For the second installment of Beer Fundamentals, I thought we'd take a closer look at some common beer styles you're likely to come across at your average beer retailer or restaurant. As I stated in the first installment, Beer Classification, this is in no way meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a simple overview of common styles and their respective characteristics in simple language. Hopefully, this overview will assist you in selecting a beer you're likely to enjoy when you're approaching a new (to you) style. The purpose of Beer Fundamentals is to help the beginner to better understand and appreciate the wonderfully wide world of better beer. If you happen to be an experienced beer aficionado, I'm sorry but this is likely to be somewhat remedial for you. But who can't use a refresher?
Let's begin with some of the basic styles of beer that fall under the ale category. Remember, ales are differentiated from lagers by the type of yeast used in brewing, the temperature at which the beer ferments, and the resulting flavor and aroma profiles in the beer itself. As you'll see, ales can be extremely dissimilar from one another in appearance, aroma, flavor and body. These are just a small sampling of the common ale styles you're likely to come across in your new journey into beer:
Amber Ale - Amber ales are generally fairly well balanced beers (balanced = malt/hop ratio), but lean toward the malty side if anything. Ambers are generally just that, "amber" in color, as you might guess. Amber ales can vary between 4.0 and 7.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). New Belgium's Fat Tire is an example of a typical amber ale.
Barleywine - A Barleywine isn't a wine at all, of course, but it is typically a very strong beer style. Barleywines are generally quite fruity and tend to be heavy on the palate. American barleywines are often also very high in bitterness (heavily hopped), while English varieties tend to be a bit more balanced or even malt dominant. Barleywines typically range between 8.0 -14.0% ABV. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is an example of an American-style barleywine.
Pale Ale - Generally a fairly well balanced beer, but maybe leaning toward hop bitterness a bit. This is especially true of American pale ales (APAs). Most pale ales are a medium yellow gold color and have average alcohol content (4.0 - 6.5% ABV). Anchor Liberty Ale is an example of a pale ale.
India Pale Ale (IPA) - India pale ales are different from a standard pale ale in that they are more generously hopped, resulting in a decidedly more bitter ale. They are medium gold in color and typically slightly higher in ABV than a pale ale at 5.5 - 7.5%. Some IPAs are so heavily hopped they are sometimes described as sour or very bitter, much like grapefruit. This is particularly true of American styles. This character is also due to the type of hops used to brew the beer. Bell'sTwo Hearted Ale is an example of an IPA.
Porter - Porters are dark in color and light to medium in body; with roasted malt flavors and moderate hop presence. Porters often have a roasted coffee-like flavor. They are generally average in alcohol at 4.5 - 6.0% ABV. Some brewers add adjuncts (additional ingredients to impart unique flavors) to porters, like smoked malt grains, chocolate, vanilla or coffee. Boulevard'sBully! Porter is an example of the style.
Stout - Stouts are typically very dark, often opaque, and range in body from medium to heavy. Like porters, stouts often have dark roasted flavors of coffee and chocolate but are generally more generous in these characteristics. Stouts most frequently range between 4.0 - 7.5% ABV. Also, like a porter, additional ingredients are often used while brewing a stout - oatmeal grain, chocolate and espresso are common additions. For an example of this style, try RogueShakespeare Stout.
American Wheat Ale - These beers are typically a pale golden color and can range from crystal clear to hazy, depending on whether the beer is filtered during brewing. Typically light in body and fairly aggressively carbonated. These ales use wheat malt to achieve a smooth, light taste that is generally low in bitterness and lacks the fruity and spicy characteristics of German wheat ales. Bell'sOberon is an example of an American style wheat ale.
Hefeweizen - A true hefeweizen is brewed using at least a 50% wheat grain malt, producing a light golden color and typically massive head. A particular type of yeast is used that yields by-products called Phenols and esthers - producing aromas and flavors reminiscent of fruits like banana, and spices like cloves. This yeast is also left in the beer; making it hazy or even nearly opaque (this is what "hefe" means = with yeast) These beers are low in bitterness and also actively carbonated. These beer generally range between 4.0 - 7.0% ABV. An example of a German Hefeweizen is Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier.
