What types of beer are there?

So you have read my "what is craft beer" page and now you want to know about the different types of beer... 

Unfortunately there are too many types to answer, and its far too big a question as taste is individualistic, but it is one that crops up all the time so I will give it a go. 

The best way to find out is to try new beer – just order a random beer and see what you think or go to a brew house and do taster sizes, they make for a great day / night out. For me, I would start at the wheat beers, the head to the bottom of the ales (Session Ales, Indian Pale Ales then American Ales) and work up to find what you like and dislike. If nothing jumps out at you, then head over to pale lagers like a pilsner. If you find you like the heavy ales, cask ales etc then try dunkel and Bock lagers otherwise stay well clear of them.

Lagers 

...are beers that are generally lighter on taste – they are really crisp taste that lets you enjoy the sun or food that you are eating. In general terms, lagers in the beer world are like Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris in the wine world:

·         Pilsners are sweet and light (think Czech Republic or lighter German beers) and are similar to a Kolsch. Try a Balmain Pilsner (Aus), Moa Methode Pilsner (NZ) or Staropramen (Czech).

·         You then end up with Bocks and Dunkels – big malty, coffee dark lagers. Huge intense flavour. Too malty for me. Monteiths Doppel Bock (NZ) or Holgate Brick Kiln.          

Belgium white or blond beers (think Leffe or Hoegaarden), and German Wheat beers are the middle grounds between a Lager and an Ale. They are both brewed similarly to an ale but a Belgium Witbier can be a bit more sour and Belgian Abbey beers can often have fruits and malts through it while a Wheat Beer is low in hoppy-ness and is sweater and carbonated like a Lager.  For new beer drinkers, try a Hoegaarden Wheat Beer (Belgium), Erdinger Weissbier (Germany), 4 Pines Hefeweizer (Aus) or a Green Beacon Wayfarer (Australia).    

Ales

... like lagers; there are so many so I will only give a snap shot.  CAMRA is a UK organisation about real ale, using traditional ingredients and brewing techniques, typically using cask ale techniques. This is unfiltered beer served straight from the cask, it is popular in the UK as the climate allowed for room temperature drinks and poured from a hand pump. Try Timothy Taylor Ales. Real Ale is thought as the ‘old mans’ drink (room temperature, no gas etc) and craft beer is being marketed as the new and out there beers for the modern generation...

·         Session Ales; these are based on American Ales or Indian Pale Ales (IPA) but less hoppy and more crisp like a lager – to allow you to go on a session and drink all night long. Try Rocks Brewing ISA, Brew Cults Hop Zone or Deschutes River Ale [USA]. Think of a hybrid between a lager and an ale.

·         Bright Ale; this is quite similar to a Session Ale in taste but it is a Pale Ale but with the yeast removed as part of the brewing process. This leaves it brighter and clearer in colour and has that session, lighter taste through it. (Little Creatures Bright Ale, Endeavour Growers)

·         Summer Ale; this seems to have barley and wheat through it to give a sweeter taste to an IPA. The fruity taste makes you long for a summer day by the beach and sunset with a Summer Ale in your hand… Try Riverside Brewing 555, Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, Lord Nelson Quayle Ale or HopDog Summer Wheat beer.  

·         IPA; Real Ale struggled to make it to India and America for the british soldiers, so they added way more hops into it to give the Ale a bigger flavour and more golden colour. Modern Australian IPAs have a strong citrus and floral smell. It can go from a light flavour (Little Creatures, Coopers Green, Lord Nelson 3 Sheets or James Squire 150 Lashes) to a dark full on taste (Feral Hop Hog, Alpha Pale Ale, Murrays Angry Man or Brew Dog Punk [UK]) and is the most versatile of ales in my opinion – very few taste the same...

·         American Pale Ale; a cross between an IPA and a summer ale. Made the same way as an IPA but American hops give a more fruity taste to it. Try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale [US], BridgePort Hop Czar or a Fat Yak

You then have Golden Ales (Murrays Moon Boy, Sail and Anchor Monkey Fist), Amber Ales (Mountain Goat), Steam Ales (Mountain Goat) and a million others.  Hopefully this will get you started in the craft beer revolution!