Reinheitsgebot

Paragraph 9

Brewing Beer

( 1) For brewing bottom-fermented beer may only be used barley-malt, hops, yeast and water, except of the prescriptions in the paragraphs (4) to (6).

( 2) The brewing of top fermented beer is subjected to the same prescription; however the use of other malt and the use of technical pure cane- , beet- invert- or starch sugar and color-matter made out of the sugar described above is allowed too.

( 3) Malt means every type of grain, that is artificially made sprouting.

( 4) The use of color beers, which are only produced out of malt, hops, yeast and water, is permitted for brewing beer, but is subjected to special controlling measures.

( 5) Instead of hops, hops-powder or in other ways to small pieces reduced hops or hops extracts may be used for brewing beer, if these products satisfy the following requirements:

1. Hops-powder and in other ways to small pieces reduced hops, same as hops extracts must only be obtained out of hops.

2. Hops extracts must

a) contain all substances of the hops, that are passed over to the wort during the brewing process or it's flavor and bitter components in a condition that the hops has got before or while boiling the wort.

b) comply to the rules of food law.

The hops extracts may only be added to the wort before or while the wort is boiled.

( 6) As a clarifier for wort and beer only substances may be used that work mechanically or absorbing and that are separated again except of parts that are insignificant according to health, smell or taste and that are technically inevitable.

( 7) On request, it may be permitted in single cases that the preparation of special beers and of beer that is determined to be exported or to be used for scientific experiments diverges from prescription (1) and (2).

( 8) The prescriptions (1) and (2) don't apply to those breweries that produce beer only for domestic use. (Home brewers)

( 9) The admixture of water to the beer by the brewer after the determination of the extract contents of the original wort in the fermenting cellar or by the beer trader or by the tap keeper is forbidden. The main tax office may allow brewers to add water to the beer after the determination of the extract contents of the original wort in the brewing cellar, on condition that the necessary safety precautions are adopted.

(10) The mixture of Einfachbier, Schankbier, Vollbier and Starkbier (*) or the addition of sugar after evaluation of the tax by the beer trader or tap keeper is forbidden. The Federal Minister of Finance may allow exceptions.

(11) For producing top fermented Einfachbier, sweetening agent may be used following the prescriptions of the Zusatzstoff-Zulassungsverordnung from the 22nd of December 1981 (Bc - Bl I S.1625(30)) in the for the time being valid version.

( *) The German beer tax law distinguishes beers by the extract contents of the original wort in (weight) percent to evaluate the tax :

Einfachbier : 2.0 - 5.5
Schankbier : 7.0 - 8.0
Vollbier : 11.0 - 14.0
Starkbier : > 16.0