Steinbier Steinbier, meaning "stone beer," is a unique Bavarian specialty. The brewer boils the wort (unfermented beer) by dropping in extremely hot stones into the wort. The stones scorch and caramelize some of the malt and become coated with caramelized sugar themselves. Once the beer cools, it and the stones are transfered to the fermenter. The resulting beer has a pleasantly smoky flavor and a slightly sweet, malty finish. Classification:  Vollbier Type of Beer:  Lager Alcohol Content:  4.9% Extract Value:  11% Region:  Bavaria Well Known Brands Rauchenfelser Beer Characteristics Smokey, caramel-sweetness, mild. Gritty. Opaque. Amber in color. Creamy white head. Aroma is smoked meats, campfire, some beechwood and a harsher smoked alder. Serving Suggestions Taste best when served cold. Food Pairings Steinbier's smokey taste makes it a great complement to meat dishes. History In ancient times, many brew kettles were made of wood and obviously could not be direct-fired. The hot stone method was invented becauce it was the only way to bring the unfermented beer to a boil without burning the wooden kettles.