The well-known Weissbier, originating in Bavaria, dominates the beer world of Bavaria, taking up a third of the market share there. Unlike its golden-hued cousin, the pale lager-ed Pilsner, Weissbier is considered a German ale that belongs to the large family of yeast-turbid German wheat ales. These wheat ales have been a part of the extended German beer family for around three thousand years, dominating brewing until the technology spawned the classic brown lagers that serve as important winter brews in German today.
Following the development of the brown lagers came the pale lagers in plenty. Surprisingly, those blonde, crisp and clean lagers that Germany perhaps is most famous for have only been around for 150 years. The great hoppy pale lager-ed Pilsner that has come to signify German beer in many Americans’ minds is just beginning its fame, taking the stage only 30 years ago.
Thus, while Germany’s brewing history may be dominated by ales, two-thirds of the market today is comprised of blond lagers such as the Pils. In the end, the drastic changes in the drinking preferences of Germans does not reflect a revolution that has lead to an abandonment of their most deeply rooted brewing traditions, but rather, an evolution in their brews to reflect advancements in technology that are now available along with a German taste for something new to go alongside their well-known classics.
This openness to new technologies and the ways in which they may advance German beer is what has driven German beer’s evolution throughout the centuries. German beer traditions are not static, but are dynamic and always changing, allowing German beer to keep its edge in a world in which new styles of beer are introduced to the market daily.
Thus, when you hear of Prost Brewing’s German brews as classic and traditional, do not be mislead into thinking that these brews are old or out of date with modern times. Prost Brewing represents more than just the German traditions, showcasing German beer in its evolutionary sense, bringing together the old and the new for the best centuries of work has to offer.
