Germany has a beer brewing tradition which dates back to well before the 14th century, when the German town of Einbeck, with over 700 breweries, was the beer production center of the world. Einbeck is still a famous brand, although the original name mutated to Bock, meaning a strong, dark beer. The main distinction of the different types of beer lies in hell and dunkel (light and dark) and the alcohol content. The color of the beer depends entirely on the color and quality of the malt. Here are a few famous brands of German beer;
Alt - although literally meaning 'old', the term doesn't refer to a beer which is old, but to the fact that it has been brewed according to old tradition. Alt is dark and a speciality of the German city of Duesseldorf. Whereas Pils tastes the better the more 'Blume' it has on top and the slower it is drafted, Alt is consumed with very little foam.
Berliner Weisse - is a speciality from Berlin. The beer is light, little fermented with a low alcohol content and slightly sour. It's drunk as a refreshing drink during the summer months in Berlin with a dash or 'Schuss' of rasberry syrup to give it a pink color and to dilute the sour taste.
Pils - light and golden in color, Pils is the most popular beer in Germany.
Eisbock - this strong, dark beer is made more potent by reducing the water content through freezing. Eisbock is quite expensive and not an everyday drink.
Koelsch - Like Duesseldorf, the German city of Cologne is a center of beer brewing and Koelsch is the name of a brand exclusively produced there. The beer is light in color and drunk from tall, slim glasses, called 'Stange'.
Rauchbier - means a beer where the malt has been dried over a wood fire which gives the beer a distinctive, smoky taste.
