Kölsch – Similar to Champagne, Kölsch is a regionally protected beer variety, produced in and around the city of Cologne. Made using a combination of warm top fermentation and cold lagering techniques, a Kölsch is typically pale and light-bodied, with a very subtle hint of fermented fruitiness.
Dortmunder – The German export style, Dortmunders are similar to Pilsners but possess a darker, golden colouring, a slightly softer, maltier taste and generally have a higher ABV – almost always north of 5%.
Dunkel – This catch-all term refers to a variety of German dark lagers. Dark lagers, as opposed to pale lagers, are usually made with darker malts or roasted grains and have maltier flavours than pale lagers. Notes of chocolate, caramel and the like are not uncommon.
Kellerbier – Is a type of unfiltered and unpasteurised German lager. They’re subsequently cloudy in colour and possess a sweet, malty, almost bread-like flavour, due to the brewing yeast that remains in the beer.
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Weißbier – Also known as Weizenbier, this is the German term for wheat beer, a type of top-fermented beer which, as the name suggests, is made with a greater proportion of wheat to hops. Within this category are filtered varieties such as Kristallweizen and cloudier, unfiltered styles such as Hefeweizen, among others.
Are there lighter options available?
While Germany is known for producing strong, hoppy beers, German brewers and drinks manufacturers also understand that sometimes you need something a little lighter to sip on. Besides beers that tend more towards lightness and lower ABV, there are also specifically low-alcohol variants available. These include table beers, which are a popular style of low-ABV beer in Europe, usually referring to a beer that’s between 0.5% and 2.5% in strength. Beyond that, shandy-like drinks known as Radlers, made up of two parts beer to one part lemon/lime juice, are a popular summertime drink, helping people enjoy some citrus flavour and pace themselves during all-day “Parktrinken” sessions.
