To distinguish the Vienna lager from an Oktoberfest, keep the finish dry by pitching plenty of healthy yeast. To find some middle ground, it’s best not to brew this beer with caramel malts. On one end is the American version which is stronger, drier and has more bitterness, the Mexican version which has been commercialized with heavy use of adjuncts, and the European versions which will be sweeter and less attenuated. The problems lie in figuring out where the beer should fit in the style range.

Comments: Brewing this beer may present some problems.There is sometimes some residual sweetness. Overall Impression: This beer is characterized by the toasty complex maltiness with subtle hops and a crisp finish.There may be some warming sensation from alcohol.

There will be moderate carbonation and a smooth medium-crisp finish. Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is medium light to medium with a mellow creaminess.When hop flavor is present, it will be from noble hops and may be low to none in intensity. Vienna lagers finish rather dry with just enough firm hop bitterness to balance the complex malts. There should be no roasted or caramel flavors evident. The Vienna malt will impart a light toasted character to the beer. These can include Vienna, Munich, Pilsner and sometimes wheat and dextrin malts are used as well. Flavor: Being a malt-focused beer, you will first notice a fine malt complexity from the use of several different malts.Clarity should be brilliant with a large off-white head that lingers. Appearance: Again, similar to Oktoberfest with a light red to amber or copper color.Any caramel aromas are inappropriate so keep kettle caramelization to a minimum. You may note some aromas from noble German hops, but these will be low to none at all. As with all lagers, you will find a clean lager character with no fruitiness, esters, or diacetyl. This beer has a similar aroma to the Oktoberfest but not quite as intense. Aroma: Medium intensity German malt, either Vienna malt and/or Munich, with a light toasty profile.The styles there are not truly to style however since the breweries are using adjuncts which thin out the maltiness and add some sweetness to the beers. Becoming rare these days commercially, there are still a few classic examples made in Mexico as a result of immigration of Austrian brewers during the last part of the 1800s. Vienna lager is becoming a popular style with homebrewers. NOTE: In the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines, Vienna Lager has been reclassified as Style 7A in Category 7 Amber Bitter European Beer which groups amber-colored, evenly balanced to bitter balanced beers of German or Austrian origin.

Vienna lager examples