The Lager family

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What is a Lager?

Everyone knows, or at least has a minimal idea of what a Lager is, since it is one of the two major types of beer that is most widely known and consumed globally today. Even so, we want to start this series at the beginning, in case anyone wants to start this journey with us.

Well, back to the point. A Lager.

We have already mentioned that Lagers are one of the two major types of beer currently consumed. Simply put, they could be defined as an easy-drinking beer due to their distinctly clean profile.

Historical context

It is said that Lagers have their origin in traditional beers from Bavaria, Germany, dating back to the 15th century, which is when "lagerung" [German n. fem. "storage"] began to be practiced in basements, cellars, and even caves to keep beers cold after brewing so they would last until the hottest months of the year.

Over time, master brewers discovered more benefits of keeping beer cold, such as the fact that it stabilized its flavor and aroma by allowing the yeast to settle at the bottom of the tank.

Even so, the heyday of Lagers came after various technological advances, such as the invention of industrial refrigeration systems, which caused this type of beer to take over the international market.

Production process

The production process for Lager-type beers is, in turn, one of their most important characteristics, and one from which they partly take their name. Lagers are produced with yeasts from the Saccharomyces pastorianus family, commonly known as bottom-fermenting yeasts, as they ferment at the bottom of the barrel and do so in cold environments, at temperatures between 4° and 9 °C. This fermentation gives them a bright, crystalline color and a clear, malty flavor with little hop presence, making them very refreshing beers.

Styles and sub-styles

Currently, all types of Lagers, which are not few (about 67 types of Lagers according to the American Brewers Association), can be distinguished into 2 large families: Pale Lagers and Dark Lagers. We will explain them to you below.

Pale Lager

Pale Lagers are the most widespread and common type of Lager in global production. They are mainly characterized by having a very defined flavor in which no single component stands out, which makes it a very balanced beer in terms of aromas and flavors.

Pilsner

Pilsner beers are a style of Lager born in the city of Plzeň, in the former region of Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, from which it takes its name (the malts used to produce this beer also take their name from it). It was created in 1842 by master brewer Josef Groll.

Broadly speaking, they are characterized by being light and fresh beers, with medium carbonation and a more prominent final bitterness than other variants due to their more hop-forward character.

The aroma and flavor are rich and highly complex, floral and slightly spicy. On the palate, the bitterness is quite predominant, but it is not aggressive at all and does not linger. The aftertaste is in an almost perfect balance between malt and hops, which makes it a beer with a very clean profile.

Color pale gold to deep gold, 7-12 EBC

Bitterness 35-45 IBU

Alcohol 4.2% to 5.4% ABV

Helles

This is another of the great pale Lager styles. Traditionally from Munich, it is characterized by being full-bodied, with a touch of sweetness and low bitterness, since it is produced with fewer hops than other Pale Lager variants, such as the one mentioned above. This gives it extra smoothness and flavors that lean toward bread.

Historically, it dates back to the 1890s, when it was formulated to compete with Pilsner-type beers, which were beginning to dominate the entire beer market of the time due to their popularity.

Color straw to light gold 6-10 EBC

Bitterness 16-22 IBU

Alcohol 4.5% to 6% ABV

Märzen

Märzen beers have their origin in Bavaria, and although they historically date back to times before the 16th century, it was not until 1841 that the modern style of Märzen that we know today was created. It was master brewer Gabriel Sedlmayr II at the Spaten brewery in Munich who, after a research trip through Europe, ended up developing a new malt that gave greater intensity and creaminess in taste and aroma, which tended toward toasted bread.

This beer takes its name from the month in which it was produced, in March, and was stored at low temperatures during the summer. This was due to a decree imposed by King Albert V of Bavaria, who, in 1553, prohibited brewing beer during the hottest months of the year, as fermentation could be affected.

On the nose and palate, Märzen beers tend to have reminiscences of bread and bread crust, with more roasted notes. The flavor has a progression that goes from sweeter notes at the start, which is malty, to a finish that tends to be dry, thanks to the hops that create this balance between malty and hoppy flavors.

Color orange-amber to reddish-copper, with a whitish and fluffy foam head. 16 - 33.5 EBC

Bitterness 18-24 IBU

Alcohol 5.8% to 6.3% ABV

Bock

Bock-style beers were born in Einbeck, Germany, around the 14th century, and although they had nothing to do with the Bocks we know today, they were already called that. These beers were the first in which the use of hops was experimented with, replacing the ancient "gruit," a mixture of spices and aromatic herbs that was quite unstable compared to hops and whose flavor could not compare to the counterpoint of bitterness against the sweetness provided by the hops. At that time, pale malts mixed with wheat were used for their production, so the beers were not dark at all, but they were more powerful and flavorful than normal.

