Guide to Beer

Beer  is not only one of the world's most popular beverages, but it is also possibly one of the world's oldest.  Writings dating from ancient Sumeria contain a prayer that serves also as a way of remembering a recipe!  Since bread making and beer production are so closely related, it was often women who were responsible for brewing the libation.  Over the years, beer went from being mainly sold by European monasteries and artisans to being industrially manufactured.

Types of Beer

Beers are classified as belonging to one of three categories.

Ales

Ale yeasts are top fermenting; that is, they gather at the surface of the liquid before settling to the bottom.  Fermentation for ales is much more rapid than it is for lagers, and takes place at a fairly warm temperature (between 15 and 24 degrees).  Below are some ale varieties.

Pale Ale Generally bronze or copper-coloured; can be fruity, hoppy, earthy, buttery. India Pale Ale  Sierra Nevada  Cooper's	Brown Ale Reddish to dark brown; malty, sweet, full-bodied with moderate bitterness. Newcastle  Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale  Brooklyn Brewery	Belgian Ale So much to say, so little room.  Start with Chimay  or Duvel  and keep going! Witbier  (crisp and spicy) Dubbel  (rich and malty) Tripel  (complex and sweet)	German Ale Fuller bodied than British and Belgian ales and extremely drinkable. Kölsch  (pale and hoppy) Weisse  (tart and refreshing) Erdinger  (a good place to start)	Stout /Porter  Extra dark - sometimes black. Porters are lighter in body than stouts. Mackeson  Fuller's London Porter  Guinness

Lagers

Lagers are the most commonly consumed beers and are often of Central European origin.  Yeasts are bottom fermenting and are fermented twice: once at 7-12 degrees and the second time at 0-4 degrees.  This second fermentation is called the lagering phase and it is at this time that the brew clears and the flavours mellow.  Listed below are some varieties of lager.

Pilsener A reaction against dark and cloudy top-brewed beer - clear and pale. Pilsener Urquell  Hansa  Krušovice Imperial	Pale Lager Hoppy and moderately bitter.  The all-malt base provides sweetness. Peroni  Kronenbourg 1664  Grolsch	Bock  Stronger than the average lager; dark amber in colour and robust. Maibock  (pale and subtle) Doppelbock  (strong and weighty) Eisbock  (rich and powerful)	American Lager  A type of pale lager but much lighter in colour and body. Budweiser  Miller  Brooklyn Brewery	Strong Lager Pale lagers with a higher alcohol by volume (greater than 5.8 %). Carlsberg Special Brew  Okocim Mocne  Tennent's Super

 

Specialty Beers

Specialty beers are those that defy categorization: either they are not enough like an ale or lager to conform to the definition, or they are a hybrid of the two.

Smoked Beer Malts are dried over an open fire and acquire a distinctive smokiness.  Flavours evoke those of smoked meat. Schlenkerla	Fruit /Vegetable Beer Naturally- or artificially-flavoured ales; usually not very bitter so fruit or vegetable is dominant.  Lindemans Framboise  Früli Strawberry Fruit Beer  Pumpkin Ale	Herb/Spice Beer Herbed or spiced beers that are often popular during colder months and especially at holiday time. Juju Ginger Ale  St. Peter's Spiced Ale  Fuller's Honey Dew

Related Guides

Spirits Guide	Liqueurs Guide	White Wine Guide	Red Wine Guide	Food and Beverage Guide

External Links

• 2BASnob.com: A guide to beer types and different styles.
• BeerMonthClub.com: Lager beer style guide.
• BeerHunter.com: Beer culture and styles guide.
• BeerAdvocate.com: Very comprehensive beer style guide.
• Tastings.com: All about beer.