Kellerbier is an unfiltered, often naturally cloudy Franconian-style lager — a tradition from Bavarian cellars with low carbonation, soft body and bready malt character. The hopIQ Score for Kellerbier evaluates each entry against the Kellerbier style reference and weights medals from style-judged competitions.
Currently leading the ranking: Ketterer Zwickel-Pils (Privatbrauerei Ketterer), Aktien Zwick'l Kellerbier (Bayreuther Bierbrauerei) and Kellerbier Naturtrüb (Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren).
How this ranking works
The hopIQ Score judges every beer against its style first: it rewards medals from competitions that judge within style categories and deducts points where a beer measurably deviates from its style reference. Community ratings add to that. Non-alcoholic excluded. No paid placement — order follows the data alone. Ranking spans 175 beers from 142 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
4.9%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
golden 5
An unfiltered Kellerbier that captures the Pilsner tradition in its most elegant form. The palate opens soft and refined, with a lively spritz that cuts through cleanly, then moves into a fine interplay of subtle malt sweetness and hoppy…An unfiltered Kellerbier that captures the Pilsner tradition in its most elegant form. The palate opens soft and refined, with a lively spritz that cuts through cleanly, then moves into a fine interplay of subtle malt sweetness and hoppy bitterness in the finish. This is a beer built for balance rather than drama—the kind that invites a second glass on a warm afternoon, served crisp at seven to eight degrees. Its sprightly character and understated charm make it the sort of honest lager that rewards attention without demanding it.
Aktien Zwick'l Kellerbier#136 worldwide
ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Bayreuther's Zwick'l is what Kellerbier should be — unfiltered, naturally hazy, and tasting like it was poured straight from the cellar tank. Soft malt sweetness and a whisper of noble hop spice dance across a crisp, almost mineral finish;…Bayreuther's Zwick'l is what Kellerbier should be — unfiltered, naturally hazy, and tasting like it was poured straight from the cellar tank. Soft malt sweetness and a whisper of noble hop spice dance across a crisp, almost mineral finish; the low carbonation makes it feel earthy and alive at once. This is Franconian tradition in a glass, no theater.
Kellerbier Naturtrüb#144 worldwide
ABV
5.1%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Based on the oldest recipe known to the house, which goes back to 1308, and drawn unfiltered from the lagering tank. It pours pale gold and naturally hazy on 11.7 degrees Plato. The yeast left in suspension gives a soft, bready note with a…Based on the oldest recipe known to the house, which goes back to 1308, and drawn unfiltered from the lagering tank. It pours pale gold and naturally hazy on 11.7 degrees Plato. The yeast left in suspension gives a soft, bready note with a hint of fresh dough, and Hallertauer Herkules, Tradition and Spalter Select add a floral, herbal hop aroma with mild spice. Full-bodied and rounded, it ends on a gentle bitterness of 20 IBU.
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Kloster Zwickel#165 worldwide
ABV
5.4%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
golden 8
An unfiltered, naturally cloudy Zwickel bottled straight from the brewhouse cellar to the brewmaster's original recipe: a blend of 85 percent bottom-fermented and 15 percent top-fermented Kellerbier, with wheat alongside barley in the…An unfiltered, naturally cloudy Zwickel bottled straight from the brewhouse cellar to the brewmaster's original recipe: a blend of 85 percent bottom-fermented and 15 percent top-fermented Kellerbier, with wheat alongside barley in the grist. The idea came from visitors to the brewery museum, who kept asking for something fresh drawn directly from the fermenting tanks. Subtle yeast and spicy hop notes sit over a sweetish malty core, and a clearly noticeable bitterness closes it.
5
Karlsberg Kellerbier#240 worldwide
ABV
5.0%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
golden 8
An unfiltered, naturally cloudy lager that goes into the bottle straight from the cellar tanks. Pale yellow and hazy in the glass, it balances yeasty notes against a dry bitterness, with a malty core underneath. Original gravity is 11.7 °P…An unfiltered, naturally cloudy lager that goes into the bottle straight from the cellar tanks. Pale yellow and hazy in the glass, it balances yeasty notes against a dry bitterness, with a malty core underneath. Original gravity is 11.7 °P and bitterness 25 units, which puts it close to the house Pilsener in hopping but with the yeast left in.
Ranks 6–10
6
Hirsch Zwuckl#250 worldwide
Hirsch's Zwuckl is a Kellerbier in its truest form — unfiltered, naturally cloudy, caught in that sweet spot between lager cleanness and yeast texture. Earthy hops, mineral backbone, a faint herbal bitterness, and that distinctive soft…Hirsch's Zwuckl is a Kellerbier in its truest form — unfiltered, naturally cloudy, caught in that sweet spot between lager cleanness and yeast texture. Earthy hops, mineral backbone, a faint herbal bitterness, and that distinctive soft yeasty character that defines the style. Drink it fresh and cold; it's the sound of Bavaria's cellar traditions in a glass.
7
Engel Kellerbier Dunkel#258 worldwide
Malty, with roasted notes, yeast aromas and sweet caramel tones, creamy and soft on the tongue. Fresh yeast meets Hohenloher special malts, and the beer is served freshly drawn from the tank (gezwickelt). European Beer Star Silver in 2010…Malty, with roasted notes, yeast aromas and sweet caramel tones, creamy and soft on the tongue. Fresh yeast meets Hohenloher special malts, and the beer is served freshly drawn from the tank (gezwickelt). European Beer Star Silver in 2010 and Gold in 2022 for German-Style Kellerbier Dunkel. 12 % original gravity, 5.3 % ABV.
8
Kaiserdom Kellerbier#475 worldwide
The Kellerbier is Kaiserdom's unfiltered Franconian cellar lager for export markets, brewed to 11.4 percent original gravity. It pours a hazy light orange with a fluffy, firm white head. The nose is restrained, showing malt and freshly…The Kellerbier is Kaiserdom's unfiltered Franconian cellar lager for export markets, brewed to 11.4 percent original gravity. It pours a hazy light orange with a fluffy, firm white head. The nose is restrained, showing malt and freshly toasted white bread. On the palate the suspended yeast gives a soft, rounded impression and an elegant malt sweetness with hints of bread crust, balanced by a discreet hop bitterness and a light herbal spice in the finish.
9
Faust Kräusen#515 worldwide
A light scent of honey, malty-floral, with a fine hop bloom. Mild, fresh and full-bodied in the mouth, malt-led. Naturally cloudy and strongly golden in the glass. At 13.4 percent original gravity and 5.5 percent ABV it has weight, and the…A light scent of honey, malty-floral, with a fine hop bloom. Mild, fresh and full-bodied in the mouth, malt-led. Naturally cloudy and strongly golden in the glass. At 13.4 percent original gravity and 5.5 percent ABV it has weight, and the honey softens the edge of the malt. The brewery says it filters its beers especially gently.
10
Ayinger Kellerbier#623 worldwide
An unfiltered pale lager brewed in honour of the brewery's founder. It stands hazy gold in the glass, the yeast left in place along with the protein and hop matter that filtration would strip out. The nose is doughy and faintly yeasty with…An unfiltered pale lager brewed in honour of the brewery's founder. It stands hazy gold in the glass, the yeast left in place along with the protein and hop matter that filtration would strip out. The nose is doughy and faintly yeasty with a grassy hop edge. On the palate it is soft and grainy up front, then a clean, pleasant bitterness firms it up, and the finish stays short and dry. Brewed at 11.8 degrees Plato in the old cellar tradition.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 40 lean malt-forward and 8 lean hop-forward.