Massachusetts’s Cambridge
The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 7%.
Saphir, Perle, and Hallertauer are some of the hops used in this recipe.
I’m falling head-over-heels in love with Pretty Things beers the more I drink them. Some breweries have a special touch, and it’s a rare thing: there’s a lightness to everything they make; a ludicrous drinkability even in the terrifyingly strong beers; a fun story behind everything; a sense of light-heartedness; and they look great, too—who wouldn’t pick up their bottles and head straight to the checkout?
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American Darling is a non-lawnmower Imperial Pilsner that goes the German route rather than the American route. It’s golden like the sun, floral and grassy like your backyard, fresher than a dewy spring morning, and more delicious than Delicious Town’s most delicious beer.
Lagered for six weeks to give it incredible depth, it’s golden like the sun, floral and grassy like your backyard, fresher than a dewy spring morning, and more delicious than Delicious Town’s most delicious beer.
Draft Bear Mikkeller
Denmark’s capital city is Copenhagen.
Hops: Amarillo, Cascade ABV: 8.0 percent
Some beers make you take a breath and exclaim, “Wow.” One of such is Draft Bear. I wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the scent, the freshness, or the breathtaking brightness. It was like squeezing a bowl of juicy oranges, tangerines, mandarins, and grapefruit into my face.
I’m not sure how they’ve managed to make hops fruitier than fruit, but they have. I want to preserve this scent and have it in a bottle with me at all times, like a hop addict in desperate need of a fix.
Taking a bite of it—WOW! I intended to buy a case of the beer so that I could have some on hand at all times. There’s a trace of sweetness and a clean depth of pale malt in the taste, which makes it addictively drinking and crazily orangey in so many ways. Wow!
Larger Epic Brewing
New Zealand’s Auckland city
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.5 %
Pacific Jade, Kohatu, Liberty, Tettnang, and Santiam are some of the hops used in this recipe.
Epic is the brainchild of Luke Nicholas, who runs a brewery that doesn’t have four walls but shares tank space with other brewers.
Larger, well known for its explosive IPAs, take a detour and creates a lager. The beer has a pale gold hue and an illusive fruitiness to it that I can’t quite put my finger on.
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There’s pineapple, something grassy, spicy (turmeric and thyme), and lemony—these are simple to spot—but there’s also melon or grape, maybe elderflower… I believe mystery enhances the appeal of brews.
Because a substantial body keeps all the hops in place before the wallop of 70 IBUs, Larger is balanced in the extreme and sips a lot lighter than the ABV indicates. For an epic evening, serve it with thyme, lemon, and garlic-crusted freshly roasted chicken and plenty of salt and pepper.
Birra Del Borgo and Dogfish Head Antonia, this is my name.
Delaware’s Milton
7.5% alcohol by volume
Warrior, Simcoe, and Saaz are some of the most popular hop varieties.
In cooperation between Dogfish Head and Birra del Borgo, My Antonia was the beer that launched this new kind of lager.
Both brewers created their own variants, which were so successful that they are now produced separately. Because these beers are so beautiful to look at, you know they’ll taste great even before you open the bottles.
A peppery, lemony backdrop with a hint of thyme and spice is followed by a piney, citrus-pith front freshness thanks to a blend of European and American hops.
The malt foundation is dry and clean, with a knifepoint bitterness that strikes a balance between not enough and too much bitterness, similar to that of a Belgian Tripel.
It’s “continually hopped,” which means hops are added continuously during the boil rather than in stages like conventional brews. If you can, get both versions to compare them. Carbonara pasta is a great accompaniment.
MUNICH, \GERMANY CLASSIC
THIS GERMAN LAGER TRIO SHARE A LOT OF HISTORY, BUT IT’S NOT ALL STRAIGHT FORWARD. VIENNA MRSZEN OKTOBERFEST MRSZEN WAS A BEER BREWED IN MARCH AND MATURED IN COOL CELLARS TO LAST THROUGH THE SUMMER WHEN IT WAS TOO WARM TO BREW A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS AGO. VIENNA LAGER WAS BORN DUE TO A NEW TYPE OF INDIRECT KILNING IN THE MALTING PROCESS THAT PRODUCED PALE MALTS. SPATEN BREWERY IN MUNICH BROUGHT A MRZEN-STYLE BEER IN 1841, INSPIRED BY THE NEW LAGERS MADE IN VIENNA, AND INTRODUCED IT AT THAT YEAR’S OKTOBERFEST, BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1872 THAT SPATEN RELEASED AN “OKTOBERFESTBIER.” VIENNA INFLUENCED OKTOBERFEST, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY A MZEN. SUCCESS?
The three varieties are sufficiently similar to be lumped together: ABV between 5.0 and 6.0 percent, medium-bodied, gold to red in color, and a balanced bitterness between 20 and 30 IBUs. In Oktoberfest and Märzen, the malt flavor will be toasted and clear, while in Vienna, it will be nuttier.
In Vienna, hopping is traditionally modest, but it is becoming more grassy and pronounced. There is some overlap between Märzen or Vienna lagers and American amber lagers; the distinction is typically in the hop varietals used.
HACKER-PSCHORR \OKTOBERFEST \MÄRZEN
HOPS: HALLERTAUER ABV: 5.8%
In October 1810, the world’s most renowned beer festival began to commemorate Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria’s marriage to Princess Therese of Bavaria. The party, which lasted a few days, was so successful that they decided to repeat it the following year, and so the tradition began.
It grew into the world’s largest drinking event as the dates adjusted to hopefully enjoy the late September sunlight, with the celebration ending on the first weekend in October.
