If you love beer, then you probably are already aware of different types of beer. If you don’t know, don’t worry. In this article, we discuss the different beer types. If you are a beer fan, you would know about pilsner, lager, and stout.
But were you aware of more details of these beer types? What is the alcohol content of each of these beer types? How is it made? We tell you all about different types of beer. Whatever your poison is, you can know more about it by reading our guide.
Types of Beer
The difference between different types of beer depends on the yeast used for the fermentation process. Let’s look at the different types of beer:
1) Ale
One of the most popular beers is the pale ale. It is brewed by using pale malt and ale yeast. The light malt flavor in the pale ale gives it a bitter aftertaste. The alcohol content is low. There are different types of pale ales like American amber ale, American pale ale, Blonde ale, and English pale ale. Pairing ales with savory and spicy dishes makes it ideally suited.
IPA or Indian Pale Ale is golden or amber in color. This is a bitter beer because of the hops used. Brewers would use herbal or citrus tones to reduce the bitterness. IPAs have high alcohol content and are heavy drinks. American, West Coast, New England, and English are different types of IPAs. You can pair IPAs with meats, fish, poultry, and fried foods.
2) Lager
Lager is an entry-level beer. It is ideal for those who are new to drinking beer. Lager is fermented by bottom-fermenting yeast. It is a light drink that is slightly malty. It has a lower alcohol content. The taste of lagers is crisper and cleaner.
3) Pilsner
Pilsners are light gold-colored drinks that are so named because they had their origin in Pilsen in the Czech Republic. They have a dry taste that is slightly bitter. Pilsners are made from hops, malts, and hard water. Pilsners are best suited for the summer thanks to their low alcohol content and ease of drinking. American, German, and Czech pilsners are the different types of pilsners. You can pair pilsners with seafood, poultry, and soft cheeses.
4) Stouts
Stouts are known for having a thick and creamy head with a dark color. They are made from roasted and un-malted barley, which is added to the wort. The flavor of stouts is heavily roasted. It has hints of licorice, chocolate, and coffee, giving it a unique and different taste. This taste makes stouts suited to drink with desserts. There are different types of stouts like American, Milk, Irish dry, Oyster, etc.
5) Porters
Porters had their origin in the 18th century. They are distinctive in terms of their roasted flavors and toasty aroma. Porters are made from barley or roasted brown malts. This gives chocolate, coffee, caramel, or toffee notes to the drink. In terms of color, porters are similar to stouts but have a crisper taste. American imperial, Baltic, English brown, Smoke, and Robust are different types of porters. Porters are best paired with barbeque, desserts, and smoked foods.
6) Wheat Beer
This is a smooth-textured beer with a hazy body. Wheat is the malt used to brew wheat beer. The flavor of this drink depends on the wheat type that is used. It usually tends to have a tangy or citrusy note. Wheat beer is ideal to drink on a sunny day. You can pair wheat beer with salads, seafood, and vegetables.
7) Sour beer
Recently, sour beer has become popular. They are made with wild yeast, so they become acidic. The acidic nature gives sour beer its sour and tart flavor. While other beers are bitter, sour beer is tart. American Brett, American Sour, Belgian Gueze, Flanders Red Ale, and Belgian Fruit Lambic are sour ale types available. Brewers prefer to add spices and fruits for the flavoring. Sour beer is best paired with salads, seafood, and fruit tarts.
8) Belgian beer
Belgian beer is another popular variant of beer that people are starting to prefer. Belgian beer is mostly spicy and fruity. It also has a sweet flavor that makes it less bitter than other types of beer. You must know Belgian beer has higher alcohol content in it. There are different types of Belgian beer options like fruity beer, pale ales, sour ales, and dark ales.
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