Germany’s brewing tradition is legendary, and its beer styles are as diverse as they are delicious. From a crisp lager to ales that taste like banana bread, each style reflects regional ingredients, brewing techniques, traditions and craftsmanship.
Whether you're a casual sipper, Oktoberfest superfan or a certified beer enthusiast, these ten German beer styles are essential to your tasting vocabulary.
These styles are just a taste of what you’ll explore in the WSET Level 2 Award in Beer.
Want to order like a pro? Check out our pronunciation guide for German beer styles on YouTube, featuring Mirella Amato, our Senior Business Development Manager for Beer, and Markus Raupach, founder of the German Beer Academy.
Münchner hell (Munich helles)
A golden, clear lager with subtle malt aromas like breadcrumb and water cracker. Traditional German hops add a hint of spice, herbs, or florals. Compared to a pilsner, Helles is less bitter and more malt-forward.
Märzen
Historically brewed in March at the end of the brewing season (März is the German word for March), märzen is amber to copper in colour and showcases toasted bread and biscuit notes. It’s more full-bodied than helles, with medium bitterness and alcohol. While often associated with Oktoberfest, modern German festbiers (festival beers) are lighter and golden, and closer to helles in style.
Rauchbier märzen
A smoky twist on märzen, this style blends woodsmoke aromas with malt notes like digestive biscuit and toasted bread. The term rauchbier can also be applied to other styles like helles or doppelbock when brewed with smoked malts. The key is balance, and the smoky aroma should enhance, not overpower.
Gose
Not to be confused with the Belgian style Geuze.
Gose is a rule-breaker in German brewing. Originating from Goslar and named after the river Gose, this beer is hazy, straw to gold in colour, and distinctly sour. Wheat and base malts give it a soft bread dough aroma, while fermentation adds gentle fruitiness. But what sets gose apart is its use of coriander seed and salt. The coriander lends citrus and floral notes, while the salt (used sparingly) softens the mouthfeel and adds a whisper of salinity. With low bitterness, medium alcohol, and high carbonation, gose is a refreshing, unconventional beer that’s both historic and modern.
Hefeweizen (weissbier)
Unfiltered and hazy, this wheat beer is known for its clove and banana aromas from weizen yeast. With low bitterness, medium alcohol, and a creamy mouthfeel, it’s a refreshing classic with high carbonation and excellent head retention.
Different German beers from the famous Paulaner brewery.
Helles bock (maibock)
A stronger, more robust version of helles. Expect golden to amber hues, base malt aromas, and a warming alcohol presence. It’s often brewed for spring (Mai is the German word for May), making it a seasonal favourite with a clean yet bold profile.
Dunkles bock
This is the darker, stronger cousin of dunkel. Rich copper to brown in colour, it features deep malt complexity: think bread crust, toasted nuts, dried fruit, and caramel aromas. Despite its strength, it maintains a smooth character with low to medium bitterness.
Kölsch
Kölsch is brewed in Cologne (Köln) and represents a unique hybrid style. Pale gold and crystal clear, it’s fermented with ale yeast but cold-conditioned like a lager, resulting in a clean, crisp beer with subtle complexity. Aromas of breadcrumb and water cracker come from base malts, while traditional German hops add gentle floral, spicy, or herbal notes. A touch of fruity esters from fermentation rounds out the profile. With medium bitterness and alcohol, kölsch is a refined, refreshing beer that blurs the line between ale and lager.
Altbier
Altbier, from Düsseldorf, is kölsch’s darker and bolder counterpart. The name “alt” refers to the “old” way of brewing (with ale yeast) but like kölsch, Altbier undergoes a long, cold maturation. Amber to copper in colour and crystal clear, altbier showcases toasted bread, bread crust, and nutty aromas from highly kilned malts like Munich malt, with occasional hints of caramel or roast. German hops, especially spalt, contribute spicy and herbal notes, while fermentation adds a subtle fruitiness. With medium to high bitterness and medium alcohol, Altbier is bold yet balanced—a beer with character and tradition.
Kristallweizen
A filtered version of weissbier, kristallweizen is crystal-clear and effervescent. It shares the same fruity and spicy yeast notes but with a cleaner appearance and slightly lighter mouthfeel.
These ten styles show just how diverse German beer can be. If you're ready to explore beer styles from around the world, understand ingredients and production, and refine your tasting skills, the WSET Level 2 Award in Beer is your next step.
