19th Century Lager styles

19th Century Lager

styles - history - beers

Introduction
Whilst compiling a page on the breweries of the Czech Republic, I realised that I had a problem with the section on beer styles. What types of beer do they brew: Pils, Helles, Märzen? Do they brew similar types of lager to those of Bavaria? The answers that I came up with weren't quite the ones I had expected. Not only are Czech lagers firmly rooted in the classic styles, they give a unique insight into the evolution of these beers through the 20th century. Not being the selfish type, I would like to share with you some of the information that I unearthed. I won't pretend that this stuff will be of much interest to the casual reader. But hopefully my fellow obsessives will find it informative.		Index Lager styles around 1900 Austrian beer in the 1870's Austrian beer in the 1890's Lager strengths around 1910 German lagers in 1914 Lagers in the 1930's Modern lagers West German lagers DDR lagers Modern Lager Specifications Overview of lager styles

Bottom-fermenting styles circa 1900

Bottom-fermenting styles circa 1900
There is a fascinating chapter in "American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades" (Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902) on Thick Mash Beers in Germany and Austria (P.780-792). It's the best explanation I've read of early lager styles. It's pretty precise about the specifications of the beers, even down to the hopping rates. As the book is designed as a practical manual for brewers, it must bear at least some resemblance to reality.

I'll paraphrase now what it says about the different types of continental lager beer:

type	colour	subtype	gravity Balling	hops/ hl	comments	flavour
Bohemian beer:	"light-yellow to greenish-yellow"	Abzug/Schenk	10.5°	300, 350, to 400 g	usually kräusened as Hefenbier - I suppose a sort of cask-conditioned version. It was kräusened as racked into the trade package and needed time to settle in the public house before serving.	"the taste is vinous , dry, somewhat sharp; instead of the malt taste, the bitter taste of the hops predominates." The kräusened beer didn't need to be kept as cold during lagering
		Abzug/Schenk	11.5°	350, 400 to 430 g
		Abzug/Schenk	11.5°	350, 400 to 430 g
		Lagerbier	12.5°	420, 460, 500 g	not kräusened, i.e. racked bright. Stored three to four months.	Bunged 4 weeks and more., so I guess high in CO2.
		Export	13.5°	450, 480, 550 g	not kräusened. Stored minimum three to four months.	Bunged 4 weeks and more.
Wiener Beer:	between Bavarian and Bohemian in colour	Abzug	10.5°	200, 220 to 260 g	6 to 8 weeks old, bunged 1 or 2 weeks cooled to about zero C02 content 0.32-0.39%	Between Bavarian and Bohemian in taste. I suppose bittersweet.
		Abzug	11.5°	250, 280 to 300 g	6 to 8 weeks old, bunged 1 or 2 weeks cooled to about zero C02 content 0.32-0.39%
			12.5°	300, 330 to 360 g
		Lagerbier	13.5°	320, 360, 400 g	Stored four to five months, bunged (if at all) max. 2 weeks
		Märzen	14.5°	380, 400, 420 g
		Export	15.5°	400, 480, 550 g
Bavarian beer:	pale brown Munich beer and dark brown Kulmbacher beer.	Winter Bier	10.5-11.5° (4.25% alc. vol)		Stored 4 weeks, bunged 6 to 8 days	"It has palate-fulness, a sweet taste and malt flavor."
		Summer Bier	12.5-14.5° (4.9% alc. vol)	200, 280 to 300 g	Same hop rate for all strengths. Stored 4 weeks, Bunged 2 weeks
		Export	15° (5.5% alc. vol)		Stored 10 weeks, Bunged 2 weeks
		Bock	16° to 18° (5.9% alc. vol)		Stored 10 weeks, Bunged 2 weeks
Brauerei Zacherl (Munich) (now called Paulaner)	1853	Bock	20° (5% alc. vol)	750g	Fermented for 15-18 days
		Salvator	23.5° (6% alc. vol)	850g	Fermented for 15-18 days
Notes: Beer was bunged to increase the amount of dissolved CO2 to that desired. It usually occurred immediately before the beer was due to be sold. The darker beers were not - as is often the case today - brewed from a grist of pilsner malt plus a small amount of highly-coloured malt. Vienna beers were brewed from 100% vienna malt, Munich beers from 100% dark Münchner malt. The Bohemian beers were - surprise, surprise - made from 100% pilsner malt. [I now doubt whether this is completely true. "Lehrbuch der rationellen Praxis der landwirthschaftlichen Gewerbe. Enthaltend d. Bierbrauerei, Branntweinbrennerei, Hefefabrikation, Liqueurfabrikation, Essigfabrikation, Stärkefabrikation, Stärkezuckerfabrikation u. Runkelrübenzuckerfabrikation" published in 1838 says that darker beers were usually made from mostly pale-coloured with a small addition of highly-coloured malt.] The principal differences between the types in terms of colour and degree of attenuation derived from the characteristics of the different kinds of malt.

