Comparison
Dortmunder Export vs German Pils
What is the difference between Dortmunder Export and German Pils?
The short answer
Dortmunder Export and German Pils are closer than the comparison suggests. The measurable differences are small — floral is the largest of them — so tradition, strength and what each is brewed for will tell you more than the flavour axes do.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, body, carbonation, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Dortmunder Export | German Pils | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Pale lager | Pale lager |
| Fermentation | Bottom-fermented (lager) | Bottom-fermented (lager) |
| Origin | Germany | Germany |
| Category status | Established | Established |
| Strength | 4.8–6% ABV | 4.4–5.4% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 20–30 IBU | 22–45 IBU |
| Colour | Deep gold — 4–7 SRM, 8–14 EBC | Straw to light gold — 2–5 SRM, 4–10 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.048–1.056 | 1.044–1.050 |
| Final gravity | 1.010–1.015 | 1.008–1.013 |
| Serving temperature | 5–8°C | 4–7°C |
| Carbonation | 2–3 vol CO₂ | 2–3 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Willi Becher | Pilsner glass, Stange |
| Clarity | brilliant | brilliant |
How they taste different
| Character | Dortmunder Export | German Pils |
|---|---|---|
| Floral | Not characteristic | Low–Moderate |
| Sweetness | Low | Trace |
| Hop aroma | Low | Moderate |
| Malt intensity | Moderate | Low |
| Herbal | Not characteristic | Low |
| Dryness | Moderate | High |
| Hop spice | Low | Moderate–High |
| Sulphur | Not characteristic | None–Trace |
Which should you choose?
- You want more floral → German Pils
- You want more sweetness → Dortmunder Export
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.