Skip to main content

The Essential German Beer Styles You Need To Know

Beer at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Most inhabitants of the Earth know that beer is a big deal in Germany. So much so, in fact, that the northern European nation is responsible for a number of signature styles, from helles to hefeweizen. This is the suds-soaked land of Oktoberfest and boisterous beer halls, after all.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Bavaria or the German aisle of your favorite bottle shop, it pays to know a little something about this beer-loving nation’s major categories. You could spend a lifetime studying the number of styles and how they differ based on history, regionality, and more, but you probably don’t have time for that. So, get your steins ready, here’s the 101.

Related Videos

Here are eleven of the most popular styles you should know about.

Berliner-Weisse

This wheat beer has made a come back as of late, especially among those looking for lower-alcohol options. It’s a pale and pucker-y number, great for those who appreciate sour beers.

Dopplebock

This mighty beer of Munich fame is basically an imperial version of standard bock. In its formative years, the beer was dubbed “liquid bread” by the Friars when they fasted. These rich and malty beers can exceed 10% ABV, show candied fruit flavors, and offer very little in the way of hop influence.

Dunkel

A dark lager, dunkel means “dark” in German. The Munich malts give the beer its dark hue but the ABV stays pretty dialed in, often around 4-6% by volume. These are the popular dark beers that get the north and west corners of Germany though their dreary winter months.

Hefeweizen

Another popular wheat beer out of Germany, hefeweizen is incredibly refreshing. In many ways it’s the OG hazy beer, an unfiltered and yeasty beer with a very light and bright color. It’s fermented in a way that can often produce ester-y flavors like banana or even bubble gum.

Helles

A malty pale from Bavaria, helles is generally refined and immensely drinkable. Golden in color, these beers are balanced, round, and floral. And with a pretty moderate ABV (usually around 5%), you can enjoy them all day.

Kolsch

Purists will tell you that real kolsch can only come from the Cologne region. That’s technically true, but brewers are making great riffs of their own all over the planet, especially here in the states. It’s a beer with a clean mouthfeel and crisp build. It’s also a bit of a hybrid, top-fermented in ale fashion, while finished cold much like a lager.

Maibock

A stronger pale beer historically brewed in the spring, maibock is also referred to as helles bock or heller bock. It’s typically around 7% ABV and lighter in color and a bit more hoppy than most beers in the bock family.

Marzen

The toast of Oktoberfest, this malty lager is medium-bodied and comes in a spectrum of colors. It’s a Bavarian classic, generally a bit fuller, sweeter, and less hoppy, akin to an amber ale.

Pilsner

Germany can’t take credit for the pilsner, but it has certainly developed its own take on the style. It’s the most popular beer in Germany, a pale and sometimes hazy beer (when unfiltered) that tends to be a bit more bitter compared to other pilsners, such as Czech-style.

Schwarzbier

A close relative of the stout, schwarzbier is a dark lager made from roasted malt. It tends to clock in at around 5% ABV and offer notes of cacao and coffee. It was first documented in the 14th century in Lower Saxony.

Editors' Recommendations

The best tequilas you can buy for less than $20
These wallet-friendly tequilas taste much more expensive than they are
best tequilas under 20 espolon tequila

Tequila can start a party. It also can end one very quickly. Your focus should stay on those that can star at any gathering. A solid tequila doesn't have to break the bank, either. Also, keep this in mind when looking for quality tequila, affordable or not: Make sure it's 100% agave. Those headache-inducing tequilas of your past were more than likely only part agave -- they just need to be 51%. The additional sugar in those was likely your culprit.

All tequila hails from the Mexican state of Jalisco. All start as Blue Weber Agave and take a wonderful ride to reach their final destination on a drinker's palate. This Mexican spirit has a beautiful, rich history. The excellence of this well-made spirit can be witnessed even in inexpensive versions -- neat or mixed into a tasty margarita.

Read more
The best kegerators for keeping your favorite beers cold and fresh
Fresh beer is better beer. Now, you can have cold draft beer at home or on the go with your own personal beer keg setup.
best kegerator on amazon

There's a wide selection of iconic craft beers and tasty cheap beers available to drink in cans and bottles. But nothing beats a good, heady draft pint served right from a tap or kegerator. As the name implies, a kegerator is a refrigerator that keeps a keg of beer cold and fresh while allowing you to dispense the contents from a built-in pressurized tap system on top.

However, it is a costly appliance, so it’s recommended to do your homework and invest your hard-earned money in a top-notch quality unit that will surely keep your beer fresh. To help you save time on researching the best ones, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best kegerators of 2023, with our selections ranging from on-the-go options to the most innovative dual-tap kegerators.

Read more
Egg nutrition: Should you eat the whole egg or stick to egg whites?
Are eggs good for you?
White eggs in an egg carton.

There's probably no food product that science has gone back and forth on more than the egg. We know it's delicious. We know it makes a great breakfast food, whether you're scrambling up eggs, perfecting that omelet, or eating them hard-boiled (and that's just scratching the surface of egg-related recipes. But should you eat the whole egg, or just the egg white?

Decades ago, when housewives made gigantic stacks of pancakes for the family every weekday morning (at least, that's what TV told us happened) it was an absolute given that you ate both the egg white and the egg yolk. But then people began worrying about their high saturated fat and cholesterol content — and thus began the debate about egg nutrition, and whether it was healthier to eat the whole egg or just the egg white. Which is it? Here's what you need to know.
Are eggs good for you?

Read more