Here are some Czech, Viennese and Bavarian beers analysed between 1860 and 1900 (Wahl & Henius, p. 823-830):

Beer	Brewery	Date sampled	Balling Wort	Balling Beer	app.deg. atten.	alc. wt.	alc. vol.
Pilsener (Schenk or Winter Beer)	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen (Pilsner Urquell)	1886	11.2°	3.56°	68%	2.98%	3.73%
Lagerbier	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen	1887	11.72°	3.25°	72%	3.32%	4.15%
Export	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen	1888	11.95°	3.55°	70%	3.46%	4.33%
Export	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen	1898	13.82°	3.80°	72.5%	4.20%	5.26%
Lagerbier	Pilsner Urquell, Pilsen	2004	12.0°	3.65°	70%	3.52%	4.4%
Lagerbier	Actien-Brauhaus, Pilsen	1887	11.72°	2.75°	77%	3.51%	4.4%
Export	Actien-Brauhaus, Pilsen	1897	12.21°	3.1°	75%	3.82%	4.8%
Lagerbier	Budweiser (not specified which brewery)	1887	11.34°	2.75°	76%	3.56%	4.45%
Lagerbier	Budweiser Budvar	2004	12.0°	2.5°	81%	4%	5%
Lagerbier	Dreher, Michelob	1888	13.30°	3.80°	71%	4.11%	5.14%
Bock	Brünner (Brno - not specified which brewery)	1876	14.63°	4.40°	70%	4.39%	5.5%
Schenk or Winter Beer	Nussdorfer	1876	10.78°	3.75°	65%	2.93%	3.69%
Lagerbier	Nussdorfer	-	13.18°	3.75°	72%	3.85%	4.81%
Schenk or Winter Beer	Kleinschwechater	1888/1885	10.13°	3.00°	70%	2.94%	3.68%
Lagerbier	Schwechater	-	13.25°	4.25°	68%	3.62%	4.53%
Export	Dreher, Kleinschwechat	1898	13.07°	3.95°	70%	3.83%	4.78%
Schenk or Winter Beer	Munich (not specified which brewery)	1886	11.92°	4.25°	63%	3.00%	3.75%
Lagerbier	Löwenbräu, Munich	1888	14.75°	3.55°	76%	3.46%	4.25%
Export	Löwenbräu, Munich	1901	13.53°	4.13°	69%	3.95%	4.94%
Lagerbier	Spaten , Munich	1867	13.07°	4.50°	66%	3.23%	4.04%
Export	Spaten , Munich	1879	13.7°	5.05°	63%	3.74%	4.65%
Bock	Spaten , Munich	-	24°	8.47°	65%	7%	8.73%
Export	Kulmbacher	1885	17.60°	7.55°	57%	4.18%	5.22%
Export	Kulmbacher	1887	15.30°	4.50°	71%	4.48%	5.61%
Bock	Kulmbacher Actien	1880	20.24°	6.97°	66%	5.28%	6.6%
Bock	Zacherl (Paulaner), Munich	1853	19.8°	10.8°	45%	3.97%	4.97%
Salvator	Zacherl (Paulaner), Munich	1853	23.5°	12.7°	46%	4.87%	6.09%
Salvator	Paulaner, Munich	2004	18.3°	4.6°	75%	6%	7.5%

You'll note that the beers run like this in decreasing degree of attenuation (and increasing colour):
Budweis, Pilsen, Vienna, Munich.

A tantalising - because I only have an analysis of 1 Budweis beer - difference is shown between the Pilsen beers the drier one from Budweis. It's a distinction that is just as true today.

Austrian Beer in 1870

Below are a series of analyses of beers on sale in Vienna undertaken by Schwackhöfer in the 1870's.

