German beer in Westford, MA: styles and what to buy

If you want German beer in Westford, CBC Liquors on Littleton Rd carries a German style beer section with helles, bock, wheat beer and more. This guide explains the main styles so you can pick the right bottle, including the harder-to-find ones.

What German beer can you buy at CBC Liquors?

The full range sits on the German style beer page, and it is the best place to see what is in stock today. Stock changes, so check that page or call before you drive over for one particular bottle.

Right now it includes Augustiner Helles, Weihenstephaner Vitus, Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Eggenberg Heller Bock, Eggenberg Hopfen Konig and Veltins Grevensteiner Original.

That spans a light, clean lager, a wheat bock, a dark doppelbock and a few bottles that are less common on a typical shelf.

What are the main styles of German beer?

German brewing is built around a handful of styles, and most bottles fit one of them. Helles is a pale, soft, lightly bready lager. Pilsner is crisper and more bitter from the hops. Märzen and dunkel are amber to brown lagers with toasty malt. Weissbier, or wheat beer, is cloudy and fruity, often with banana and clove notes from the yeast.

Bock is a stronger lager. Heller bock is the pale version, and doppelbock is darker and richer, with more body and alcohol. Kellerbier and Zwickel are unfiltered lagers, a little hazier and rounder.

Knowing which of these you like narrows the shelf quickly.

Which German beer is the easiest place to start?

A helles is the gentlest introduction. Augustiner Helles is a Munich-style pale lager: soft malt, low bitterness and a clean finish. It suits anyone who normally reaches for an easy lager.

If you want something with a bit more hop snap, Veltins Grevensteiner Original from Brauerei Veltins is the one to look at. Grevensteiner is a Kellerbier-style lager, which is usually less filtered than a standard pale lager.

For a wider look at lighter styles, the lager page shows more.

Which German beers are worth seeking out if you want something less common?

Beyond everyday bottles, a few stand out. Weihenstephaner Vitus is a weizenbock, a stronger wheat beer that mixes banana and clove yeast character with a fuller, maltier body. Weihenstephaner is a brewery in Freising, Bavaria, that traces its brewing history back centuries.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian is a doppelbock, dark and rich, with caramel and dark fruit notes. It is a bottle to sip slowly, not to rush.

Eggenberg Hopfen Konig and Eggenberg Heller Bock are worth a look if you want to try a pale bock or a hop-forward take from a brewery you may not see everywhere. Bottles like these can come and go, so if you spot one you want, pick it up while it is on the shelf.

What is the difference between a helles, a bock and a doppelbock?

A helles is a regular-strength pale lager, usually around 4.5 to 5.5 percent alcohol, built for easy drinking. A bock is stronger and maltier, often 6 to 7 percent. A heller bock keeps the golden colour but has more malt sweetness and warmth than a helles.

A doppelbock goes further: darker, fuller and often 7 percent or above. The name means double bock. Historically these were rich, nourishing beers brewed in monasteries, and many still carry names ending in -ator.

Stronger styles are meant to be enjoyed in smaller pours and with food, so plan around that.

What food goes well with German beer?

Helles and pilsner go with pretzels, sausages, roast chicken and anything fried. Wheat beers match brunch dishes, soft cheeses, and salads with a citrus dressing. The yeast flavours also work well with spicy food.

Dark lagers and doppelbocks suit roasted meats, mushrooms, stews and smoked cheese. A pale bock sits in the middle and works with pork, schnitzel and hard cheeses.

Serve lagers cold but not ice cold, and wheat beers in a tall glass so the foam and aroma can open up.

How should you serve and store German beer?

Keep bottles upright, cool and out of direct light. Most German beers are best fresh, especially helles and pilsner, so drink them within a reasonable time of buying. Strong doppelbocks can hold up longer in a cool, dark spot.

Pour wheat beer slowly, then swirl the last bit of liquid to lift the yeast from the bottom if you want the cloudy version. Pour lagers down the side of a tilted glass to control the head.

Can you pick up or get German beer delivered from CBC Liquors?

You can walk into the shop at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford. Hours are Sunday 10 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM. Pickup runs the same hours.

CBC Liquors also offers delivery and shipping. Delivery hours are Sunday 10 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 9:30 PM. The shop also serves Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Acton, Tyngsborough, Lowell, Billerica, Boxborough and Dunstable. See Liquor delivery in Chelmsford or Liquor delivery in Acton for your town.

The shop holds a Google rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews. If you cannot find a German bottle you want, ask the store.