Oak barrels. The best beers in Germany

Beer lovers consider the Germans to be the legislators of beer traditions. 40% of all beer in the world is produced in Germany, and two-thirds of the beer capacity is concentrated in Bavaria. Bavaria brews a drink for young, confident and persistent residents of big cities.

Many beer lovers have a certain stereotype - the legislators of beer traditions are the Germans.

Indeed, 40% of all the world's capacities are concentrated in Germany, and two-thirds of them (about 700 enterprises) are in Bavaria. It was the name of the center of German brewing that became the brand of the world-famous Dutch drink Bavaria.

For almost 300 years, the descendants of the founder of the company have been an example of effective family business management. Despite its venerable age, Bavaria positions its beer as “a drink for young, confident and persistent residents of big cities. For whom honesty and openness mean much more than external attributes of power,” Economic Izvestia reports.

Three hundred years ago

The history of Bavaria dates back to the town of Lieshout in North Brabant (Holland), where in 1719 a simple farmer Lavrentius Mures opened a small beer factory on his own farm. Year after year, his offspring grew and grew stronger, turning into a promising production.

In 1851, the grandson of the Dutchman, Jan Swinkles, began to seriously increase production and expand the sales market. More and more people wanted to try the already famous beer by that time.

The modest brewery of Laurentius Moores gradually turned into a thriving family business of the Swinkles.

Production volumes were constantly increased, new sales markets appeared, technologies and methods for obtaining the drink were improved.

In 1924, a second plant was built, and a few years later the company began to produce its products in glass bottles. The name Bavaria has been used by the Swinkles for their beer products since 1925. Since 1995, it has become the official brand.

Age-old traditions

Founded by the frugal and thrifty Dutch, the company has never skimped on things that can enhance the quality of their renowned beer. For example, it is well known that brewer's yeast is very fond of copper. Therefore, all pipelines at Bavaria factories are made only of this metal, although this is not a cheap pleasure at all.

Such luxury is not a waste at all, because copper is a metal with high thermal conductivity, great for brewing. That is why Bavaria breweries are equipped with such costly communications.

The production process at Bayern also deserves special mention. A closed energy cycle is organized at the company's plants.

• This means that the heat accumulated as a result of production enters the energy center and is redirected to other areas.
• Like all Dutch, the Bavarians are very protective environment and, at the same time, save literally on everything. For example, the remains of water not used in production are carefully cleaned and drained back into the rivers. And resourceful brewers collect, refine, and use the carbon dioxide produced during beer maturation to carbonate their own sweet lemonades.
• Malt is also produced independently at the enterprises of Bavaria. Moreover, the company's malthouses send impressive volumes of products for export.
• Malt from Bavaria is highly valued by beer producers, deservedly considered one of the best in the world. Artesian water for the drink is taken from sources owned and controlled by the company.

At the same time, excess water, after undergoing a purification process, always returns back to the river.

Fight for the brand

Today, Bavaria produces beer under two brands: Bavaria and Hollandia. For almost 13 years, the Swinkles family has been suing German brewing companies from Bavaria for the right to use the name of this historic part of Germany as their trademark.

Theoretically, it is the Germans who have the right to call their beer "Bavarian", but they applied for trademark registration only in 1993, and the "German" brand was officially recognized only in 2001. The Dutch brewers turned out to be more agile - they completely officially called Bavaria issued back in 1995. The Germans were six years late.

As a result, native Bavarian brewers cannot call their beer "Bavarian", unlike their neighbors from Holland. The legal battle for the right to call their beer "Bavarian", which lasted from 1997 to 2010, was lost by the Germans.

The European Court recognized the correctness of Bavaria from the Netherlands, thereby legitimizing this "beer" paradox - the famous Dutch beer has the right to bear the name of the historical center of German brewing.

First in the world

The Swinkles' undertaking proved to be extremely successful. The most significant victory was the production of non-alcoholic beer. The idea of ​​non-alcoholic beer was born in the 70s in the Middle East. The fact is that Muslims traditionally do not drink alcohol at all.

But they still want beer. The leaders of Bavaria were among the first to realize the potential of "beer without degrees" as a successful product, and made every effort to develop a recipe for such a drink.

For ten years, technology has been improved, experiments have been carried out, and the best options have been selected.

In 1978, the production of a new product began, which at the end of the 80s. gained immense popularity. As a result, Bavaria became one of the world's first producers of non-alcoholic beer.

Bavaria-malt ("Bavaria-non-alcoholic") is available in bottles (0.25 and 0.33 l) and cans (0.5 and 0.33 l). The drink is recognized as the lowest calorie non-alcoholic beer.

And in taste, it does not differ at all from its “head-turning” counterparts.

An interesting fact is that in 1991, at the height of the Gulf War, the US Army bought literally tons of Bavaria Malt for its soldiers who fought in Kuwait. An American fighter with a can of non-alcoholic beer in his hands was shown in every edition of CNN.

Bavaria works closely with the De Koningshoeven (La Trappe) brewery, the only brewery in Holland that produces Trappist beer (a type of Belgian ale. The production uses special yeast that is fermented at high temperature.

Beer matures in bottles.

Stability is a sign of excellence

Bavaria is run by the seventh generation of the Swinkles family. Today it is the second largest brewer in the Netherlands and one of the top five European beer producers. In addition to its own breweries, Bavaria owns two malt houses and a factory for the production of soft drinks. It is the world's largest supplier of selected malt.

Year after year, the company opens its sales subsidiaries in Spain, Italy, America and South Africa. In 2007, Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria breweries were fined by the European Commission for a cartel to set monopoly high prices for beer in the Netherlands. However, this did not prevent the development of the enterprise at all.

Bavaria employs around 1,000 people in the Netherlands and internationally. The company's products are available in 120 countries around the world. Of the nearly 6 million hectoliters of beer that Bavaria produces annually, almost 65% is exported.

How beer is brewed at the Bavaria brewery

Preparation of ingredients

Bavaria Brewery only needs four ingredients to brew beer: water, malt, hops and yeast. In addition, you will need a fermentation tank, a water seal, iodine to disinfect the fermenter, and many other little things. Read more about everything below...

Water

Water must be clean, free of chemical impurities. Tap water will not work - it contains a lot of disinfectants that utilities use to kill bacteria.

These agents will greatly affect the processes during the mashing of the wort, so the taste of the beer can be, to put it mildly, unsatisfactory. So it is better to take water in a store or from artesian wells.

On average, it is customary to take about 5 liters of water for every kilogram of malt or non-malt. You can do less, then the beer will turn out more dense.

Malt

Malt is worth buying in specialized stores for brewers. As a rule, such shops are available in any more or less large settlement. If there are no such stores, then you can buy malt on the Internet or try to contact the nearest agricultural enterprise, perhaps they produce malt for their needs.

Theoretically, you can make malt with your own hands, this process is quite simple, but it takes a very long time - more than a week.

Any malt can be used, it all depends on personal preferences and the desire to experiment. Barley malt is usually taken as the basis. You can add wheat, rye to it.

The malt can be roasted to be used to make dark beers. In the recipe, you can add various cereals from unsprouted grains, the so-called "unsalted". In general, the scope for imagination is huge.

But at first, it’s better to use recipes already proven in practice, received from friends or from the Internet.

Hop

Hops are different. The main indicator that you need to rely on when brewing beer is the amount of alpha acids. The more alpha acids, the more bitter the hops. As a rule, several types of hops are used in any brewing recipe.

For bitterness put hops with high alpha acidity (12-18%). He participates in cooking from the very beginning, so by the end he completely loses both taste and aroma. Only bitterness is needed from him, so they take the most "vigorous".

Selected hops are added for taste, which can have various herbal, berry and fruit notes. Recognizing such hops is easy - the label usually indicates what flavor or aroma the hops have. The alpha acidity of such hops is usually low - from 4 to 8%.

Finally, at the end of the boil, you can add aroma hops. It is the lightest hop with an alpha acidity of no more than 4%.

It is put into the wort just a few minutes before the end of the brewing process, so that the chemical processes do not have time to rid the future beer of the desired flavor.

The recipe for beer always indicates what kind of hop is needed, because it is on it that the bitterness, taste and aroma of the drink depend to a greater extent.

Yeast

Unlike moonshine, where you can use any yeast for home brew, you need special yeast for brewing: dry craft. And here they can be bought exclusively in specialized stores.

