Styles Part III – Lagers

Welcome back my fellow beer drinking law students! I hope you enjoyed last week’s article about ales; hopefully you learned something new. This week we will take a look at the primary styles that fall under the second broad category of beer: lagers! Once again, the following list is ordered in what I believe to be the best progression to try these styles in. Remember that your palate will evolve over time, so do not write a style off because you try it once and dislike it. I could hardly stand some of my current favorite styles when I first tried them years ago!

Oktoberfest: ‘Tis the season for these medium to full bodied brews! Ranging from light brown to a darker copper in color, Oktoberfest style lagers a called Märzen (March) beers in Germany because they were typically brewed in March before it became too warm to make lagers. They were then stored in cellars until late-September, which marks the start of Oktoberfest in Munich. These beers are characterized by sweet roasted malts and notes of caramel. Hops add a minimal amount of bitterness in the finish. Popular representations include Sam Adams Oktoberfest and Great Lakes Oktoberfest. The German breweries of Pauliner, Ayinger, and Spatan also make traditional examples of the style.

Vienna Lager: These beers tend to be a little darker than the average Oktoberfest. Lightly toasted malts play a large role in the flavor and are accompanied by hints of candy sweetness. Hops provide a touch of fragrance to the beer’s aroma and also contribute some bitterness in the flavor’s finish. Sam Adams Boston Lager and Great Lakes Elliot Ness are good examples of this style.

Dortmunder Export: This is a fairly uncommon style in the United States. I only included it on this list because Great Lakes Brewing Company happens to make one of the few U.S. made representations of the style. These beers tend to be light to medium in body and pour a nice golden color. The aroma tends to center around hints of citrus and dried flowers, with fresh bread in the background. The flavors are more of the same, with a crisp, refreshing finish.

Bock: Bocks tend to have the fullest bodies in the lager family. They run in color from deep mahogany to near black and tend to be dominated by sweet malt flavors. Bocks cover a wide range of flavors, including caramel, dark fruit (grapes, plums, figs, etc), chocolate, and coffee. Hops are usually present only in quantities large enough to provide some balance to the wide array of sweet malt flavors. Sam Adams Winter Lager is probably the most well known example of a bock style beer in the United States. Anchor Brewing Company also makes a good representation of the style.

Double Bock: Double bocks are similar to regular bocks, except that they are made with twice the amount of malt found in a typical bock. This leads both stronger flavors and a more potent alcohol by volume. Germans sometimes bill Double Bocks as “breakfast in a bottle.” Notable representations include Ayinger Celebrator, Pauliner Salvator, Bell’s Consecrator and Sam Adams Double Bock. 

Pilsner: In many ways pilsners are the simplest of the lagers. They tend to be light in body and are made with fewer ingredients than almost any other beer. Hops tend to play a prominent role in their flavors, contributing notes of both citrus and herbs. The prominent role of hops in these beers also results in a zesty, bitter finish. Pilsner Urquel, Victory Prima Pils, and Sam Adams Noble Pils are well known pilsners.

Respect Beer!