| In Germany, beer is large part of the culture. There | | | | brewed for the famous German celebration of |
| are over 1300 breweries in Germany, the most in any | | | | Oktoberfest and are traditionally a dark |
| country in the world. Beer produced in Germany must | | | | reddish-brown with a sweet malt flavor. Bock is a |
| adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (German purity law) | | | | very strong-flavored beer dark in color, brewed in |
| which dictates what ingredients can be used. The | | | | Munich during the winter. Pilsener, or Pils, is the most |
| only ingredients allowed are "Wasser, Hopfen, und | | | | familiar of German beers, its flavor being slightly more |
| Gerstenmalz" or water, hops and barley-malt in | | | | hoppy and less malty than that of Helles. It was first |
| English. Cultured yeast was also included in the law | | | | brewed in the Bohemian city of Pilsen. Schwarzbier, |
| after its invention. Today, most breweries from | | | | meaning black beer, is a bottom-fermented lager with |
| around the world have incorporated the | | | | a chocolate flavor and dark color. Finally, Dunkel, or |
| Reinheitsgebot into the production of their own beer. | | | | "dark beer" is a dark lager with a smooth flavor. |
| Because of this purity requirement, which was law | | | | There are many companies in Germany that produce |
| until 1988, German beers are recognized for their | | | | its over 5000 brands of beer. Some of the larger |
| quality. There are many types of German beer. A | | | | breweries in the north of the country include Beck's, |
| few of the styles of ale include Altbier, Koelsch, | | | | St. Pauli Girl, Bitburger, Oettinger, Warsteiner and |
| Rauchbier and Weizen. German lagers include Helles, | | | | Krombach. The south has a higher concentration of |
| Maerzen, Bock, Pilsener, Schwarzbier and Dunkel. The | | | | breweries, but most are smaller, locally owned and |
| colors, aromas and flavor of each type can vary | | | | operated. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan in |
| widely, but all are drunk in large quantities: only the | | | | southern Germany is supposedly the oldest brewery |
| Czechs and Irish drink more beer per capita than the | | | | in the world: it began producing beer in the year 1040! |
| Germans. | | | | Oktoberfest is an annual festival held in Munich, |
| Altbier, primarily drunk in the Lower Rhine region of | | | | Germany in the state of Bavaria. It begins in late |
| Germany is a dark ale that is top-fermented. Its | | | | September and goes on for two weeks into early |
| name, sometimes shortened to Alt, means simply "old | | | | October. Here, people from around the globe travel |
| beer". Koelsch is locally brewed in Cologne. It is yellow | | | | to celebrate German beer. Over six million attend the |
| in color with a distinct flavor of hops. Rauchbier, | | | | event annually. Only local breweries from Munich are |
| meaning literally "smoke beer" is said to have a | | | | allowed to serve their beers in the large tents |
| smoky flavor and color. Weizen is an ale made from | | | | (Bierzelt). These six breweries are Loewenbraeu, |
| malted wheat that is mild in flavor and has a light | | | | Hofbraeu, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Paulaner and |
| color. | | | | Augustiner. Other cities worldwide mimic this fair and |
| Helles is a lager brewed in southern Germany, | | | | hold their own versions of Oktoberfest. Some major |
| primarily in Munich and surrounding Bavaria. The name | | | | cities in the U.S. that hold Oktoberfest celebrations |
| Helles, or Hellbier means "light beer" and has a light | | | | include Appleton, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Ohio, Hickory, |
| yellowish color. Maerzen beers are traditionally | | | | North Carolina and Campbell, California. |
