Austrinken!

To start, Van Pelt says she would recommend a German- or Belgian-style wheat beer to someone who prefers more traditional styles. In Germany, beer is made in abidance with purity laws that require the sole ingredients to be yeast, hops, malt and water; the Reinheitsgebot, as these regulations are collectively known, was first introduced in 1516.

German Helles Lagers

Classic German helles lagers have a crispy, bready taste, whereas German pilsners are “hoppier,” which Van Pelt says makes them perfect for summer.

German-Style Berliner Weisse

A Berliner weisse is a Germanstyle wheat beer with a sour taste from being brewed with lactic acid bacteria and a lower alcohol content. It’s a great introduction to craft beer for people looking to start light and gradually introduce the more heavily fruited beers.

German-Style Hefeweizens

German-style hefeweizens are an option for people who enjoy a lighter, bready beer with banana and clove flavors. Some slight notes from a hefeweizen include bubble gum and vanilla.

Belgian Witbier

A Belgian witbier, a medium beer, tastes like orange, citrus, bread and coriander. “Everybody loves Belgian,” she says. “I’ve never heard anybody, when I’ve given them a Belgian beer, say, ‘No, I don’t want any Belgians.’

German-Style Weizenbock

For a drinker who enjoys a darker German-style beer, the Weizenbock can have a dark fruit or spicier taste, or it can have a clove, banana or vanilla and bread flavor profile.

German-Style Black Lager

Van Pelt recommends OddStory’s Obsidian Sea for people looking for a local German lager. The beer’s description on the beer database Untappd says it’s a German-style black lager with notes of coffee and chocolate and a 4.9% ABV.