This type of beer triumphed in Munich, where it caused a great sensation; thus, the production of this beer moved from Einbeck to Munich, which already had a very interesting and powerful background in terms of beer brewing. It was in Munich that the Bocks we know today began to be developed, darker due to the use of more roasted malts.

It is characterized by having a strong malt aroma, which totally overshadows the hop aroma, which is almost non-existent. The flavor is equally intense in toasted malts, but offers a great bitterness that allows for a sweet finish on the palate. A clean profile.

Color light copper to dark brown, 27 - 43 EBC

Bitterness 20 - 27 IBU

Alcohol 6.3% to 7.2% ABV

Dark Lager

Dark Lagers are dark-colored beers whose flavor is slightly sweet, but which still maintain the characteristics of a Lager in terms of aroma, flavor, and body.

Dunkel

Dunkel-style beers also have their origin in Munich. This dark Lager was the most popular beer in the Bavaria region until it was dethroned by the Helles, a Pale Lager that we mentioned a few paragraphs ago.

Dunkels are dark, maltier beers, but still smooth, which makes them very easy-drinking beers.

This style has some interesting peculiarities, such as its characteristic color provided by the Munich malts used to make it, or, in a large number of cases, a unique malt flavor that comes from the production technique, based on decoction mashing.

On the palate, Dunkels tend to have toasted bread and cookie flavors due to the malts, which are sometimes highlighted with hints of caramel or chocolate that completely cover the aromas and flavors that may derive from the hops; however, the bitterness keeps the beer from being cloying.

Color light copper to dark chestnut, 27 - 55 EBC

Bitterness 18 - 28 IBUs

Alcohol 4.6% to 6% ABV

Doppelbock

The Doppelbock also has its origin in... Munich! (come on... go ahead... I'm sure you guessed it). Originally, this beer was created and brewed by the monks of St. Francis of Paula, and they used it to help sustain their fasts, as they considered it "liquid bread." It should be noted that, at that time, these beers were much richer in sweet flavors and had a much lower alcohol content than current Doppelbocks.

The aroma and flavor are punchy, full, and malty, leaving almost no presence for the hops. Depending on whether they are darker or lighter, the notes can vary; darker beers have a more roasted flavor, with subtle fruity notes of plum or raisins and even chocolate, making them sweet-profile beers. Conversely, lighter Doppelbocks have a drier profile.

The mouthfeel is medium-high to high body and very smooth. It is the strong version of Bock beers.

Color deep gold to dark brown, 12 - 50 EBC

Bitterness 16 - 26 IBU

Alcohol 7% to 10% ABV

Schwarzbier

Schwarzbiers, also known as black beers, have their origin in a very specific area of Germany, Thuringia and Saxony. Historically, these beers date back to the year 1390, the date of the first documented mention in the Saxony area, and to 1543 in Thuringia; currently, the latter is still being produced.

Black beers could be confused with Porter or Stout-type beers, since they are opaque, dark, and strong in flavor, but nothing could be further from the truth. Although it is true that they have a similar flavor, they are much smoother and much less bitter, due to the use of Lager yeasts.

The malt aroma and flavor is low, with a character that can range from clean and neutral to sweet and rich, with roasted notes. On the palate, the aftertaste is usually dry, lingering in time thanks to the hops and the roasted flavors of the malt.

Color dark amber to dark brown, but always crystalline, 33 - 59 EBC

Bitterness 20 - 30 IBU

Alcohol 4.4% to 5.4% ABV

Vienna Lager

As its name suggests, the Vienna Lager has its origin in Vienna, Austria. Its production dates back to 1841, when brewer Anton Dreher began developing it. In its conception, these types of beers were reddish-brown in color and had a certain sweetness from the malt with which they were made. The history regarding the development of this beer is quite vague. What we do know is that this style has a strong presence in Mexico, where many Austrians immigrated in the late 1800s.

The Vienna Lager is characterized by having a smooth maltiness, which, with a dry finish, avoids the persistence of a sweet flavor and, therefore, is not cloying at all. The aroma and flavor are marked by the character of toasted malt, but it imparts a clean and neutral profile.

Color soft reddish to copper, bright and clear, 19 - 31 EBC

Bitterness 18 - 30 IBU

Alcohol 4.7% to 5.5% ABV