Pick a Bier style
What this solves
The Reinheitsgebot ("purity law", 1516) is often stated as the only thing Germany enforces for Bier. That's only half true. The 1516 law was Bavarian; it became federal in the 1993 Vorläufiges Biergesetz with one modern exception: Biermischgetränke (Bier mixes) are not "Bier" under the law and can use lemonades, syrups, and other additives. Radler, Diesel (Cola + Helles), and Alster (Cola + Pils) are Biermischgetränke — same low tax as Bier but not subject to Reinheitsgebot.
The 2026 craft-Beer exemption is the new one. In 2023 the EU began allowing a small share of non-grain fermentables (e.g. up to 10% of fermentables from non-barley / non-wheat sources) for "Craft Beer" with a protected-designation tag. This opened the door for fruit-puree Berliner Weisse, honey-Weizen, and some IPA / Pale Ale hop additions. The exemption is narrow: it requires small < cereals / extract quotum and a national / EU protected tag.
Style-by-style: a Helles (Bavarian pale lager) is the canonical Reinheitsgebot-compliant style, served at every Biergarten. A Pils is Reinheitsgebot-compliant but historically a Northern German style (Pilsner Urquell 1842, Bohemia). A Berliner Weisse is also Reinheitsgebot-compliant — but the typical serving (mit Schuss, mit Waldmeister / Himbeersirup) is not. A Bock is at the edge: Reinheitsgebot-compliant but traditionally not consumed during Lent as it was considered "liquid bread". A "Craft IPA" with Citra / Mosaic hops and lactose is outside the law (those are post-1993 additions).
How to read the result
- Reinheitsgebot-allowed = YES if the basic recipe is water + barley + hops + yeast only. NO if the recipe includes other fermentables, fruit, lactose, or flavour additions. "Partial" / "with mix" if the served form breaks the rule (e.g. Berliner Weisse + Himbeersirup).
- Typical region = where the style historically originates (Helles = München, Pils = NRW/Plzeň-adjacent, Weizen = Bayern, Kölsch = Köln, Altbier = Düsseldorf, Berliner Weisse = Berlin).
- ABV range = typical alcohol-by-volume range, not the upper legal limit. Bock / Doppelbock can reach 13% (Salvator, Celebrator); Helles sits at 4.6-4.9%.
- Glass = the canonical serving glass. Helles = Maßkrug (1L) or Seidel (0.5L). Pils = Pilstulpe (0.2L tulip). Weizen = Weizenglas (0.5L tall vase).
- When Reinheitsgebot does / does not apply = the operational rule. Includes the 2026 craft exemption (Citrus / Mosaic hops allowed under the "Craft Beer" tag) and the Biermischgetränke note (Radler / Diesel are not Bier under the law).
Limitations
- The 1516 / 1993 distinction is simplified — the modern German Reinheitsgebot-allowed status is governed by the Vorläufiges Biergesetz, which still requires wood-water-bewer-hops-yeast for any "Bier" label.
- ABR / ABV ranges are typical, not legal. A Weizen can be 4.5-5.5% at the Gasthaus; a Bock can be 6.5-7.5% (Doppelbock 7-10%). The 0.5% tax threshold is the only legal marker.
- The 2026 craft exemption is narrow. A "Craft IPA" with Citra hops is partly inside (the hops are still hops, but the rate of hopping is unusual). A lactose / fruit-puree IPA is fully outside the Reinheitsgebot label — it can only be sold as "Craft Bier" / "Biermischgetränk" with the new tag.
- "Reinheitsgebot-allowed" does not mean "tasty". Many excellent Biers outside Germany (Belgian Lambic, US IPA) break the rule on purpose.
- Does not model the historic 16th-century exceptions. Wheat and rye Biers were banned by the Reinheitsgebot 1553; the modern Weizen is post-1987 (Hofbräu Weihenstephan).
- Glasses are listed by canonical form. A Berliner Weisse served in a Weizenglas is unusual but not wrong.
FAQ
Is Radler actually Bier under the law?
No. Radler (Bier + lemonade or lemon soda) is a "Biermischgetränk" — legally not Bier under the Vorläufiges Biergesetz, taxed at the Bier rate but exempt from the Reinheitsgebot. Same for Diesel (Cola + Helles), Alster (Cola + Pils), and "Krefelder" (a Kölsch + Cola variant in the Rhineland).
What is the 2026 craft Beer exemption?
In 2023 the EU opened a "Craft Beer" protected-designation that allows a small share of non-barley fermentables (up to 10% of fermentables from non-grain sources). This enabled honey-Weizen, lactose-IPA, and the "Craft" Berliner Weisse with fruit. The exemption requires a small brewery quotum (under 200,000 hl/year) and the protected tag on the label.
Is Pilsner German or Czech?
Both. Pilsner Urquell was brewed in Plzeň (Bohemia, now Czech Republic) in 1842. The German Pils (north German style, hoppier, drier) came from a 19th-century wave of imitation. "Pils" in Germany typically means the German hoppy style. "Czech Pils" or "Bohemian Pils" is the original, slightly sweeter and rounder.
Why is Kölsch served in a 0.2L glass?
Tradition. Kölsin stoneware ("Kölsch-Stange") is a 0.2L narrow cylinder — the "Stange" (stick) glass. It is the smallest standard Bier glass in Germany. The waiter ("Kobes") keeps bringing fresh ones until you put a coaster on top. It is the only way to drink it — a Kölsch served in a 0.5L glass is wrong.
Related tools
If Bier is not your thing: Hessen Apfelwein, Franken Wein, Mosel Riesling.
Which Bier to drink with which Wurst: the Brotzeit-pairing rule.
Which regional Brot pairs with which Bier style — Bavarian Brotzeit rule.
You will drink most styles at a Biergarten — Tischordnung, self-service, when to share a bench.
Sources
- Bayerisches Brauerbund · Reinheitsgebot 1516 (text, current scope)
- BMJ · Vorläufiges Biergesetz (1993 update, 2026 amendment for Craft)
- Deutscher Brauer-Bund · Biersteuer / Biermischgetränke tax classes 2026
- EU-Kommission · "Craft Beer" protected-designation (2023 / 2026)
- German Beer Institute · Bier styles and regions 2026
- BLL (Bund für Lebensmittelrecht und Lebensmittelkunde) · Biermischgetränke definition
About this tool
This decoder maps 13 German Bier styles against the 1516 Reinheitsgebot and the modern 1993 Vorläufiges Biergesetz (with the 2026 craft exemption). It uses the Deutscher Brauer-Bund style register, the Bayerisches Brauerbund Reinheitsgebot text, and the EU Kommission craft-beer ruleset. ABV ranges and glass types reflect typical 2026 Gasthaus practice. Always check the label — "Craft" in 2026 is a real protected designation.
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Disclaimer
Style definitions and Reinheitsgebot rules reflect 2026 published values. The 2026 craft exemption is new and contested — confirm any "Craft" claim at the brewery or at the EU protected-designation register. The result is a guide, not a binding legal classification.