Beer	Brewery	where sample obtained	date sampled	OG beer	Balling wort	Balling beer	apparent degree of attenuation	ABW	ABV	lactic acid	Viscosity	Colour	Comments
Lager	Schwechat	direct from the brewery	1870s	1017.60	13.25°	4.51°	65.94	3.62	4.6	0.13	71.7	6.3
Märzen	Schwechat	Hotel Zur Linde, I. Rothenthurm Strasse, Vienna	1870s	1016.90	13.54°	4.34°	67.97	3.83	4.86	0.14	70.5	7.1
Export	Schwechat	Depot Gabler	1870s	1017.40	13.04°	4.46°	65.78	3.52	4.47	0.13	70.2	6
Lager	Liesing	Liesing Beer Hall, I. Schottenring, Vienna	1870s	1017.90	13.48°	4.59°	65.96	3.72	4.72	0.15	66.7	5.6
	Liesing	Hotel Zum Posthorn, VIII. Ledergasse, Vienna	1870s	1016.20	10.36°	4.16°	59.85	2.86	3.63	0.17	-	-
Export	Liesing	Liesing Beer Hall, I. Schottenring, Vienna	1870s	1025.60	16.60°	6.51°	60.77	4.23	5.37	0.23	82.5	4
Märzen	St. Mark	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1019.20	13.80°	4.92°	64.38	3.69	4.69	0.11	80	6.7
Lager	Simmering	direct from the brewery	1870s	1021.10	14.86°	5.39°	63.72	4.06	5.16	0.2	-	5.9	3 months old
	Simmering	direct from the brewery	1870s	1014.90	10.17°	3.83°	62.33	2.63	3.34	0.1	64.5	5.9	6 weeks old
Lager	Brunn	direct from the brewery	1870s	1014.00	13.31°	3.6°	72.93	4.07	5.17	0.16	69	5.6	5 months old
Märzen	Brunn	direct from the brewery	1870s	1016.70	14.89°	4.29°	71.22	4.39	5.58	0.19	68.2	6.7	14 months old
	Brunn	direct from the brewery	1870s	1013.60	10.45°	3.5°	66.49	2.85	3.62	0.1	63.8	5.4	1 month old
Lager	Hütteldorf	direct from the brewery	1870s	1014.90	13.33°	3.83°	71.26	3.94	5	0.11	66.9	5
	Hütteldorf	direct from the brewery	1870s	1014.70	9.74°	3.78°	61.19	2.52	3.2	0.09	60.4	5
Lager	Nussdorf	direct from the brewery	1870s	1019.60	13.20°	5.02°	62	3.56	4.52	0.13	75.7	5.2	3 months old
	Nussdorf	direct from the brewery	1870s	1015.30	10.78°	3.93°	63.52	2.93	3.72	0.09	60	5	6 weeks old
Lager	Währing	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1015.30	13.28°	3.93°	70.39	3.85	4.89	0.14	75	6.3
	Währing	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1010.50	10.48°	2.71°	74.12	3.21	4.08	0.1	60.6	5.9
Lager	Grinzing	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1015.30	13.39°	3.93°	70.63	3.94	5	0.12	67	4.6
	Grinzing	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1013.10	9.93°	3.37°	66.02	2.75	3.49	0.11	60	5
Lager	Lichtenthal	Loibl's Hotel, opposite the Lichtenthal brewery	1870s	1014.00	12.23°	3.6°	70.54	3.57	4.53	0.11	69.5	4.8
	Lichtenthal	Loibl's Hotel, opposite the Lichtenthal brewery	1870s	1014.20	10.07°	3.65°	63.72	2.67	3.39	0.08	60.8	5
Lager	Ottakring	Hotel Zum Pelican, Lerchenfelderlinie, Vienna	1870s	1015.70	13.25°	4.03	69.56	3.85	4.89	0.16	-	5.1
	Ottakring	Taproom of the brewery	1870s	1009.80	10.43°	2.53	75.71	3.27	4.15	0.11	-	4.8
Märzen	Schellenhof	Schellenhof Bier Hall, I. Kärnthner Street, Vienna	1870s	1021.50	13.83°	5.49	60.29	3.51	4.46	0.14	90	5.6
Lager	Schellenhof	Schellenhof Bier Hall, I. Kärnthner Street, Vienna	1870s	1019.80	13.06°	5.07	61.21	3.36	4.27	0.15	77.5	4.6
Lager	Raubenstein	Zobel's Bier Hall, Fünfhaus	1870s	1020.20	13.61°	5.17°	62.04	3.76	4.78	-	-	-
	Raubenstein	Zobel's Bier Hall, Fünfhaus	1870s	1015.60	10.22°	4.01°	60.78	2.77	3.52	0.12	67.5	5.6
