Reinheitsgebot

• Deutsches Reinheitsgebot

From Reinheit (“purity”) +‎ Gebot (“commandment, order, decree”). First used in the 19th century.

• IPA^(key): /ˈraɪ̯nhaɪ̯tsɡəˌboːt/, [ˈʁaɪ̯n.haɪ̯t͡s.ɡəˌboːt]

• Audio

  (file)

Reinheitsgebot n (strong, genitive Reinheitsgebotes or Reinheitsgebots, plural Reinheitsgebote)

1. A legal regulation, eventually going back to the 16th century, prescribing that German beer must not contain any ingredients other than water, malt, hops, and yeast, and that bottom-fermented beer must be brewed with barley.

• The Reinheitsgebot is still incorporated in German law. The extent of possible exceptions varies between federal states. In Bavaria, it continues to be illegal to brew nonconforming beer even if the designation Bier is not used. In practice, virtually all German beers adhere to the Reinheitsgebot.
• Under EU law, foreign beers may be sold freely on the German market, however.