What is lager beer? Widespread types on the global market

Lager beer today dominates the worldwide beer market, accounting for over 90% of overall consumption. The reason for this supremacy stems from its crisp, clean, approachable profile and, critically, its product stability. For global importers and supermarket chains, this dependability is a critical determinant, rendering lager the ideal product for industrial production and global transport.

This post will offer a comprehensive answer to what lager beer is, examine mainstream commercial lager types, clarify the industrial production process, and specify the international export requirements that A&B Vietnam adheres to to export compliant products to 70 countries.

Defining lager beer?

Lager beer is a category of beer made via the bottom fermentation method with the particular yeast strain Saccharomyces pastorianus. This operation requires rigorous temperature control methods. The initial fermentation happens at low temperatures, typically ranging from 7 to 13°C.

Most importantly, after fermentation, lager must pass through a chilled conditioning phase called lagering (from the German term lagern, meaning to keep). This phase continues from 4 to 8 weeks at temperatures approaching 0°C.

This cold lagering phase enables the yeast to flocculate completely, mitigates unstable compounds (like esters and phenols), and stabilizes the flavor. The end product is a beer with a distinctively clear, pure, brisk, refreshing, and highly consistent profile, ideal for global distribution.

Contrasting lager and ale

To understand the B2B value of lager beer, importers must to fully contrast it from the second main beer category, ale. The fundamental distinctions are found in the yeast and temperature, which lead clear differences in flavor and target markets.

Feature	Lagers (Ideal for mass export)	Ale (Appropriate for niche markets)
Yeast	Saccharomyces pastorianus	Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Fermentation method	Low fermenting	Top fermenting
Temperature	Low (7 to 13°C)	Warm (15 to 24°C)
Conditioning time	Extended (Mandatory cold lagering)	Often quicker
Flavor profile	Clean, brisk, refreshing, consistent	Diverse, fruity (esters), nuanced
Key market	Global mass sector, MT channel	Craft beer market, on premise channel

With its consistent character, refreshing flavor, and suitability for mass production, lager is the offering that commands the worldwide mainstream market. However, lager is not a singular product; it is a varied category. For importers, understanding the principal commercial lager styles will assist you select the right key products to meet the unique demands of your target customer segments.

Common commercial lager beer styles

The lager beer market is very varied. With our research and development facilities and state of the art production systems, A&B Vietnam can research, offer OEM solutions, and mass produce all lager types that are in strong request on the global market.

Pale lager

This is the most common beer style in the globe, distinguished by its signature light straw hue and a light, clean, and refreshing flavor.

• ABV per content (ABV) 4% to 6% (Able to be adjusted per OEM specifications).

• Taste harmonious, light, easy to drink, clean aftertaste.

• Color light bright straw.

This is a core product, comprising the bulk of A&B Vietnam’s OEM and high quantity export shipments. The thirst quenching quality of Pale Lager is ideally suited for hot regions, such as markets in Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

Pilsner

Pilsner is a high quality lager type originally from the Czech Republic. This style is known for its radiant gold hue, transparency, and the distinctive aroma of noble hop varieties (often Saaz).

• ABV by content (ABV) 4.4% to 5.5%.

• Profile (IBU) noticeable but harmonious bitterness, aromatic hop scent.

• Segment Premium.

Pilsner caters to a consumer segment that demands a more developed taste. Our R&D expertise allow us to formulate OEM Pilsner formulas based on specific hop varieties if requested by our B2B partners.

Dark lager

This style utilizes roasted malts to produce a reddish brown hue. Different from different stout beers (like Stout or Porter), Dark Lager retains the mellow, crisp aftertaste of a lager and is not excessively heavy.

• Alcohol per content (ABV) 4% to 6%.

• Taste roasted malt, toffee, light chocolate.

• Bitterness Mild.

This is an excellent option for importers looking to expand their offerings. Dark Lager is especially appealing in moderate or cooler regions, where customers want slightly more complex tastes.