In principle, you can get by with ordinary dry yeast, but their effectiveness will be noticeably lower. The fermentation temperature indicated on the package with yeast must be strictly observed.

Craft yeast outside the specified temperature range may simply not start the fermentation process.

Brewing beer at home brewery

Before mashing the wort, the malt must be crushed. Just crush. And do not grind into flour, otherwise the flour will make the wort cloudy, and the beer - tasteless. Yes, and time for filtering the wort will have to spend a lot.

Malt can be crushed manually using a rolling pin, but it is better to purchase a special mill for malt. Such a mill consists of a support, a bell and two ribbed rollers, the distance between which (grinding size) can be adjusted.

The mill can be purchased from many specialized brewing shops. They cost from 2 to 7 thousand rubles, depending on the quality of performance.

It is necessary to crush the malt so that not a single whole grain remains, this process must be taken seriously. You should not regret the time spent, properly crushed malt will give the beer more elements and it will turn out to be more full-bodied.

Mashing the wort

Before you start mashing the wort, you need to prepare the brewery for it. The brew kettle and mash tank must be thoroughly rinsed. The mash tank must be placed at the bottom of the kettle. The lower filter mesh is lowered along the guide axis until it stops. It is she who during mashing will keep the malt inside the tank.

When everything is ready, you can start brewing beer. To do this, the brewery needs to be filled with water (preferably no more than the optimal volume) and plugged into the network. Then you need to install the cooking program.

The automation unit of the Bavaria brewery allows you to set a recipe program of any complexity, which includes up to four pauses during mashing, mesh-out, up to 10 hops. Having brewed beer once according to the selected recipe, you can leave it in the memory of the brewery. She is able to remember up to 10 recipes.

You can also brew beer in manual mode, but then the very meaning of an automatic brewery is lost, and you will have to follow the whole process many times more carefully.

So, how to enter the program?

The program is entered in the Automatic Process Settings section. How to get to this section is written in the instructions for the automatic block, which comes with the brewery.

In the program, you need to set all the necessary values ​​\u200b\u200bin order:

• malt charge temperature;
• protein pause;
• saccharification;
• mesh out;
• hop laying time.

Many recipes call for just 1 or 2 pauses when mashing the malt. In this case, we enter the data according to the selected recipe, and simply skip unnecessary pauses.

After entering the program, you just need to press the "AUTO" button and several questions will appear one after the other on the block screen.

With this option, you can delay the start of the mash, for example, to have time to crush the malt or do something else.

This block prompts you to return to the previous cooking process, for example, if the electricity was cut off during cooking or the process had to be interrupted for other reasons. In this case, the brewery remembers the last operation and you can continue the process from there.

Everything is simple here. If there is no water in the brewery, you need to pour it. If you have already filled the kettle with water, then simply select the “YES” option and after that the pumping and mashing process will begin.

Brewing breaks

The standard recipe for brewing beer includes 4 pauses.

Protein pause

This pause is necessary in order to make the must more transparent. In principle, if you brew beer from modified malt, then there is no particular need for this pause. If regular malt is used, then this pause is indispensable. It takes quite a bit of time - usually from 10 to 20 minutes. The standard temperature for a protein pause is 50-54 degrees.

Saccharification

The second and third pauses we have are saccharification. Scientifically: alpha and beta amylase. This pause is necessary in order to "boil" all possible sugar from the malt, to break down all the starch. The usual temperature for alpha-amylase is 60-64 degrees, and for beta-amylase it is 70-74 degrees. The duration of these pauses can be very different, it all depends solely on the recipe.

Mesh out

This pause is necessary in order to make the beer more full-bodied. Well, it also affects the viscosity of the wort. We set this pause somewhere at 76-80 degrees and its duration will be 10 minutes.

But back to the cooking itself.

When the brewery starts up, the first thing it will do is heat the water up to the temperature specified in the recipe. When the temperature has risen sufficiently, the brewery will beep and the automatic block display will read "Add Malt".

The malt must be poured into the mash tank. You need to fall asleep carefully so that the grains do not get into the wort, otherwise you will have to additionally filter it later. When the malt is poured, you need to install a second filter mesh and secure it with a special bar.

After the introduction of malt, it remains only to observe the mashing process and track all its stages. The brewery will warn about each new stage with a sound signal.

After the last pause of saccharification, an iodine test should be carried out. This is done in order to check whether all the starch has been broken down.

An ordinary flat plate is taken, a tablespoon of wort is poured there and iodine is dripped onto it. If the iodine has changed its color to bluish, then you should switch to manual mode and boil the wort for another 10-20 minutes.

If the color remains unchanged, then follow the previously set program.

After the end of the mesh-out, the mashing of the wort is considered complete. Now the malt needs to be extracted.

Since the cavernous tank and the wort itself are already very hot, to remove the tank you need to use the special frames that come with the brewery.

The first frame - the support frame - must be placed on the edge of the wort kettle, and the second one, which has hooks, must be hooked onto the mash tank by special ledges. After that, you need to lift the tank, holding on to the frame with hooks, turn and install on the support frame.

Now you can wait a couple of minutes until the remaining wort in the mash tank drains. Then you need to remove the mash tank and lay the first hops. Then it remains only to monitor the brewing process and, at the signal of the brewery, lay the remaining hops.

Hops are placed in special bags that allow water to pass through, but do not allow the hops themselves to get into the water. You can buy these pouches at any specialized brewery store.

Draining the wort and preparing for fermentation

When the brewing of the beer is over, it is time to pour the wort into the fermentation vessel. Any hermetic vessel with a hole for a water seal can act as a fermentation tank. But it is recommended to use special tanks for fermentation, which are also called fermenters.

Before pouring the wort, the fermenter must be decontaminated so that wild yeast does not get into the wort. To do this, the fermentation tank must be washed with iodine. For example, for a tank of 30 liters, 15 liters of water and one standard vial of iodine are enough.

The Bavaria home brewery has a handy tap for draining the wort. In some cases, the wort needs to be filtered, for example, from additional ingredients like lemon or orange peel.

In this case, the wort is drained through a filter. Ordinary gauze or other durable and mesh material can act as a filter.

You can also purchase special cardboard filters from a brew shop.

Now the wort needs to be cooled to fermentation temperature. This is done using a special device - a chiller. It is a thin stainless steel tube coiled into a spiral. The chiller is connected to the water supply and lowered into the wort tank. Cold water flows through the chiller.

Also, the chiller can be placed directly into the boiler with the wort in the last minutes of brewing, so that it is completely disinfected. But usually it is enough just to rinse it along with the fermentation tank.

When the wort has cooled to the required temperature (usually 26-28 degrees), yeast can be poured into it. Yeast is poured evenly over the area of ​​​​the upper edge of the wort. It makes no sense to mix the wort, during the fermentation process they will be distributed over the entire area of ​​the fermenter.

Ferment beer should be in full accordance with the recipe. The fermentation temperature is indicated on the bag of yeast. The minimum fermentation period is a week, but it is usually recommended to keep the must in the fermenter for 10-14 days. In principle, all this is determined solely by the recipe.

At the end of fermentation, the beer is bottled and sent to mature. Beer maturation period - from 2 to 4 weeks.

Beer "Bavaria": taste and features

Real beer connoisseurs take their choice of drink quite seriously. They pay due attention to its strength, aroma, cost, and sometimes even the country of origin. From beer, they usually demand not so much strength as taste, because this drink is usually savored, unlike stronger ones.

Beer brand "Bavaria" will be a good option for people who want to have a good rest.

Company Bavaria

The manufacturing company Bavaria is Dutch, therefore it uses centuries-old experience in its production of beer. Also, this company is the second largest in Holland.

It was founded at the beginning of the 18th century in the south of the Netherlands. At the moment, the company produces the Bavaria beer of the same name in very large volumes (600-700 million tons).

per year), and most of the beer produced is exported.

Bavaria carefully monitors compliance with the norms and requirements for the production of the product, so this brand has gained sufficient popularity in Europe.

However, Bavaria has not escaped litigation. She was accused of colluding with Heineken and Amsterdam to artificially inflate prices.

Sponsorship

Bavaria is a sponsor of Formula 1 races in Moscow and Rotterdam. Moscow races have been held since 2008 and were funded by Bavaria from the very beginning. She also sponsors some football clubs.

