With so many different types of beers around the world, it can be difficult to understand the unique characteristics of each one. This comprehensive guide will help you identify the key differences between each beer, making it easier to make beer and food pairing recommendations and increase sales. Beers can be broken down into ale and lager beers, but there are several different types of beers. Each beer varies greatly in color, alcohol content and flavor.
Pale ale is one of the most popular beer styles in the world. It is known for its golden to copper color and its hops. Made with pale malt and ale yeast, pale ales tend to be hoppy and have light malt flavors that give the drink a bitter aftertaste. They usually have a low alcohol content and are easy to drink.
Pale Indian ales (IPA) usually have a golden or amber color. This beer tends to be bitter due to the amount of hops used to prepare it. However, many brewers add citrus or herbal tones to IPAs that help balance bitterness and make it tasty. This drink has a high alcohol content and many customers may find this drink to be strong.
Originally from Pilsen, Czech Republic, Pilsner is a light gold drink usually made with malts, hops and hard or neutral water. Pilsners stand out from other lagers because they have a dry and slightly bitter taste. This drink is very popular during the summer because it is easy to drink and has a low alcohol content. Stouts are known for their dark color and thick, creamy head. They have a very roasted flavor that comes from the unmalted roasted barley that is added to the must.
Stouts often contain touches of coffee, chocolate, liquorice or molasses, making this beer unique and ideal to accompany desserts. Porters originated in London during the 18th century and are known for their roasted aroma and roasted flavors. They are made with roasted brown malt or barley, which gives the drink strong notes of chocolate, caramel, coffee and caramel. Although the porters have a similar color to stouts, the porters have a more crunchy flavor. Brown beers range in color from amber to brown and are soft but tasty. Most brown beers have notes of chocolate, caramel, citrus or nuts.
However, depending on where the beer was brewed, it is likely to taste different. The English version of brown beer is usually dry and nutty, while the American version tends to be more hoppy. With wheat as malt, wheat beer has a soft texture and a hazy body. This beer has very little hop presence and its flavor depends on the type of wheat used. Wheat beers tend to have citrus and sour flavors that make them an excellent drink for a sunny day. Bitter beers are made with wild yeast and bacteria to help provide them with high levels of acidity.
The acidity gives the beer a sour taste as opposed to the bitter flavors that are normally tasted in other beers. Many brewers also add fruit and spices to wild beers to give them a sweet and fruity profile. Amber can be ales or lagers, but both styles are so named because of their amber color. They are also known for their toasted caramel flavored malts and their low to medium-high hop bitterness. They usually have citrus or pine notes to balance the sweetness of the malt. The myriad of beer styles that make up the craft beer scene is exciting, but it can also be intimidating - that's okay! With all the different beer styles and beer names, it's hard to remember what differentiates them from each other.
That's why we've created an exhaustive list of more than 75 different types of beers based on Brewers Association's competition beer style guidelines - making it easy for readers to learn everything they want about their favorite types of beer. Our interactive color, bitterness and alcohol scales plus our flavor categories make it easy for readers to find their favorite beer without having to be an expert on craft beer. Our list includes names, styles and types of beer so readers don't have to remember everything about their favorite beers - if they remember what it tastes or looks like our interactive tools make it easy for them to gather information about beers that have caught their eye. An authentic classic English beer, brown ale beer in the English style is easily one of the most iconic styles of beer.
Arguably one of the most recognizable beer styles, brown ale has been around since at least 16th century England.
