Yeast & Fermentation

Gösser, Puntigamer, Murauer and Hirter are all lagers. They undergo bottom fermentation, meaning the yeast works cool, usually below twelve degrees, and then settles to the bottom. The result tastes clean and calm, without the fruity notes top-fermenting yeasts produce.

Primary fermentation is followed by lagering. The young beer rests cold in the tank, the yeast settles out, and unfinished aromas like butter or green apple break down. It's exactly this patience that turns a rough young beer into a rounded Märzen.

What is a Zwickl? It's a lager that's bottled unfiltered. The yeast stays in the glass, which is why it's naturally cloudy and tastes a bit breadier. The name comes from the Zwickelhahn, a small sampling tap on the tank. Hirt carries a Zwickl in its lineup; Gösser offers several Zwickl variants.

Strong beers need more time. The more sugar in the wort, the longer the yeast works and the longer the beer matures afterward. A Bock therefore spends considerably longer in the lagering tank than a Märzen or a Pils.

Exactly how long a brand lagers its Märzen is usually not disclosed by the breweries. What's certain is the principle: cold, calm, unhurried. Bottle a lager too early, and you'll taste it later in aromas reminiscent of butter or dough—exactly what the waiting period in the lagering cellar prevents. Stainless steel tanks and modern refrigeration have long since replaced the old cellar vaults, but not the idea behind them.