Beer "Bavaria" non-alcoholic

Bavaria Malt is one that has occupied the market since 2006.

This is a very tasty and affordable beer. "Bavaria" (producer) claims that the drink is prepared exclusively from natural ingredients. It consists of:

• natural wheat malt;
• pure mineral water;
• quality hop.

Beer "Bavaria" non-alcoholic has different tastes: Wit and Pomegranade (pomegranate). The second is more like juice.

The drink is made by diluting malt mineral water. The resulting mixture is then boiled and saturated with carbon dioxide. Basically, alcohol is removed from the drink only at the last stage of the brewing process. The Bavaria company on its official website reports that the beer produced is made only from natural ingredients and at the same time leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

The manufacturer offers its customers several options for purchasing their product. Trade networks are supplied with beer "Bavaria" in kegs or in bottles.

Baravia Malt has a golden color and almost no foam. Beer "Bavaria" qualitatively differs from analogues in that it does not have an unpleasant smell and taste of burnt barley. On the contrary, it feels the sweetness of malt and hints of fruity aroma. In general, the non-alcoholic product has a rather pleasant taste and a velvety aftertaste.

Dark beer

Many do not like dark beer because of its strength and bitterness. But this is not a characteristic of the darkest beer. Bitterness is present only in a low-quality product. The present has a velvety taste and a bright aftertaste. Beer "Bavaria" dark in this regard is strikingly different from its counterparts in its quality.

At first glance, it seems that light beer differs from dark beer only in color, but this is not so. There are some cardinal differences in the production technology, besides, dark beer itself has a richer taste than light beer.

When making dark beers, barley is usually roasted to give the beer a more brown color and rich taste. A special difference lies in the amount of hops - in dark beer it is much more. Usually the cooking technology itself consists in fermentation.

It is worth noting another interesting feature: the strength of dark beer depends on the fermentation period, and not on color. Light can be even stronger than dark if it is aged longer. In fact, you can already find dark light and light dark beer on store shelves for a long time.

On top of everything else, dark beers are actually healthier than light beers due to their significant iron content. Once in the human blood, iron begins to generate hemoglobin.

Also, dark beer does not contain fat, nitrates and caffeine, but at the same time it contains vitamins that help reduce the risk of heart disease.

But the biggest benefit of dark beer is to improve appetite and reduce the harm from eating meat.

Beer "Bavaria" has a long history and improved production technologies. However, only at the beginning of the 19th century, the necessary capacities for the production of a dark drink appeared.

Beer "Bavaria" in kegs

There are two Bavaria bottled in kegs: light and dark. When choosing large volumes, it is best to focus on reliable suppliers that have been on the market for a long time. This is especially important for cafes and restaurants that have a certain brand. In such places, beer should be appropriate. It is best to find partners working with Bavaria European breweries.

Trappist beer

Bavaria produces several varieties of Belgian ale, which is produced in the breweries of the Belgian monasteries of the ancient Catholic Trappist order. Varieties of this ale may vary in saturation and color. Natural yeast is used in the preparation.

The history of Trappist ale dates back to the 19th century. Over the long period of existence, many brewing companies bought out the production of Trappist beer, while retaining the La Trappe emblem.

If you decide to have a good rest and enjoy the taste of natural foam, then you should choose Bavaria beer. It is perfect for any company and will bring zest to the evening.

Russia. Efes started production of Bayern

A division of Efes Breweries International (Efes International Brewing Company) Russia - Moscow Efes Brewery (Moscow Efes Brewery) begins to produce, advertise and sell "Bavaria Premium", a premium beer, and a non-alcoholic beer variety - "Bavaria Malt" - in Russia under license from Bavaria N.V., effective April 26, 2006.

The share of "Bavaria Premium" beer in the licensed segment of the Russian market at the end of 2005, according to research by AC Nielsen, was 3.6%; this segment showed the highest growth in the market in 2005. Bavaria Premium will be available in 500 ml and 300 ml bottles, 330 ml cans and 30 liter kegs.

Under the license agreement, Efes Moscow Brewery will also produce and sell Bavaria Malt in 500ml and 300ml bottles and 330ml cans.

Bavaria is the second largest beer producer in Holland, producing 5 million hectoliters per year; The company's products are sold in more than 100 countries around the world.

Mr. Ahmet Boyacyoglu, EBI President: “We continue to expand our products in line with our strategy to further strengthen our position in the countries where we operate. The introduction of Bavaria Premium to the dynamically growing Russian beer market will allow us to offer a wider and stronger range of products from our international brand.”

“Bayern have very ambitious plans for Russia,” comments Frank Swinkles Jr., Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of Bavaria N.V., “We are confident that we will fulfill all plans together with EBI in Russia, as we ourselves have seen the growth and development EBI activity over the last 5 years”.

EBI is an active player in the markets of the countries in which the company operates - throughout the CIS, Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

EBI currently operates in Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, where the company has eleven breweries with a combined production of 21.

8 million hectoliters per year, as well as four malt factories with a total capacity of 139 tons per year.

The EBI product range consists of premium, mainstream and economy beers. Many of the products are leaders in their respective market segments.

EBI aims to achieve a brand package that successfully covers all market segments; the company's brands are distributed in all growing segments.

EBI's current long-term strategic goal is to become one of the leading brewing companies with a major concentration in Eurasia, which defines EBI's current territories of operation.

Russian beer market

The Russian beer market is the fifth largest in the world and is the largest international market for EBI; the share of sales and net proceeds of the company in Russia in 2005 was 66% and 76%, respectively. EBI is the 4th largest beer producer in Russia, with a market share of 10% both in terms of value and volume (data from AC Nielsen, January 2006).

EBI offers a wide range of products for all segments of the Russian beer market.

EBI currently manufactures and sells Warsteiner in the super premium segment, Zlatopramen, Amsterdam Navigator and Efes Pilsener in the premium segment, “ old Miller” in the “upper price mainstream” segment, “Sokol” and “Solodov” in the “lower mainstream” segment, as well as “Polar Bear”, “Krasny Vostok” and “Zhigulevskoye” in the economy segment.

In October 2004, EBI, established in the Netherlands, successfully listed its Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) on the London Stock Exchange and is currently listed (IOB code: EBID).

EBI is majority-owned by Anadolu Efes Biracılık ve Malt Sanayii A.Ş. (“Anadolu Efes”), Turkey's leading beverage producer.

Anadolu Efes, together with its wholly and partly subsidiaries and affiliates, produces, advertises and sells beer, malt, soft drinks and bottled water throughout Turkey, Southeast Europe, Russia, the CIS countries and the Middle East.

Bavaria Premium beer is the leading brand in the Netherlands. Bavaria has been made from natural mineral waters and the highest quality malt since 1719. family recipe invented several centuries ago.

Bavaria is the second largest beer producer in Holland. The company's production volume is about five million hectoliters of beer annually. Most of the production is still made in Lieshout, but Bavaria also produces products for Russia - together with Efes Breweries International, and brews beer in South Africa at its own brewery.

• Bavaria also has a soft drink factory and two malt houses; the company cooperates with the Trappist brewery (La Trappe).
• Bavaria produces a variety of beers. The most famous are Bavaria Premium Pils Premium light beer from Holland. Bavarian malt (Bavarian malt), a non-alcoholic beer, is quite well known in Holland. Bavaria malt is also available in apple, lemon and hibiscus flavors.
• In France, specialty varieties - Bavaria 8.6 and the popular 8.6 Red - rank highly. Variety 8.6 is also popular in other countries.

Other special varieties are La Trappe and Moreeke (the name is a tribute to one of the company's founding fathers, Laurentius Morees).

Until the 1970s, Bavaria operated mainly on the Dutch market, but then began to introduce Bavarian beer to the whole world. Currently, residents of 100 countries enjoy its quality.

With sales subsidiaries in France, Spain, Italy, South Africa and America, as well as representatives in other countries, the company gains a wide presence in the world. The company has an individual approach to each market: always take into account the tastes of local beer consumers.

For example, in 1978 non-alcoholic malt beer was already being exported to the Middle East. Demand for this type of beer has grown rapidly in other regions as well. Bavaria Malt is currently one of the most popular malt beers.

In the early 1990s

Bavaria began to export premium varieties to the CIS countries, and the Bavaria brand became one of the two leading brands in the prestigious import segment on the Russian market.