Lager	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen	Hotel Zum Riedhof, VIII. Schlösselgasse, Vienna	1870s	1013.00	11.91°	3.35°	71.88	3.47	4.41	0.16	67	3.5
Export	Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen	Depot, I. Wallfischplatz 7	1870s	-	11.56°	-	-	3.39	4.31	0.13	66	4
Lager	Actien-Brauhaus, Pilsen	direct from the brewery	1870s	1012.80	12.27°	3.3°	73.12	3.72	4.72	0.17	59	4.3	6 months old
Schank	Actien-Brauhaus, Pilsen	direct from the brewery	1870s	1013.80	12.57°	3.55°	71.74	3.82	4.85	-	-	-	3 months old
Export	Actien-Brauhaus, Pilsen	direct from the brewery	1870s	1013.90	14.55°	3.58°	75.41	4.59	5.83	-	-	-	1 year old
Bohemian Beer	Dreher	Dreher's Beer Hall	1870s	1016.70	12.74°	4.29°	66.36	3.6	4.57	0.17	71.7	6
Lager	Wittingau	Wittingau Beer Hall, Techniker Street 1, Vienna	1870s	1014.00	11.31°	3.6°	68.14	3.16	4.01	0.14	67.1	5
Lager	Budweis	Budweis Beer Hall, VIII. Schlösselgasse, Vienna	1870s	1011.40	11.34°	2.94°	74.06	3.55	4.51	-	-	-
Lager	Jaroschau	Jaroschau Beer Hall, Lerchenfelderlinie	1870s	1014.40	12.10°	3.7°	69.38	3.45	4.38	0.09	65	3.6
Lager	Napagedl	Napagedl Beer Hall, III. Rasumofskygasse, Vienna	1870s	1013.40	11.45°	3.45°	69.86	3.3	4.19	0.12	66	4.5
Lager	Leitmeritz	Frankl's Beer Hall, Lichtenstein Street	1870s	1013.90	11.77°	3.58°	69.6	3.41	4.33	-	-	-
Lager	Pardubitz	Pardubitz Beer Depot, III> Haupt Street 37, Vienna	1870s	1015.00	11.75°	3.86°	67.18	3.3	4.19	0.13	70	4.1
Export	Pardubitz	Pardubitz Beer Depot, III> Haupt Street 37, Vienna	1870s	1014.60	11.46°	3.76°	67.23	3.19	4.05	0.12	70.9	4.5
Lager	Medleschitz	Adametz's Beer Hall, Wieden, Waaggasse	1870s	1011.20	11.25°	2.89°	74.3	3.45	4.38	0.12	-	4.8
Lager	Olmutz	Ottakring Haupt Street	1870s	1016.20	11.98°	4.16°	65.28	3.22	4.09	-	-	-
Lundenberg Export	Lichtenstein Schloss brewery	Depot Gable, Wieden, Haupt Street 1	1870s	1014.80	12.09°	3.81°	68.52	3.47	4.41	0.15	73.3	5.9
	Reichenberg Saloon	Depot, I. Wallfischplatz 7	1870s	1010.30	10.94°	2.66°	75.68	3.43	4.36	0.14	60	4.4
Lager	Königinhof	Königinhof Beer Hall, I. Wollzeile, Vienna	1870s	1015.90	10.62°	4.08°	61.54	2.76	3.51	0.16	60.9	4.2
Bock	Munich	Restaurant Zum Kühlfass, I. Tauchlauben, Vienna	1870s	1020.60	15.50°	5.27°	66.02	4.2	5.33	0.18	-	14.3
Salvator	Munich	Hotel Zur Linde, I. Rothenthurm Street, Vienna	1870s	1032.40	18.48°	8.19°	55.7	4.35	5.52	-	80.7	41.5
	Culmbach	Hotel Zur Linde, I. Rothenthurm Street, Vienna	1870s	1022.80	15.38°	5.82°	62.19	4	5.08	0.16	-	16.7
	Nürnberg	Hotel Zur Linde, I. Rothenthurm Street, Vienna	1870s	1020.80	15.15°	5.32°	64.91	4.05	5.14	0.17	-	14.3
Lager	Hamburg	Hotel Zur Stadt Rotz, I. Scholtenring, Vienna	1870s	1020.20	14.72°	5.17°	64.91	3.98	5.05	0.16	-	6.9
Ale		Sacher's Fine Grocery Store, I. Kärnthner St., Vienna	1870s	1010.60	15.67°	2.74°	82.53	5.43	6.9	0.31	-	10
Porter		Sacher's Fine Grocery Store, I. Kärnthner St., Vienna	1870s	1020.70	18.87°	5.29°	71.96	5.72	7.26	0.34		40
*Source:* Theory and Practice of the Preparation of Malt and the Fabrication of Beer Julius E. Thausing, Anton Schwartz and A.H. Bauer, Philadelphia 1882, pages 748-751

