Vienna Lager: Ten Beers to Try in Austria’s Capital

What began life as a rough-and-ready list of Vienna Lagers to accompany “A Heavenly Drink, Like Concentrated Sunshine: Vienna Lager Past and Present” has morphed into something more than that. Below you’ll read about beer names that evoke colourful characters and aspects of Viennese history. You’ll also find the beginnings of a meditation on the price of craft beer in Europe. And, of course, you’ll find tasting notes aplenty. Dig in!    

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Anton Dreher and Vienna Lager

Not long after Anton Dreher tapped his first Vienna Lager in 1841, it became the toast of Europe. Though it eventually faded into obscurity in its native land, the style lived on in other places, including Mexico, and was one of the styles that figured in the North American craft beer revival. But it wasn’t until earlier this decade that Vienna Lager found its way home.

Stylistically, Vienna Lager occupies the amber middle ground between standard-strength light and dark lagers. Though distinct from a Märzen at second glance, it’s easy enough to confuse Vienna Lager with Märzen, especially if the former isn’t named Dos Equis. During the latter half of the nineteenth century, the two styles were similar if not identical. In fact, the Märzen that Joseph Sedlmayr’s Franziskaner brewed for the 1872 Oktoberfest was an homage to the Vienna Lager brewed in the Habsburg Empire at the time.

The two styles diverged slightly over the next century. Nowadays, Märzen is (generally speaking) a delectably malty beer that showcases toasty aromatics and melanoidin richness. Vienna Lager is also malty, but less intensely so. It also has a more pronounced hop character. You can expect a medium-bodied and effervescent beer with a malt bedrock of toast, biscuit, melanoidin, bread crust, and light caramel supporting spicy hop aromas and flavours redolent of Central European hop fields.

*Pro tip: Drink these beers around 10C/50F so the malt can express itself.

Ottakringer, Wiener Original, Vienna, 5.3%

Luminescent light amber with orange hues, Ottakringer’s crystal-clear Wiener Original is a fine-looking beer. Aroma-wise, the Ottakringer is not quite as intense as some of the other Vienna Lagers that have appeared in recent years, but it delivers complexity to spare. Herbal-pepper-floral hop notes open out onto subtle toast, caramel, hazelnut, and even an undertone of white chocolate. Meanwhile, the yeast/fermentation character imparts a note of mineral-peach that gives the beer a certain levity. Ottakringer is taut and slightly fruity on the palate, combining marzipan, toast, and a hint of caramel. A lighter body compared with many other contemporary Vienna Lagers adds to the perception of bitterness, and the beer finishes slightly drier and more austere than many of its compatriots. But Ottakringer’s offering is still Vienna Lager through and through, and not only because it’s brewed in the heart of Vienna’s sixteenth district. One Tankard

[Edit, September 2023: Ottakringer seems to have tweaked their recipe subtly since I wrote this post in 2019. The malt is a touch richer, and the elegant, peppery hop spice that jumps out of the glass seems more intense. In a recent side-by-side tasting of Vienna Lagers from Ottakringer and Schwechat (see below), it came down to a coin toss. Both are mighty fine beers.]

Gusswerk, Wiener Lager, Salzburg, 5.2%

Gusswerk’s unfiltered Vienna Lager is at the orange-amber end of the spectrum, and offers a panoply of aromas that occasionally evoke a Maris Otter-malted ale with the esters tamped down. A hint of orange zest wreaths “Leibniz-biscuit” malt, toasty melanoidin, and autumn honey, all delivered with a light touch. Elegant hop spice and petunia aromas mingle with sweet bready malt accented by nuts, while an ever-so-slight grape nut “earthiness” lurks in the depths. Gusswerk’s Wiener Lager doesn’t disappoint the maltheads in the crowd, but it’s a restrained maltiness held in check by a firm bitterness. The hops are the real star here, building mid-palate with pleasant noble hop flavours of spice, a twist of citrus, and hop leaf. Highly attenuated with a crisp and snappy finish.