The barley is processed in the company's own malt houses in Lieshut and Eemshaven in the northern part of the Netherlands. These two malts with production capacity 240.

000 tons per year appeared as a result of the formation of a joint venture between Bavaria and the association of farmers Agrifirm. Together they form the company Holland Malt (Dutch Malt).

Since the malting capacity is much larger than is necessary for production, a significant part is exported to other breweries around the world.

Beer review Bavaria

Discovering the variety of alcoholic beverages that today is ready to charm everyone modern market, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy the Dutch flavor.

The intoxicating of this region has its own authentic nature, which allowed it to easily imprint in the hearts of a multi-million audience of connoisseurs of foamy alcoholic products.

• Bavaria beer is an excellent example of the region's trademarks. This is a Dutch foam made according to a traditional recipe that is almost 400 years old.
• Although the drinks of this brand are not full of impressive variety, they are considered one of the best, because they hide the genuine nature of freedom and excellent taste.
• Did you know? According to the figures for 2016, Bavaria NV produced more than 7 million deciliters of its intoxicating beer.

Tasting characteristics

Bavaria beer is an alcohol that you will definitely remember. These drinks have already managed to win the favor of a multi-million audience of intoxicating connoisseurs from all over the world.

And this is not surprising, because each representative of the range is based on its own unique recipe developed many decades ago.

As for the composition of the products, depending on the recipe, it may contain barley malt, maltose syrup, roasted malt extract, barley and other hop products. The strength of drinks is in the range from 0% to 8.6%.

Color

Choosing alcohol directly for your tasting evening, you will get acquainted with products of brown color and pale gold with a variety of shades. Each representative of the line is individual.

Aroma

Aromatic indicators of modern hops show caramel, malt and fruity notes.

Taste

The gastronomic base emerges with a multifaceted taste, in which chocolate, fruit and malt notes can be heard.

How to choose the original intoxicating

When choosing alcohol in a store in your city, try to be extremely careful, as the market is systematically replenished with counterfeit goods.

Today, fakes can be found on almost any eminent brand of dark and light beer, and the Dutch Bavaria in this case was no exception.

In particular, in order not to miscalculate and choose a really tasty and aromatic drink, we recommend that you rely on the following nuances during the acquisition process:

• Score. Buy branded Bavaria in specialized alcohol stores, where quality certificates can be provided to the client. Do not trust small grocery stores and stalls. According to statistics, it is in such places that you can most often find counterfeit or expired products.
• The structure of the liquid. Before you go to the checkout with the selected bottles of alcohol, study the consistency of the intoxicating one. It should be spotlessly clean, without turbidity and sediment. Any neoplasms in beer are unacceptable, and they can be both a sign of the poor quality of the ingredients used, and the result of improper storage or transportation of foam.
• Decor. The appearance of the container also plays a significant role. Beer Bavaria today is bottled both in cans and in bottles. At the same time, the company responsibly ensures that each of its products carries exclusively premium quality. Therefore, on the original packaging you will never find dents, streaks of glue or paint, glass chips, uneven labels and other signs of a factory defect.

Did you know? Today, Bavaria can be found in more than 130 countries around the world.

How to serve

In order to feel the solid flavor of the aromatic and taste indicators of the branded Dutch hoppy, try to rely on classical principles tastings.

Dark beer, as well as light representatives of the assortment, demonstrate high foam, which is why they should be poured slowly into tall glasses at an angle of 45 degrees.

In addition, attention must be paid to the temperature of the feed. It should be extremely low, approximately 5-8 degrees. It is with such indicators that the consistency of the hop takes on a balanced character, excluding the possibility of the appearance of unpleasant sharp aromas and chaotic aftertastes.

What products are combined with

In order to extend the tasting period as much as possible and get the best impressions from it in the same coin, do not forget about gastronomic accompaniment.

Practice shows that the Dutch beer Bavaria is absolutely unpretentious for snacks, but at the same time, experienced tasters recommend serving it with foie gras, smoked ham, tapas and blue cheeses.

Other uses

If the tasting of branded Bavaria did not bring you the desired satisfaction and multifaceted colors, we recommend trying this alcohol as part of original cocktails.

Due to its unobtrusive structure, the foam goes well with a large number of ingredients, allowing you to create delicious and memorable mixes.

Beer-based cocktails, which are especially popular in the world's leading bars, clubs and restaurants, include Diesel, Bishop, Hoof Kick, White Cocktail and Cranes.

What are the types of this drink

If you take a closer look at the assortment of Bavaria, you will discover a range of drinks that every beer connoisseur should try. These should include:

• Bavaria Premium. Golden-straw product with a sweet aroma of malt, flowers, wheat, wild rice and hops. Taste indicators are based on a combination of hops with lemon and herbs.
• Beer Bavaria Non-alcoholic. A golden drink, in the aroma of which the dominant note is assigned to plumes of malt, apples, herbs and gentle hops. Gastronomic indicators are based on the gradually revealing aftertaste of barley malt and apples.
• Beer Bavaria Dark. Dark brown alcohol with fragrant aromas of fruits, hops and malt. Taste ambitions are expressed by a combination of notes of creamy chocolate, plum and brown sugar.
• Bavaria 8.6 Original. Strong hoppy with expressive aromas of anise, grain, dried fruits and apples. The taste is built on rich notes of licorice and caramel.

History reference

Beer Bavaria is a benchmark of Dutch intoxicating. This trademark owned by Bavaria NV, today a subsidiary of Swinkels Family Breweries NV.

Bavaria NV is an exclusively family business whose history can be traced back to 1680. Today, the company is managed exclusively by relatives, representatives of the 7th generation of Swinkels.

As of 2016, the licensed production of drinks under the Bavaria brand was organized not only in Holland, but also in South Africa and Russia.

Did you know? Bavaria Pilsner won a bronze medal at the 2017 Australian International Beer Awards.

Enjoy alcohol with the best tasting characteristics

Whatever types of beer you explore and whatever brands you turn your attention to, the first acquaintance with Bavaria is guaranteed to give you the desired new experience.

These drinks, made according to an old recipe from the best ingredients, have a non-trivial taste and are able to give their unforgettable mood.

Turning to the assortment of a well-known company, you can find intoxicating drinks both for personal home tastings after hard working days, and for mass festivities where alcohol can be consumed in its pure form and as a basis for creating delicious cocktails.

Visit your nearest liquor store today to purchase a few bottles of signature Bavaria hoppy. Enjoy the best intoxicating.

What beer to drink in Bavaria?

Of course, we associate Bavaria with Bavarian beer. However, it would be nice to know more about it and navigate better.

There are approximately 1,250 breweries in Germany, both small and large. Half of them are located in Bavaria. Half of the Bavarian breweries are located in the Franconia region. This region is inhabited not by the descendants of the Bavarians, but by the Franks, and there their own culinary habits and traditions. Franconia includes, for example, the cities of Würzburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Bayreuth, Kulmbach.

Ethnic Bavarians live in the so-called Old Bavaria (Lower and Upper Bavaria, and the Palatinate). This is, of course, Munich, Rosenheim, Regensburg. The third ethnic region of Bavaria is the Bavarian Swabians: the cities of Augsburg, Memmingen, Kempten. At the beginning of the 19th century, just part of the land inhabited by the Swabians fell under the Bavarian crown. They also have their own traditions and, of course, their own beer, closer to Swabian, of course.

There are about 3,500 brands of beer in Germany

So what everyone should know:

— A self-respecting traveler does not drink bottled beer! They drink what is often referred to by the ridiculous term "live beer".

Live beer does not run anywhere, it does not have to be cloudy unpasteurized at all (why do you not understand what unfermented yeast is in your stomach?). Ideally, it is drunk where it was brewed - at the brewery.

It is less prestigious and cool if its beer is bottled from a keg. But drinking bottled beer is no good!

• The Brauhaus usually sells its own draft beer. You shouldn't expect more than 4 brewed beers from him, and sometimes even one. But they come to the Brownhouse just for him!
• - A brewery whose beer is sold on tap from a keg is usually marked everywhere in Germany in front of the entrance of any institution (well, except for Turkish ones). As a rule, several varieties of bottled beer are also sold, just to expand the range. But I repeat: drink bottled "not comme il faut»!
• - There are special establishments with great choice varieties of beer (from a hundred or more). However, ordinary establishments do not strive for such an expansion of the range. In Germany, it is generally accepted to drink draft beer of the particular city or town in which you are.
• - Many beers in Bavaria are seasonal, or they are usually drunk seasonally.
• - Bavarian types of beer and Bavarian tastes are very different from common German ones.
• - The cuisine is determined by the type of establishment you have chosen.

