There are two main styles of beer: lagers and ales. All beers share the same basic ingredients: water, malted barley, hops and yeast. The style of beer is determined by the type and quantity of malt being used; the type, amount and method used when adding the hops; and the strain of yeast used to ferment the beer. The following styles are based on the Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines.
Ales
Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts which gather at the surface of the brew during the first few days before settling to the bottom. Fermentation for ales requires warmer temperatures (typically 60 to 75 degrees °F) for the yeast to multiply and work. Ales are usually quicker to brew, higher in alcohol and are fuller and more complex.
| BRITISH ORIGIN Classic English-Style Pale Ale English-Style India PaleAle Ordinary Bitter Special Bitter or Best Bitter Extra Special Bitter English-Style Summer Ale Scottish-Style Light Ale Scottish-Style Heavy Ale Scottish-Style Export Ale English-Style Pale Mild Ale English-Style Dark Mild Ale English-Style Brown Ale Old Ale Strong Ale Scotch Ale British-Style Imperial Stout British-Style Barley Wine Ale Robust Porter Brown Porter Sweet Stout Oatmeal Stout IRISH ORIGIN BELGIAN AND FRENCH ORIGIN |
NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN American-Style Pale Ale Fresh Hop Ale Pale American-Belgo-Style Ale Dark American-Belgo-Style Ale American-Style Strong Pale Ale American-Style India Pale Ale Imperial or Double India Pale Ale American-Style Amber/Red Ale Imperial or Double Red Ale American-Style Barley Wine Ale American-Style Wheat Wine Ale Golden or Blonde Ale American-Style Brown Ale Smoke Porter American-Style Sour Ale (Fruit and Unfruited) American-Style India Black Ale American-Style Stout American-Style Imperial Stout Specialty Stouts – See British Origin American-Style Imperial Porter Porter – See British Origin GERMAN ORIGIN |
Lagers
The lager yeast is bottom fermenting. It gathers and sinks to the bottom. Lager yeasts require cooler temperatures during fermentation (typically temperatures below 55 degrees °F) to perform their work. Lagers tend to be lighter in color (although different types of water can produce red or darker lagers). They also usually taste drier than ales. Lagers are less alcoholic and complex. Over the last couple of centuries lagers have risen to become the most popular beer type in both the U.S. and the rest of the world.
*** This is not a list of every style of beer. If we were to list every style out there the list would be in the hundreds. This is a condensed version of the major styles that are out there.***
| EUROPEAN-GERMANIC ORIGIN German-Style Pilsener Bohemian-Style Pilsener European Low-Alcohol Lager/German Leicht(bier) Münchner (Munich)-Style Helles Dortmunder/European-Style Export Vienna-Style Lager German-Style Märzen German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesen (Meadow) European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel German-Style Schwarzbier Bamberg-Style Märzen Rauchbier Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier Bamberg-Style Bock Rauchbier Traditional German-Style Bock German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock German-Style Doppelbock German-Style Eisbock Kellerbier (Cellar beer) or Zwickelbier – Lager |
NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN American-Style Lager American-Style Light (Low Calorie) Lager American-Style Low-Carbohydrate Light Lager American-Style Amber (Low Calorie) Lager American-Style Premium Lager American-Style Pilsener American-Style Ice Lager American-Style Malt Liquor American-Style Amber Lager American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest American-Style Dark Lager OTHER ORIGIN INTERNATIONAL STYLES |
Herbed/Mixed Style
| Session Beer American-Style Cream Ale or Lager California Common Beer Japanese Sake-Yeast Beer Light American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast Light American Wheat Ale or Lager without Yeast Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager with or without Yeast Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager without Yeast American Rye Ale or Lager with or without Yeast German-Style Rye Ale (Roggenbier) with or without Yeast Fruit Beer Field Beer Pumpkin Beer Chocolate/Cocoa-Flavored Beer Coffee-Flavored Beer |
Herb and Spice Beer Specialty Beer Specialty Honey Lager or Ale Gluten-Free Beer Smoke Beer (Lager or Ale) Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale) Out of Category – Traditionally Brewed Beer Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer Aged Beer (Ale or Lager) Other Strong Ale or Lager Non-Alcoholic (Beer) Malt Beverages |
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