European Origin Lager Styles
Lager · Reddish Brown to black
Medium to medium-high with a slightly sweet rich complex malt character and may include aromas and flavors of crystal malt, bread/toast, caramel/caramel malts, chocolate.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.15–40
Reddish Brown to black · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color range4.4–5.8%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
18–35
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 35 · PDF page 44. Color graphics are illustrative.
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Medium to medium-high with a slightly sweet rich complex malt character and may include aromas and flavors of crystal malt, bread/toast, caramel/caramel malts, chocolate. Light roast malt character may be present at moderate levels but should not dominate.
Very low to low with attributes of noble-type hops.
Low to medium-high
Medium to medium-high
Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present.
Reddish Brown to black
Esters are usually not present, but if present should be extremely low, at the limit of perception. Diacetyl may be allowable at low levels
The upper limit of original gravity of versions brewed in Czech Republic is 14.99 °Plato or 1.060 specific gravity. Very low levels of diacetyl, if present, are acceptable and may accent malt character. Low levels of sulfur compounds may be present. DMS and acetaldehyde should not be present. Many versions may exhibit flavor contributions typical of decoction mashing.
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.044-1.060 (11-14.99 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.013-1.017 (3.3-4.3 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.4%-4.6% (4.4%-5.8%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 18-35 • Color SRM (EBC) 15-40 (30-78 EBC)