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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Fascinating Facts Concerning German Beer

/ On : 12:46 AM

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By Greg Holmes

If you're a beer drinker, it's quite likely that some of the great brews you enjoy come from Germany. Oktoberfest has long been a great event for sampling all the wonderful drinks which the country produces, so if you're considering attending an American version of the event, or will be paying a visit to Europe soon, here's some facts regarding German beer which will help you appreciate precisely what you're drinking.

There are actually more than 1,000 German breweries, which is a clear indication of how important the drink is there. Only the United States has a greater number of breweries than Germany, and quite a few of of the US recipes for beer have originated in that region. Only the Irish and Czechs drink more beer per person than Germans.

Beer producing facilities in Germany are cut off from the outside world as a result of a German standard known as Reinheitsgebot, meaning 'purity order.' Beer producers aim to ensure that German beer is made from the freshest and most authentic ingredients, and this process goes way back to the 1500's. Barley malt would be the primary ingredient in most German brew, and those that don't contain barley malt must be top-fermented. Water and hops are the only other ingredients utilized in most classic and modern German beer.

There are many varieties of German beer that you'll want to try out should you have the chance to visit a brewery, but you may also taste them at many of your nearby pubs and bars. Among the top fermenting brews are the Altbier, a darker brew that has a rich flavor. You may also want to try the Kolsch, a light bodied beer pale in color which can only be produced within the German region of Cologne. In case you want to try a German brew having a hearty taste, you may wish to look at the Weizen variety, a dark wheat based brew with a strong flavor.

German bottom fermenting brews include Helles, which is a pale variety with a malty flavor, and Schwarzbier, a dark lager with a chocolate-like flavor. A German brew called Export is getting to be hard to find lately, however, the beer was very popular during the 1950's and 1960's and features a full, malty flavor. - 24553

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