United Nations of Beer

German Beer Styles

by Diana Diller
(Beer Delegate, Germany)

German Beer Styles: an introduction

As the UNOB delegate for Germany, it is my pleasure to take you on a tour through the beer country. There are the most different kinds of beer existing here and not one tastes like the other.

There are the world famous Becks, Warsteiner and Bitburger, which all are Pils beers. Then there are Weizenbier, Lagerbier, Kellerbier and Bockbier. We brew beer for special occasions, such as Christmas and the famous Oktoberfest.

Every region of this country has an own special brew. Cologne has its Kölsch, which I personally detest, for it tastes like water mixed with fruits, The capitol city Berlin has its Berliner Kindl, which is a good flavoured Pils, but not everybody’s taste.

Up north of Germany, Becks and Jever, which are sold all over the world, but the most different kinds of beer are coming from Bavaria.

These are famous German beer brands, which are being shipped into almost every country of the world. Everybody knows Erdinger, Paulaner and Löwenbräu beer, but only those, who don’t know better, stick to big names like this.

The true German beer treasures usually lie in small villages out in the country. They usually have small breweries; their beer is usually not sold in normal stores. One can only purchase them at the brewery. Usually the brewery is attached to a small guesthouse or hotel. But it is also common here that monasteries, even convents brew their own beer and sell it through a window in the kitchen.

If you are a tourist in Germany and you are interested in German beer styles, then ask around for small breweries. Ask a native to show you around and you will experience a whole new world of beer. Sure, the big breweries like Erdinger or Paulaner make good beer. Maybe you will like it, maybe not. But if you have the time and are curious enough, then go on the hunt.

And if I'm allowed to push you into a direction – Kulmbach is always a good place to go for beer. The famous Kulmbacher brewery is always worth a visit and they even make tours through the house. Kulmbach is called "the secret capitol city of beer" and darn right they are!

But if you want something smaller, something unique, go and find your way down to Bamberg and the surrounding area. There are more than 15 breweries around there, medium and small ones.

And once you've tasted Maisel's Kellerbier, the Mahr's Bräu Pilsener, Keesmann or the Kaiserdom Altbier, you will not want to go home.

About five miles from Bamberg comes a village named Memmelsdorf with the guesthouses Höhn, Drei Kronen and Leicht. All three brew their own beer and are worth a visit.

I hope you enjoyed this article on German beer styles and be assured that there is more to come.