Vienna

Vienna sits between the extremes. More mineral content than Pilsen, less than Munich. Moderate hardness, moderate bicarbonate. It's a profile that doesn't push hard in any direction, which is precisely why it works for Vienna lager: a beer that balances malt sweetness with gentle bitterness and a clean finish.

The moderate sulphate gives hops a little more definition without the aggressive dryness you'd get from a Burton-style water. And the bicarbonate is high enough to support amber and Vienna malts without overwhelming a pale base malt. It's a forgiving profile, which makes it a reasonable starting point for styles that fall somewhere in the middle of the malt-hop spectrum.

Vienna lager is having a quiet revival, and this water profile is a good reason to pay attention. It's the proof that not every great beer needs extreme water chemistry.