Kellerbier is a type of

German beer Beer is a major part of German culture. German beer is brewed according to the '' Reinheitsgebot'', which permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients; and stipulates that beers not exclusively using barley-malt, such as wheat beer, must ...

, a

lager Lager () is beer which has been brewed and conditioned at low temperature. Lagers can be pale, amber, or dark. Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially available style of beer. The term "lager" comes from the German for "storag ...

, which is typically neither clarified nor

pasteurised Pasteurization American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mi ...

. The term Kellerbier literally translates as "cellar beer", referring to its cool lagering temperatures. Its recipe probably dates to the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. In comparison with most of today's filtered and pasteurised lagers, Kellerbier contains more of its original brewing yeast, as well as vitamins, held in

suspension Suspension or suspended may refer to: Science and engineering * Suspension (topology), in mathematics * Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics * Suspension of a ring, in mathematics * Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspende ...

. As a result, it is distinctly cloudy, and is described by German producers as ''naturtrüb'' (naturally cloudy). Kellerbier and its related form Zwickelbier are often served directly from the barrel (for example, in a

beer garden A beer garden (German: ''Biergarten'') is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees. Beer gardens originated in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital city, in the 19th century, and remain co ...

) but may be bottled as well.

Zwickelbier

The term ''Zwickelbier'', regionally ''Zwickel'' or ''Zwickl'', refers to a weaker and less full-flavored variant of Kellerbier. Originally, it was used to refer to the small amount of beer taken by a brewmaster from the barrel with the aid of a special siphon called the ''Zwickelhahn''. It is less hoppy, and typically not left to age as long as Kellerbier.

References

External links

German Beer Institute - Kellerbier
{{Beer Styles German beer styles