DDR Dunkles

When I was hanging around in the DDR in the 1980s, I mostly only came across a few styles of beer. Helles, Pilsner and the occasional Bock. And in Berlin, Berliner Weisse.

Other types of beer did exist. I know that both from label images and from the DDR standards for beer. The standards document, TGL 7764, is wonderfully useful for seeing the full diversity of beers brewed. Even though, I might add, I never saw most of them.

DDR beer styles 1987 - 1990
Type	OG Plato	ABV	App. Atten-uation	CO2 Content	Isohumulon Content	EBC colour
	%	%	%	% min.	Mg/l
Dunkel (Einfachbier)	5.7 - 6.2	1.84	55 - 65	0.35	3 - 11	min 79
Alkoholfreies Bier	6.5 - 7.0		10 - 15	0.42	22 - 28	max 12
Weissbier	7.0 - 8.0	2.90	min 75	0.60	nothing specified	9 - 15
Extra	8.5 - 9.0	3.41	min 75	0.45	22 - 34	max 12
Hell	9.5 - 10.0	3.82	min 75	0.40	16 - 26	max 14
Edel-Bräu Hell	10.5 - 11.0	4.23	min 75	0.42	16 - 28	max 14
Dunkel (Vollbier)	10.0 - 10.5	4.02	min 75	0.40	16 - 26	min 79
Doppel-Karamelbier	11.7 - 12.2	0.63 - 1.5	nothing specified	0.42	3 - 10	min 93
Schwarzbier	11.7 - 12.2	4.12	60 - 70	0.42	20 - 34	min 160
Deutsches Pilsner	10.5 - 11.0	4.23	min 75	0.40	22 - 34	max 12
Diabetiker-Pils	10.0 - 10.5			0.42	22 - 34	max 13
Lagerbier Hell	11.5 - 12.0	4.65	min 75	0.42	20 - 34	max 31
Lagerbier Dunkel	11.5 - 12.0	4.65	min 75	0.42	14 - 26	min 40
Lagerbier Spezial	11.5 - 12.0	4.65	min 75	0.42	20 - 34	max 31
Lagerbier Dunkel Spezial	11.5 - 12.0	4.65	min 75	0.42	14 - 26	min 40
Deutsches Pilsator	11.5 - 12.0	4.83	min 78	0.42	26 - 39	max 12
Deutsches Pilsner Spezial	11.5 - 12.0	4.83	min 78	0.42	26 - 39	max 12
Spitzenbier	12.0 - 12.5	4.86	min 73	0.45	28 - 40	max 18
Märzen	13.5 - 14.0	5.13	min 70	0.42	20 - 34	max 110
Weißer Bock oder Bockbier Hell	15.0 - 15.5	5.86	68 - 75	0.40	14 - 26	21 - 43
Dunkler Bock oder Bockbier Dunkel	15.0 - 15.5	5.62	65 - 72	0.40	10 - 25	min 83
Deutscher Porter	17.5 - 18.0	6.10	min 64	0.42	35 - 50	min 160
Source:
TGL 7764

The isohumulon content is pretty much the same as IBU. Which is interesting to know.

The sharp-eyed amongst you might have noticed that there were in fact three types of Dunkles: Dunkles Vollbier, Lagerbier Dunkel and Lagerbier Dunkel Spezial. Though the specs for the last two are identical.

I think that the odd Dunkles is still brewed in the former DDR. But they aren't very common. Schwarzbier seems to be the most popular type of Dark Lager in the East currently. Despite having been a very obscure style before 1990.

I'll finish with some lovely labels. You might notice something unusual about them. They come in a variety of colours. Usually, the colour of the label was specified in the standards. But not for Dunkles, leaving it a free for all.