Austrian beer in the 1890's

Beer Gravity in Austria in the 1890's.
These fascinating fgures breaking down Austrian beer production by gravity, gives a fascinating insight into what was being drunk. Despite Vienna's fame for Märzen lagers, beers of their strength (13-14.5°), made up no more than 13.5% of the market. Much like the Czech Republic today, the most popular strength was 10°.

The average gravity of 10.91° (approx. 1044° OG) is much lower than the UK figure - about 1056° - of the same period.

Beer produced by gravity in Austria
	1891/92
° Plato	Hl	%age
6	2,453	0.01
7	54	0
8	192	0
9	354,319	2.16
10	8,816,335	53.79
11	1,954,951	11.93
12	2,974,243	18.15
13	1,876,343	11.45
14	318,148	1.94
15	82,171	0.5
16	5,059	0.03
17	2,842	0.02
18	882	0.01
19	1,450	0.01
20	7	0
21	25	0
22	1,081	0.01
	16,390,555	100
Average gravity (Plato)	10.91
Source: Zeitschrift für das gesammte Brauwesen 1894", p. 212 Note: Average gravity my calculation.

Wholesale price of beer in Vienna
	1893a		1898b
Beer type	Gravity in Plato	Price in Schillings per hl	Gravity in Plato	Price in Schillings per hl
Wiener Abzug			10 - 11.5°	9.25 - 9.80
Wiener Lagerbier	12 - 13°	13 - 14	12 - 13°	13.25 - 14
Wiener Märzen (Export) -Bier	13 - 14.5°	14 -15	13 - 14°	14 -15
Böhmisches, nach Pilsener Art	11 - 12°	15 - 16	11 - 12°	14 -15
Pilsener	11 - 12°	16.50 - 17.50	11 - 12°	15 - 16
Bayerisches			12 - 14°	21 - 24
Sources: a - Zeitschrift für das gesammte Brauwesen 1894", p. 185 b - Zeitschrift für das gesammte Brauwesen 1899", p. 571

Lagers at the start of the 20th century

Lager strengths around 1910
The 1911 Encyclopedia Brittanica also has some interesting analyses (performed by A. Doemens) of continental lagers, presumably carried out in the early 1900's:

Beer	OG	Plato	ABW	ABV
Munich Draught Dark	1056.4	13.75°	3.76%	4.7%
Munich Draught Dark	1052.6	12.8°	3.38%	4.23%
Munich Light	1048.0	11.86°	3.18%	3.98%
Munich Light	1048.1	11.86°	4.05%	4.86%
Export	1054.3	13.28°	3.68%	4.6%
Export	1059.5	14.57°	4.15%	5.19%
Bock Beer	1076.6	18.5°	4.53%	5.66%
Pilsener Bottle	1047.7	11.8°	3.47%	4.34%
Pilsener Draught	1044.3	10.91°	3.25%	4.06%
Berlin Dark	1055.2	13.51°	3.82%	4.78%
Berlin Light	1056.5	13.87°	4.36%	5.45%
Weissbier (I guess Berliner Weisse)	1033.1	8.26°	2.64%	3.3%
Source: 1911 Encyclopedia.Brittanica: entry for beer. Notes: ABV and Plato my calculation. For purposes of comparison, these are the strengths of British beers of the same period

German lagers in 1914

These are some analyses of German lagers published in 1914.

type	Gravity of wort	maltose	protein	ABW	ABV	organic acids
Lager	11.5-13.5°	1-1.3	0.35-0.5	3.3-3.5%	4.1-4.4%	0.06-0.12
Münchener	13.5-15°	1.5-2.5	0.4-0.55	3.5-4%	4.4-5%	0.01-0.15
Pilsener	11-12°	0.8-1	0.35-0.5	3.3-3.8%	4.1-4.75%	0.01-0.015
Source: "Van Brouwerij tot Bierglas" by F. Kurris, Doetinchem, 1948, page 27. Notes: Analyses performed by Beythlen, Hartwich and Klimmer in "Handbuch Nahrungsmittel Untersuchung", 1914 ABV my calculation

Lagers in the 1930's

German lagers in the 1930's.

These are some analyses of lagers made in the 1930's. Unless otherwise stated, the beers are of German origin.

type	Gravity of wort	apparent F.G	real F.G	apparent attenuation	real attenuation	ABW	ABV	colour
Lagerbier
average of 15 samples	12°	2.85°	4.58°	76.3	61.2	3.83%	4.8%	0.72
strongest sample	12.54°	3.14°	4.82°	86.2	70	4.43%	5.5%	0.78
weakest sample	11.32°	1.69°	3.38°	74	60	3.53%	4.4%	0.59
Dutch sample	10°	-	3.43°	81	65,8	3.34%	4.2%	-
Pilsener
average of 12 samples	12.79°	3.41°	5.18°	73.3	59.5	3.94%	4.9%	0.65
strongest sample	13.56°	4.52°	6.96°	80.1	65.9	4.28%	5.4%	0.81
weakest sample	12.34°	2.52°	4.44°	64.2	51.9	3.39%	4.2%	0.59
Austrian sample	12.97°	2.92°	4.82°	77.5	62.7	4.23%	5.3%	0.75
Pilsner Urquell	12.37°	3.87°	5.46°	68.6	55.6	3.54%	4.4%	0.69
Dortmunder
average of 14 samples	13.37°	3.15°	5.08°	76.5	62	4.31%	5.2%	0.73
strongest sample	14.11°	3.69°	5.55°	81.5	66.1	4.7%	5.9%	0.84
weakest sample	12.71°	2.43°	4.87°	72.7	58.9	3.9%	4.9%	0.66
Münchener
average of 4 samples	13.66°	4.76°	6.45°	65.2	52.8	3.75%	4.7%	3.5
strongest sample	14.05°	5.21°	6.82°	69	55.9	3.85%	4.8%	3.9
weakest sample	13.27°	4.21°	5.85°	62	50.2	3.58%	4.5%	3
Bock
sample 1	17.99°	7.22°	9.29°	59.9	48.4	4.64%	5.8%	4.9
sample 2	16.88°	5.34°	7.55°	68.4	55.3	4.92%	6.15%	4.2
sample 3	17.12°	5.33°	7.59°	68.9	55.7	5.06%	6.3%	2.0
Märzen
German	13.79°	4.35°	6.14°	68.5	55.5	3.98%	5%	1.3
Crown Brewery Akexandria	16.69°	5.57°	7.7°	65.5	53.9	4.76%	6%	3.1
Foreign Export Beer
German	11.96°	2.03°	3.90°	83	67.4	4.16%	5.2%	0.66
German	12.84°	2.34°	4.47°	80.4	65.2	4.34%	5.4%	0.47
Dutch	12.57°	2.41°	4.33°	80.8	65.6	4.26%	5.3%	0.75
Japanese (Pilsener from Dai Nippon Brewery in Tokyo)	12.15°	2.50°	4.47°	78	63.2	3.99%	5%	-
Source: "Van Brouwerij tot Bierglas" by F. Kurris, Doetinchem, 1948, pages 26-27. Notes: colour in cc 0.1 n. iodine ABV my calculation

Modern lagers

West German lagers in the 1950's.

