Vienna Lager
A smooth, amber, malty lager balancing toasty Vienna malt with a clean, moderate bitterness.
About the Vienna Lager style
The Vienna lager was created by Anton Dreher in Vienna in the mid-19th century, using the pale kilned malt that became known as Vienna malt. It was among the first amber lagers.
Though it faded in its homeland, the style was carried to Mexico by immigrant brewers and survives there in beers such as Negra Modelo. It is defined by soft, toasty Vienna malt and a clean, elegant balance.
Grain, hops and yeast
Malt and grain: Vienna malt for a soft, toasty, slightly bready malt character and amber colour.
Hop character: Moderate noble hopping in balance with the malt.
Yeast and fermentation: A clean lager yeast, cold-fermented and lagered.
A typical Vienna Lager runs 4.5 to 5.5% alcohol by volume, with a bitterness of about 18 to 30 IBU and a colour of 9 to 15 SRM. It is traditionally served in a willi becher. These figures describe the usual range for the style; a given example may sit a little outside them.
Serving and carbonation
Serve a Vienna lager cold, around 5 to 7 degrees Celsius, with a moderate carbonation. It is a clean, malt-balanced beer best served fresh and well lagered, showing off its toasty amber malt.
Fermentation in brief
A clean lager yeast fermented cold, around 9 to 12 degrees Celsius, then lagered for weeks, gives the smooth malt-forward profile. Keep the ferment clean and cold so the delicate toasty malt is not masked by fermentation character.
Classic examples
Well-known commercial examples of the style include Negra Modelo, Great Lakes Eliot Ness and Devils Backbone Vienna Lager. Tasting a benchmark example is the best way to understand what a style should be before brewing your own.
| Vital statistic | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Origin | Austria |
| Strength (ABV) | 4.5 to 5.5% |
| Bitterness (IBU) | 18 to 30 |
| Colour (SRM) | 9 to 15 |
| Traditional glass | Willi Becher |
Typical published ranges. Individual examples vary.
Set up your Vienna Lager on tap
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Sources: BJCP Beer Style Guidelines · Wikidata (Q2395665)