Style: German Helles Exportbier

All Styles

Style Profile based on 101 recipes

BU:GU

0.52

Hops

4.8 g/L

Mash pH

5.56

Style Guidelines BJCP 2015 Beer
OG
1.048 1.056
1.055
FG
1.01 1.015
1.012
IBU
20 30
29
ABV
4.8% 6%
5.7%
SRM
4 7
Description

A pale, well-balanced, smooth German lager that is slightly stronger than the average beer with a moderate body and a mild, aromatic hop and malt character. History: The Dortmunder style developed in the Dortmund industrial region in the 1870s in response to pale Pilsner-type beers, it became very popular after World War II but declined in the 1970s. Other Export-class beers developed independently, and reflected a slightly stronger version of existing beers. The modern German style is typically 12-13 °P. Style Comparison: Less finishing hops and more body than a Pils but more bitter than a Helles.

Examples: DAB Original, Dortmunder Kronen, Dortmunder Union Export, Flensburger Gold, Gordon Biersch Golden Export, Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Typical Grain Bill

% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%

Common Additions

% of German Helles Exportbier recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)

Hop Usage by Addition Type

g/L · median with IQR range

Bittering
0.35 g/L 1.76 g/L
0.75 g/L
Flavour
0.39 g/L 1.37 g/L
1.01 g/L
Aroma
0.39 g/L 1.37 g/L
1.1 g/L
Whirlpool
0.38 g/L 2.41 g/L
1.46 g/L

Common Hops

% of German Helles Exportbier recipes using each hop

Typical Water Profile

Ca²⁺ 80 ppm
Mg²⁺ 6 ppm
Na⁺ 10 ppm
Cl⁻ 75 ppm
SO₄²⁻ 80 ppm
HCO₃⁻ 53 ppm

median across recipes with a declared water profile

Similar Styles

Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.