Vienna Lager: Meet the Traditional Lager Style That Deserves More Attention

Lager has been overlooked in the American craft beer scene for too long. Fortunately, we’re in a golden age of lager love now. Whether driven by the quest for lower-ABV options, a thirst for the most refreshing beer styles, an interest in more traditional brewing methods, or all of the above, drinkers have embarked on a discovery of lager and its many nuanced substyles. One substyle has been slower to emerge than others, such as the Italian-style Pilsner or Czech-style Pale lager. But it’s high time for that change. Meet the Vienna lager.

The Vienna lager has flown under the radar because few craft breweries have been making it. But that seems to be slowly changing, and that’s good news for beer drinkers. This style strikes an ideal balance. It’s a light, crisp lager, easy-drinking and low ABV. But it possesses flavor-forward complexity thanks to its malt. You can choose your own adventure with the Vienna lager: Zoom in on its intriguing individual flavor notes and balance, or just crush it on a hot day.

Vienna Lager’s origin story and world travels

Vienna lager is so named for its use of Vienna malt, which was developed in Vienna. Anton Dreher invented the malt type in the mid-19th century. He stewed the barley during the malting process, which converts some of the grain’s starches into sugars that caramelize when the malt is roasted. Dreher used this malt, with its notes of biscuit, nuttiness, light caramel, and toast, to make his own version of a German Märzen, and the Vienna lager was born.

The Vienna lager soon made its way to Mexico, and now you’re more likely to find examples of this Austrian-born beer from Mexican breweries. Napoleon III’s troops invaded Mexico in 1862 and overthrew the existing government; he then installed a Habsburg, Maximilian I, as emperor of Mexico. Mexico fought back in support of the ousted president, Benito Juárez. — Its defeat of French troops on May 5, 1862, is what’s celebrated today as Cinco de Mayo. But it took until 1867 to be rid of European rule.

These years brought European influence to Mexican brewing, and Mexican drinkers developed a taste for Vienna lager. As train lines extended, Mexican breweries’ access to different ingredients increased, and refrigeration became more widely available, these producers began making lagers, particularly Vienna lager.

Today, household-name Mexican breweries like Victoria, Dos Equis, and, arguably, Modelo Negra (which could also be considered inspired by the Munich Dunkel) brew Vienna-style lagers. Until some American craft breweries picked up on the style in recent years, these Mexican brands were the primary producers of Vienna lager.

What does Vienna lager taste like?

“People love Billy,” says Melanie Kandefer, head brewer at Connecticut’s Kent Falls Brewing, referring to the brewery’s Vienna lager. “It’s a good drinker. There’s a nice balanced toast profile, and a little bit of noble hop bitterness.” Noble hops are traditional German and Czech hops that are subtler than modern American or New World hops, with floral, herbal, earthy, and spicy notes.

The Vienna lager balances sweetness and bitterness in a single, complex yet surprisingly easy-drinking package, typically around 4.7 to 5.5% ABV. When you want big flavor but a little less alcohol, the Vienna lager is a delicious compromise. It’s a major reason why breweries embracing the style today have seen an enthusiastic customer response. Kandefer says Kent Falls started with a small test batch of Billy Vienna Lager, which sold out in less than a week. They’ve scaled up their batches, and it still flies out of their taproom.

In Minnesota, August Schell Brewing Co. is one of the longer-running craft Vienna lager producers. The brewery first debuted Firebrick as its winter seasonal Snowstorm in 1998.

“The idea behind our Snowstorm is to bring different styles, sometimes relatively unknown styles, to the forefront and give people the opportunity to try them,” says Kyle Marti, Schell’s vice president. “In this case, we brewed a Vienna lager, and people loved it. [We] had such a great reaction to it that we brought it out as a core beer.”

How to enjoy Vienna lager

Marti says the Vienna lager was a natural fit for Schell’s. It’s an Austrian beer, brewed in Germany in the mid-1800s, and the brewery was originally founded by German immigrant August Schell during the same era. This style has been harder to come by in American craft beer in years when lager wasn’t a big focus for many breweries. But now that more producers are joining the likes of Schell’s in the pursuit of lager, Vienna lager finally has its stage set.

“We’ve seen an uptick in Vienna lagers being more popular, as opposed to IPAs and heavier beers,” says Kandefer. “People used to say, ‘I know Pilsners, and I know lagers, but I’m not even sure of the difference.’ Now, they know Czech Pilsner, Bohemian, Italian, Mexican... they know all these varieties and are interested.”

For other craft Vienna lagers, look to breweries like Lasso Brewing in New Mexico, Waikiki Brewing Company in Hawaii, Triple Crossing in Virginia, Ocean Lab Brewing Co. in Puerto Rico, Tinhouse Brewing Co. in British Columbia, and Morenos Beer in Mexico City. To further round out your Vienna lager drinking experience, it helps to know a few good food pairing approaches, too. 

Because of the toast and overall melanoidin notes in the Vienna lager’s malt, it especially shines with other Maillard reaction–forward foods. Its crispness, carbonation, and dry finish help cleanse the palate of that richness and keep you refreshed, wanting more bites and more sips. Kandefer says Billy Vienna Lager goes well with a nice roast dinner or a more casual meal like hot dogs and burgers at a barbecue.

“Grilled meats are always a great combo,” says Marti. “Fire up the grill and crack open a cold Firebrick, and you’re set up for a great evening.”