Bock and doppelbock

These are potent, full bodied lagers coming from Germany, typically deep amber or deep brown in appearance. Both are characterized by a very rich and strong malty character.

• Alcohol per content (ABV) high, Bock (6.3% to 7.5% ABV) and Doppelbock (7.0% to 10% ABV).

• Profile very malty, sometimes with a slight residual sugar.

• Segment high end, niche.

These styles are appropriate for niche segments, premium placements, or as seasonal offerings, all of which A&B Vietnam can produce for OEM batch runs.

Non alcoholic lager

This is one of the fastest growing categories in the global beverage industry, meeting the wellness and well being movement. For importers, this is not just a small segment but an critical requirement. This style opens up entry to a massive customer base, including people abstaining for health purposes, operators, and critically the entire Islamic market.

With A&B Vietnam’s R&D capabilities, we produce non alcoholic lager beer that maintains the complete crisp taste of classic lager.

• ABV per volume (ABV) 0% to a maximum of 0.5%

• Taste retains the typical lager taste but without the alcohol.

• Mandatory certification HALAL

This offering is required when approaching Islamic nations (like the Middle East) or retail partners specializing on alcohol free consumers. A&B Vietnam’s ability to manufacture HALAL compliant non alcoholic beer is a major market advantage for importers.

The export lager beer production process

Understanding the production method assists importers accurately evaluate a supplier’s capacity. At A&B Vietnam, lager quality is secured through a strict 6 step process, operating on a industrial production line at our 40,000m² facility.

• Malt mashing: Malt and adjuncts are ground and combined with heated water. Natural enzymes in the malt convert starches into fermentable sugars (wort).

• Lautering: The wort (sweet liquid) is filtered from the malt solids (spent grain).

• Wort boiling: The wort is boiled along with hops. This step sanitizes the wort, concentrates it, and critically, infuses bitterness and aroma from the hops.

• Fermentation: The wort is rapidly chilled to 7 to 13°C and the Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast is added. The bottom fermentation stage occurs gradually, turning sugars to alcohol and CO2.

• Lagering: This is the defining step of a lager. The green beer is transferred to conditioning vessels and chilled aged (near 0°C) for several weeks or months. This refines the flavor, settles the yeast, and develops its signature brightness.

• Filtering and packaging: The ready beer is polished, carbonated, and sent into an automatic filling system (cans, glass, or draft) ready for shipment.

Reasons to import lager beer from A&B Vietnam?

Partnering with an (OEM/ODM) supplier on the international stage is decided on something more than only the product. For importers and supermarket chains, the critical elements are reliability, regulatory adherence, and production capability. A&B Vietnam, with extensive international experience since 1990, is the strategic supplier that meets these high requirements.

• Rigorous international standards adherence: We are experts in the import requirements of each region. A&B Vietnam’s facility maintains all essential international certifications, such as ISO 22000 and HACCP, FDA (US market), and HALAL. This guarantees your customs clearance procedure is consistently seamless.

• Adaptable R&D and OEM/ODM capabilities: We don't just sell existing beer brands. A&B Vietnam’s in house R&D team is prepared to create private brand lager beer recipes according to a client's requirements for ABV per volume (ABV), hop level (IBU), hue, and unique flavor profiles.

• Established consistent supply chain and logistics expertise: With a major brewery and expertise managing over 1,500+ containers every month, we ensure a steady flow of lager (regular and non alcoholic) and ale styles of beer for large quantity orders. A&B Vietnam has extensive expertise in complicated import/export and logistics procedures, ensuring beer integrity is maintained over long distance transit.

• Flexible B2B canning options: We provide professional packaging options for various styles of beer in our portfolio suitable for all your sales needs, such as cans (in standard volumes like 250ml – 330ml – 500ml).

A&B Vietnam is always searching for strategic distribution partners, import partners, and supermarket group clients worldwide. Connect with us today to obtain detailed consultation on OEM options, a cost quotation for lager beer, and information on our partner development support policies.

A&B Vietnam