Lager beers are alcoholic beverages of German and Czech origin, taking their name from the German lagern ("to store").

Brewed principally from malted barley (no cane sugar, an adjunct), hops and water using bottom-fermentation (the yeast, Saccharomyces Uvarum, ferments at cool temperatures, and flocculates to the bottom of the vat), they are then stored in refrigerated cellars for lagering (or maturing and clarification). Lagers are stored at a low temperature for several weeks to several months, clearing, acquiring mellowness, and becoming charged with carbon dioxide. Many popular beers are lagers. There are bitter and aromatic varieties (noble hops).

Lager beers run the gamut from sweet to bitter, and from pale to black. Most lagers are of pale to medium colour, with high carbonation, medium to high hop flavour, and alcohol content of 3-5 percent by volume. There are several types of lagers

Common varieties of lager

• Dortmund
• Munich (see Helles)
• Pilsener
• Vienna lager
• California Common Beer / Steam Beer (fermented with Saccharomyces Uvarum at room temperature, thus arguably not a lager)

Popular brands of lager

• Pilsener Urquell: the "original", Czech, malty, aromatic noble hops
• Jever: North German, dry, one of the most bitter pilsners
• Carlsberg: Danish, standard international lager
• Heineken: Dutch, standard international lager
• Harp: Irish, standard international lager
• Tennents : Scottish, standard international lager
• McEwan's : Scottish, strong rivalry with Tennent's
• Carling : English

See also: American lager