The initial Märzen-style beer grew through time into the deep golden beers that today dominate the taps and are served in maß glasses by the thousands. With mild and controlled hopping, Hacker-Oktoberfest Pschorr’s Märzen boasts toasted cereal depth, a hint of caramel, bread, and marzipan nuttiness. With 6,000 people in a huge tent, it’s best served.
Metropolitan Copper Ale by Dynamo
Illinois’s Chicago
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.2 %
Horizon, Vanguard, and Mt. Hood are some of the hops used in this recipe.
“If malt and hops are the brewing’s two poles, this beer is the slowly spinning sweet spot between them.” On the brewery’s website, this beer is described in lyrical terms. In a nice little lock-up in a beautiful Chicago suburb, Metropolitan brews a variety of superb lagers.
Doug Hurst, the chief brewer, had his training in Germany, where he developed an appreciation for lager and beautiful, balanced tastes. Dynamo is a Vienna-styled lager brewed using European-inspired hops cultivated in the United States.
The body is bready, toasted, and thick with the alcohol level, before the hops dry it off with citrus bitterness. According to Metro’s website, the greatest time to consume Dynamo is when you’re thirsty. That’s very cool.
Brewery Lakefront Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Riverwest Stein Lager
The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 5.7%.
Willamette and Cascade hops were used to make this beer.
America’s beer capital is Milwaukee. As millions of German immigrants crossed the Atlantic in the mid- to late-nineteenth century, a European community sprang up around Milwaukee’s lakefront site. They preferred lagers from their country rather than the dark, murky ales of colonial influence.
Milwaukee’s Pabst, Blatz, Schlitz, and Miller were among the largest brewers in the United States around the turn of the twentieth century. Only Miller is still produced in the city, but a new lager revolution is underway, drawing on the city’s history while also looking to the future.
Riverwest Stein at Lakefront is an excellent example. It’s amber in color, with toffee and toast in the center, and American hops give it a flowery, somewhat lemony scent, as well as a powerful, persistent bitterness. If you go back to the late 1800s in Milwaukee, you could find lagers that resemble this…
Oktoberfest Brossard, Canada Les Trois Mousquetaires
The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 6%.
Hallertauer and Perle are two types of hops used in this recipe.
With toasted cereal, brown bread, and roasted almonds, as well as a touch of berries and the spicy, flowery scent of German hops, Les Trois Mousquetaires is a mouthful of delight.
The malt dominates the bite, but it’s never overpowering, and the hops slip over the back of the tongue like a slide, making it easy to drink and thirst-quenching. It pairs well with sauerkraut, German sausage, and pretzels.
An electric wheelchair, a pair of crutches, and 370 pairs of glasses were located among lost goods in 2011 as evidence of Oktoberfest beer’s health-giving and restoring abilities. Beer, hallelujah!
Nils Oscar Kalasöl is a member of the Kalasöl family of companies.
Sweden (Nyköping)
Fuggles, Cascade, and Saaz Hops ABV: 5.2 percent
This beverage’s name means “fest beer” in Swedish, and it’s a Swedish version of Oktoberfest. Originally produced as a seasonal, it’s now available all year as part of Nils Oscar’s wide selection of beers.
The scent of Kalasöl is a combination of malt and hops, and it finishes like a piece of toast topped with caramel and a squeeze of citrus. Kalasöl is copper-colored with a rich creamy froth, and the aroma is a blend of malt and hops.
The hops blend brings together earthy, spicy British Fuggles with their gruff bitterness; grapefruity and flowery American Cascade with their oily hop richness; and delicate, aromatic Czech Saaz, which offers fruit and herbs to balance the others.
You’ll need food while you’re drinking Oktoberfest. Make a grocery list that includes chicken, sausage, pig knuckle, and pretzels. Order a larger quantity than you believe you will need.
De Wiesn Bamberg
Brazil’s Sao Paulo.
The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 5.7%.
Hallertauer Magnum, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hallertauer Saphir, Hallertauer Magnum, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hallertauer Saphir, Hallertauer Magnum, Hallertauer
Oktoberfest is known in Germany as Wies’n.
It’s called for the region where it’s located, Theresienwiese (which is named after the bride for whom the first celebration was celebrated). It’s like describing the Rio Carnival as a casual drink with friends.
Alexandre Bazzo’s beers adhere to the Reinheitsgebot, which states that beer may only be prepared from malt, water, hops, and yeast.
Furthermore, Bamberg’s beers are all German-inspired and straight-up adaptations, delivering superb German-style beers to Brazil. The German hops lend a flowery, herbaceous aroma to De Wiesn, which has biscuit, toast, and caramel in the body. There’s a nice lightness about it, and the taste is clear and fresh. It’s a seasonal release coming out ready for September’s festivities, after maturing for a long period in tank.
Avery Boulder, Colorado is home to the Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest.
9.3% alcohol by volume
Magnum, Sterling, Tettnang, and Hersbrücker are some of the hops used in this recipe.
The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest is part of Avery’s Dictator series, which also includes The Maharajah (Imperial IPA) and The Czar (Imperial Stout).
Most people don’t go as far as the Kaiser. It’s copper-colored, with toasted malt, caramel, and bread dominating; it’s cake-like with vanilla and almond, with some boozy baked apples and stone fruit thrown in for good measure.
The hops respond with spicy, flowery, bitter aromas that provide balance while without being overpowering on the tongue. It’s large, it’s dominating, it’s strong, and it hooks you in with extraordinary drinkability for its strength—an it’s Oktoberfest like you’ve never had before, and yet it still maintains a fundamental feature of the style, which is astounding. With this one, you’re going to need the world’s largest pretzel.
