Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier

Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier is an unfiltered German lager at around 5.5% ABV, brewed by Hacker-Pschorr Bräu in Munich. Kellerbier, meaning "cellar beer" in German, is a traditional style that predates modern filtration methods, and this version is brewed by one of Munich's oldest and best known breweries as a more rustic, characterful alternative to the brewery's filtered lagers.

Hacker-Pschorr traces its history back to 1417, when the original Hacker brewery was founded in Munich, close to a century before the Reinheitsgebot beer purity law was introduced in 1516. In the late eighteenth century, Joseph Pschorr bought the Hacker brewery from his father-in-law and, together with Maria Theresia Hacker, built Hacker-Pschorr into one of the largest breweries in the city, constructing the vast Hacker-Keller storage cellar in 1813. The Hacker and Pschorr breweries operated separately for many years before merging into Hacker-Pschorr in 1972, and the brewery is now part of the Paulaner group, continuing a brewing tradition in Munich that stretches back over six centuries.

Kellerbier is traditionally brewed and left unfiltered, so it retains more of its natural cloudiness, yeast character and body compared to a standard filtered lager. Hacker-Pschorr's version shows caramel malt with a hint of pepper on the palate, moving into honey sweetness with mild citrus and apricot notes and a further gentle pepper spice, finished off with restrained, non-descript hop bitterness. Being unfiltered and less carbonated than many other lagers, it drinks as a smooth, rustic beer with a fuller mouthfeel, at a moderate 5.5% ABV that keeps it approachable while still being noticeably fuller bodied than a standard pilsner.

Serve Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier lightly chilled rather than ice cold, in a traditional German beer glass or stein, to allow its malt character and gentle spice notes to come through. Its rustic, full-bodied style pairs well with hearty Bavarian food such as roast pork, sausages, pretzels and other traditional beer hall fare, and its lower carbonation makes it comfortable to drink alongside a meal rather than purely as a refresher.

As one of the older styles in German brewing, Kellerbier offers a genuine link back to how lager was made before widespread filtration became standard, and Hacker-Pschorr's version brings that tradition from a brewery with roots stretching back to 1417. For drinkers looking to move beyond standard filtered lagers, it provides an accessible, well made example of the unfiltered cellar beer style.