When it comes to beer, few do it better than the Germans. In fact, German beer brewing gave rise to Europe's first food purity law in 1516, which states that only barley, malt, hops and water are allowed in the beer brewing process. A law that is still enforced today.
This article is your guide to German beers from Pilsner to Weißbier, Helles Lagers, Kölsh and many more! Unsure where to start? We've ranked the top 10 best Bavarian brews in the UK available online from Amazon, Tesco and Asda.
Quick List - Top German Beers
Weihenstephaner
Strong and Malty Weißbier for Pairing With Hearty Meals
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Table of Contents
Key Points to Consider
This style of beer was late to the party, having only been created in 1842 in Pilsen, then a German town, but now part of the Czech Republic. This type of beer generally has an ABV level between 4 – 5.2%.
Often considered a luxurious or classy beer, Pilsner is light-coloured with distinct hoppy notes and aromas, as well as a bitter taste. If you’re looking for something lighter, drier but still thirst-quenching, this should be right up your street!
Export lagers were initially created with the intention of being shipped overseas, and still being drinkable upon arrival, hence the name. The alcohol content of this beer is around 5% and you’ll likely have heard of the one which has garnered the highest international recognition, Becks.
Export lagers are known to have strong malt flavours, so if this is something you prefer, these may be the perfect choice for you.
Helles Lager is a beverage that is often consumed in large steins by the working class in cities such as Munich, Hamburg and Dortmund. It can come as either light or dark beer, depending on how the long the malt has been roasted.
It has high notes of malt, is less bitter and usually comes in between 4.5 – 5% ABV. This is the choice of those who are looking for something easy to drink, and very refreshing.
Looking for Lager? We've ranked the 10 best in the UK!
Known for its delicate and mildly fruity profile, Kölsh has a fermentation process that's a touch cooler than most other ales. It generally comes in around 5% and is an easy-drinking beer.
Fun fact, the name is protected within the EU, so only breweries situated within the city of Cologne can adorn their products with the well-respected Kölsh name. The beer tends to have strong hop flavours with a more mellow malt aftertaste.
Without doubt one of the most famous styles of German beer, wheat beer is available in three variations - Kristall (clear), Hefe (cloudy) and Dunkel (dark). The variation and hue of the beer is determined by the toasting process of the grains.
This style of beer is all about the yeast used, this produces strong banana and clove-like aromas. A word of warning, when it comes to pouring your wheat beer make sure take your time otherwise you could end up with masses of overflowing beer foam!
Similar to both Helles and Pilsner, this style of beer was traditionally brewed in March, hence why it is sometimes called Märzen, which is the German name for the month. This is because historically, German breweries were required to shut down over the summer as the warm weather caused the beer to spoil.
From the name you could probably guess that this beer is often served during the famous Munich Oktoberfest. This style of beer is not heavy on the hop, instead it has soft malty notes and a rich amber-brown colour, thanks to the nutty and toasty Munich malts.
Once you've sampled what Germany has to offer, why not check out some of the best craft beers from around the globe?
The next factor to consider is the ABV. This stands for alcohol by volume, and it lets you know how much alcohol (ethanol) is in your beverage. On the one hand, the more alcohol, the less you'll need to drink if you're after a bit of a buzz. On the other, the more alcohol you consume, the worse you’ll fell in the morning. It’s a delicate balancing act!
German beers tend to fluctuate between 4.5 – 5.5%, so there isn’t too much variation. Still, it's important to always drink responsibly, which is why you want to pay attention to what you’re necking down. By checking the ABV, you'll know whether it’s safe to crack open another one, or if you should knock it on the head for the night.
If you like your beer strong, we recommend trying a Double IPA!
Last but not least, what style of container would you prefer? Generally speaking, German beers come in larger bottles of 500 ml or more. These are designed to keep the beers chilled for longer, thanks to the thicker glass walls of the bottle.
However, if you’re off to a dinner party or somewhere that requires you BYOB, then cans could be a better option. They’re lighter than glass bottles and much less fragile, making them easier to transport. Further, they can be crushed down once you’ve finished, so they will take up less space in either your or your host's recycling bin.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Warsteiner Premium Lager|660 ml | ![]() | A Crisp and Refreshing Floral Pilsner | |
2 | Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weissbier|500 ml - Case of 12 | ![]() | Strong and Malty Weißbier for Pairing With Hearty Meals | |
3 | Früh Kölsch |500 ml - Case of 12 | ![]() | Semi-dry Kölsch With a Good Balance of Hops and Malts | |
4 | Paulaner Hefe-Weizen Natural Wheat Beer|330 ml | ![]() | One of the World's Favourite Wheat Beers | |
5 | And Union Saturday Lager|330 ml - Case of 6 | ![]() | A Hazy German Lager for Newbies | |
6 | Erdinger Weiss German Craft Beer|500 ml | ![]() | Perfectly Balanced Aromas From a Famous Bavarian Brewery | |
7 | Spaten Oktoberfest German Beer|500 ml - Case of 6 | ![]() | Traditional Oktoberfest Beer With a 6% ABV | |
8 | Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier Germany|500 ml | ![]() | Weißbeir From the Oldest Brewery in the World | |
9 | And Union Thursday Dark Lager|330 ml - Case of 12 | ![]() | Vegan Helles Lager for Seasoned Beer Drinkers | |
10 | Beck's Export Lager|660 ml | ![]() | Iconic Low-Foam Export German Beer |
Possibly the world's finest pilsner, this crisp and refreshing beverage is perfectly balanced, with subtle hints of barley. When poured, it has an inviting golden hue and a world-renowned mouthfeel that's vibrant and refreshing.
