Which of the following lager styles has the lightest color?

• A. Pilsner
• B. Helles
• C. Vienna Lager
• D. Dortmunder

Answer: (D)

Color in lager is determined mainly by the malt used and how much it’s roasted. The lighter the malt, the paler the beer. Dortmunder is brewed as a pale lager with a very light malt profile, using pale malts and only a small amount of roast. That gives it a bright, pale gold appearance that sits toward the lighter end of the spectrum when you compare it with the other styles listed—Vienna Lager leans into amber tones from Vienna malt, Helles often shows a modest gold due to its malt blend, and Pilsner, while very pale, is typically described as even lighter in many references. In the context of these four options, Dortmunder is characterized as the lightest-colored, which is why it’s chosen.