Schalken, Gemeindebrau, Vienna, 5.1%

What could be more “wienerisch” than a beer that evokes Vienna’s Gemeindebauten, those municipal housing projects that responded to an acute need for housing in the grim and uncertain years after WWI? The Social Democrats that ran Vienna between 1919 and 1934 instituted a building tax on wealthier Viennese to fund these projects. After being ousted from power during a brief civil war in 1934, the Social Democrats returned to power in Vienna after WWII and reinstituted the building program. If you pay close attention during your wanderings through contemporary Vienna, you’ll start to notice a variation of the following on several of building facades: “Erbaut von der Gemeinde Wien aus den Mitteln der Wohnbausteuer im Jahre XYZ.” (Built by the Municipality of Vienna in XYZ year with funds from the Building Tax.) It’s a sentiment that Schalken tried to capture with its playfully absurdist rendition of the phrase on its label. The story’s a fine one. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Schalken’s Gemeindebrau, a turbid orange-gold concoction that foamed as soon as I opened the bottle. Sure enough, along with the foam came the telltale aromas of a fermentation gone awry: a vague cider note and a hint of band-aid. The beer itself was sour. Schalken has only been around since 2018, and by some accounts their ales aren’t bad. (*10 Oct. 2019: Since writing this post, I’ve tried their Witbier, which isn’t bad.) I’ll continue updating this entry as I try more of Schalken’s beers. It wouldn’t be the first time in recent years that a small Viennese craft brewery got off to a rocky start, only to turn things around later with more experience and more sophisticated equipment, especially equipment suitable for making lager.

Brew Age, Malz Strasse, Vienna, 5%

With its opalescent burnished amber-gold and just the slightest touch of haze, this enticing Vienna Lager from Brew Age evokes autumn walks in the woods. Malz Strasse (malt street) lives up to its billing, featuring a malt palette of honey, Swiss milk caramel, melanoidin, and plenty of white nougat in finely calibrated symmetry with spicy noble hop cone aromas. Round and elegant on the palate, Malz Strasse delivers spiced malt in spades, all accented by an almost imperceptible ground swell of honeyed sweetness. Cologne, pepper-cinnamon, and a gentle floral character mingle with honeyed malt, melanoidin, white nougat, and a mild nuttiness. A smooth but firm bitterness and high attenuation offset the residual sweetness, while a hint of that telltale slate-mineral-stone fruit lager yeast character adds to the complexity. One Tankard

Loncium, Austrian Amber, Carinthia, 5.5%

If you’re looking for a medium light-bodied quaffer with an effervescent carbonation that adds a dash of pepper, this is your ticket. A fairly intense noble hop character (hop cologne, pepper-spice) builds mid-palate to a nice crescendo, subsiding into hop-spiced nut and marzipan. Loncium’s interpretation lacks the subtle malt intensity of the best examples, and the spiced gooseberry and toasted orange zest hop notes seem out of place. For my money, this isn’t the sharpest sword in Loncium’s arsenal, but their other beers are worth seeking out.

Mutter Milch, Wiener Bubi, Vienna, 4.7%

Mutter Milch’s Wiener Bubi (“Vienna lad”) is a fine-looking beer with a ruddy amber countenance, even if the rest of the performance doesn’t quite measure up to the dazzling entrance. A vaguely metallic “tin can” note mars the clear and present malt notes underneath, with raisin bread and spiced hops struggling to make their voices heard. Flavours recall bread crust with a dash of spice. Wiener Bubi is pleasantly effervescent with a moderately sharp tongue consistent with the best of Wiener Schmäh.

Tschöams, Wiener Wunder, Lower Austria, 5.5%

Like many contemporary interpretations of Vienna Lager, Tschöams’ Wiener Wunder (“miracle, wonder”) is a pleasant amber with orange hues. Nuttiness mingles with bread crust, dark toast and a pronounced (caramel) sweetness. But the palate fails to redeem the aromas’ promissory note. Alas, this tangy and astringent Wiener Wunder is no marvel.

100 Blumen, Wiener Lager, Vienna, 5.2%

100 Blumen’s Wiener Lager is a beer wearing a disguise. Its murky amber/mahogany mask suggests Vienna Lager, but it smells and tastes more like northern England meets Düsseldorf. Intense aromas of dark bread/bread crust with brooding spicy hops in the background bespeak Altbier, while the earthy licorice, prune, dark fruit esters, and roasted malt notes are reminiscent of so many brown beers. Bread crust reprises itself on the palate, which is scrubbed clean by lively carbonation and firm bitterness, while nuttiness and dark cherry notes pronounce “nut brown ale” in clearer syllables than they say (Vienna) lager. This is a good beer, but despite the brewery’s Vienna location, what’s in the bottle echoes the styles of distant cities and lands.

