Author: Chad Wulff

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  Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers - Full Pints

  Lagers

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Bottom fermented, and with little room for error, lagers are in no way mundane or something to pass up experiencing. With so many different producers creating multiple varieties these days, one can experience a local brewer’s take on a tradition, variation thereof, or a classic benchmark brand that is more widely available.
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  Beers

  Pilsner

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Pilsner styles of beer originate from Bohemia in the Czech Republic. They are medium- to medium-full bodied and are characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is the dense, white head. The alcohol levels must be such as to give a rounded mouthfeel, typically around 5 percent ABV. Classic pilsners are thoroughly refreshing, but they are delicate and must be fresh to show their best. Few beers are as disappointing to the beer lover as a stale pilsner. German pilsner styles are similar, though often slightly lighter in body and color. Great pilsners are technically difficult to make and relatively expensive to produce.
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  Beers

  Pale Lagers

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Pale lagers are the standard international beer style as personified by products from Miller to Heineken. This style is the generic spin-off of the pilsner style. Pale lagers are generally light- to medium-bodied with a light-to-medium hop impression and a clean, crisp malt character. Quality, from a flavor point of view, is very variable within this style and many examples use a proportion of non-malt additives such as rice or corn. Alcohol content is typically between 3.5-5 percent ABV, with the upper end of the range being preferable if one is to get a true lager mouthfeel.
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  Beers

  Munich Helles

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Munich helles is a style of lager originating from Munich, which is very soft and round on the palate with a pale to golden hue. These beers traditionally tend to be quite malt-accented with subtle hop character. They are generally weightier than standard pale lagers, though less substantial than Dortmunder Export styles. All the finest examples still come from the brewing center of Munich and are relatively easy to find in major U.S. markets.
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  Beers

  Amber Lagers

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Amber lagers are a vaguely defined style of lager much favored by U.S. lager brewers. They are darker in color, anywhere from amber to copper hued, and generally more fully flavored than a standard pale lager. Caramel malt flavors are typical and hopping levels vary considerably from one brewery to the next, though they are frequently hoppier than the true Vienna lager styles on which they are loosely based. Alcohol levels are generally a maximum of 5 percent ABV.
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  Beers

  Vienna Style Lagers and Märzen/Fest Beers

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff The classic amber to red lager that was originally brewed in Austria in the 19th century has come to be known as the Vienna style. These are reddish-amber with a very malty, toasted character and a hint of sweetness. This style of beer was adapted by the Munich brewers and in their hands has a noted malty sweetness and toasted flavor with a touch more richness. The use of the term “Märzen”, which is German for March, implies that the beer was brewed in March and lagered for many months. On a label, the words “fest Märzen” or “Oktoberfest” generally imply the Vienna style. Oktoberfest beers have become popular as September seasonal brews among U.S. craft brewers, though they are not always classic examples of the German or Austrian style.
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  Beers

  Doppelbock

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff This is a sub-category of the bock style. Doppelbocks are extra strong, rich and weighty lagers characterized by an intense malty sweetness with a note of hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. Color can vary from full amber to dark brown and alcohol levels are potently high, typically 7-8 percent ABV. Doppelbocks were first brewed by the Paulaner monks in Munich. At the time, it was intended to be consumed as “liquid bread” during Lent. Most Bavarian examples end in the suffix “–ator”, in deference to the first commercial example, which was named Salvator (savior) by the Paulaner brewers.
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  Beers

  Dortmunder Export

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Well balanced, smooth and refreshing, Dortmunders tend to be stronger and fuller than other pale lagers or Munich helles styles. They may also be a shade darker and a touch hoppier. The style originates from the city of Dortmund in northern Germany. Dortmunder Export came about during the industrial revolution, when Dortmund was the center of the coal and steel industries, and the swelling population needed a hearty and sustaining brew. The “export” appendage refers to the fact that Dortmunder beers were “exported” to surrounding regions. Today the term Dortmunder now widely refers to stronger lagers brewed for export, though not necessarily from Dortmund.
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  Beers

  Pilsner

  March 1, 2009 - Chad Wulff Pilsner styles of beer originate from Bohemia in the Czech Republic. They are medium- to medium-full bodied and are characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is the dense, white head. The alcohol levels must be such as to give a rounded mouthfeel, typically around 5 percent ABV. Classic pilsners are thoroughly refreshing, but they are delicate and must be fresh to show their best. Few beers are as disappointing to the beer lover as a stale pilsner. German pilsner styles are similar, though often slightly lighter in body and color. Great pilsners are technically difficult to make and relatively expensive to produce.