Serve in a willi becher at 6-9 °C
What it tastes like
Export sits between a helles and a pilsner and is a little stronger than both. It pours gold, clear, with a white head. The malt is fuller than in a pilsner, with bread, light grain sweetness and a touch of toast. Hops are noble German types, giving a moderate floral and spicy note and a firm but smooth bitterness. The finish is drier than a helles, with a faint mineral edge.
The style is tied to Dortmund in the second half of the nineteenth century, when coal mines and steelworks gave the city a large, thirsty workforce. Dortmund water is hard, rich in sulphate, chloride and carbonate, and that mineral content shapes the beer's firm, slightly salty finish. Brewers made it stronger than their everyday lager so it could stand up to shipping, which is how it earned the name.
Its fortunes faded as pilsner took over Germany, and it is now uncommon even in its home city. When you find one, it is a satisfying beer: full enough to be interesting, clean enough to drink by the litre.
Style profile
- Look
- Light to deep gold, brilliantly clear, with a persistent white head.
- Aroma and flavour
- Bread, grain and light toast from the malt, moderate noble hop spice and flowers, a clean lager yeast and a faint mineral note.
- Mouthfeel
- Medium body, medium carbonation, a smooth palate and a dry, slightly minerally finish.
- Ingredients
- German pilsner malt with a little Munich or Vienna, German noble hops, a clean lager yeast and hard, mineral-rich water.
In India
Export is rare in India, but it is worth asking for. Its hard-water profile is closer to many Indian borewell supplies than a soft Czech water, so a brewer here can make it with less water treatment. The extra strength and malt help it survive a warm journey better than a delicate pilsner. It fits the Indian habit of a stronger lager, without the sweetness of the big strong brands, and works well with a Sunday spread.
At the Indian table
Food pairings contributed by Anuradha Rao
- Malvani chicken sukkaFuller malt carries the coconut and roasted spice while the firm bitterness trims the heat.
- Chole bhatureThe bready malt suits the fried bhature and the mineral finish cuts the oil.
- Kolhapuri misal pavA cold, clean lager with some body cools the fiery tarri without disappearing under it.
- ShrikhandThe dry finish balances the tangy, sweet hung curd and the malt adds a bread note to the cardamom.
Brewed in India
We could not verify an Indian brewery pouring a Dortmunder Export right now. It turns up occasionally as a brewpub seasonal, so it is worth asking.