Vienna Lager
A clean amber lager with toasted malt, light caramel edges, and balanced bitterness. Smooth, moderately dry, and highly drinkable. Compared with Märzen, it is leaner, lighter, and more restrained in malt weight.
Defined by elegant toasted malt character—clean, amber, and smooth without sweetness or roast.
ABV, IBU and colour
This section summarises the typical alcohol strength, bitterness level and colour range of Vienna Lager within the GBI model.
Taste profile
The sensory profile below shows the typical intensity range of the 15 core flavour dimensions.
Toasty, smooth, and gently sweet with a crisp, lagered finish.
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What gives Vienna Lager its character
These structural drivers help shape its characteristic sensory profile.
- Filtration removes suspended material and produces a very bright appearance.
- High attenuation converts more fermentable extract, tending to reduce residual sweetness and body while supporting alcohol formation and a drier finish.
- Low crystal usage slightly increases colour, body, sweetness, finish length and caramel-like malt aroma.
- Vienna malt adds warm, honey-like malt character, increases colour and strengthens malt aroma.
- Moderate grist intensity provides more extract, supporting somewhat higher gravity, body and alcohol strength.
- Medium toast deepens colour and increases toasted/melanoidin malt aroma.
History
Created by Anton Dreher in the 19th century and spread across Europe and the Americas.
How Vienna Lager compares to other beer styles
This comparison shows meaningful differences in sensory ranges and style character based on the GBI data.
Vienna Lager vs Amber Lager
Compared with Amber Lager, Vienna Lager has:
- more intense malt aroma
Other differences:
- The color range of Amber Lager extends to darker shades.
- Vienna Lager can have a lighter body.
- Vienna Lager can have a shorter finish.
Vienna Lager vs Märzen
Compared with Märzen, Vienna Lager has:
- a lighter body
Other differences:
- Vienna Lager has biscuity malt notes, while Märzen has honey-like malt notes; both styles have toasty and melanoidin malt notes.
Compare Vienna Lager with another beer style
Choose any GBI beer style to compare sensory ranges and style character.
Want to explore the underlying data in more detail? Compare styles in the GBI Explorer →
Related styles
Other variants within the same style group as Vienna Lager.
Style details
- Origin: Austria — Originating from Austria.
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Glassware:
Pilsner Glass
— Tall, slender pilsner glass that accentuates clarity, carbonation, and hop brightness.
Willibecher — German-style tumbler glass used for many lagers and ales, offering balanced aroma and drinkability.
Tumbler — Simple straight-sided tumbler commonly used for lambic, farmhouse ales, and rustic or sour styles. - Serving: Draft — Served on draft.
- Conditioning: Tank-conditioned — Conditioned in stainless or lagering tank.
- Aging vessel: Stainless — Aged or matured in stainless steel.
- Packaging: Keg — Packaged in keg.
Commercial examples of Vienna Lager
The following commercial examples illustrate widely recognised expressions of Vienna Lager in the market.
- Negra Modelo
- Samuel Adams Boston Lager
- Ottakringer Vienna
Vienna Lager – Competition winners and medalists
Medal winners for Vienna Lager from major beer competitions. Categories follow each competition's official classification and may include stylistically adjacent interpretations.
2026 competition results
World Beer Cup 2026
Vienna-Style Lager
- Gold – Friends & Neighbors – North Park Beer Co. , United States
- Silver – Greif Schlöbberla – Brauerei Greif , Germany
- Bronze – Danish Red Lager – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. , United States
Source: World Beer Cup ( official website )
2025 competition results 12 medalists
European Beer Star 2025
Vienna-style Lager
- Gold – Hirter 1270 – Brauerei Hirt , Austria
- Silver – Linzer Bier Edelstahl – Linzer Brauerei , Austria
- Bronze – Laguna Baja – North Coast Brewing Company , United States
Source: European Beer Star ( official website )
Great American Beer Festival 2025
Vienna-Style Lager
- Gold – Prost Vienna Lager – Prost Brewing Co. , United States
- Silver – Cloak & Dagger – Incendiary Brewing Co. , United States
- Bronze – Red Baron Vienna Lager – Beech Mountain Brewing Co. , United States
Source: Great American Beer Festival ( official website )
World Beer Cup 2025
Vienna-Style Lager
- Gold – Vienna – Second Street Brewery , United States
- Silver – Family Tradition – BarrieHaus Beer Co. , United States
- Bronze – Vienna Fest Bier – Quarter Celtic Brewpub , United States
Source: World Beer Cup ( official website )
Brussels Beer Challenge 2025
Vienna Lager
- Gold – NBeer Pineapple Bun Vienna Lager – NBeer Craft Brewing Company , China
- Silver – Klosterbräu Bamberger Braunbier – Klosterbräu Bamberg , Germany
- Bronze – Vienna – Theresianer Birra Italiana 1766 , Italy
Source: Brussels Beer Challenge ( official website )
2024 competition results 3 medalists
European Beer Star 2024
Vienna-style Lager
- Gold – Vienna Fest-bier – Quarter Celtic Brewpub , United States
- Silver – Red Lager – East Brother Beer Company , United States
- Bronze – Gustav – Noiz Brewery , Italy
Source: European Beer Star ( official website )
2023 competition results 3 medalists
European Beer Star 2023
Vienna-style Lager
- Gold – Hirter 1270 – Brauerei Hirt , Austria
- Silver – Camba Märzen – Camba Bavaria , Germany
- Bronze – Gansbräu Rot-Bier Anno 1160 – Gansbrauerei , Germany
Source: European Beer Star ( official website )