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Sternquell Spezial

Sternquell-Brauerei
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🌍 Germany · Pale Lager · One of 139 Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Spezial has been part of the Sternquell range since 1967; for a time it was sold as Premium Pils before returning to its original name. It is brewed from two-row spring barley and aroma hops at a higher original gravity of 12.4 degrees Plato, and the extra malt softens the hop bitterness while giving the beer more body. Golden in the glass, it smells of fresh bread and cereal with a soft sweetness. Gently spicy, herbal hop notes follow, and the finish is mild and rounded.

ABV
5.4%
SRM
pale gold4

AWARDS

Gold · 2021
DLG-Prämierung
Gold
DLG-Prämierung
★Gold — DLG-Prämierung
★Gold — DLG-Prämierung
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
no reading yet
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
no reading yet
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Pale Lager.
Hop character
herbal
spicy hop
Malt character
bready
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Sternquell Spezial

◎ Appearance

Brilliant golden hue with excellent clarity and fine, persistent carbonation. A stable white head forms and holds with good lacing, indicating proper conditioning and malt protein structure.

brilliant goldenfine carbonationstable head

◌ Aroma

Fresh, grain-forward nose with pronounced notes of bread crust and cereal sweetness from the two-row spring barley. Subtle herbal and spicy hop character emerges beneath, with soft noble hop aromatics suggesting Edelhopfen varieties without aggressive intensity.

fresh breadcereal sweetnesssoft herbal hops

◐ Taste

Medium body with clean malt presence that softens and balances the hop bitterness effectively. The elevated gravity at 12.4 degrees Plato provides gentle roundness; spicy hop notes thread through the palate without dominating, finishing dry but never harsh.

soft bitternessclean maltmedium body

◑ Finish

Mild, rounded finish with lingering dry sensation. The aftertaste remains gentle and cereal-tinged, with no harsh edges or roughness.

milddry finish
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
76
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Sternquell Spezial

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Sternquell Spezial

About Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Pale Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same bready, herbal, smooth character as Sternquell Spezial will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Lagers in hopIQ

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