Red Beer – A rediscovered, traditional brewing method from the Imperial City of Nuremberg (RotBier – Eine wiederentdeckte traditionsreiche Brauart aus der Reichsstadt Nürnberg)
Author : Wolfgang Wüst
Abstract :
Red beer – especially when brewed in Nuremberg – is making a comeback despite declining beer consumption worldwide. Breweries like Nuremberg’s “Schanzenbräu GmbH & Co KG,” which are once again focusing on red beer today, are reviving a flavor trend that largely faded in the 19th century. They tout the beer’s distinctive taste: “A slightly sweet malty note dominates against a clean, distinctly tart and floral hoppiness. Our Nuremberg red beer tastes balanced, harmonious, and full-bodied. Naturally unfiltered [...].” And you can enjoy the aroma of the red beer even before the first sip: “Malty with aromas of red berries and elegant, floral hop notes.” However, the red beer’s once-strong market position in Nuremberg came to an end at the turn of the last century, at the latest with the decree issued to the city by the Kingdom of Bavaria on July 5, 1826, mandating that “the now-fashionable brown beer” be brewed locally as well. Nevertheless, according to the trade register, there were still 21 red beer breweries in Nuremberg in 1806 – when the city was transferred to Bavaria as part of the mediatization of the imperial cities in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation – compared to eleven that brewed wheat beer. The red beer revival, in a sense, ties in with the old brewing tradition, which can be traced back to the early 14th century.
Keywords :
Beer, breweries, red beer, white beer, hops, barley, malt, purity law, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Franconia, imperial cities.