This delicately carbonated pilsner has herbal, floral and malt aromas that perfectly weigh up against the light-bodied taste. If you're looking to pick up a top-notch German beer that's guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser, you'd be hard-pressed to find any better than Warsteiner!
Another beer created using the ancient wisdom of Weihenstephaner, this is certainly one for those that like full flavours. The beverage has a full-bodied palate of roasted malt with a slight caramel kick upon the first swig.
This profile makes this beer an excellent accompaniment to all sorts of foods, from hearty meals with game meats to rich chocolate desserts. From the opaque brown appearance to the substantial mouthfeel, if this one has piqued your interest, you won't be disappointed.
This a very easy beer to drink - in fact, one could easily finish a few of these off in a single sitting. It has a good balance between hops and malts and once poured, boasts a long-lasting, frothy head due to the higher carbonation.
The delightful aromas of fruit, lemons, and grains are reflected in the flavour, which has a strong bitterness but remains crisp and semi-dry. Coming in around £3 a bottle it is on the expensive side, but seeing as there are only around 20 Kölsch beers in the world, it'll be worth it for those budding enthusiasts.
Regarded by some as the number-one wheat beer in Germany - we won't get into that debate - it's safe to say this is one of the world's favourites. This unfiltered beer is naturally hazy, with a full head of foam on top of a silky golden brew.
The fruitier flavour has hints of mango and pineapple, with aromas of banana. Coming in at over 5% this is on the stronger side, which makes it ideal for sipping slowly on sunny days.
If anything this no-nonsense can from And Union should provide a fitting visualisation of the beer it houses. It has the appearance of a slightly hazy, pale lemon juice, with a moderate head and low carbonation.
Once poured you'll be greeted with the scent of crusty white bread with a hoppy bitterness, topped off with a touch of cream. It's certainly going to be a step away from more traditional lagers if that's what you're used to, but will provide a good introduction to more refined, unfiltered flavours.
Often considered the crowning glory of Bavarian brewing, Erdinger is up there with the most popular wheat beers exported from Germany. We guarantee, the taste will leave you wanting more after each sip.
It has perfectly balanced aromas that blend the gentle spiciness of the yeast with the ever so slightly bitter hops. A full-bodied, yet elegant beer, this will without a doubt give you a lifelong appreciation of fine German brewing.
No brewery, or beer for that matter, is more intrinsically linked with Oktoberfest that this offering from Spaten. In fact, they go back a good 300 years, but we'll leave the rest for you to read up on - it's definitely worth it!
The beverage has a wonderful burnished bronze colour with superb clarity and medium-to-low carbonation. It has a splash of apple, nuttiness and slightly toasted aromas. Perhaps the most surprising is the high ABV, it's so smooth you'd never guess the percentage if you hadn't read it already.
This company is considered the oldest running brewery in the world, so you can rest assured they know a thing or two about making beer. The Hefe-Weissbier has an aroma of cloves, a refreshing banana flavour and a tempting golden-yellow appearance.
The perfect beer to complement seafood, spicy cheeses and traditional Bavarian sausages, it's a particularly good option for taking to dinner parties. Be careful though, it's rather full-bodied, so you won't want to fill up on too much food!
And Union works with brewmasters from small Bavarian-family-run breweries to provide the world with wonderful unfiltered beers. By undergoing less filtration, their lager has a cloudier appearance than your usual fare. This product has a colour that's reminiscent of strong coffee, with aromas of dark berries, roasted nuts and caramelised orange peel.
We'd probably recommend this more for the seasoned beer drinkers, rather than those newer to the game as it might be a bit too much of a steep curve for those accustomed to filtered lagers.
First up is a beer that many of us are already well acquainted with. The Beck's brewery was actually the first in Germany to use the iconic green bottle, as well as being the first to export their lager in steel kegs, which has now become the industry standard.
The beer has a sharp and crisp flavour which is derived from their roasted hops. It generally has less foam than most other lagers, which is worth remembering if you're not too keen on beers without a fluffy head.
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
No. 1: Warsteiner|Premium Lager|660 ml
No. 2: Weihenstephaner|Dunkel Weissbier|500 ml - Case of 12
No. 3: Früh|Kölsch |500 ml - Case of 12
No. 4: Paulaner|Hefe-Weizen Natural Wheat Beer|330 ml
No. 5: And Union|Saturday Lager|330 ml - Case of 6
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