By way of comparison, here are the specifications of West German bottom-fermenting cicrca 1955:

type	start grav. (Plato)
Helles Vollbier	11-11.5°
Helles Exportbier (Pilsener Art)	12.5-13°
Helles Exportbier (Dortmunder Art)	13-14°
Dunkles Vollbier	11-12.5°
Dunkles Exportbier	13-14°
Märzenbier	13-14°
Bockbier (Hell and Dunkel)	16-17°
Starkbier (Doppelbock)	18.18.5°
Source: "Brauer Handbuch", Karl Hennies, Verlag Hans Carl Nürnberg, 1956, p.224

DDR lagers in the 1970's.

By way of comparison, here are the specifications of DDR bottom-fermenting cicrca 1975:

type	start grav.	end grav.	app.deg.atten.	alc. wt.	hop g/hl	colour EBC	CO2
Malzbier	6°	2.4°	55-65%	0.5 - 1.2%	40	min 47	0.35%
Hell	11° - 11.°5	2.75° (max)	min. 75%	3.6 - 4.0%	180	max 13.8	0.38%
Schwarzbier	12°	3.6 - 4.8°	60-70%		230	min 160	0.35%
Deutsches Pilsner	12.5° -13.0°	3.1° (max)	min. 75%	3.7 - 4.2%	250	max 12.2	0.38%
Deutsches Pilsator	12.5° -13.3°	2.75° (max)	min. 78%	3.8 - 4.5%	300	max 12.2	0.40%
Märzen	14°	4.2° (max)	min. 70%	3.8 - 4.3%	240	40 - 55	0.38%
Bockbier Hell	16°	4.0 - 5.1°	68-75%	4.5 - 5.2%	150	23 - 33	0.38%
Bockbier Dunkel	16°	4.5 - 5.6°	65-72%	4.5 - 5.0%	150	min 85	0.38%
Norddeutsches Lagerbier*					130 - 250
Pilsener Biertyp*					250 - 500
Dortmunder Biertyp*					200 - 250
Münchner Biertyp*					130 - 170
Sources: "Technologie Brauer und Mälzer" Wolfgang Kunze, Leipzig 1975, p.415-430 * "Leitfaden für den Brauer und Mälzer" Rudolf Dickscheit, Leipzig 1953, p.82. Notes: The start and end gravity are given in degrees Plato.

Overview of lager styles
You're probably wondering (if you haven't already packed up and gone home) why I have bothered you with all this historical gumph. Because without this knowledge, modern Czech beer styles won't make a great deal of sense. Unless - as may well be the case - you're brighter than me.

How can I say this without seeming a total prat? Until a terrifyingly recent date, I had thought of Czech beer as without beer styles in the classic sense. They don't call their beers Pils or Münchner or Export; they just brew 11, 12, 13 and 14° Plato beer either pale, dark or amber. How wrong could I have been.....

Stumbling across a pre-WW II Czech beer label prompted a rethink. A very simple label, printed in orangey-brown. In the centre "14%" and underneath "Märzen". Of course - Czech 14% amber beers were in the Märzen style! On closer inspection, 13% pale lagers are in the Spezial style; suddenly these Bohemian beers were fitting in very nicely with the lagers from Bavaria, Austria
and Switzerland.

It's like a physicist stumbling upon an unified field theory - suddenly the whole universe can be described in one sentence. Or perhaps a 19th century chemist filling in the grid of the periodic table. Which is exactly what I'll do now.

The illuminating quality of Czech lagers is not a matter of chance. The survival of so many of the early lager types in Bohemia make it far easier to spot patterns. Here's my grid:

Country	8%	9%	10%	11%	12%	13%	14%	15%	16%	18% >
Czech Republic	Výčepní	Výčepní	Výčepní	Ležák	Ležák	Speciální	Speciální/Exportní	y	y	y
	x	x	Výčepní	Ležák	Ležák	Speciální	Speciální/Märzen	y	y	y
	x	x	Výčepní	Ležák	Ležák	Speciální	Speciální	x	y	y
Bavaria	x	x	x	Pils	Helles	Spezial	Oktoberfest	x	Bock	Doppelbock
	x	x	x	x	Lagerbier?		Märzen	x	Bock	Doppelbock
	x	x	x	x	Dunkles	Märzen/Export		x	Bock	Doppelbock
Austria	x	x	x	Helles/Pils	Märzen	Spezial		x	Bock
	x	x	x	Lager	Bernstein	Granit	Märzen	x	Bock
	x	x	x		Export	Spezial		x	Bock	Doppelbock
Switzerland	x	x	x		Helles	Spezial	Starkbier		Bock	x
	x	x	x				Starkbier		Bock	x
	x	x	x		Dunkles	Spezial			Bock	x
Notes: x - no beer brewed of this type y - beer of this type brewed, but has no standard name - the three different coloured rows represent pale, amber and dark lagers