Brahaus Hofbräu in Munich at night

Bavarian and Franconian types of beer, basic, seasonal and special.

Bavarian tastes are very different from the rest. Compared to the rest of Germany, Bavarians drink much less pilsner (no more than 25% versus 75% in the north of the country). Moreover, both they and the Swabians will have softer pilsners than in the north and in Berlin.

And although pilsner or pils (they are the same thing, invented by a Bavarian who came to the Czech Republic), this type of beer cannot be considered Bavarian. Like the other, second most common type of Dortmund beer, it is export.

Thus beer Bavaria and the rest of Germany are different!

The main types of beer in Bavaria.

It is easy to get confused with the types of beer and the designation of Bavarian beer. All beer brewed in Bavaria is Bavarian. It's official. However, in Germany, the label is supposed to indicate the type of beer (well, as we write pork or beef). And therefore the two main types of the Bavarian type had to be renamed.

Now it is the Munich type of beer: Münchner hell (Munich light) and Münchner dunkel (Munich dark). In both, the malt determines the taste, both are slightly bitter, and both accompany food well. But if you're not in the mood to dine/then they're so-so on their own.. We expect a more pronounced taste from the Bavarian beer.

Sometimes, if the water is harder, the beer type is brewed coarser and closer to the Dortmund export type. Often it is referred to as Urtyp (urtyup, that is, the original, ancient prototype).

Seasonal types of beer in Bavaria.

• - maibok, brewed from the end of April and all of May. This is a high-alcohol lager beer, with a lot of carbon dioxide;
• - all summer - the season of Weizen or Weisse wheat beer (they are one and the same), they drink it in large glasses of 0.5 liters each, the beer smells a little of kvass;
• - In summer, Bavarians love to mix beer more than in other parts of Germany: a mixture of light beer with lemonade - radler, a mixture of wheat beer with lemonade - Russ. But anything gets in the way: with mineral water with gas, with juices ... It's customary, and it's not bad to drink in the heat.
• - in addition, in the summer, the Bavarians brew the usual weaker beer, such as landbier (rural) ..
• - from mid-September to the end of October in Munich they drink Oktoberfest beer or Wiesenbier. This is a very special beer, it is dark golden, high-alcohol and Vienna type and is made from caramelized malt.

Many consider it the best type of beer in general. In other parts of Bavaria, this or a similar beer is called Märzen (March), regardless of the dates. It simply means that it has been aged since March (in the old days, today it is just a type of beer).

It has a lot of taste, the beer is saturated, the high-alcohol amount of carbon dioxide is average.

• - Franconia, from September to October, golden and dark sides are brewed for special holidays (kermez and other local dates).
• - from November to March, they brew Christmas Weinachtsbier, a rare double wheat - Doppelboekweizen, strong Starkbier. Overall, this is a dark and high-alcohol beer. But in this type of beer, alcohol is often poorly bound - it even smells of alcohol.
• - from March to April in Bavaria, beer ending in ator- is brewed. This is a powerful dark doppelbock, less often a golden bock. The most famous brand is Salvator, and the most famous one, which only “selected” establishments receive, is the festive salvator, which is even richer and stronger.

Special types of beer in Bavaria.

There are many original types and brands of beer in Franconia. So, for example, a very famous smoked malt beer in Bamberg. In Lichtenfels, Steinbier is brewed - a red-hot stone is thrown at it and a caramel flavor appears.

German beer brands.

The best varieties German beer. Top 10 most popular beer brands in Germany:

1. Oettinger
2. Krombacher
3. bitburger
4. Beck's
5. Warsteiner
6. Hasseröder
7. Veltins
8. Paulaner
9. Radeberger
10. Erdinger

German beer brands number in the hundreds. Among the endless number of varieties of foamy drink that are produced in German cities, there are world-famous ones, and there are those that are known only in two neighboring quarters. We have compiled a list of the most popular brands, those who sell beer more than others in Germany.

Some breweries made it to the top 10 thanks to the investments of multinational corporations, others - due to long-term traditions, some - due to effective and rational marketing. But in all cases, behind the top ten numbers of the best-selling brands of German beer is always a high-quality drink, proven by decades and even centuries of daily consumption by such demanding connoisseurs as the Germans.

And what the Germans understand about beer is beyond doubt. For the German people, beer is one of the symbols of self-identification. Both in relation to their federal state and to the whole country, the Germans see beer as a product that unites the nation.

Brands of German beer: features of different types

The most popular varieties among the Germans were pilsners. The name comes from the Czech city of Pilsen, where beer has been produced since the 13th century, but the variety that made this city famous all over the world appeared in the middle of the 19th century. Plzeň is located in Bohemia, very close to Germany, so that the local methods of brewing quickly spread to German territories and gained a foothold among the Germans.

german pilsners(sometimes written with a soft sign - pilsners) have a light golden color and a mild hop aroma. The malt in them is slightly more noticeable than in regular lagers, that is, bottom-fermented varieties, which include the pilsners themselves. And German brands contain slightly more hops than similar Czech varieties.

There are other popular brands of German beer. For example, various kelsh(Kölsch) have been produced for centuries in the western part of Germany. The birthplace of this variety is the city of Cologne. Kelseys have a sweet malty flavor with a distinct fruity and yeasty aroma due to the initial top fermentation.

The 19th century brought to Germany from England the fashion for a new type of beer - ale. Bavarian ales were the answer of German brewers to the craving for British drink that swept the country. Munich adapted ales to their taste. Bavarian ales have taken on a more straw color and taste different from English ones.

Before ales entered the German beer scene, dark dunkelbiers(Dunkelbier). Dunkels have reddish and brown hues and are noticeably sweeter than other brands.

There are strong varieties under the name side(Bock). They are characterized by a strength of 6% alcohol, and some doppelbocks reach up to 12-13%. These varieties use additional malt in the preparation, resulting in a caramel flavor with a pronounced malt base.

Finally, there are brands of German beer that are made from wheat, the so-called weissbier(Weißbier) or white beer. Weissbiers are light straw to white in color and are often sold unfiltered by manufacturing companies.

There are a variety of white beer recipes around the world. For example, in Belgium they are boiled with coriander and orange peel. But typically Bavarian weissbiers have a noticeable fruity aroma of banana, cloves, as well as a slight, like a medicinal fragrance.

These types and brands of German beer are produced and popular in the capital of world brewing - Germany. Of course, here we have named the features of only some species. The best way to understand their recipe, aroma and taste is, of course, to compare in practice. We hope that our notes will be useful to you in this matter.

Related articles Germany, Berlin and beer

Many probably know that beer is an integral part of German culture.. This drink can be called almost national for Germany. German beer is famous for its rich variety of varieties and flavors. But at the same time, in the manufacture, manufacturers follow a single standard - the "decree on the purity of beer", which will be discussed below. As for the amount of intoxicating drink consumed per capita, the Germans are second only to the inhabitants of the Czech Republic and Austria. Despite this, they far outperform representatives of other countries of the world, including Russia. Let's take a closer look at the beer culture in Germany and the main types of German beer.

A bit of history

For the first time this intoxicating drink was mentioned on the territory of Bavaria. This reference refers to the year 736. And after 30 years, an officially certified letter appeared - an agreement on the supply of products from the city of Geisingen to the St. Gallen temple. Having appeared in Bavaria, the love for beer gradually began to spread throughout the state. Trade began to develop, and in parallel with this, there was a need to somehow unify production, set prices and quality standards. In addition, the German government tried to reduce the cost of wheat, which was very valuable, by forcing brewers to make a drink from cheap barley.

In 1516, the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV issued the famous decree "On the purity of beer", which the brewers had to sign. The list of ingredients was limited to only barley malt, hops and water. Some time later, this list was replenished with brewer's yeast.

