Lager is the most popular kind of beer in the world. Most people picture a frosty, golden glass, and that is fair, but lager is a big family with far more color and flavor than the mass-market versions suggest.
Lager is beer made with bottom-fermenting yeast that works at cold temperatures, around 45 to 55°F. After fermentation it is stored cold for weeks, sometimes months, to smooth out. The name comes from the German lagern, "to store".
Clean and crisp. Cold fermentation keeps fruity yeast flavors quiet, so the malt and hops come through clearly. Bitterness usually runs low to moderate, and most lagers sit around 4 to 6% alcohol, though bocks and doppelbocks go well past that.
The difference is the yeast. Lager yeast works cold and slow at the bottom of the tank, giving a subtle, smooth, light beer. Ale yeast works warm and fast at the top, giving fruity and spicy flavors and a fuller body. Our post on ale vs lager has the full comparison.
Cold yeast is slow yeast. Lagers ferment for one to three weeks, then condition near freezing for several more. That patience is what gives a good pilsner its snap, and it is why brewers say a lager shows off their skill: there is nothing to hide behind.
The first lagers brewed in Bavaria were actually dark. Golden lager only took over after pilsner was invented in the Czech town of Plzeň in 1842.
Lager is one of the most food-friendly beers there is. A crisp pilsner cuts through melted cheese, so it is a natural with pizza. Try one with our Queen Margherita or a simple Cheese pizza. A darker or American-style lager sits nicely next to BBQ, so try it with the King BBBQ. Lagers also work with salads, fried food and anything spicy.
Want to go deeper? Read how beer is made and types of beer.
What is lager beer? Beer fermented cold with bottom-fermenting yeast and then stored, or lagered, cold for weeks. The result is clean, crisp and smooth.
What does lager taste like? Clean and crisp, with soft malt and gentle hop bitterness. Most lagers are around 4 to 6% alcohol; bocks and doppelbocks run stronger.
Is lager always pale? No. Pilsner and helles are golden, Vienna lager is amber, and dunkel and schwarzbier are dark brown to nearly black.
What food goes with lager? Pizza, salads, fried food and spicy dishes. A crisp pilsner cuts through cheese, and a darker lager suits BBQ and roasted meats.
We are at 2446 NW Market St in Ballard, next to the Nordic Museum. We pour fourteen rotating taps in 5, 8 and 16 ounce sizes, so you can put an ale and a lager side by side without committing to two pints, and the current list is always on our Untappd page. There is a fourteen-door fridge of cans and bottles to take home at store prices, or drink any can here for $2 corkage.
Eat something with it: pizza on organic Washington flour dough, made fresh here. Families are welcome, dogs are welcome inside and on the patio, and the patio is where you want to be on a dry day.
What is on tap · Types of beer: the full guide · See the menu
