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Beer style
Pale lager
Pale, clean-fermented lager with restrained yeast character and a balance from soft malt to assertive hops.
Typical parameters
- Origin
- Central Europe
- Fermentation
- Bottom fermentation
- Alcohol
- 4–5.5% ABV
- Bitterness
- 15–40 IBU
- Colour
- 2–6 SRM
- Serving
- 4–7 °C
- Glassware
- Pilsner glass or seidel
Sensory profile
Appearance
Straw to gold, usually brilliant, with a persistent white head.
Aroma
Clean grain and bread notes; hop aroma ranges from low to clearly floral, herbal or spicy.
Flavour
Crisp fermentation, clean malt and a dry to softly rounded finish.
Mouthfeel
Light to medium body with medium to high carbonation.
Typical ingredients
Pale lager malt, lager yeast, water and European or modern aroma hops.
Food pairing
Schnitzel, grilled chicken, mild cheeses, sausages and fried foods.
History
Pale lager emerged after lightly kilned malt became available in the nineteenth century. Pilsner, Helles and related styles subsequently became the world’s dominant beer family.
How it is brewed
A clean fermentation requires healthy lager yeast, adequate oxygen at pitching and strict temperature control. Cold conditioning improves clarity and smoothness.