1980 DDR Beer specifications

TGL 7764. What a wonderful document. It's certainly been a life saver for me. How many posts will I be able to wring out of it? Quite a few more. Starting here.

We've moved on to the 1980 version. There have been quite a few changes  Including the addition of several new styles. And the removal of several others.

The styles which have disappeared were all weaker, and mostly poorly-attenuated types: Jungbier, Braunbier, Malzbier. Einfachbier Hell and Malznährbier. Not such a surprise as these types of beer rapidly lost popularity after the war in both Germanies.

The new arrivals are more surprising. At the bottom end, there's Extra, which seems to be a lower-gravity Hell. Though it was a bit hoppier. Next is Edel-Bräu Hell. Which apart from having a lower minimum level of hopping, looks exactly the same as Hell. It also includes a word - "Edel" - specifically forbidden in 1960.

Two nre Pilsner variations have appeared: Deutsches Pilsator and Deutsches Pilsner Spezial. (There's another word forbidden in 1960.) Not sure what the difference between the two was, as the specs are identical. They were hoppier and a bit more attenuated than standard Pilsner. Pilsator was a cracking style. And included some of my favourite DDR beers.

Aubi - alcohol-free beer - seems very modern. I'm trying to remember if I ever saw it in the wild. Probably not, as Dolores didn't. Her comment was: "People would have said: what's the point in that? Why not just drink lemonade".

Really taking me by surprise were Märzen and Weizenbier. The former looks very similar to amber Bavarian versions. As for the Weizenbier, it's weaker than Bavarian versions, which are usually over 12º Plato. I've never come across any trace of these two types.

Finally, there's Diabetiker-Pils. Now this one was reasonably common. I know for sure that I drank at least one: Gothaer Diabetiker-Pils. It wasn't great. Then again, none of the the Gothaer beers were. My least favourite of the Thuringian breweries.

1980 DDR Beer specifications
					colour
Type	OG Plato	apparent attenuation %	CO2-content % min	Isohumulone mg/l	NFR	Brand
Aubi	6.9 to 7.4	30 to 40	0.38	22 to 34	max 330	max 0.8
Dunke1 (Einfachbier)	5.8 to 6.2	55 to 65	0.35	3 to 11	min 2375	min 12
Weißbier	7.0 to 8.0	min 75	0.6		240 to 410	max 1.0
Extra	8.5 to 9.3	min 75	0.45	25 to 37	max 330	max 0.8
Hell	10.5 to 11.0	min 75	0.4	18 to 30	max 370	max 0.9
Edel-Bräu Hell	10.5 to 11.0	min 75	0.4	13 to 30	max 370	max 0.9
Dunkel (Vollbier)	10.5 to 11.0	min 75	0.4	18 to 30	min 2375	min 12
Doppe1-KarameIbier	11.7 to 12.3	—	0.42	3 to 10	min 3275	min 20
Schwarzbier	11.7 to 12.3	60 to 70	0.42	20 to 34	min 4025	min 30
Diabetiker-Pils	11.0 to 11.5	—	0.42	25 to 38	max 350	max 0.8
Deutsches Pilsner	12.0 to 12.5	min 75	0.4	25 to 33	max 330	max 0.8
Deutsches Pilsator	12.0 to 12.5	min 78	0.42	30 to 44	max 330	max 0.8
Deutsches Pilsner Spezial	12.0 to 12.5	min 78	0.42	30 to 44	max 330	max 0.8
Märzen	13.7 to 14.3	min 70	0.42	20 to 34	1075 to 1325	3.5 to 5.0
Weizenbier	11.5 to 12.0	min 75	0.5	10 to 25	max 370	max 0.9
Weißer Bock or Bockbier Dell	15.7 to 16.3	68 to 75	0.4	14 to 26	550 to 1075	1.5 to 3.5
Dunkler Bock or Bockbier Dunkel	15.7 to 16.3	65 to 72	0.4	12 to 24	min 2125	min 10
Deutscher Porter	17.7 to 18.3	min 64	0.42	35 to 50	min 4025	min 30
Source:
1980 TGL 7764, pages 9 - 10.