GERMAN Origin Style Ales

Source: 2022 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines

The Brewers Association’s beer style guidelines reflect, as much as possible, historical significance, authenticity, or a high profile in the current commercial beer market. Often, the historical significance is not clear, or a new beer type in a current market may represent only a passing fad and is quickly forgotten. For these reasons, the addition of a style or the modification of an existing one is not undertaken lightly and is the product of research, consultation, and consideration of market actualities, and may take place over several years.

Since 1979 the Brewers Association has provided beer style descriptions as a reference for brewers and beer competition organizers. Much of the early work was based on the assistance and contributions of beer journalist Michael Jackson; more recently these guidelines were greatly expanded, compiled, and edited by Charlie Papazian. The task of creating a realistic set of guidelines is always complex. The beer style guidelines developed by the Brewers Association use sources from the commercial brewing industry, beer analyses, and consultations with beer industry experts and knowledgeable beer enthusiasts as resources for information

German-Style Koelsch

Color: Straw to gold
Clarity: Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt character is very low to low with soft sweetness. Caramel character should not be present.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Low and, if present, should express noble hop character.

Perceived Bitterness: Medium to medium-high
Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are absent to low, expressed as pear, apple, or wine-like attributes when present. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Low to medium-low. Dry and crisp.
Additional notes: Traditional examples often display persistent head retention. Small amounts of wheat can be used in brewing beers of this style. Koelsch-style beers are fermented at warmer temperatures than is typical for lagers, but at lower temperatures than most English and Belgian-style ales. They are aged cold. Ale yeast is used for fermentation. Lager yeast is sometimes used for bottle conditioning or ﬁnal cold conditioning.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.042-1.048 (10.5-11.9 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.006-1.010 (1.5-2.6 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.8%-4.2% (4.8%-5.3%)
Bitterness (IBU) 22-30
Color SRM (EBC) 3-6 (6-12 EBC)

German-Style Altbier

Color: Copper to dark brown
Clarity: Clear to slightly hazy. Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: A variety of malts contributes to medium-low to medium malt aroma and flavor. Toast aroma typical of Munich malts should be present. Slight nuttiness is acceptable. Roast malt character should be present at low levels and well-integrated with the overall malt profile. Smoke character should not be present.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium with hop flavor more perceptible than aroma, with attributes typical of traditional German noble hops.
Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high, producing a clean dry finish. Forty-plus IBU is typical for Altbiers originating in Dusseldorf.
Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are absent to low, with attributes expressed subtly as citrus, pear, dark cherry or plum. A slight sulfur aroma is acceptable. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Medium-low to medium.
Additional notes: The Altbier style is originally from the Dusseldorf area. The overall impression is clean, crisp and ﬂavorful with a dry ﬁnish.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.044-1.052 (11-12.9 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.014 (2.1-3.6 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.6%-4.4% (4.6%-5.6%)
Bitterness (IBU) 25-52
Color SRM (EBC) 11-19 (22-38 EBC)

Berliner-Style Weisse

Color: Straw to pale. These are the lightest of all the German wheat beers.
Clarity: May appear hazy or cloudy from yeast or chill haze
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt sweetness is absent
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Not present to very low
Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters are low to medium. Diacetyl should not be present. Brettanomyces character may be absent or present at low to medium levels and, if present, may be expressed as any of horsey, goaty, leathery, phenolic, fruity, or acidic aroma and flavor attributes. The unique combination of yeast and lactic acid bacteria fermentation yields a beer that is acidic and highly attenuated.
Body: Very low
Additional notes: Carbonation is high. Traditionally, some Berliners were brewed or served with fruit, spices, or syrups. Some more contemporary versions have been brewed with other ingredients such as darker malts. Any such versions will take on corresponding hues, and may exhibit flavor and aroma attributes typical of such ingredients.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.028-1.044 (7.1-11 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.004-1.006 (1-1.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume)2.2%-4.0% (2.8%-5.0%)
Bitterness (IBU) 3-6
Color SRM (EBC) 2-4 (4-8 EBC)

