Hops

How bitter is Dortmunder Export? Moderately so. According to the BJCP guidelines, the bitterness ranges between 20 and 30 IBU — the unit used to measure a hop's bittering compounds — which is less than a typical German Pils, which can reach up to 40 IBU.

No hops grow in Dortmund itself. The hops for German beers come mainly from growing regions like the Hallertau in Bavaria, which also holds a protected designation of origin. Which varieties Dortmund's breweries use today is only partially disclosed.

More important than the variety, for Export, is the quantity. Hops serve two purposes: they make beer bitter and help preserve it, and they contribute aroma. Bittering hops go into the kettle early and boil for a long time. Aroma hops are added late and bring floral notes.

Dortmund's hard water sharpens bitterness. The brewers therefore held it back. Anyone who sets an Export next to a Pils will notice the difference immediately: the hops don't disappear, but they never overshadow the malt.

In a Pils, the bitterness is more pronounced. Dortmunder Export, by contrast, carries a fine, slightly herbal hop note that gives the sweet-leaning body a dry finish. From field to kettle is a long journey: the cones are harvested in late summer, dried, and usually pressed into pellets. This way they keep all year round, and breweries like DAB and Hansa could brew with consistent bitterness in every season.