I won't insult your intelligence - you can see that far more of the Czech boxes are occupied. Vienna lagers aren't dead: they've just moved over the border. No country produces such a range of amber (polotmavé pivo) and dark lagers (tmavé pivo) as the Czech Republic. I can't quite understand why no-one has twigged this yet.

This is an overview of the lagers brewed in the Czech Republic in 2006 by colour, style and degree Plato.

Modern Lager Specifications
Below is a randomish selection of breweries from lager's heartland and some of their products. The variation in strength and colour is wider than a visit to the supermarket might lead you to believe.

Lager is very much the spotty git with bad teeth at the beer geek ball. No-one wants to hang out with it. That would look so uncool. Maybe it's time to look closer.

Beer	Brewery	Date	Plato Wort	Plato Beer	app.deg. atten.	alc. wt.	alc. vol.
Bavaria
Helles	Spaten	2004	11.7°	1.84°	84%	4.16%	5.2%
Pils	Spaten	2004	11.7°	2.22°	81%	4%	5%
Gold	Spaten	2004	13°	2.65°	80%	4.4%	5.5%
Oktoberfest	Spaten	2004	13.7°	2.63°	81%	4.72%	5.9%

Helles	Paulaner	2004	11.5°	2.2°	81%	3.92%	4.9%
Dunkles	Paulaner	2004	12.5°	3.17°	75%	4%	5%
Urtyp	Paulaner	2004	12.5°	2.1°	83%	4.4%	5.5%
Märzen	Paulaner	2004	13.7°	2.81°	79%	4.64%	5.8%
Oktoberfest	Paulaner	2004	13.7°	2.44°	82%	4.8%	6%
Dark Bock	Paulaner	2004	18.3°	4.59°	75%	6%	7.5%

Helles	Löwenbräu	2004	11.8°	1.95°	83%	4.16%	5.2%
Pils	Löwenbräu	2004	11.8°	1.95°	83%	4.16%	5.2%
Dunkles	Löwenbräu	2004	12.5°	2.11°	83%	4.4%	5.5%
Oktoberfest	Löwenbräu	2004	13.7°	2.26°	84%	4.88%	6.1%
Triumphator	Löwenbräu	2004	18.2°	4.3°	76%	6.08%	7.6%

Helles	Andechs	2004	11.5°	2.38°	79%	3.84%	4.8%
Dunkles	Andechs	2004	12.5°	3.43°	73%	3.84%	4.8%
Spezial	Andechs	2004	13.5°	2.62°	81%	4.64%	5.8%
Pale Bock	Andechs	2004	16.5°	3.58°	78%	5.6%	7%
Dark Bock	Andechs	2004	18.5°	5.72°	69%	5.6%	7%

Pale lager	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	7.8°	2.38°	69%	2.24%	2.8%
Helles	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	11.5°	2.38°	79%	3.84%	4.8%
Pils	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	11.8°	2.7°	77%	3.84%	4.8%
Export	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	12.5°	2.68°	79%	4.16%	5.2%
Märzen	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	13.5°	2.98°	78%	4.48%	5.6%
Festbier	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	13.5°	2.98°	78%	4.48%	5.6%
Bock	Augusta, Augsburg	2004	19.8°	5.3°	73%	6.4%	8%

Czech Republic
pale 10°	Bernard	2004	10°	2.74°	73%	3.04%	3.8%
amber 11°	Bernard	2004	11°	2.43°	78%	3.6%	4.5%
pale 11°	Bernard	2004	11°	2.43°	78%	3.6%	4.5%
pale 12°	Bernard	2004	12°	3.12°	74%	3.75%	4.7%
dark 13°	Bernard	2004	13°	3.37°	74%	4.09%	5.1%
pale 14°	Bernard	2004	14°	3.12°	78%	4.65%	5.8%

amber 10°	Herold	2004	10°	2.33°	77%	3.21%	4%
pale 10°	Herold	2004	10°	2.15°	78%	3.29%	4.1%
pale 12°	Herold	2004	12°	2.33°	81%	4.09%	5.1%
dark 13°	Herold	2004	13°	3.37°	74%	4.09%	5.1%
pale 14°	Herold	2004	14°	3.12°	78%	4.65%	5.8%

pale 12°	Pilsner Urquell	2004	12.0°	3.65°	70%	3.52%	4.4%
pale 12°	Budweiser Budvar	2004	12.0°	2.5°	81%	4%	5%

