Whether you’re simply looking to immersive yourself in new taste experiences, or you’re stocking up specifically for Oktoberfest – the 118th edition of which is set to be held from 16th September to 3rd October – there are more than a few reasons why you might look to purchase a keg of lager (or seven) during the coming weeks.
Beer vs lager vs ale
A lot of us consider a “lager” to be a light-coloured beer that is smooth, refreshing, and easy to drink, and which consists of around 5% alcohol. And at the very least, we are likely to understand that lager is a type of beer – so, “beer” is the broader term than “lager”.
What we might not be so aware of, though, is how exactly lager differs from other types of beers. In fact, lager is a German word, translating as “storage”. So, this helps to tell you how lagers differ from other beers; they are beers that ferment slowly, from the bottom up, at low temperatures. This is as opposed to ales, which ferment rapidly from the top down, in warm environments.
In practice, the exact distinctions between lagers and other forms of beer have become rather blurred. Indeed, not all non-English-speaking countries even have specific words in their language for “ale” or “lager”, so you might need to be quite specific when you are ordering from a bar in such parts of the world.
Or, of course, you could just stay at home, and add another keg of lager to the burgeoning collection accompanying your home or office bar this Oktoberfest. When you do, you might be tempted to take your pick from highly satisfying German lagers in our range here at Love Beer Bars Ltd, such as:
- Paulaner Ur-Dunkel, which is no less than one of the world’s finest dark lagers (yes, contrary to the suggestion above, lagers can most certainly be dark). With its delectable toast and raisin flavours, it is a highly drinkable dunkel to add to your Oktoberfest offerings for when friends and family pop round to your home bar.
- Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Bier, which will represent an apposite choice given that a mere six Munich breweries are permitted to serve beer at Oktoberfest, with Hacker-Pschorr being one of them. An amber-coloured beer that is distinguished by its biscuity and toffee malts and its all-round refreshing sweetness, it is sure to be a hit at your home Oktoberfest celebrations.
- Schneider Bayrisch Hell, which – with its golden colour – could scarcely be mistaken for anything else at an Oktoberfest party. It is a traditional Helles that effectively revives a Schneider family recipe dating back to 1928. Certainly, this lager’s refreshing, well-balanced taste of flowery hop aromas and subtle malt note feels as characterful as the Hallertau region of Bavaria that the hops come from.
- Flensburger Lager, which emerges from a brewery that represents something a little different to what the typical German brewing heartland of Bavaria has to offer. It is the country’s most northerly brewery, which means it is also subject to the influences of the innovative beer scene of Copenhagen. So, you can expect this golden-yellow light lager to also offer something a little different to the rest of your stocked Oktoberfest beers.
The above, of course, are just a few of your new (or not-so-new) favourites that could await you when you next help yourself to a German keg of lager, or quite a few such kegs, from the Love Beer Bars online store. So, why not allow your own love for all the finest things in German beer to “conquer all” this Oktoberfest, at the same time as taking advantage of our free delivery?