Beer University

Brewed with top-fermenting yeast at cellar temperature, ales are fuller-bodied, with nuances of fruit or spice and a pleasantly hoppy finish. Generally robust and complex with a variety of fruit and malt aromas, ales come in many varieties. They could include Bitters, Milds, Abbey Ales, Pale Ales, Nut Browns, etc.

Ales are often darker than lagers, ranging from rich gold to reddish amber. Top-fermenting and more hops in the wort gives these beers a distinctive fruitfulness, acidity, and pleasantly bitter seasoning. Ales have a more assertive, individual personality than lager, though their alcoholic strength is the same

Lager originates from the German word lagern which means ‘to store’ – it refers to the method of storing it for several months in near-freezing temperatures. Crisp and refreshing with a smooth finish from longer aging, lagers are the world’s most popular beer (this includes pilseners).

A lager, which can range from sweet to bitter and pale to black, is usually used to describe bottom-fermented brews of Dutch, German, and Czech styles. Most, however, are a pale to medium color, have high carbonation, and a medium to high hop flavor.

There’s very little distinction between a Porter and a Stout, but they do have their differences.

Porter is a dark, almost black, fruity-dry, top-fermenting style. An ale, porter is brewed with a combination of roasted malt to impart flavor, color, and aroma. Stout is also a black, roast brew made by top fermentation.

Stout, not as sweet to the taste, features a rich, creamy head and is flavored and colored by barley. Stouts often use a portion of unmalted roasted barley to develop a dark, slightly astringent, coffee-like character.

Indian Pale Ales (IPAs), which encompass numerous styles of beer, get their characteristics largely from hops and herbal, citrus or fruity flavors. They can be bitter and contain high alcohol levels, though the final product depends on the variety of hops used. Some IPAs can taste like pure citrus, while others are strong and bitter. Prominent IPA styles include West Coast IPA, British IPA and New England Style IPA.

Pale ales are usually hoppy but carry a lower alcohol content than IPAs. Most types of pale ale, which can include American amber ale, American pale ale, blonde ale and English pale ale, are malty, medium-bodied and easy to drink.

A very versatile beer, Amber beers are full-bodied malt aromas with hints of caramel, these beers could be either lager or ale.

Dark amber or brown in color, brown ale have evidence of caramel and chocolate flavors and may have a slight citrus accent or be strong, malty or nutty, depending on the area of brewing.

Dark ale is a British type beer, combining hops, yeast and a blend of malts. It’s a medium chestnut brown color, with a delicate fruity smell and robust, malty character.

A hoppier version of pale ale. Originally brewed in England with extra hops to survive the journey to British troops stationed in India.

Made with neutral and hard water. Tend to be golden in color with a dry, crisp, and somewhat bitter flavor. Pilsner stands out from other lagers due to its more distinctive hop taste.

Red ales can either be red or light brown in color. They are moderate to heavy in flavor and contain hints of caramel that is offset by the predominant hop characteristic of the beer.

Light and easy to drink with very little aftertaste. Wheat provides a soft character to beer and is sometimes hazy or cloudy with a touch of spice notes.