Hops

No hops worth mentioning grow around Passau or in the Bavarian Forest. The brewers source theirs from the Hallertau, Bavaria's large hop-growing region. Since 2010, Hallertau hops have carried a protected designation of origin (PGI), though this doesn't protect the beer style itself.

Hops make beer shelf-stable and give it bitterness. They contain bittering compounds measured in International Bitterness Units, or IBU, and oils that smell of herbs, hay, or blossoms. Boiling hops early in the kettle yields bitterness. Adding them late yields aroma, but less bitterness.

Zwiesel Dampfbier's story describes how the once-expensive hops had to be used sparingly. This explains why it turns out mild and barely resembles a bitter Pils. The brewery doesn't specify exactly which varieties it uses today, so the description stands as is.

According to style guidelines, a Helles should have a bitterness of just 16 to 22 IBU, a quarter to half that of a robust Pils. Here, hops are meant to support the malt rather than mask it. The same applies to a Festbier, which at 18 to 25 IBU is only slightly more bitter. Both Hacklberg Brewery and Falter Private Brewery favor this restraint.

That's why beers from Passau and the forest taste more of bread, caramel, and herbs than of citrus. This isn't a weakness but the local style: a beer you can drink in quantity over the course of an evening without the bitterness wearing you down.