lager

1 of 2

noun

la·ger ˈlä-gər

variants or lager beer

plural lagers or lager beers

: a beer (such as a bock or pilsner) that is brewed at cool temperatures by slow fermentation with a slow-acting yeast (especially Saccharomyces pastorianus synonym S. carlsbergensis)

Note: Lagers tend to have a lighter, clearer appearance than ales with a usually lower alcohol content and slightly higher sugar content. The yeast used to ferment lager is often referred to as "bottom-fermenting" since it does not rise to the top of the brewing vessel during fermentation.

Known for being crisper, cleaner and more refreshing than ales, lagers are lighter in body and alcohol while being moderate to high in carbonation.—

Kara Newman

All true lagers are aged before consumption. Lager in fact comes from the German word meaning to store.—

Dave Martin

Lager beer had developed in Central Europe and probably was introduced in the United States by Philadelphia brewer John Wagner …—

Donna R. Gabaccia

lager

2 of 2

verb

lagered; lagering; lagers

transitive verb

: to store (beer and especially lager) at cold temperatures during a period of aging often accompanied by a secondary fermentation to improve flavor and clarity

The basic American beer is properly described as "lager," which means that the brew has been fermented in the bottom of a tank and then stored—lagered—for two to six weeks in order to smooth and mellow its flavor.—

Anthony Dias Blue

lagering noun

Minimum lagering times are in excess of 21 days, but the premium beers are matured for two to three months. —

Michael Jackson

Examples of lager in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The American-style lager is 4.2% ABV and is described as having a light body and crisp, clean finish while using 100% North American ingredients. —

Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 24 Oct. 2024 Outside of music, there was also the release of the Tragically Hip ABC picture book (Penguin Random House Canada), as well as licensed merch up the ying yang from canoes to Adirondack chairs to disc golf, and lager and cider. —

Karen Bliss, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

Can lager and horses heal a nation? —

Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2022 See all Example Sentences for lager

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lager.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.