Popularized in the 1800s in Dortumund, Germany, this style was brewed primarily to compete with the very popular German Pilsner style beers.
Light to deep gold in color, the water used to brew these beers was high in sulfates and alkaline, which required the brewers to use fewer hops (sulfates accentuate hop bitterness) and higher acidity malts (to counter the alkalinity of the water). This gives the beer a very long-lasting head, generally nicely balanced malt and hop flavors with a subtle malt sweetness. Stronger in ABV than the German Pilsner or Munich Helles Lager, it was labeled as "Export Strength".
Best served cool, 46-54 degrees, and in a pilsner glass or stange.