Rodauner, Strizzi, Vienna, 4.7%

Rodauner’s Strizzi (“rogue, rascal”) is bedecked in hazy deep amber attire with orange and mahogany trim. Strizzi is a refined rogue exuding aromas of toast, pronounced caramel, a date-like melanoidin note, floral/spicy hops, and a whiff of sweet toffee candy. Indeed, this rascal is a bit of a sweetheart: slightly under-attenuated, with a crisp slate-like yeast character that undergirds toasty malts accented by dates and a small dollop of caramel. Floral-spicy hops join the party mid-palate, while the smooth bitterness helps to combat the residual sweetness. Strizzi finishes crisp and spicy, with toasty maltiness and spice echoing through the aftertaste. You can find this Strizzi chilling at Viennese street festivals and in the occasional local bottle shop.

Schwechater, Wiener Lager, Schwechat/Vienna, 5.5%

Simply put, Schwechater’s Wiener Lager proves that this storied brewery can brew a beer with character to spare. Packaged in the same classic slender green bottle with retro labeling as Schwechater’s Zwickl, the beer is light years from the oceans of Schwechater Lager brewed for the mass market. Local beer aficionados dismiss this latter beer but have embraced Schwechat’s Wiener Lager, which was released in 2016 to commemorate the 175^th anniversary of the style. This crystalline amber-mahogany beer shimmers diaphanously in the glass, especially on a sunny evening. Warm, toasty “Leibniz biscuit” aromas drift lazily by, enhanced by light caramel, spiced brown sugar, and melanoidin. Subtle yeast-derived stone fruit and mineral aromas meld nicely with pleasant fragrances of hop leaf and spice. Schwechat’s Wiener Lager is round and elegant, with a smooth hop bitterness that cuts through the light caramel sweetness. Moderate hop spice flavours of pepper and hints of cinnamon build mid-palate, along with a spiced dried apricot note laced with the slightest suggestion of sulfur from the yeast. Delicately balanced, with rich maltiness, a distinct hop character, and a refreshing finish. Two Tankards

The Wrap: Quality/Price

Conspicuously, two of the three standout Vienna Lagers are brewed by larger concerns. It’s a toss-up between Schwechater and Ottakringer, but for what it’s worth, I continually gravitate toward the Schwechater Wiener Lager, a beer I find more plush. Opt for the Ottakringer if you want something taut and crisp. Brew Age’s Malz Strasse acquits itself admirably in the big leagues, and features the most pleasant noble hop aromas of the bunch. Gusswerk’s Wiener Lager isn’t too far behind, more honey/floral than Malz Strasse’s spice. The vast majority of the remaining beers are average to above average, all with their unique qualities. As for the two problematic beers, all we can hope is that they find a way to conjure the spirit of Anton Dreher for some help in working out the kinks with their lagers.

These latter two beers shine a light on an elephant lurking in the Central European craft beer room: the vexed issue of price and its relation to quality. I get it about economies of scale and the supposed “evils” of industrial beer. But when people have a choice between five beers of the same style and the cheaper ones are, for the most part, superior to the more expensive artisanal offerings, why would they pay upwards of €2 for a 300 mL bottle of beer when they can get a 500 mL bottle of higher-quality beer for €1.20?

This gets to the heart of what’s at stake for “craft beer” to thrive in Austria and elsewhere in Central Europe. When so much “standard” beer in Austria is of such high quality compared, say, to the Bud-Miller-Coors triumvirate of beers in the U.S., any “craft” beer that’s merely average is a tough sell, especially when it’s a lager and it’s double the price. As a beer writer who sees it as his responsibility to not simply write off a brewery after drinking one (or several) subpar beers, I’ll often return to a brewery at some point to see if they’ve managed to turn their ship around. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that most beer drinkers will simply move on — or worse, dismiss craft beer.

To end on a positive note, long-time readers know that I rarely write about beers that haven’t impressed me in some way. In this case I’ve made an exception on the assumption that your stay in Vienna might allow only enough time for a handful of beers. After all, life’s too short to drink mediocre beer. Prost!

Beers for this article were purchased at Biergreissler and BeerLovers.

Related articles

“A Heavenly Drink, Like Concentrated Sunshine”: Vienna Lager Past and Present

Autumn in a Glass: Märzen, Oktoberfest Beer, and Vienna Lager

The Colour of Fall Leaves: Tasting Notes on Märzen, Oktoberfestbier, and Vienna Lager

The Setting Sun: Five of Vienna’s Best Spots for a Late Summer Beer

Image credits: F.D. Hofer; websites of various breweries written about here.

© 2019 F.D. Hofer and A Tempest in a Tankard. All rights reserved.