New Firestone Lager Stays True to the Art of German Brewing

Even though the history of beer started in Sumerian times, it is generally accepted that German brewers introduced the use of hops and generally established the brewing practices that are followed to this very day.

American beer enthusiasts who are familiar with authentic German lagers often run into difficulties finding similar brews outside of Germany. Fine lagers such as Ayinger, Fruh and Augustiner Helles are not widespread imports; all the same, few breweries in the United States adhere to the high lager standards of their German counterparts.

Fortunately for lager fans who demand the best of their beers in the U.S., the Firestone Walker Brewing Company of California is fully dedicated to making a truly fine German-style lager. According to a recent review by Todd Haefer, known to USA Today readers as “the Beer Man,” Firestone Lager is the best bottled or canned lager that is reasonably available to American drinkers.

The American lager style of beer is the one most commonly applied by major breweries because it is conducive to major brewing, bottling, storing, and distribution operations; however, it is far less involved than the true German lager method. One of the main differences is that American lagers, also known as pale ales, tend to have a certain bitterness that is absent from German lagers. The brewing process of German lagers features more ingredients, more detail and higher alcohol content; the combination of these factors is not suitable for large-scale brewing operations, and thus most American lagers lack the slight taste of citrus and aroma of fresh pine needles that are part of the hallmarks of the original pale lager recipe, which calls for a 4.5 alcohol content.

Firestone is a pale lager, which means that it pours with a golden light tone. What is interesting about pale lagers is that they are not technically German in terms of origin. While the lager brewing process was certainly perfected by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu in Munich, the specific pale lager recipe was adopted from the India pale ale style of British brewing. The first German pale lager was brewed in 1894.

It should be noted that Firestone Lager is probably the best way to enjoy a product that is faithful to German brewing standards in a can or a bottle; however, this type of beer is served on tap at Hofbräu München beer halls in the U.S. since the barrels and kegs are imported from Germany.