Einfachbier and Süßbier

It's taken a while, but today I finally publish the last of the translation of the "Special Beers" chapter in "Die Herstellung Obergähriger Biere" (page 66). Thanks for being patient.

"Apart from those just mentioned, Einfach- and Süßbiers have little or no individuality and and lack and striking, individyual piquant taste to tickle the tastebuds of drinkers. The only thing that marks them out is a higher CO2 content, acquired during a vigorous secondary fermentation in the bottle, which makes them extremely refreshing, nourishing and thirst-quenching and, especially in the warmer season, majes them lively, when in addition to livelythere's also a need for low-alcohol beers which don't cause much tiredness.

The lack of character and unexciting taste of these beers is usually seen as responsible for the decline in their consumption. It would be difficult to turn the backwards movement into advancing development again. For that, not only would the greatest effort be needed of the business to brew a storable [haltbar], infection-free beer, but also an improvement in quality through the making of maltier, spicier beers with a lasting head and a crystal-clear appearance. with a piquant taste and strong carbonation.

That such beers would find a good and profitable market is illustrated by the increase in production of some crystal-clear, fiery, sharp Special Beers and beer types with a good, characteristic flavour."

Schönfeld explicitly attributes the decline in demand for many top-fermenting to their lack of a distinctive, outdated brewing methods and the presence of infection. History has proved him right. These beers have disappeared without trace while those with the qualities he recommended - Berliner Weisse, Gose, Grätzer and Lichtenhainer - made it past WW II.

Berliner Weisse. I'll be posting a synopsis of the chapter about it in "Die Herstellung Obergähriger Biere" soon. And I've just found a detailed description of how to brew it from the 1950's in Dickscheit's "Leitfaden für Brauer und Mälzer". A translation of that will follow, too.