Lager Beer
Lager Beer...Definitely Not A Light Weight
Lager beer is a time honored favorite for the American consumption. It is the perfect blend that goes great in the summer, or winter, and is the high point of just about every sporting event there is. Although originating in Germany and traveling many countries over, it remains as an American favorite and has its own separate tradition in the United States. There are two different types of Lager, light and dark. Although the light has a higher following, the dark enjoys its own clientele and loyalists who have become beer connoisseurs and has led to thousands of micro breweries all vying for their own piece of the American heart.
A Lager Beer not only has a distinct flavor among beer connoisseurs, but also a distinct process that puts it in a category all its own. It is a specific type of beer that is produced from malted barley and is not only brewed, but is stored at a very low temperature. There are different distillers of Lager Beer, too many to list, but pale lager is the most common one among those who drink it.
Light Lager Beers
- Pilsner
- Bock
- Dortmunder Export
- Marzen
Dark Lagers Beers
- Dunkel
- Schwarzbier
A Distinct Following
Lager beer has a flavor all its own and is quite different than your typical alcoholic drink. The Export or Pilsner styles of pale lager remain the most commonly consumed among beer drinkers specifically for its light taste and appearance. This variety of Lager beer are usually more mild than other counterparts. Although they all have a distinct palate, the variation between breweries can vary quite largely in flavor, color and composition. Light lagers dominate the beer category and consumption worldwide. A wide variety of them are of German origins and most have a higher alcohol content than your average "beer".
It Never Pales In Comparison
Pale lager beers have a golden-colored appearance with a hop taste and bitterness. Lager brewing was developed in the mid 19th century in Germany. Pulling apart from traditional brewing, Gabriel Sedlmayr combined different techniques to counter the traditional methods that led to a well attenuated body and overall distinctness of taste. The pale lager beer soon caught on in other breweries and became the most commonly brewed and consumed type of beer worldwide with distillers like Budweiser, who has the world's highest volume in sales for any beer on earth.
A Darker Side
Almost all lager beers, at the origin of breweries, were of the dark variety, the pale lagers were not realized until decades after lagers surfaced. Dark lagers are named so because of their red or amber appearance and taste. Dark lagers tend to have a more filling quality and are heavier on the palate than light lagers. Dark lagers are more similar to stout in both appearance and taste. They have a tendency to also have a higher alcohol content than lighter lager beers, with a more robust malt aroma and quality.
The Introduction Of Adjuncts
Lager beers are made from adjuncts, usually rice or maize, depending on the country of origin. Adjuncts came to the American brewing market because it was an easy way to thin out the beers that were being produced, which proved to balance out the proteins of the six-row barley that at the time were being produced. Adjuncts are now dually used in bee-making to introduce that high concentration of sugar which increases ABV. It is the ideal ingredient since it lowers the price of brewing by using an all-malt grain.
