Now Beer This: Oktoberfest Beers That Aren’t Lagers

Prost! It’s the one time of year where you get to hear this yelled repeatedly at beer venues and not be worried about it being a political statement. Oktoberfest is here and it’s got me thinking about German beers. As you’ll likely recall, Germany is most famous for introducing us to pale lagers. They (and of course, their Czech neighbors!) are the reason why Americans get down with the Pilsners and corrupted pilsner knockoffs more than any other beer style. Hooray, Deutschland! Hooray, Oktober-Alterna-Fest!

We could spend a long time talking about what makes a lager a lager, and how they’re not always some shade of pale golden or yellow — sometimes they’re even black, you know. Let’s just remind ourselves that lagers use a different yeast strain than ales, and they tend to be less involved in the flavor of their beers. But here’s the thing: There are lots of great traditional German styles that aren’t lagers! They’re packed with character, flavor, and history, and you should be on the lookout for them. What are they? I’m so glad you asked.

Altbier: This might be my favorite of the non-lager German beers. Hailing from Dusseldorf, this ale is characterized by a bold, nutty malt base paired with assertive German hop bitterness. To me, this beer can stand next to any American craft style. It’s a treasure! Interestingly, it’s pretty darn hard to find. Uerige exports its variety to America and can be found in the best bottle shops. But our neighbors over at Steel String have an Altbier that is great. Go find it!

Kolsch: People love these. But here’s the thing: they’re essentially Pilsners. Granted a brew fermented with a Kolsch yeast that imparts a tiny bit of fruitiness to the beer. Don’t get too excited about them, but yes, they’re thirst-quenching and inoffensive.

Hefeweizen: Sweeter due to its wheat content (about 50% of the grain bill) this is a beer for folks who like a little dessert in their beer. Hazy, quaffable, and easy to drink in quantity, wheat beers are a big hit in summer with most of us, but you can drink ‘em whenever. Interestingly, this beer out of Bavaria is what got several German beers to be exempt from the Reinheitsgebot. An exception was carved out for beers that used top fermenting yeast.

Berliner Weisse: This beer was called the “Champagne of the North” by Napoleon’s invading army, but who cares what invaders think, right? It is light and sparkling with a relatively high carbonation level. In one way it’s the ultimate session beer because it’s generally only around 3% alcohol. But it’s made tart by the introduction of lactobacillus bacteria (yep, you folks that like sours, that’s what you like – infected beers!), so if that’s not your jam avoid it. Even the Berliners generally don’t drink it straight, but combine it with one of two syrups to balance out the tartness.

Gose: Another intentionally soured sparkly beer, Goses have hit it big in the US Craft Beer scene. Generally not as tart as a Berliner Weisse, they also include a bit of salt and sometimes a touch of coriander, making this a very individualistic but crushable beer style.

Are there more? Sure! But this should do you for now. Go look for these, give ‘em a whirl, and tell me what you think. Go getchoo some!

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