Beer Style Guide: Get to Know Kellerbier with Em Sauter

With summer on the way, learning about kellerbier makes perfect sense. 

Keller is a German word for “cellar” - when you see the word “keller” in any beer style, you can assume that it is unfiltered and/or unpasteurized. A kellerbier refers to any style that is not lagered until its completion, meaning organic byproducts, perhaps some haze and other matter are left in the beer. This creates a fuller, more rounded beer and is generally less “clean” tasting (aka more yeast byproducts - similar to ales!) than fully fermented lagers. Historically, this was how most beer was served, young and fresh lager, straight from the keg at neighborhood taverns in Germany. 

Kellerbiers are popular in Franconia and Munich in Southern Germany and Bavaria. Come summer, kellerbiers are served straight from fermenting tanks to thirsty patrons in some of Germany’s best beer gardens. This is usually the only place you can get kellerbiers as they are generally not canned or bottled for home consumption, making them a rare, seasonal treat. Traditionally served in earthenware liter steins, a popular folk festival that serves kellerbier is Annafest in Forchheim in late July where many breweries serve their kellerbiers in a beautiful wooded setting. 

According to the Beer Judge Certification Program or BJCP, there are two types of kellerbier, pale and amber. Pale kellerbiers tend to be unfiltered Munich helles while Amber kellerbiers (or Franconian style Kellerbiers) are similar to unfiltered marzens in color and flavor but not ABV. Amber kellerbier is an older style vs. newer pale kellerbiers. Keller pils (referring to either a Czech or German pilsner) also exist and these are starting to be popular in America. 

And what’s a Zwickelbier? Is it the same? There are varying schools of thought about if they are different as they are sometimes used interchangeably with kellerbiers. Some say it’s a fresher version of pale Kellerbier or it refers to a sample off the tank as the pigtail used to siphon the beer is called a zwickel. Remember in beer there are a lot of right answers! 

Food Pairings

For food pairings, this beer has wide appeal. Great for backyard BBQs and easy to imbibe, use this beer style to pair with almost any handheld item from kabobs to burgers to sub sandwiches. 

Beers to try

An authentic German beer garden

For the best experience, visit a Southern German beer garden in the summertime if you want the real deal. This beer is meant to be drank straight from the serving tank by the liter so if you are looking for what the beer is supposed to be, this really is the only way. 

Halfway Crooks Decimals

Georgia based Halfway Crooks have a cult following for their lagers and every one I’ve had has been a stunner so of course their keller pils is a must try. 

Credit Tree House Brewing

Tree House Quaint

Hype machine Tree House is known for their hazy/juicy IPAs but they’ve been quietly creating one of the best lager programs in New England. I enjoyed this on draft in their giant Charlton, MA facility and had to bring a four-pack home to share.