Export beer

Export beer is a kind of beer with around 5% alcohol by volume. It has a longer shelf-life, so transporting (and exporting) it was easier. It is usually stronger in taste than Lager beer. As special yeast is used, export beer only became available year round when there were chillers. The kinds of yeast used need a temperature of between 4 and 9 degrees Celsius for fermentation. Traditionally, there are three kinds of export beers: Dortmunder, Münchner, and Wiener. In the 1970s, people started to prefer Pilsner over export beer.

Dortmunder was first brewed in 1843, in Dortmund. Because of industrialization, cooling was readily available which allowed Dortmund to become one of the important sites of brewing in Europe. At first, Dortmunder was associated with what the workers drank. Today, Dortmunder is a protected designation of origin. It needs to be brewed in Dortmund, with the local water. Dortmunder Exportbier has a golden color.

Münchner Export is brewed in Munich, and exists in different colors. Unlike with Dortmunder and Wiener, where the hops is the component giving the most taste, with Münchner it is the malt. Traditionally, Münchner Export uses darker malt, and is darker in color.

Wiener Export is not brewed very much anymore. It is between Dortmunder and Münchner, in color.

References

• Oliver Volmerich: Hopfen und Malz – Dortmunder Bier- und Brauereigeschichte. Wartberg-Verlag, Gudensberg 2009, ISBN 978-3-8313-2102-5.