The main characteristic of Lager beers is their fermentation, which takes place between 7-13 C, resulting in a clear beer with a smooth flavour and a crisp finish. This low-temperature fermentation process (using Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast) lasts longer than Ale fermentation, producing a cleaner beer with fewer ester flavours.
They originated in Bavaria, Germany, in the fifteenth century. The word "lager" comes from the German "lagern", meaning to store, referring to the custom of maturing beer in cold caves or cellars during colder months. It has also found deep tradition and evolution in the Czech Republic, particularly with the creation of Pilsner in the city of Pilsen.
Within Lager styles we find the Pilsner, golden and with a distinctive hop flavour; the Helles, a softer lager from Munich; the Dunkel, a dark lager with malt, caramel and toffee flavours; the Bock, stronger and maltier, including substyles such as Maibock and Doppelbock; and the Marzen or Oktoberfest, a robust and malty beer traditionally brewed for the Oktoberfest festival in Munich.
The soul of world beer
When people talk about beer in general, most are thinking of Lagers, since this style represents a large part of the most popular and commercialised beers in the world.
Origin of the name "Lager"
The word "Lager" comes from German and means "warehouse" or "storage". The name refers to the cold maturation technique that Lager beers require, known as lagering. During the process, the beer is stored in cellars or cold caves for weeks or months, giving it its characteristic smoothness and clarity.
The Bavarian brewing revolution
The Lager style began to develop in Bavaria, Germany, during the fifteenth century. Bavarian brewers discovered that fermenting beer at colder temperatures and storing it for long periods produced a cleaner and more stable drink. This discovery was fundamental to the development of the Lager style, which eventually displaced top-fermented beers such as Ale in many parts of Europe.
Lager yeast: Saccharomyces pastorianus
The Lager beers use a different yeast from Ale beers. Lager yeast, known as Saccharomyces pastorianus, ferments at lower temperatures, around 7-13 C, slowing fermentation and producing cleaner beers with fewer fruity flavours than Ales. This yeast is a hybrid mixture of species that enables more efficient cold fermentation.
The development of pale beers: the birth of Pilsner
One of the most important variants of the Lager style is the Pilsner, which emerged in the city of Pilsen, in today's Czech Republic, in 1842. Local brewers, in collaboration with Bavarian brewer Josef Groll, used new malting technology that produced paler malts, together with Lager yeast and Saaz-region hops. The result was a clear, golden and refreshing beer that became an immediate success and gave rise to one of the world's most popular Lager variants.
What are the differences between a German Lager and a Czech Lager?
Czech Lagers have a slightly higher final gravity, a slightly fuller body and mouthfeel, and a more flavourful and slightly more complex profile. Czech lager yeast strains are not always as clean or as attenuative as German strains, which helps achieve the higher final gravity (together with decoction mashing methods and colder fermentation). Czech beers are traditionally brewed with decoction mashes (often double decoction), even with modern malts, while most modern German beers are brewed with a single-infusion or step mash. These differences define the richness, mouthfeel and flavour profile that distinguishes Czech lagers.
The global expansion of Lager
Lager beers spread rapidly beyond Germany and Czechoslovakia during the nineteenth century thanks to technological advances in refrigeration and transport. Breweries around the world, from the United States to Asia, adopted the Lager style because it was easy to store and transport. This type of beer became the basis for the large industrial breweries that dominate the global market today.
Lager vs Ale: the two great families
In the beer world, Lagers and Ales represent the two great families of beer styles, mainly differentiated by the type of yeast used and fermentation temperature. Lagers, fermented at low temperature, tend to be cleaner and smoother on the palate, while Ales, fermented at higher temperatures, usually have fruitier and more complex flavours.
The popularity of dark Lagers
Although pale Lagers such as Pilsners are the most common, there are also dark Lager varieties that are highly appreciated. Styles such as Dunkel, Schwarzbier and Bock come from Germany and Austria, and show roasted, caramelised and sometimes slightly sweet flavours, with a more robust body than their pale counterparts.
Craft Lager: a return to tradition
In recent decades, many craft breweries have returned to producing more authentic and complex versions of Lager, challenging the perception that they are simple or characterless beers. These craft Lagers focus on high-quality ingredients and longer fermentation and maturation processes, giving them a richer and more refined flavour profile.
Lagers and the Purity Law
German Lagers are deeply linked to the Reinheitsgebot or German Purity Law, enacted in 1516. This law stated that beer could only be made with three ingredients: water, barley malt and hops (yeast was not known at the time). Although today this law has been relaxed, many German breweries producing Lagers still proudly follow its principles, ensuring that their beers are pure and clean.
Lagers in the modern era: innovation continues
Although Lagers have a long history, today they remain a field of innovation for brewers. Different hops, malts and fermentation processes are explored to create hybrid Lagers or new versions of the style. In addition, some breweries are exploring spontaneous fermentation or barrel-ageing techniques, adding new dimensions to classic Lagers.
Buy craft Lager beers online
At Mascraft we select everything from traditional Helles and Pilsners to modern IPLs, always seeking that crisp balance and absolute drinkability . We guarantee strict cold storage in our facilities so their delicate and refreshing profile reaches your glass intact.
Often, people who are not craft beer drinkers expect to receive a Lager when they ask for "a beer", as it is the world's most popular style.
