Beer Style: European Pale Lager
Includes an array of styles including Munich helles, pale kellerbiers, pale lagers, Mexican lagers, and premium lagers.
Kellerbier: The Real Lager of Germany
While popular in its indigenous region of Germany, kellerbier has often been a poorly understood style. Gordon explores the intricacies of this Franconian “Real Lager.”
Sommerbier
This beer that lands somewhere between a German Pilsner and a pale Kellerbier.
Munich Helles
The bittering hop selected here is the Mittelfrüh-like, daughter of Hallertau Gold, Tradition with a nominal average alpha acid rating of 5.5%. It has gentle fruity notes. However, any other German noble hops would work as well. The flavor and aroma hops are, fittingly, Mittelfrüh.
Mexican Lager
A sub-style of the International Pale Lager, Gordon Strong provides a nice example of the way a Mexican Lager could and should be brewed.
Horst’s Helles
Author and frequent contributor, Horst Dornbusch provides readers with a classic Munich Helles recipe, restrained in hop character with a sweet-grainy malt finish and just enough hop bite to keep it nicely balanced.
Euro Pale Lager
Author Terry Foster offers a European pale lager recipes for readers with a simple grain bill and clean lager yeast to allow the beer to focus on the Tettnang and Saaz hop profile.
Dort the Export
The midwestern part of the United States has become chock-a-block with incredible breweries, but Great Lakes Brewing Company is easily near the top of that list in my opinion. Here was my attempt to re-create their Dortmunder Gold, a true standard in the field.
Indeed Brewing Company: Mexican Honey Imperial Lager clone
This golden-yellow lager with a subtle malt backbone is packed with floral notes of orange blossom and citrus thanks to the use of Mexican orange blossom honey. It has a bright hop flavor and features notes of graham cracker and honeycomb.
Flying Dog Brewery: Numero Uno clone
Numero Uno is Flying Dog’s summer seasonal release. Flaked maize makes up one-third of the malt bill and highlights the distinctive corn and cracker flavor traditionally found in Mexican lagers.
Epic Brewing Company: Los Locos clone
Inspired by the Mexican cuisine at chef Troy Guard’s Los Chingones restaurant in Denver, Colorado, Los Locos is a sessionable, refreshing lager brewed with corn, natural lime juice, and just a hint of salt. An excellent pairing with any spicy Mexican dish. “Los Locos is the spirit of summer in a can. It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for enjoying on the hammock or with your friends at a raging pachanga,” said Kevin Crompton, Epic’s Brewmaster.
Mexican Lager
When I recently wrote about grisette being a type of saison, I hadn’t expected to write a similar column about lagers but I keep getting questions that spark my interest. This time,
Victory Brewing Company: Zeltbier clone
This crisp lager is just the thing for fall weather. It boasts a balanced malt profile with an herbal, German hop profile.
