Beer Styles

Today's flagship beer of the region is Pils, as brewed by Gilde under the name Gilde Pilsener. It's pale, bottom-fermented, and noticeably more hop-forward than a Helles, which, at 16 to 22 IBU, tastes softer and maltier.

Broyhan is a historic style that survives today mainly as a name and in recreations. It was top-fermented and light brown, unlike the dark, sweet Mumme.

Mumme differs from Broyhan in its darkness, sweetness, and shelf life. It was built for travel, while Broyhan was more suited to a glass enjoyed in the city.

The style profile shown here covers only the style with a documented standard: German Pils. There is no official style standard for Broyhan or Mumme to pin numbers to.

A German Pils, per BJCP, has an original gravity of 11 to 12.4 degrees Plato, the sugar content of the wort before fermentation, and 4.4 to 5.2 percent alcohol. A Helles comes in at 4.7 to 5.4 percent and 11 to 11.9 degrees Plato, so almost the same strength, but with less bitterness and a softer, breadier malt character. The difference between the two lies in the hops, not the alcohol, which surprises many people on first comparison.

Order a Gilde Pilsener in Hannover and you'll get exactly this style, not Broyhan, which the Gilde Brauerei keeps alive on the label only as a coin motif and a name. Mumme, meanwhile, has become more of a kitchen ingredient and a memory than an everyday drink.