Dark lagers displaced ales and became the beer of choice in Germany in the nineteenth century.  The popularity of lagers began to spread and quickly came to be brewed over much of continental Europe.  As reliable refrigeration became available to more brewers, the color of the lagers they produced became lighter and lighter.  Pale colored lagers became especially popular in America where refrigeration was a necessity to ship beer from coast to coast.  Lagers require a little more time and effort from the home brewer, but most agree the extra work can be well worth the effort.

Bock:  Bock is a strong German style lager associated with the city of Einsbeck, Germany.  Bock was traditionally a dark beer but can typically range from pale to dark amber in color.  Bocks are known for the malty sweetness imparted in them by the Bavarian malt used to brew them.  While not being excessively hoppy, bocks make good use of hop bitterness to help cut the sweetness of the malt for a balanced, drinkable brew. 

Dunkel:  Dunkel is the original style of lager beer and came from Bavaria in Germany.  Dunkels are usually dark amber to black in color and are of moderate alcoholic strength.  The use of dark roasted Munich malts brings out the flavors often found in dark ales (coffee, chocolate, licorice, etc.) while preserving the crisp, clean body of a lager. 

Pale Lager:  Pale lagers have become the worlds most preferred style of beer and are brewed around the globe.  They are most often the color of pale straw and have a mild to medium hop character.  Well made pale lagers preserve some of the malt flavor while delivering the clean taste and body expected in a lager.  Pale lagers tend to be low to moderate in alcohol content and often more aggressively carbonated than other brews.  Pale lagers can be a rewarding challenge to home brewers since they will show any flaws in the brewing process and show what mass produced beer could taste like if it weren’t so watered down.

Pilsner:  The classic pilsner style of beer originated in Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic.  Pilsners are light in color and are more full bodied and aggressively hopped than their distant cousin the pale lager.  One particular quality unique to the traditional pilsner style is the flavor imparted by the Czech hops used in the brew.  While not high in alcohol, pilsners are strong enough to be well balanced and refreshing to drink.  Pilsners are another home brewers challenge as the pale color quickly gives away mistakes and the delicate balance of flavors can be difficult to achieve.