once a common beer style in medieval Bavaria, is made with at least 30% rye malt, although typically the proportion of rye was often higher. Roggen is the German word for rye. The introduction of the Reinheitsgebot (the so-called Bavarian beer purity law) in 1516 and the resulting move to exclude grains besides barley malt from Bavaria’s mash tuns all but put an end to the production of roggenbier. For centuries to follow, rye would only be used for baking bread in Bavaria.

The roggen style was resurrected in Germany in the 1980s by the Spezial Brewery in Schielring in eastern Bavaria. The brewery was bought by Thurn und Taxis of Regensburg, which, in turn, became part of Paulaner in 1997. Paulaner still produces a roggenbier and today Spezial, now owned by Kuchlbauer of Adensberg, continues to make a roggen. A small number of German brewers also make roggen.

Typically a roggenbier will be about 5% alcohol by volume and dark in color. A proportion of wheat will be used in the malt as well as rye. When the beer is served unfiltered, it will have a hazy appearance similar to a hefeweizen and a soft earthy/spicy aroma. Roggens are top-fermented beers and often employ weissbier yeast strains for fermentation.

Rye is difficult to brew with because it has no husk, and the grain quickly absorbs water in the mash tun, forming a sticky, gummy mash, which is difficult to lauter. However, this has not stopped many American craft brewers making their own ryes. Because of the difficulties of working with rye, the mashes of the American versions are dominated by barley malt, although better beers show considerable rye character. The annual competition at the Great American Beer Festival judges a “Rye Beer” category, with German-style roggen listed as a substyle. In 2010 there were 32 entries in the category.

See also rye.