German Vs American Beer: Are They Any Different?

Though beer is often considered as an all-American libation, it has more deep-rooted origins in the Old World. European settlers brought their own styles of beer to the New World, each influencing the development of American beer today. Germany and the U.S. are now two of the world's powerhouses in the beer industry, so deciding which case to pick up on your next run to the liquor store may beg the question: How different are these styles of beer?

Simply put, German beer is different from American beer. However, it can be tough to draw an exact line of demarcation between the two countries' beers, as the beer world as a whole is incredibly diverse. One American beer can be entirely different from another, and the same goes for German brews. The difference may be even hazier as a Hazy IPA, but the difference exists nonetheless. It mainly lies in the individual country's flavor preferences and the emphasis it places on what matters in a good beer.

Overall, Germans consume more lagers than ales (and specifically, more pilsners), whereas Americans' preferences are split between the two. The difference between an ale and a lager is quite simple: Ales are brewed with ale yeast and lagers with lager yeast. Ale yeast are top-fermenting, producing a richer, heartier flavor, while lagers are produced with bottom-fermenting yeast, yielding a lighter and crisper finish. English ales were popular among American colonists, but when German settlers began to trickle over, they brought new brewing methods with them, sparking a love for lager in America.

The production difference between American and German beers can be boiled down to the pilsner, which is an American pils type of lager with a hoppier, spicier taste. German-made pilsners are made with German Noble hops, which introduce a light, clean taste that combines dry and bitter nuances. Since the Germans brought the concept of a pilsner to the United States, American pilsners have assumed an entirely different role in the beer world. American pilsners are made with homegrown crops like corn and hops. Certain mass-producing American breweries — such as Yuengling and Budweiser — brew a pilsner, but these are known for their light and diluted flavors. Essentially, pilsners are a clean beer with grainy and hoppy overtones, and the main difference between German and American pilsners lies in the ingredients that lend country-specific flavor profiles.

German beers place more of an emphasis on malt flavors, such as toasted bread and caramel, and American beers pay more attention to the importance of hops, which can add a spice and bitterness. This is not to be taken as a blanket statement: Some American beers can be more malt-forward than German beers, and German beers can be more herbaceous than American beers.

German lagers feature stronger, richer malt flavors than American lagers, which explains why the first Oktoberfest beer was so robust. American lagers, such as Budweiser and Coors, taste less malty than German lagers. On the ale side of the spectrum, IPAs have taken the American craft beer industry (and entire beer industry, for that matter) by storm. These hop-forward brews tend to be categorized by their intricate spicy or herbaceous flavors. German ales also introduce fruity, spicy flavors, but less so than experimental, inventive American ales. Overall, while the difference seems to be more prevalent in the types of beer, the individual preferences of American and German palates affect the way breweries craft their beers and draw a subtle line between the two countries' brews.