Varieties and types of German beer

German wheat beer includes the following varieties:

Light varieties of German beer:

Dark German beers:

German unfiltered beer

All unfiltered lagers in Germany have their own name - Kellerbier. At the same time, they can differ greatly from each other in terms of strength and color. There is also a sort of light sparkling unfiltered beer called Zwickelbier. It is worth noting that this variety is rarely exported to other countries, therefore it is popular only in Germany. The fortress of Zvikelbir does not exceed 5%. Previously, this name was given to the first portion of an unfiltered drink, which was sampled from a barrel by the owner of the brewery.

Other types of German intoxicating

In addition to the above, there are several more categories of intoxicating drink:

• Biobeer is a beer that is made only from natural ingredients of organic origin without the use of any additives.
• Rauchbier is often referred to as a "smoked" drink that is produced in Bamberg. The drink has a pronounced smoky flavor. The fortress is 5%.
• Festbeer is made exclusively for various festivals.
• Christmas, as a rule, is supplied with various spices and is distinguished by its red color. The strength of the drink is 6-7.5%.

The most popular brands of German intoxicating

And now let's look at the best-selling beer brands from Germany:

How to drink

Many Germans claim that drinking an intoxicating drink is a real art.. In this case, it is necessary to adhere to several clear rules that have been passed down from one generation to another since the Middle Ages.

First of all, it is worth noting that this drink is not consumed from glass bottles.. For an intoxicating drink, you need to choose a special glass, which is chosen with particular scrupulousness. Let's look at the most important rules for drinking German intoxicating:

Despite this, each person consumes the intoxicating drink in their own way, so drink it the way you like it. The main thing here is to stop on time.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that German beer must be well experienced.. According to statistics, half of the Germans who drink beer drink it for one reason - they like the taste of the drink itself. The rest of the inhabitants drink intoxicating drinks for company or just to relax and get drunk. German beer can be called a real asset in a deep and interesting history. And we, the inhabitants of Russia, must learn the culture of drinking this alcoholic drink from the founders of brewing.

Attention, only TODAY!

In Germany there is a wide variety of varieties beer, both distributed only regionally, and sold throughout the country.

Story

In Germany, for the first time in 736, in the Bavarian Geisenfeld, they talked about a special “barley juice”.

In 766, in the world's first beer letter, an agreement was signed on the delivery of beer from the city of Geisingen to the monastery of St. Gallen. Monasteries played an important role in the production of beer in the Middle Ages. Many well-known brands of beer today are named after religious orders, such as Paulaner (Paulans) or Franziskaner (Franciscans). At first, beer was brewed only in southern Germany, later it became so popular that it began to be produced throughout the country.

On April 23, 1516, the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV issued a decree on the purity of beer, which has been in force throughout Germany since 1919. The decree states that only malt, hops, yeast and water are allowed to be used to make beer. The world's first food quality law was born. In 1906, the law was extended to the entire German Empire and remained in force until 1987. Since then, it is allowed to import beer that does not meet the standards proclaimed in the Quality Law, if its ingredients are indicated.

1888 in Munich there were riots and outrages due to minor increases in the price of beer. At the same time, in the taverns, the guests behaved in such a way that neither the tables nor the chairs remained intact. These events went down in history under the name salvatorschlacht(battle at the Salvator brewery).

Also, the events of 1923 in Bavaria, known as the "Beer Putsch".

Types of beer

On the right is unfiltered wheat beer (Hefeweizen), on the left is filtered beer (Kristallweizen)

• Pilsner(German Pils or Pilsener) - bottom-fermented beer. It is more or less bitter and contains between 4 and 4.8% alcohol. It is sold throughout Germany, but especially in Northern Germany. For the first time this type of beer was brewed in Bohemia in the city of Pilsen on October 5, 1842.
• Wheat beer (Weizen, Weissbier)(German: Weizen, Weissbier) - fermented top-fermented wheat beer with an alcohol content of 5 to 5.4%. Brewed from a mixture of wheat and barley malt, it has a fruity, spicy taste and is common especially in southern Germany. This is usually a cloudy (unfiltered) beer. Varieties: dark wheat beer (Dunkelweizen, German Dunkelweizen), filtered wheat beer (Kristallweizen, German Kristallweizen).
• Altbier(German Altbier or short alt) got its name from the Latin word altus (above). During fermentation, the yeast remains at the top. So it's a top fermented beer. Has a hop flavor. Like Pilsner, Alt contains about 4.8% alcohol. His "homeland" is Düsseldorf and the lower reaches of the Rhine.
• Kölsch(German Kölsch) is the name of a special beer brewed in the city of Cologne. This top-fermented beer has a slightly bitter taste with a hint of hops. Alcohol content 4.8%.
• Black beer (Schwarzbier)(German: Schwarzbier) is named after its color. Bottom-fermented beer has 4.8 to 5% alcohol. Originally made in East Germany. But if we talk about the historical origin of this variety, then this is nothing more than Steiger beer - a drink of mountain craftsmen (steigers) in silver mines in the mountainous regions of Thuringia, Saxony and Franconia, where legends about dwarf treasures and mysterious mountain caves on forest slopes were born . This beer possessed, according to the masters, magical properties. After the unification of Germany, the Schwarzbier variety experienced a real renaissance, and now it is brewed far beyond the borders of Thuringia and other mountainous regions. For example, the new Berlin brand is called "peasant" beer, that is, a drink that gives strength to hard working people.
• Berliner Weisse(German: Berliner Weiße) has a slightly sour taste. The alcohol content is 2.8%, which is very low for beer. Top-fermented beer is produced in Berlin.
• Export(German Export)
• Light beer (Halles)(German Helles)
• Bock beer, bock(German Bock, Bockbier) - strong beer with an alcohol content of about 6-10%. Varieties: doppel-bock (German Doppelbock), May-bock (German Maibock), Weizen-bock (German Weizenbock), ice-bock (German Eisbock)
• Zwickelbier or Kellerbier(German Zwickelbier or Zwickl, Kellerbier) is a cloudy unfiltered and unpasteurized natural beer, usually a lager type. Due to the absence of filtration and purification, it contains more yeast and has a higher nutritional value than other beers. Such beer is often not bottled, but served fresh in beer gardens.
• Rauchbier(German Rauchbier) - dark beer with a "smoked" taste
• Rye beer (Roggenbier)(German: Roggenbier)
• March beer (Märzen) (German: Märzen, Märzenbier)
• Festbeer(German Festbier) - a beer brewed in autumn especially for folk festivals such as Oktoberfest
• Christmas beer (Weinachtsbier)(German: Weihnachtsbier) is a beer brewed especially for folk festivals such as Christmas. As a rule, it is stronger than March beer (German Märzenbier), and in terms of strength it approaches Bock-beer (German Bock, Bockbier). The alcohol content of beer varies from 6 to 7.5%. As a rule, weinachtsbier has a dark red color. This type of beer can be attributed to the Festbier, which is traditionally brewed in Bavaria from November to March.

see also

• Oktoberfest
• Czech beer
• Belgian beer

Links

• Website "All about German beer" (in German)
• Website "German Beer - History, Articles, Varieties, Brands, Photos" (German)

Hi all! Today I have an unusual post on my blog. Andrey contacted me a few days ago. It so happened that he has been living and working in Germany for 8 years, and recently he has been reading my blog. This morning he sent me an article on the history and culture of brewing in this country by mail. I am pleased to publish the article and recommend reading it. It lists the main varieties and brands of German beer and touches a bit on the topic of the well-known law "On the Purity of Beer".

Hello readers, my name is Andrey and I would like to tell you a little about such a well-known country in the beer world as Germany. For some, the beer culture of this country delights, while others consider it very boring. However, I think many will be interested to learn a little new about the varieties produced in this ancient area.

A bit of history

It is traditionally believed that the Germans began to brew beer many thousands of years ago, and after some time, they taught this art to their neighbors - the Czechs. The vast majority of German beers that you can still buy today have been brewed in Germany for 700-1000 years. In the Middle Ages, various monasteries traditionally engaged in brewing, but now almost all beer is produced in modern breweries.

In 1516, the country passed the legendary law "on the purity of beer", or Reinheitsgebot. This law consisted of many different rules, but the most famous of them is the ban on the use of any ingredients in brewing except barley malt, hops, and water. The Germans are still very proud of this law, and even now in Germany, almost every bottle of beer, regardless of brand, says "brewed according to the beer purity law." Many beer experts believe that all these "beer restrictions" have only ruined the development of many beer varieties. I also agree with this statement.