Austria
Pils	Baumgartner	2004	11.8°	2.71°	77%	3.84%	4.8%
Märzen	Baumgartner	2004	12.3°	2.66°	78%	4.08	5.1%
Export	Baumgartner	2004	13.5°	2.79°	79%	4.56%	5.7%
Dark lager	Baumgartner	2004	14.4°	4.88°	66%	4.08%	5.1%
Bock	Baumgartner	2004	16.2°	4.18°	74%	5.2%	6.5%

Pils	Eggenberg	2004	11.7°	2.21°	81%	4%	5%
Märzen	Eggenberg	2004	12.2°	2.93°	76%	3.92%	4.9%
Dunkles	Eggenberg	2004	13°	3.77°	71%	3.92%	4.9%
Spezial	Eggenberg	2004	13.2°	3.42°	74%	4.16%	5.2%
Pale Bock	Eggenberg	2004	16.2°	3.07°	81%	5.68%	7.1%
Amber Bock	Eggenberg	2004	17°	3.2°	81%	6%	7.5%
Dark Bock	Eggenberg	2004	23°	5.39°	77%	7.92%	9.9%

Pale lager	Schlägl	2004	8.1°	2.11°	74%	2.48%	3.1%
Märzen	Schlägl	2004	11.8°	2.33°	80%	4%	5%
Pils	Schlägl	2004	12.5°	2.69°	79%	4.16%	5.2%
Dunkles	Schlägl	2004	12.8°	3.37°	74%	4%	5%
Spezial	Schlägl	2004	13.4°	2.88°	79%	4.48%	5.6%
Amber lager	Schlägl	2004	13.5°	2.62°	81%	4.64%	5.8%
Dark Bock	Schlägl	2004	19°	3.89°	80%	6.64%	8.3%

Märzen	Hofstetten	2004	11.5°	2.57°	78%	3.76%	4.7%
Pils	Hofstetten	2004	11.7°	1.84°	84%	4.16%	5.2%
Dunkles	Hofstetten	2004	12.5°	2.68°	79%	4.16%	5.2%
Amber lager	Hofstetten	2004	12.5°	2.12°	83%	4.4%	5.5%
Spezial	Hofstetten	2004	12.8°	2.44°	81%	4.4%	5.5%
Pale Bock	Hofstetten	2004	16.2°	2.88°	82%	5.76%	7.2%

Pale lager	Mohren	2004	8.2°	1.83°	78%	2.64%	3.3%
Pils	Mohren	2004	11.3°	2.18°	81%	3.84%	4.8%
Märzen	Mohren	2004	11.6°	2.3°	80%	3.92	4.9%
Export	Mohren	2004	11.7°	2.22°	81%	4%	5%
Dunkles	Mohren	2004	11.8°	3.08°	74%	3.68%	4.6%
Spezial	Mohren	2004	12.7°	2.14°	83%	4.48%	5.6%
Amber lager	Mohren	2004	13.6°	2.34°	83%	4.8%	6%
Pale Bock	Mohren	2004	16.5°	3.58°	78%	5.6%	7%

Märzen	Kaltenhausen	2004	11.6°	2.12°	82%	4%	5%
Pils	Kaltenhausen	2004	11.8°	2.32°	80%	4%	5%
Premium	Kaltenhausen	2004	12.2°	1.98°	84%	4.32%	5.4%
Amber lager	Kaltenhausen	2004	12.3°	4.55°	63%	3.28%	4.1%
Spezial	Kaltenhausen	2004	12.8°	2.05°	84%	4.56%	5.7%
Dunkel	Kaltenhausen	2004	13.3°	4.47°	66%	3.76%	4.7%
Bock	Kaltenhausen	2004	16.2°	3.07°	81%	5.78%	7.1%
Sources: The breweries' own websites. Notes: Plato of final beer, apparent degree of attenuation and alcocohol by weight (ABW) my calculation.

Chemical analyses of different beers
beer	ABV	Plato wort	Real extract (g/100g)	Apparent attenuation	Colour (EBC)	Bitterness (EBC)
Duckstein	11.6°	5.12%	3.77	83.6%	29	26.5
Gentner Fränkisch Dunkel	13.3°	5.56%	4.98	78.3%	49	25
Bitburger Premium Pils	11.6°	4.89%	4.12	80%	6.3	32
Märkischer Landmann	12.5°	5.05%	4.89	76.3%	113	22
Hoepfner Porter	15.8°	5.77%	7.32	67.6%	92	38.5
Mahr's Bräu ungespundet - hefetrüb	12°	5.21%	4.09	82.2%	15	42.5
Uerige Dat leckere Dröpke	11.5°	5.05%	3.81	83.3%	30	51.5
Uerige Sticke	14.5°	6.53%	4.71	84.2%	36	50.5
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen	13.4°	4.95%	5.99	69.2%	53	33.5
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock	17.1°	6.64%	7.37	71.4%	73	37
Source: Brauwelt Nr. 13/14 (2000) pages 541 and 542.

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© Ron Pattinson 2004-2010

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