Historical Beer - Historical Beer - Roggenbier

Name

Historical Beer - Roggenbier

Category

Historical Beer

The Historical Beer category contains styles that either have all but died out in modern times, or that were much more popular in past times and are now known only through recreations. This category can also be used for traditional or indigenous beers of cultural importance within certain countries. Placing a beer in the historical category does not imply that it is not currently being produced, just that it is a very minor style or perhaps is in the process of rediscovery by craft brewers.
Historical Beer can be a minor style, currently commercially produced or not, that is not present in the Style Guidelines as a Classic Style. It could be that we haven’t heard of it, that we never see it in competition, or that we have insufficient data to prepare a reasonable set of judging guidelines. If it is a style with a name that is or was actually used, then it likely goes into this category. This style is not for experimental beers that were never produced, or for other Classic Styles with added Specialty-Type ingredients.
Any Historical Beer listed in this category or contained on the Provisional Style list is considered a Classic Style for purposes of entering in Specialty-Type beer categories with added ingredients (fruit, spice, wood, smoke, etc.). This means a Historical Style beer can be used as a base style for Specialty-Type beers without automatically making the beer Experimental.
The BJCP welcomes well-researched submissions of Historical Styles that may be appropriate for our Provisional Styles list on our website, or for a future inclusion in these Guidelines.
entryinstructions: The entrant must either specify a style with a BJCP-supplied description from the list below, or specify a different historical beer style that is not described elsewhere in these guidelines. In the case of a style that has changed substantially over the years (such as Porter or Stout), the entrant may specify an existing BJCP style as well as an era (e.g., 1820 English Porter). When the entrant specifies any style not on the BJCP-supplied list in this category or on the Provisional Style list, the entrant must provide a description of the style for the judges in sufficient detail to allow the beer to be judged. If a beer is entered with just a style name and no description, it is very unlikely that judges will understand how to judge it. Currently defined examples: Kellerbier, Kentucky Common, Lichtenhainer, London Brown Ale, Piwo Grodziskie, Pre-Prohibition Lager, Pre-Prohibition Porter, Roggenbier, Sahti.

Guidelines

Impression

A Dunkles Weissbier made with rye rather than wheat, but with a greater body and light finishing hops. The rye gives a bready and peppery flavor, a creamy body, and a dry, grainy finish that blends with the distinctive banana-and-clove weizen yeast character.

Aroma

Light to moderate spicy rye aroma (like black pepper) intermingled with light to moderate weizen yeast aromatics (spicy clove and fruity esters, either banana or citrus). Light spicy, floral, or herbal hops are acceptable.

Appearance

Light coppery-orange to very dark reddish or coppery-brown color. Large creamy off-white to tan head, quite dense and persistent, often thick and rocky. Cloudy, hazy appearance.

Flavor

Grainy, moderately-low to moderately-strong spicy-peppery rye flavor, often having a hearty flavor reminiscent of rye or pumpernickel bread. Medium to medium-low bitterness allows an initial malt sweetness (sometimes with a bit of caramel) to be tasted before yeast and peppery rye character takes over. Low to moderate banana-and-clove weizen yeast character, although the balance can vary. Medium-dry, grainy finish with a lightly bitter (from rye) aftertaste. Low to moderate spicy, herbal, or floral hop flavor acceptable, and can persist into aftertaste.

Mouth Feel

Medium to medium-full body. High carbonation. Moderately creamy.

Comments

Rye is a huskless grain and is difficult to mash, often resulting in a gummy mash texture that is prone to sticking. Rye has been characterized as having the most assertive flavor of all cereal grains. It is inappropriate to add caraway seeds, as some American brewers do; the spicy rye character is traditionally from the rye grain only.

History

A specialty German rye beer originally brewed in Regensburg, Bavaria in 1988 by Schierlinger. After eventual purchase by Paulaner, the beer is now positioned as a regional brand and thus hard to find as an export.

Ingredients

Malted rye, up to 60% of the grist. Pale and wheat malts. Crystal-type malts and debittered dark malts can be used. Weizen yeast. German or Czech hops. Patented decoction type mash.

Comparison

A more distinctive variant of a Dunkles Weissbier using malted rye instead of malted wheat. American Rye Beers will not have the weizen yeast character, and likely more hops.

Statistics

Type	Min	Max
OG	1.046	1.056
FG	1.010	1.014
IBU	10	20
SRM	14	19
ABV	4.5	6.0

Commercial Examples

• Thurn und Taxis Roggen

Tags

• standard-strength
• amber-color
• top-fermented
• central-europe
• historical-style
• wheat-beer-family