Main types of beer

Well, now let's talk a little about the beers that have remained until this time.

Pale lager

• Helles

The most popular, and at the same time the simplest beer. Helles, or “light”, is sold almost everywhere, and is served in almost all establishments. An ordinary light lager, from which you should not expect much taste delight. The beer was first brewed by the famous Bavarian brewery Spaten in the 19th century. Initially, lovers of Bavarian beer did not take this variety very well, but it quickly took root, and now it occupies a leading position in consumption. Helles has a color from "hay" to "golden" hue. On the palate, you can feel a moderate malt base as well as a pleasant bitterness. Classical representatives of "light" are Spaten, Augustiner Helles, Paulaner Hell, etc.

• pilsner

Although pilsner is traditionally considered a Czech beer, it is still a very popular style in Germany. Pilsner is a fairly simple but very interesting beer. An interesting fact is that the pilsners of the South and North of Germany are very different. A southern pilsner is called a pilsner. This is a relatively "soft" beer (compared to its northern counterpart). Northern pilsners are called pils. They are more "tough" and bitter. Good representatives of the pilsner are Weinstephan Pils, Jever Pilsner, Radeberger Pilsner.

• Oktoberfestbeer

I think the name of the beer speaks for itself. This beer in Germany is served at Oktoberfest. Also during Oktoberfest (± 1 month) the bottled version is sold in most supermarkets. This is a relatively young variety, less than 200 years old. It is also called "märzen" (March), because the beer is brewed in March, rests for half a year in the cellars, and is completely drunk by October. The drink has an increased density, and the alcohol content is 5.5-6%. The taste of Märzen is very bright malty, and there is only a little hops. In Bavaria, only the Bavarian breweries Spaten, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, Löwenbräu are represented at the Oktoberfest itself. Others are not allowed to participate.

dark lager

• Dunkel

The name of this style is translated as "dark". The color is often dark brown, although there are also various shades of dark red, and so on. The fortress usually varies within 4-6%. The beer has almost no aroma, and the taste is dominated by malt notes and light hop bitterness. Now the dunkel is not as popular as it used to be, although they still drink it quite a lot. The most famous representatives are Warsteiner Dunkel, Augustiner Dunkel, Ayinger Dunkel.

• Schwarzbier

Although visually similar to a dunkel, Schwarzbier is a very different beer. The taste is balanced by coffee and chocolate tones, light smoke, and pleasant hop bitterness. Schwarzbier used to be a regional variety, and only relatively recently has it become widespread. Often, beer has a strength of about 5%. The most famous representative is Köstritzer.

• Bock, doppelbock, and icebock

Bock is a strong aged German beer. The dark side is best known, although there is also a light side (maybock / hellesbock). Bock begins to be brewed at the end of the Oktoberfest, and by December it already reaches the desired condition. Usually the strength of the side is about 5.5-8%. The drink also warms up well. The taste is dominated by caramel-fruit tones.

Doppelbock is a higher ABV version of bock (7-13%). This drink has almost no foam, and alcohol notes are very often found in the aroma. The most famous bock is the Paulaner Salvator.

An icebock is a side in which water is frozen out, resulting in a thicker, stronger, and fuller beer.

• Kellerbier

Although I classify this beer as a dark lager, it has a cloudy amber color, possibly with a reddish tinge. This is a cask unfiltered and unpasteurized lager that has a pleasant yeasty and bready taste. Medium-strength beer (4.5-5.5%), and you need to drink it fresh.

El

• Weissbier

Weissbier is a classic German wheat beer. It was first brewed many thousands of years ago, and it wasn't until the 18th century that it began to lose popularity a little when light and dark lagers began to be mass-produced. The beer is very dense, with a beautiful foam, and often has aromas of cloves, chewing gum and banana. The taste usually contains the same accents as in the aroma, but a pleasant sourness and “breadiness” are added to them. Unlike other styles of beer, Weissbier has very few hops.

Weissbier is also dark, the color is achieved by adding dark and caramel malts, which, in turn, give the beer a slightly burnt flavor.

Crystalweiss is a filtered version of Weissbier. Not a very popular variety, although it is quite easy to find in Germany.

• Weizenbock

A stronger version of the wheat beer, with a less beautiful head and a darker hue than the classic Weissbier. But it has a more interesting and spicy taste. The fortress is usually 8-9%. This beer has many craft variations, but Weihenstephaner Vitus is considered the most famous and reference.

Weizenisbock is an even stronger and spicier analogue of icebock.

• Altbier

A very old rare variety with interesting hop and malt notes. You can try this drink in its historical homeland - in Düsseldorf. It is altbier that is considered the "great-grandfather" of modern American amber ale.

• Kölsch

Kölsch is a refreshing summer light pale ale from western Germany, more specifically from Cologne itself and the surrounding area. Kölsch is a patented trademark, so the original of this drink is produced only in its historical homeland.

• Dampfbier

Steam beer from the southeast of Bavaria. The drink is a lightly hopped barley ale with a powerful malt flavor.

• Roggenbier

Quite a rare beer, similar to Weizen. A feature of this variety is that the grist consists of 30% rye malt. The strength of this beer is about 5%. Wolnzacher Roggenbier can be called a prominent representative.

• Rauchbier

Rauchbier is a whole family different varieties beer, the malt of which is processed with smoke, due to which the beer has a bright smoky-smoked taste. Not everyone likes this drink, although it has its adherents. Schlenkerla from the city of Bamberg is considered the standard of rachbier.

beer drinks

• Malzbier

Maltsbier is a low-alcohol analogue of our kvass. The drink is quite sweet and viscous. The fortress is only 0.5% percent. And it still counts as beer. Moreover, not just beer, but very useful beer. Maltsbier is recommended to drink even for children and pregnant women.

• Radler

Radler is a low-alcohol mixture of light beer and lemonade. The proportion when mixing is about 50 to 50. The fortress is only 2-2.5%. In modern Germany, this drink is produced by most of the major beer companies.

If radler is a mixture of lager and lemonade, then russ is a mixture of wheat beer and lemonade in the same proportions. According to legend, Russ got its name in honor of Russian emigrants who worked in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century.

This concludes my story. Good luck.

Andrey B. Especially for the vinodela.ru blog

What beer lover hasn't heard of Munich's famous Oktoberfest, which traditionally takes place in autumn on Theresa Meadow? Millions of fans of the foamy drink in national costumes gather in the capital of Bavaria to indulge in the atmosphere of unrestrained fun for several weeks, enjoy the abundance of beer and feel the motives of the folk songs of the festival. The Wine Enthusiast edition tells about the rich traditions of Bavarian brewing, which have been created by local craftsmen for centuries. The names of the breweries Hofbräu, Paulaner, Spaten and Franziskaner are dear to many connoisseurs of true German beer, but you should not limit yourself to just famous names. Get acquainted with the main styles of Bavarian beer, which will not leave indifferent even sophisticated beer gourmets.

Let the Bavarians sneer a little at the Americans' obsession with the newfangled craft brewing culture. They've been in business for a long time and know a thing or two about beer. In Bavaria, knowledge of beer styles and production technology began to be systematized in 1516, and the famous “Beer Purity Law” (Reinheitsgebot) in a slightly modified form still has its power. The capital of Bavaria is home to the Oktoberfest, in which Munich's breweries put up their tents (from small tents to huge pavilions) and pour thousands of mugs of beer. The main specialty of the festival is March beer (Märzen) with a slightly increased strength, which is brewed by every self-respecting production. For Oktoberfest 2017, the German brand Adidas even released special “beer-proof” sneakers that are not afraid of numerous beer splashes and other traces of fun. This year the festival runs from September 16 to October 3. Here is a guide to 7 classic German beers that you can find in stores around the world if you couldn't get to the glorious city of Munich.

Rauhbier.

In German, “rauch” means smoke, and the beer of this name has a special smoky note. The malt for the production of this variety is literally smoked on open fire, after which such a strong aroma and taste of smoked meats is clearly distinguished in the beer that it is compared with real bacon. The birthplace of Rauchbier is the Bavarian city of Bamberg, where it has been known since the 1500s. One of the most original malt-based drinks.

Hefeweizen/Weissbier.

