Beer Style Guide: Get to know International Amber Lager with Em Sauter
International Amber Lagers are a semi-overlooked style now by the craft beer community but in reality, they couldn’t be more popular. After all, this style started the microbrewery boom in the late 1980s. While beer snobs see this style as an adjunct laden macro beverage, there is so much more to this beer that is tied to European brewing tradition.
International Lagers grew out of the popularity of Vienna Lagers and other amber lagers of Germany/Austria. Immigrants took these styles to the Americas and as their breweries grew, the style changed, similar to International Pale Lager growing out of the popularity of pilsners, to use more adjuncts like caramel color, corn, and rice.
International Amber Lagers are quite popular in America and Mexico where German immigrants settled in the mid to late 19th century. In America, the largest “independent” (according to the metrics used by the Brewers Association) is Pennsylvania-based Yuengling, whose amber lager is quite popular in the Eastern half of the United States. International Amber Lager is a catchall category like its lighter relation International Pale Lager. If it’s amber/red in color, a lager and doesn’t really fit into any sort of neat category basket but it’s drinkable and around 4.5-5.5% ABV, it’s called an International Amber Lager.
International Amber Lagers are brewed with lots of pale malts, either two-row or six-row, and then can either be colored with caramel coloring or brewed with caramel malts. They can be brewed with all malt or use adjuncts like corn or rice to bump up the fermentable sugars in the recipe.
Tasting Notes
For flavors/aromas, you’ll get a pleasant toastiness, graininess, and/or perhaps a low sweetness of caramel or toffee. Low hop bitterness is allowed with spicy, floral, or herbal aromas/flavors. The finish will be on the dry side despite the caramel flavor and aroma. There’s neutrality to this beer that’s cleansing. It reminds me of bread as a side dish–this beer acts as a palate cleanser to almost any food or life activity.
Food Pairings
this beer is excellent with pork or chorizo tacos and grilled meats. It’s a great bar food beer, meaning this beer is going to be perfect with everything from pizza to buffalo wings to mozzarella sticks. Its light sweetness adds a nice contrast to these salty food items.
Beers to Try
Dos Equis Ambar (amber in Spanish) is the classic, widely available amber lager from Mexico and one of the most recognized beers. Excellent with Mexican cuisine, of course.
Yuengling is quite popular in America and their amber lager has been brewed in its modern form since the late 1980’s. They package in green bottles which can give the beer a skunky flavor so reach for cans instead.
Brooklyn Lager has been brewed by Brooklyn Brewery since its rise in the microbrewery boom in the 1980’s. Its amber lager is toasty and thirst quenching and easy to imbibe. A great tailgating beer.