HOPIQ SCORE
The Best Kellerbiers
89 beers from 79 breweries · Ranked by style authenticity — not marketing
These rankings are dynamic. As more people rate, match and like beers on hopIQ, community signals will increasingly shape the results alongside style authenticity and award recognition.
Kellerbier — literally "cellar beer" — is lager at its most uncompromising: unfiltered, naturally carbonated, often hazy from residual yeast, and cold-conditioned until ready. The style predates modern filtration; what you taste is what the brewer put in the tank. The hopIQ Score evaluates Kellerbier on restrained carbonation, gentle hop character, natural yeast haze, and a clean malt finish — criteria that reward traditional production over shortcuts.
The ranking spans the DACH region, as the style remains a Central European speciality. Austrian producers like Stiegl and Hofstettner appear alongside German mainstays like Köstritzer, Alpirsbacher, and Steinbach Bräu — a mix that reflects how the Kellerbier tradition survived on both sides of the German-Austrian border. For Germany-only Kellerbiers, see the dedicated German Kellerbier ranking.
How this ranking works
The hopIQ Score weights style authenticity (80%), user engagement (10%), notability (10%), and award history. Active, in-production beers only — non-alcoholic excluded. No paid placement — order follows the data alone. Ranking spans 89 beers from 79 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
Aktien Zwick'l KellerbierBest Overall#1 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;… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
Aktien Landbier Fränkisch Dunkel#9 worldwide
ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
deep amber 17
Bayreuther's Aktien Landbier is a natural-cloudy Kellerbier from Franconia — unfiltered, served cool but not cold, meant to be drunk fresh and often. Toasted bread, light caramel, and earthy hop spice arrive without fanfare; the body is… Ranked here for style-fit against the Dark-Beer reference and award history in Dark-Beer categories.
Köstritzer Kellerbier#24 worldwide
ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
amber 12
Köstritzer's unfiltered Kellerbier — naturally hazy with a soft, fresh character and gentle yeast complexity. The lighter, more summery alternative to the famous Schwarzbier from the same Thuringian brewery. Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
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Stiegl-Paracelsus Bio-Zwickl#26 worldwide
ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
amber 11
Austria's most celebrated organic beer — named after Paracelsus, the alchemist-physician who lived in Salzburg. Brewed exclusively with Austrian organic ingredients from controlled biological cultivation, including Laufener Landweizen… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
5
Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Spezial#28 worldwide
ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Spezial is a traditional Bavarian Kellerbier brewed according to centuries-old monastic methods in the Black Forest region of Germany. This unpasteurized lager offers authentic, rustic character with a naturally… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
Ranks 6–10
6
Kaiserdom Kellerbier#31 worldwide
Kaiserdom Kellerbier is a traditional Bavarian-style lager brewed with a focus on authentic taste and natural ingredients, served fresh from the cellar. This unpasteurized and unfiltered beer showcases a crisp, clean character with a… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
7
Hofstettner Kübelbier#32 worldwide
Austria's most unique beer — fermented in open granite troughs (Kübeln) quarried from the local Mühlviertel granite. Fresh, unfiltered lager filled directly from the lager tanks, keeping all flavourful protein and yeast intact. 2,790… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
8
Kronen Kellerbier#34 worldwide
Kronen's unfiltered cellar beer — cloudy and yeast-forward with a fuller malt character than the filtered Pilsner. Earthy, slightly fruity and gently carbonated in the traditional Kellerbier style. Kronen Kellerbier is the Dortmunder's… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
9
Puntigamer Zwickl#35 worldwide
Puntigamer's unfiltered Zwickl — naturally cloudy and fuller-bodied than the Märzen with more malt complexity. Popular among Graz's craft beer-curious population who want more character without leaving their trusted local brand. Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
10
Hirsch Zwuckl#36 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… Ranked here for style-fit against the Lager reference and award history in Lager-specific categories.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 46 lean malt-forward and 3 lean hop-forward.