I have left out several fairly common ales types, chief among these the ales of Belgium. These I'll deal with in their own installment, since they are unquestionably some of the most unique and varied ales in existence. Some, if fact, defy categorization as ales in the traditional sense and represent a type of beer that is found (almost) nowhere else in the world. We'll take this journey on the wils side soon, but you'll have to wait. In the next installment of Beer Fundamentals, we'll take a closer look at lagers. Until then, keep experimenting with new beers and always remember to ... drink wisely.
2008 beerphilosopher.com
Let's begin with some of the basic styles of beer that fall under the ale category. Remember, ales are differentiated from lagers by the type of yeast used in brewing, the temperature at which the beer ferments, and the resulting flavor and aroma profiles in the beer itself. As you'll see, ales can be extremely dissimilar from one another in appearance, aroma, flavor and body. These are just a small sampling of the common ale styles you're likely to come across in your new journey into beer:
Amber Ale - Amber ales are generally fairly well balanced beers (balanced = malt/hop ratio), but lean toward the malty side if anything. Ambers are generally just that, "amber" in color, as you might guess. Amber ales can vary between 4.0 and 7.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). New Belgium's Fat Tire is an example of a typical amber ale.
Barleywine - A Barleywine isn't a wine at all, of course, but it is typically a very strong beer style. Barleywines are generally quite fruity and tend to be heavy on the palate. American barleywines are often also very high in bitterness (heavily hopped), while English varieties tend to be a bit more balanced or even malt dominant. Barleywines typically range between 8.0 -14.0% ABV. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is an example of an American-style barleywine.
Pale Ale - Generally a fairly well balanced beer, but maybe leaning toward hop bitterness a bit. This is especially true of American pale ales (APAs). Most pale ales are a medium yellow gold color and have average alcohol content (4.0 - 6.5% ABV). Anchor Liberty Ale is an example of a pale ale.
India Pale Ale (IPA) - India pale ales are different from a standard pale ale in that they are more generously hopped, resulting in a decidedly more bitter ale. They are medium gold in color and typically slightly higher in ABV than a pale ale at 5.5 - 7.5%. Some IPAs are so heavily hopped they are sometimes described as sour or very bitter, much like grapefruit. This is particularly true of American styles. This character is also due to the type of hops used to brew the beer. Bell'sTwo Hearted Ale is an example of an IPA.
Porter - Porters are dark in color and light to medium in body; with roasted malt flavors and moderate hop presence. Porters often have a roasted coffee-like flavor. They are generally average in alcohol at 4.5 - 6.0% ABV. Some brewers add adjuncts (additional ingredients to impart unique flavors) to porters, like smoked malt grains, chocolate, vanilla or coffee. Boulevard'sBully! Porter is an example of the style.
Stout - Stouts are typically very dark, often opaque, and range in body from medium to heavy. Like porters, stouts often have dark roasted flavors of coffee and chocolate but are generally more generous in these characteristics. Stouts most frequently range between 4.0 - 7.5% ABV. Also, like a porter, additional ingredients are often used while brewing a stout - oatmeal grain, chocolate and espresso are common additions. For an example of this style, try RogueShakespeare Stout.
American Wheat Ale - These beers are typically a pale golden color and can range from crystal clear to hazy, depending on whether the beer is filtered during brewing. Typically light in body and fairly aggressively carbonated. These ales use wheat malt to achieve a smooth, light taste that is generally low in bitterness and lacks the fruity and spicy characteristics of German wheat ales. Bell'sOberon is an example of an American style wheat ale.
Hefeweizen - A true hefeweizen is brewed using at least a 50% wheat grain malt, producing a light golden color and typically massive head. A particular type of yeast is used that yields by-products called Phenols and esthers - producing aromas and flavors reminiscent of fruits like banana, and spices like cloves. This yeast is also left in the beer; making it hazy or even nearly opaque (this is what "hefe" means = with yeast) These beers are low in bitterness and also actively carbonated. These beer generally range between 4.0 - 7.0% ABV. An example of a German Hefeweizen is Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier.
I have left out several fairly common ales types, chief among these the ales of Belgium. These I'll deal with in their own installment, since they are unquestionably some of the most unique and varied ales in existence. Some, if fact, defy categorization as ales in the traditional sense and represent a type of beer that is found (almost) nowhere else in the world. We'll take this journey on the wils side soon, but you'll have to wait. In the next installment of Beer Fundamentals, we'll take a closer look at lagers. Until then, keep experimenting with new beers and always remember to ... drink wisely.
2008 beerphilosopher.com
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