3 of 6

Write now Article Tools

There are two distinct varieties of beer in the world, ale beer and lager beer, and all the various styles of beer we know and love will find themselves listed under one or the other of these two varieties. How it is determined as to which variety of beer the various styles come under depends on how the yeast that is used in the brewing process ferments that beer, and the temperature at which that beer has been brewed at. Ale is beer brewed with top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, and as a result, has a fruitier, more complex taste to it than a lager. Lager is beer brewed by bottom-fermenting yeast at cooler temperatures and usually has a carbonated texture and a more straightforward crisp taste to it. Many beer drinkers will have a loyalty to one or the other of these two types of beer, but it is safe to say that each has its own positives and negatives. Lager, in recent decades, has certainly proved to be the more popular of the two types of beer.

Lager is the younger of the two varieties, having only been around since the 1400's. It originates from Bavaria, Germany, and it was stumbled upon by accident by the brewers in this region. Bavarian laws of the time forced the brewers to only produce beer in the cooler months of the year. But beer was at its highest demand during the summer months. To make certain that there would be beer available for sale in the summer months, the brewers stored their beer in caves and cellars, and they often packed the beer with ice. What they discovered was that the beer slowly fermented under these conditions into a very different tasting beer to the traditional ales they were used to producing under their normal heated brewing processes. They dubbed this beer lager, meaning, stored beer.

Lager developed into three main styles; the Marzen, Vienna, and Pilsner. The Marzen was the original, and gets its name from the month in which it was at first brewed, or stored, which was March. It was to begin with quite a dark beer because of the Munich waters it was made with, but it now comes in various colors from pale to dark brown. It has a full bodied, malty flavor, and a crisp biting finish. It is the beer of choice in Munich's Oktoberfest, and is still one of Germany's favorite lagers.

The Vienna was an adaption of the Marzen style of lager and gets its name from the city it was developed in. It became quite a popular beer throughout Europe in the 1800's and early 20th century but has since faded in esteem. However, due to

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about What you should know about lager beers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!