German beer is tightly regulated by law. This is a mixed blessing. We take a look at exactly what the law says - and its impact on German beer styles.
Anyone interested in drinking German beers has probably heard of the Reinheitsgebot – the beer purity law that regulates brewing in Germany.
But exactly what the law says, and its effect on brewing quality, are less well known. Its history is also rather interesting.
Original Law Applied Only in Bavaria
The original law of 1516 only applied in Bavaria – not elsewhere in Germany. It specified only three ingredients – water, hops, and barley malt – omitting yeast. That probably indicates that brewers of the day were using spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, as the lambic brewers of Belgium do today.
The original Reinheitsgebot also specified the use of only barley malt. That would have ruled out wheat beers, and the use of other grains such as rye that can add distinctive character to a beer. This probably wasn't motivated by a concern for beer quality, but rather by shortages of wheat and rye, used primarily for bread-making. Fortunately, today’s version of the law specifies ‘malt’ but doesn't say what kind.
It was only in the early 20th century that the updated law (including yeast as a permitted ingredient) was applied across Germany. This wasn't an unalloyed blessing for the beer drinker; many local styles, including fruit and herb beers, were forced out of production.
German Beer Law Prohibits use of Many Additives
On the positive side, the Reinsheitsgebot outlaws the use of additives common in American beers, such as corn syrup and rice. And it is truly amazing what amazing flavours can come from just the basic four ingredients. For instance, many of the Bavarian wheat beers have fantastic notes of banana, vanilla, coriander, or cloves – without any flavourings being added.
On the down side, though, the Reinheitsgebot means no adventurous use of ingredients such as herbs, fruit,or spices. Many Belgian beers would be outlawed by the German rules. The well known Hoegaarden, for instance, owes its tang to coriander seed and Curacao orange peel.
Some traditional German beers managed to get round the Reinheitsgebot by brewing the beer straight and then inviting customers to add syrup in the glass. For instance Berliner Weisse and Gose are often drunk with woodruff syrup (an herb) or raspberry syrup, modifying the very tart nature of the beers. (The Gose style has now been revived, with coriander and salt added during the brewing process – the state of Saxony has granted it a special exemption from the law.)
Sugar Can Be Added After Brewing
In fact, the Reinheitsgebot applies only to the actual process of brewing. Sugar, syrups or other ingredients can be added once the beer has been brewed, so you’ll find bottles of Berliner Weisse on sale with the raspberry syrup already added.
The Reinheitsgebot applies only to the ingredients of beer. As any homebrewer knows, though, you can have the best ingredients and still make appalling beer. The process of brewing and fermentation is extremely important in producing the final character of the beer – and the Reinheitsgebot doesn't have anything to say about that.
For instance the character of lager is determined by the amount of time the beer is left to mature - ‘lagering’, which means ‘storage’, gives the beer its name. Some brewers have cut the time down from months to weeks, affecting the quality of the beer.
The addition of carbonation is also not covered by the purity law. Nor is filtration or pasteurization, which many people believe deadens the beer’s natural taste (and prevents bottled beers undergoing a second fermentation, which deepens their character).
German Beer Produced Abroad is Exempt
Besides, the Reinheitsgebot only applies inside Germany. So a German beer produced under license in another country might not comply with the law. And it doesn't apply to beers imported into Germany – so if you’re drinking, say, Danish or Dutch beer in a German pub, you can't rely on it.
Despite its many faults, the Reinsheitsgebot has done much to ensure that German beer doesn't commit major abuses such as using inferior grains. But the Reinheitsgebot on its own can't preserve the future of German beer. That takes educated consumers – who should vote with their wallets against industrialised beers, and for the smaller craft breweries who are keeping many of Germany’s beer traditions alive.
