Posted: 21 October 2010 at 11:35pm | IP Logged

Well, lager is just a weak, light beer. Unfortunately, many English folk think that's what the German's drink, but I've never come across it. Pilsner is somewhat stronger - about 4.8 %, and varies somewhat in flavour (and it certainly has a marvellous, hoppy flavour), is very refreshing, and must be served cold. If brewed in Cologne it's known as Kölsch, but it is as diverse as bitter in England.

There are numerous other sorts of beer, including a number of cloudy unfiltered beers, where the sediment is purposely shaken up. That goes a bit against the English grain, doesn't it?

Presumably, Peter and John had time for a bit of moderate German beer tasting back in the days of recording Batteries Not Included. I bet der Kommissar shared the odd round with them?

Posted: 21 October 2010 at 11:45pm | IP Logged

Had an operation to remove my Womble knee !

Very good about the gnats in the bog Jennie!

Gnat is also an aeroplane

Hey Seagull, what about German moonshine?!

Posted: 22 October 2010 at 12:00pm | IP Logged

I've always found the most useful German phrase to be "Eine grosse Dunkeln bitte" (a large dark beer please).

In some places it's called Dunkles. German is a hard language!

Isn't lager an abbreviation of lager-bier: the German for beer stored in a cellar? I thought pils was from the Czech Republic.

Posted: 22 October 2010 at 3:59pm | IP Logged

Strictly speaking, Mark, you're right about lager. It is a general term to describe a "bier" that has been cellar-stored for about 3 months before being served, and as such, encompasses what I would call lager and pilsner. However, "lager" tends to be catagorised by its alchoholic strength of 3.5 to 4%, wheras a "pilsner" type bier is typically aound 4.8 or 4.9%, and that is the understanding of most Germans. I would say that "bier nach Pilsner Art" is by far the most common bottled beer sold, but a brewery will probably also produce a good quality cheap & cheerful beer , that is technically lager, but is calles "Helles" (light). However, I still maintain that the stuff called lager that you buy in England has little to do with German beer drinking.

There are as I said, many other kinds of beer, based on different grains, and also "special" beers which can be pretty strong, often brewed seasonally, such as the "Festbier" for the Bavarian Ocvtoberfest. However, all German biers must comply with the ancient purity laws: nothing but pure water, hops, malt, barley, wheat (+ possibly another grain) and yeast may be used in its manufacture. Otherwise, it's not "bier".

Prost!

(I do not actually spend all my time drinking "bier"  )