German Beer (Bier)
A national institution brewed under the 1516 Reinheitsgebot purity law — from Bavaria's pale Helles and wheat beers to Cologne's Kölsch and Düsseldorf's Altbier.
Region
Nationwide; Munich and Bavaria for the pale Helles lager tradition
Spice Level
(0/5)
Diet
Vegetarian
Where to Try
Beer gardens and brewhouses nationwide; Munich for Helles and Oktoberfest, Cologne for Kölsch.
Beer is a national institution in Germany, brewed for centuries under the Reinheitsgebot purity law of 1516 that limited ingredients to water, barley malt, hops, and (later) yeast. Styles are strongly regional: Bavaria pours the pale, malty Helles lager and cloudy Weissbier wheat beers, drunk by the litre (Maß) in Munich's beer gardens and at Oktoberfest; Cologne serves crisp Kölsch in small 0.2-litre glasses; and Düsseldorf its darker Altbier. Beer gardens, brewhouses, and festivals make sampling the local brew one of the most sociable parts of a German visit.