In 1516, Duke William IV of Bavaria issued one of the most important decrees in German history—the Reinheitsgebot, or Beer Purity Law, which stipulated that beer could only be brewed using malt, hops, pure water, and later yeast was added as the fourth element. Until today, German beer still adheres to this ancient law to ensure quality, thus earning a solid reputation over hundreds of years.
Weizen (Throughout Germany):
For those who dislike the bitterness of beer, wheat beer is often favored. This top-fermented beer exhibits a very light wheat or pale amber color, with a beautiful and long-lasting foam. It carries aromas reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon, or smoke, with a faint bitterness and a sweet taste, with an alcohol content of 4.9%–5.5%.
Altbier (Düsseldorf):
This top-fermented beer from Düsseldorf is called “old” because of its fully fermented brewing process. It has a copper to brown color, with a delicate fruity aroma, moderate hops and malt flavors, and an alcohol content of 4.3%–5.0%.
Kölsch (Cologne):
This top-fermented beer has a golden color, with a very mild hop flavor, moderate bitterness, and a slight sweetness, with an alcohol content of 4.8%–5.2%. It is very refreshing to drink. Cologne beer is served in slender glasses with a capacity of only 0.2 liters, hence its nickname “lady’s beer.” Because of the small serving size, the server will automatically pour you a new beer after you finish one. If you don’t want a refill, remember to cover the glass with a coaster after finishing.
Schwarzbier (Central and Southern Germany):
Written in English as Black Beer, this is a bottom-fermented lager beer. It has a dark brown to black color, with a faint hop aroma and a sweet taste of roasted malt, with an alcohol content of 3.4%–5%.
Dunkel (Bavaria):
Written in English as Dark Beer, this beer originated in Munich and has now become popular throughout Bavaria. Traditionally, Germans drink this beer from large beer steins. Dark beer is a bottom-fermented beer with a bright brown to dark brown color, with aromas of toasted bread and wheat bread. It has a balanced sweet and bitter taste, with hints of chocolate and caramel, with an alcohol content of 4.5%–6%.
Berliner Weisse (Berlin):
White beer is top-fermented, with a light straw color, a rich fruity aroma, no bitterness, but a strong fruity sour taste, with an alcohol content of 2.8%–3.4%.