“Yeast wheat beer” or simply “wheat beer” is not exclusive to Bavaria, but it is here that it is presented in all its variety and the Bavarians have learned how to make it really well. The addition of a large serving of malted or unmalted wheat, instead of the usual malted barley base, makes this cloudy pale beer sweet, creamy and incredibly refreshing. Fans of hefeweizen distinguish typical notes of banana and cloves in hefeweizens.

Helles.

On March 21, 1894, the Munich brewery Spaten loaded a cask of their first Helles onto a ship to Hamburg, heralding the emergence of a new beer style. The word “helles” means something bright, and the beer itself turns out to match it - light, with a transparent golden color. Bavarian helles are usually dry and crispy, with a moderate malty aroma and a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.

Pils.

Despite the fact that the Pils variety (Pilsner/Pilsner) got its name from the name of the Western Bohemian city of Pilsen (the region bordering Bavaria, which is part of the Czech Republic), the Bavarian brewer is considered its creator. Effervescent, with a rich hop flavor that gradually softens into a dry aftertaste, Pilsner can be considered the most popular beer in the world. Look for Bavarian or craft examples of this strain, but beware of the mass-market Pils, which can be loaded with completely unnecessary corn.

Dunkelweizen.

This dark (dunkel = dark) ale features a malty flavor with a slight bitterness, fruit, toast and burnt sugar notes traditionally associated with dark beer. This variety is made with the addition of barley and wheat. Dunkelweizen was one of the first styles of beer to enter the regulated German classification.

Kellerbier.

Of all the German beers, this one will be hard to find. The name literally means “beer from the cellar”, as this variety matures in cool cellars. Very often Kellerbier is poured to guests directly from the barrel. A deep amber color with little or no carbonation, unfiltered Kellerbier stands out for its bright hop-malt flavor and clean aftertaste.

The history of Bavaria beer begins almost 300 years ago, in 1719. Then the Dutchman Lavrentius Mures set up a tiny beer factory on his farm in the Netherlands. His brainchild grew year after year. So, the grandson of Lavrentius, Jan Swinkles, took up brewing in earnest. The Swinkles even had to build another plant, as production grew with the market.

By the way, all these years Bavaria has remained a family affair.

The main milestones of the company's development:

1719

The distillery provides beer to the people of Lieshout and their neighbors.

1764

Marriage of Ambrosius (son): Beginning of the Swinkles family brewing dynasty.

1924

Johannes Swinkles builds a new brewery to expand production. It is here that the technology for the production of "light" beer, pure Pilsner, is introduced. The brand "Bavaria" appears.

It was one of the first breweries to produce bottled beer. And yes, a beer bottling plant was built right there.

1937

Appears own enterprise for the production of malt. This allowed Bavaria to guarantee the consistently high quality of the beer produced here.

1970

Beer Bavaria begins to be exported on a large scale.

1978

Release of the world's first non-alcoholic beer at the Bavaria plant.

1989

Bavaria begins to be sold in Russia.

1990

Obtaining a patent for absolutely non-alcoholic beer.

2010

Bavaria has become a strong and independent brand, sold in 130 countries worldwide.

Bayern is one of the sponsors of the FIFA World Cup.

2017

Bavaria now is 580 million liters of beer a year! It is one of the five largest breweries in Europe. True, in Holland it will still be the second largest after the famous Heineken.

Bavaria is now the world's largest supplier of malt.

By the way, there were questions about what Dutch beer is called as a region of Germany. There were many disputes on this issue, which were already resolved in court. Only in 2013 did the European Court rule that Bavaria from the Netherlands was right. And you know, it was pure coincidence.

And now, what is curious, now the Germans do not even have the right to call their beer Bavarian, although this is their original territory. The Dutch were just quicker and registered their name earlier. Well, really, does it ever occur to you that the name of your territory can be encroached upon? "Yes, nonsense!" - You say. “Who needs it anyway?”

As you can see, it is necessary.

Bavaria taught the whole world to drink non-alcoholic beer

The very idea of ​​non-alcoholic beer originated in Bavaria a long time ago. We can say that this beer was created for Muslims who do not drink alcohol. But I want a beer! Here in Bavaria they found a way out.

True, I had to experiment for 10 years before getting what I wanted. And by the way, to this day, Bavaria Malt is considered the most delicious non-alcoholic beer. Moreover, in the Netherlands itself, Bavaria Malt occupies two-thirds of the non-alcoholic beer market.

Bavaria in Russia

If you remember, the deliveries of Bavaria beer to Russia date back to 1989. At that time, great sales opportunities opened up for world manufacturers in Russia (if you remember, it was during the collapse of the USSR). The owner of Bavaria was one of the first to orient himself. Through dealers in East Germany, he signed several large contracts for the supply of beer to Russia.

Do you remember that it was the dashing 90s? The Dutch were then a little shocked by the manner of doing business with the Russians. Then it looked like this: Russian trucks drove into a plant in Holland, loaded, paid in cash and immediately left.

But still, then, as now, Bavaria beer was one of the most popular in our country, so the owner did not lose.

By the way, we are always afraid that beer produced in Russia is worse than a similar brand abroad. The only thing different about them is water. And yes, it can affect the final taste, but in no way does it affect the quality.

So feel free to buy Bavaria beer in Russia, besides, we are supplied from the Netherlands immediately prepared and bottled.

Many probably know that beer is an integral part of German culture.. This drink can be called almost national for Germany. German beer is famous for its rich variety of varieties and flavors. But at the same time, in the manufacture, manufacturers follow a single standard - the "decree on the purity of beer", which will be discussed below. As for the amount of intoxicating drink consumed per capita, the Germans are second only to the inhabitants of the Czech Republic and Austria. Despite this, they far outperform representatives of other countries of the world, including Russia. Let's take a closer look at the beer culture in Germany and the main types of German beer.

For the first time this intoxicating drink was mentioned on the territory of Bavaria. This reference refers to the year 736. And after 30 years, an officially certified letter appeared - an agreement on the supply of products from the city of Geisingen to the St. Gallen temple. Having appeared in Bavaria, the love for beer gradually began to spread throughout the state. Trade began to develop, and in parallel with this, there was a need to somehow unify production, set prices and quality standards. In addition, the German government tried to reduce the cost of wheat, which was very valuable, by forcing brewers to make a drink from cheap barley.

In 1516, the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV issued the famous decree "On the purity of beer", which the brewers had to sign. The list of ingredients was limited to only barley malt, hops and water. Some time later, this list was replenished with brewer's yeast.

Varieties and types of German beer

German wheat beer includes the following varieties:

Light varieties of German beer:

Dark German beers:

German unfiltered beer

All unfiltered lagers in Germany have their own name - Kellerbier. At the same time, they can differ greatly from each other in terms of strength and color. There is also a sort of light sparkling unfiltered beer called Zwickelbier. It is worth noting that this variety is rarely exported to other countries, therefore it is popular only in Germany. The fortress of Zvikelbir does not exceed 5%. Previously, this name was given to the first portion of an unfiltered drink, which was sampled from a barrel by the owner of the brewery.

Other types of German intoxicating

In addition to the above, there are several more categories of intoxicating drink:

• Biobeer is a beer that is made only from natural ingredients of organic origin without the use of any additives.
• Rauchbier is often referred to as a "smoked" drink that is produced in Bamberg. The drink has a pronounced smoky flavor. The fortress is 5%.
• Festbeer is made exclusively for various festivals.
• Christmas, as a rule, is supplied with various spices and is distinguished by its red color. The strength of the drink is 6-7.5%.

The most popular brands of German intoxicating

And now let's look at the best-selling beer brands from Germany:

How to drink

Many Germans claim that drinking an intoxicating drink is a real art.. In this case, it is necessary to adhere to several clear rules that have been passed down from one generation to another since the Middle Ages.

First of all, it is worth noting that this drink is not consumed from glass bottles.. For an intoxicating drink, you need to choose a special glass, which is chosen with particular scrupulousness. Let's look at the most important rules for drinking German intoxicating:

Despite this, each person consumes the intoxicating drink in their own way, so drink it the way you like it. The main thing here is to stop on time.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that German beer must be well experienced.. According to statistics, half of the Germans who drink beer drink it for one reason - they like the taste of the drink itself. The rest of the inhabitants drink intoxicating drinks for company or just to relax and get drunk. German beer can be called a real asset in a deep and interesting history. And we, the inhabitants of Russia, must learn the culture of drinking this alcoholic drink from the founders of brewing.