The Beginners Brewpot

by Richard Grzelak

January 1995

Lagers

When one thinks of beer, it is usually lagered beer that is brought to mind. Yet, this family of beers has only been readily available for just over 100 years. Prior to that time, bottom fermenting beers were virtually unknown, and top fermenting styles were king. Although relatively bland American pale pilsner style beers are the dominant form here, there are a variety of styles within this family that are worthy of exploration.

Lagering beer means to lay down, that is, age a beer, usually in cold storage. These beers are further distinguished from ales in that the yeast used is bottom fermenting. This results in a beer that generally is mellow and clean on the palate. Steam beer, a style which was created in the United States uses bottom fermenting yeast, but is processed at ale temperatures resulting in a beer which is somewhat fruity and very spritzy. It is not truly a lager, but rather, a hybrid of lager and ale families.

For purposes of this discussion, lagers are divided into three main families, Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich. The styles associated with each of these cities is sufficiently different that even the most casual beer drinker should be able to tell the difference.

Pilsner style beers are probably the most popular in the world today. These beers tend to be pale, light bodied, and flowery. Their finish tends to be dry and hoppy. The style originated in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, and Pilsner Urquell is considered by many to be the standard on which these beers are modeled. Its qualities make appreciation of the style nearly universal, and the style is produced in every brewing nation.

Vienna style beers are generally reddish in color, and are sweet and malty. Marzen and Octoberfest beers are variations within the style, and are heavier in body than the traditional Viennese beers. It is somewhat ironic that up until fairly recently, the lighter day to day Vienna lager was no longer produced in its home city, but rather in Mexico under the label Dos [quis, the style being an excellent complement to Mexican food. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of red lagers, and all of these are to some extent variations on the Viennese model.

The beers of Munich tend to be dark , malty, and coffee-ish Although some pales are produced the style is generally associated with bocks and dopplebocks. Rauchbeer, a variation of the style made with smoked malt, is a subcategory of Munich dark lager. These beers tend to go well with chicken, and rauchbeer is particularly good with smoked foods.

Dortmunder beer is similar in style to that produced in Pilsen, except that it is not quite as hoppy, and because it Is an export style, is somewhat stronger.

Malt liquors, at least those produced in the United States, are lagered beers. These beers lend to be sweet, fairly alcoholic, and not very malty. Cheaply made, these beers are most often consumed for their gravity than ability to please the palate. Malt liquor is a legal term in many states, and beers classified as such are defined by their alcohol content. The percentage of alcohol used to define the term will vary from state to state, but these beers will always be more alcoholic than other beers. Because alcohol is the defining characteristic, some foreign top fermenting beers are required to be labeled as "Malt Liquor".

Lager yeasts have only been in popular use for the last one hundred fifty years or so,. Prior to that time beers were primarily made with top fermenters. It was noticed that when certain beers were placed in caves for storage and aging over the summer, certain varieties of yeast continued to ferment on the bottom of the fermenting vessel, and through the techniques developed by Pasteur, these yeasts were isolated and cultivated for use by modern brewers.

Because the biology of yeast, and other microorganisms was not understood prior to that time, the older lager styles, particularly those of Munich and Vienna, were mostly the result of good fortune.

Unlike ales, lager beers are best served at cooler temperatures and because of their relative clarity and mellowness, flaws in processing are generally more apparent. The lighter the beer, the easier to spot the flaw.

The home brewer can produce lagers of equal or better quality to commercial examples, but may run into problems where storage space is at a premium. However, the reward is often greater than the sacrifice.