Beer Types and Styles

Learn the different products beer brewing companies offer

If you own a bar or a restaurant that serves beer, at one point or another a customer is sure to come up to you and ask you to explain beer types and styles. Having a good working knowledge of what makes beers different will be a wonderful boost in credibility and could help you attract the more serious beer drinker.

When you think of beer types, do not think of Miller versus Bud. These are simply beer brands. The three major beer types are as follows:

1. Ales, which are fermented at a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees using a top fermenting yeast;

2. Lagers, which are fermented at 46 to 55 degrees using a bottom fermenting yeast;

3. Lambic beers, which are fermented using bacteria and wild yeast.

 

Find out more about different types of ale

One of the most popular types of ale is pale ale, which is light in color and has a distinct hops flavor. Very light pale ales are also known as blond, golden or amber. India Pale Ale is the highest in hops and has a slightly sweet and fruity taste. The darker ales include bitter ale, brown ale and barley wine. The darkest of the ales is porter, which has a malted taste to it.
Try: Ajax Turner, a distributor in the Nashville area, sells a wide variety of ales, including Beach Bum Blonde Ale and Red Hook Amber Ale. Clipper City Beer, a Baltimore beer producer, sells a porter and a barley wine under its Heavy Seas label.

Check out the types of lager available

The three most popular types of lager in the United States are American lager, Pilsner and Bock. American is a very thin beer and has that typical beer taste people expect from mass-produced brands. Pilsners taste lightly of malt and hops and have a clean, slightly bitter flavor. Bock is fermented twice, which give it a thick, mature taste, very heavy in malt.
Try: It is not hard to find an American lager. Just look for original Budweiser. Most beer distributors in the U.S. sell it. One of the most popular Pilsners is Pilsner Urqell, which is also very common. Michelob makes Amber Bock, which is one of the most common Bock style beers. It uses hops imported from Germany.

Consider stocking lambic beer

If your establishment serves lambic beer, you will be admired by many who know the beer industry. This beer type comes from only one place, Belgium, where the air contains the microflora needed to properly ferment this beer.
Try: If you'd like to stock lambic beer, contact Lindemans beer brewery. It sells the most popular lambic brand in the U.S. This company has exported its brew stateside since 1979. Read the article on BelgianStyle to find out more about Lambic beer.

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