Leipzig-Style Gose

Color: Straw to light amber
Clarity: Clear to hazy. Haze may or may not be from yeast.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt sweetness and attributes are not present to very low
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Not present to low
Fermentation Characteristics: Medium to high lactic acid character should be present and expressed as a sharp, refreshing sourness. These beers are not excessively aged.
Body: Low to medium-low
Additional notes: These beers typically contain malted barley and unmalted wheat, with some versions also containing oats. Salt (table salt) and coriander may be present in low amounts or may be absent. A Gose brewed with fruit(s), spices (other than salt or coriander), darker malts or other ingredients is categorized as Contemporary-Style Gose. Carbonation is high to very high. Effervescent.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.036-1.056 (9-13.8 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.012 (2.1-3.1 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.5%-4.3% (4.4%-5.4%)
Bitterness (IBU) 5-15
Color SRM (EBC) 2-7 (4-14 EBC)

Contemporary-Style Gose

Color: Usually straw to medium amber and can take on the color of added fruits or other ingredients such as darker malts.
Clarity: Clear to hazy. Haze may or may not result from yeast
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt aroma and flavor is not present to very low
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to low
Perceived Bitterness: Not present to medium
Fermentation Characteristics: Horsey, leathery, or earthy aromas contributed by Brettanomyces yeasts may be present but at low levels as these beers do not undergo prolonged aging. Contemporary Gose may be fermented with pure beer yeast strains, or with yeast mixed with bacteria. Alternatively, they may be spontaneously fermented. Low to medium lactic acid character is present in all examples expressed as a sharp, refreshing sourness.
Body: Low to medium-low
Additional notes: Contemporary-Style Gose may be brewed with malted or unmalted barley, wheat, and oats. Contemporary examples may also contain other grains. As in traditional examples, low level salt (table salt) and coriander additions may or may not be present in Contemporary Gose. Attributes from the use of a wide variety of herbs, spices, ﬂowers, fruits, or other ingredients not found in traditional Leipzig-Style Gose may also be present and in harmony with overall flavor profile.

South German-Style Hefeweizen

Color: Straw to amber
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium-low
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to very low
Perceived Bitterness: Very low
Fermentation Characteristics: Medium-low to medium-high fruity and phenolic attributes are hallmarks of this style. Phenolic attributes such as clove, nutmeg, smoke, and vanilla are present. Banana ester aroma and ﬂavor should be present at low to medium-high levels. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent malted wheat, and are very highly carbonated. These beers are typically (though not always) roused during pouring, and when yeast is present, they will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a characteristically fuller mouthfeel.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.047-1.056 (11.7-13.8 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.016 (2.1-4.1 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.9%-4.4% (4.9%-5.6%)
Bitterness (IBU) 10-15
Color SRM (EBC) 3-9 (6-18 EBC)

South German-Style Kristal Weizen

Color: Straw to amber
Clarity: Clear with no chill haze present. Because the beer is ﬁltered, no yeast should be present.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt sweetness is very low to medium-low
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to very low
Perceived Bitterness: Very low
Fermentation Characteristics: The aroma and flavor are very similar to Hefeweizen with the caveat that fruity and phenolic characters are not combined with the yeasty ﬂavor and fuller-bodied mouthfeel of yeast. The phenolic characteristics are often described as clove-like or nutmeg-like and can be smoky or even vanilla-like. A Banana-like ester aroma and flavor is often present. Diacetyl should not be present. Kristal Weizen is well attenuated and very highly carbonated.
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent malted wheat. They have no yeast ﬂavor, and exhibit a cleaner, drier mouthfeel than counterparts served with yeast.

German-Style Leichtes Weizen

Color: Straw to copper-amber
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Very low to medium-low
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present to very low
Perceived Bitterness: Very low
Fermentation Characteristics: The phenolic and estery aromas typical of Weissbiers should be present but less pronounced in this style. The overall ﬂavor proﬁle is less complex than Hefeweizen due to a lower alcohol content and there is less yeasty ﬂavor. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Low with a lighter mouthfeel than Hefeweizen. The German word ‘leicht’ means light, and as such these beers are light versions of Hefeweizen.
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent wheat malt. They are often roused during pouring, and, when yeast is present, will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.028-1.044 (7.1-11 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.004-1.008 (1-2.1 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.0%-2.8% (2.5%-3.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) 10-15
Color SRM (EBC) 3.5-15 (7-30 EBC)

