Italian Lager spans dry pale lagers in the German tradition and the newer Italian Pilsner interpretation with dry-hopping on top of a classic Pilsner malt base. The hopIQ Score for Italian Lager evaluates each beer against its sub-style reference and weights medals from style-judged competitions.
Currently leading the ranking: Pils 1291 (Birra Mastino), Birra Moretti L'Autentica (Birra Moretti) and La Grigna (Birrificio Lariano).
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 107 beers from 25 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
4.9%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
pale gold 4
A bottom-fermented pils in the Bohemian manner, mashed with a three-step decoction and dry-hopped with Mittelfrüh and Tettnanger. The nose is fresh and floral, with white flowers over a clear cereal note from the decoction. The body stays…A bottom-fermented pils in the Bohemian manner, mashed with a three-step decoction and dry-hopped with Mittelfrüh and Tettnanger. The nose is fresh and floral, with white flowers over a clear cereal note from the decoction. The body stays slim to medium and quickly gives way to the noble hop aroma. It finishes dry, with a firm, elegant bitterness. Named after the birth year of Cangrande della Scala, it was the first beer the brewery made, in 2007.
ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
pale gold 2
Birra Moretti L'Autentica is a classic Italian lager brewed with a blend of carefully selected malts and aromatic hops, delivering a clean and refreshing taste. This authentic recipe has been perfected over generations, offering a…Birra Moretti L'Autentica is a classic Italian lager brewed with a blend of carefully selected malts and aromatic hops, delivering a clean and refreshing taste. This authentic recipe has been perfected over generations, offering a balanced, smooth drinking experience with subtle malty undertones.
La Grigna#608 worldwide
ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
pale gold 3
La Grigna is the pale, bottom-fermented pils with which the brewery began in 2008. Malt shows clearly on the nose, and Czech and German hops add a herbal bouquet with a floral edge that stands out against the grain base. The palate is…La Grigna is the pale, bottom-fermented pils with which the brewery began in 2008. Malt shows clearly on the nose, and Czech and German hops add a herbal bouquet with a floral edge that stands out against the grain base. The palate is clean and dry, the bitterness moderate rather than sharp. Set beside a German pils, the herbal and flowery hop note is more pronounced, which puts the beer in the Italian reading of the style.
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Bundes#770 worldwide
ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
pale gold 3
A bottom-fermented pils in the German manner, brewed with German raw materials. Delicate malt notes meet a fine hopping that brings herbal and floral aromas, and the bitterness is present without being excessive. The beer is left…A bottom-fermented pils in the German manner, brewed with German raw materials. Delicate malt notes meet a fine hopping that brings herbal and floral aromas, and the bitterness is present without being excessive. The beer is left unfiltered and matures cold for a long time. At 22 IBU it sits at the gentle end of the style.
5
Vetra Pils#876 worldwide
ABV
4.9%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
pale gold 3
Vetra's pilsner is bottom-fermented on pils malt with a pinch of Cara Hell and hopped with the German varieties Perle and Spalter Select. The hops show as an herbal, grassy cut that rests on the malt base, and at 34 IBU the bitterness is…Vetra's pilsner is bottom-fermented on pils malt with a pinch of Cara Hell and hopped with the German varieties Perle and Spalter Select. The hops show as an herbal, grassy cut that rests on the malt base, and at 34 IBU the bitterness is clearly present. It is one of the six beers in the fixed line-up.
Ranks 6–10
6
Bassa Marea combines the hopping of an IPA with bottom fermentation. American hops bring citrus and tropical fruit to a pale, lean lager base. The palate is dry and taut with clearly defined flavours, the bitterness is marked, and the…Bassa Marea combines the hopping of an IPA with bottom fermentation. American hops bring citrus and tropical fruit to a pale, lean lager base. The palate is dry and taut with clearly defined flavours, the bitterness is marked, and the finish is fresh. The crab on the label stands for a beer that sits between two worlds.
7
Scubi is Birrone's Schwarzbier, in the range since 2009, and its name is short for the brewery's dark one. It is ebony in colour with a substantial head and roasted like coffee. Coffee and liquorice notes sit on a lightly malty base,…Scubi is Birrone's Schwarzbier, in the range since 2009, and its name is short for the brewery's dark one. It is ebony in colour with a substantial head and roasted like coffee. Coffee and liquorice notes sit on a lightly malty base, joined by the toffee flavour of caramel malt. The beer is soft and sweetish without becoming cloying, and it is deliberately easy to drink for a dark lager. Bottom-fermented, 5.4 %.
8
An unpasteurised lager introduced in 2017, kept cold throughout production and stabilised by microfiltering the yeast at low temperature instead of heat treatment. It is straw yellow and clear, with a noticeably soft, creamy texture. Fresh…An unpasteurised lager introduced in 2017, kept cold throughout production and stabilised by microfiltering the yeast at low temperature instead of heat treatment. It is straw yellow and clear, with a noticeably soft, creamy texture. Fresh cereal and light bread-dough notes lead, a gentle maize sweetness rounds the middle, and a pleasantly bitter, slightly herbal hop note carries through the finish, firmer than in the standard Peroni.
9
The strongest beer in the Gran Riserva range, a bottom-fermented bock brewed entirely from Italian bronze-kilned barley malt, without maize or any other unmalted grain. A long mash at low temperature and special caramel malts shape its…The strongest beer in the Gran Riserva range, a bottom-fermented bock brewed entirely from Italian bronze-kilned barley malt, without maize or any other unmalted grain. A long mash at low temperature and special caramel malts shape its character. It pours an intense gold. Cereal and toasted malt lead on the nose with a light spiciness, the palate adds caramel and bread crust over a firm malt body, and a delicate fruity note lingers in the finish, held in balance by a measured hop bitterness.
10
A Bohemian-style Pilsner from the brewery that evokes Trieste's historic crossroads of Italian and Central European culture. Pale straw gold with a persistent white head; spicy Saaz hop aroma, clean barley malt base and a firm, dry bitter…A Bohemian-style Pilsner from the brewery that evokes Trieste's historic crossroads of Italian and Central European culture. Pale straw gold with a persistent white head; spicy Saaz hop aroma, clean barley malt base and a firm, dry bitter finish. Slow Brewing certified and a multiple international medallist — proof that a Triestine pilsner can rival the Czech and German originals.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 30 lean malt-forward and 15 lean hop-forward.