Light Lager

Besides sanitation, success here depends on two things: slightly chloride-forward water to round out the malt, and great attenuation for a light, dry finish.

Whether you’re the type who appreciates a real technical challenge—or just the type who appreciates something easygoing and ice-cold on a hot day—light lager has plenty to offer the ambitious (and thirsty) brewer.

“Brewed as an ode to the sun,” this light, crisp, subtly sweet Mexican-inspired lager from Peaceful Side in Maryville, Tennessee, won the gold medal for International Light Lager at the 2025 World Beer Cup.

In this Ask the Pros edition of his Make Your Best series, Josh Weikert talks to the team at Creature Comforts about their GABF medal–winning Classic City Lager and the keys to its success.

From the production team at Creature Comforts in Athens, Georgia, here’s a recipe for their clean, crisp, easy-drinking American lager that won gold at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival.

Two brewers share insights into their gold medal–winning beers: a thiol-focused hazy pale ale and an unconventional American light lager brewed with Vista hops.

Here’s an elegant homebrew recipe for a super-lean and dry rice lager, ideal for warm summer nights or enjoying with virtually any meal.

Andy Hooper built a reputation for tight focus on process, and his efforts have paid off with dominating performances in the light lager category at major competitions. In this episode, he discusses the processes behind the brewing, including his use of organic, California-grown craft malt.

Light American lager is the hardest “nothing of a beer” you will ever make. Here is a simplified version.

This beer is much more about process than ingredients, so don’t let the simplicity of it fool you.