South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen

Color: Amber to light brown. The German word ‘Bernsteinfarben’ means amber colored.
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Distinct sweet maltiness and caramel or bread-like character arises from the use of medium-colored malts.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Low
Fermentation Characteristics: The phenolic and estery aromas and flavors typical of Weissbiers are present but less pronounced in Bernsteinfarbenes Weissbiers. These beers should be well attenuated and very highly carbonated. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent wheat malt. It is often roused during pouring, and, when yeast is present, will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.048-1.056 (11.9-13.8 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.016 (2.1-4.1 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.8%-4.3% (4.8%-5.4%)
Bitterness (IBU) 10-15
Color SRM (EBC) 9-13 (18-26 EBC)

South German-Style Dunkel Weizen

Color: Copper-brown to very dark
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Distinct sweet maltiness and a chocolate-like character from dark or roasted malts exemplify beer in this style. Dark barley malts are frequently used along with dark Cara or color malts.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Low
Fermentation Characteristics: The phenolic and estery aromas and flavors typical of Weissbiers are present but less pronounced in Dunkel Weissbiers. Dunkel Weissbiers should be well attenuated and very highly carbonated. Diacetyl should not be present
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent wheat malt. They are often roused during pouring, and, when yeast is present, will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a characteristically fuller mouthfeel.

South German-Style Weizenbock

Color: Gold to very dark
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium malty sweetness should be present. If dark, a mild roast malt character should emerge in the flavor and, to a lesser degree, in the aroma.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Low
Fermentation Characteristics: Balanced, clove-like phenolic and fruity ester banana notes produce a well-rounded ﬂavor and aroma. Diacetyl should not be present. Carbonation should be high.
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent wheat malt. They are often roused during pouring, and, when yeast is present, will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.066-1.080 (16.1-19.3 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.016-1.028 (4.1-7.1 °Plato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.5%-7.5% (7.0%-9.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) 15-35
Color SRM (EBC) 4.5-30 (9-60 EBC)

German-Style Rye Ale

Color: Pale to very dark, with darker versions ranging from dark amber to dark brown.
Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable in versions packaged and served without yeast. In versions served with yeast, appearance may range from hazy to very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: In darker versions, malt aromas and flavors can optionally include low level roasted malt characters expressed as cocoa-chocolate, caramel, toffee, or biscuit attributes. Malt sweetness can vary from low to medium. Low level of roast malt astringency is acceptable when balanced with low to medium malt sweetness.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
Fermentation Characteristics: Low to medium banana–like or other fruity ester aromas and flavors are typical. Clove-like or other phenolic aromas and flavors should also be present. No yeast aroma should be present in versions without yeast. Versions packaged and served without yeast will not have yeast ﬂavor or full mouthfeel typical of beers with yeast. Versions with yeast will have low to medium yeast aroma and ﬂavor and a full mouthfeel, but the yeast character should not overpower the balance of rye and barley malts, esters, and phenolics.
Body: Low to medium
Additional notes: Grist should include at least 30 percent rye malt. Versions with yeast are often roused during pouring. When yeast is present, the beer should have a yeasty flavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

Bamberg-Style Weiss Rauchbier

Color: Pale to chestnut brown
Clarity: If served with yeast, appearance may be very cloudy.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: In darker versions, a detectable degree of roast malt may be present without being aggressive. Smoky malt aroma and ﬂavor, ranging from low to high, should be present. Smoke character should be smooth, not harshly phenolic, suggesting a mild sweetness.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Not present
Perceived Bitterness: Low
Fermentation Characteristics: The aroma and flavor of a Weiss Rauchbier with yeast should be fruity and phenolic. The phenolic characteristics are often described as clove, nutmeg, vanilla, and smoke. Banana esters are often present at low to medium-high levels. No diacetyl should be perceived. Weissbiers are well attenuated and very highly carbonated.
Body: Medium to full
Additional notes: Beers in this style are made with at least 50 percent wheat malt. They are often roused during pouring, and, when yeast is present, will have a yeasty ﬂavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

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