Beer Types

There are many, many types of beer, and many ways to define beer types.

Good Beer vs. Bad Beer

Maybe the first way that comes to mind is Good Beer vs. Bad Beer. Many would say that beer from high quality craft brewers and long established regional brewers is good beer while mass market, global beer brands would fall into the latter category. While it is a subjective argument to the mass market beer drinker, it is highly influenced by the activities of the accountants and marketers that run the mass market global brands. But we do not want to get into a name calling mud-slinging competition on that one.

Craft Beer vs. Industrial Beer

You could also define beer by Craft Beer and Mainstream / Industrialised or Mass produced beers. Craft / Handmade beer means that the brewers have to work with their hands and the production is not only done via computer. The brewers manually put in the hops, taste the beer, clean the fermentation tanks and most importantly, allow a long period of time for the fermentation, about 3 to 8 weeks. This is the greatest difference to the industrial beers which are produced in a maximum time period of 1 week and often in even shorter time.

Beer Type - Beer Style

The next way to examine beer types is by Beer Style. This concept is reasonably familiar to most people. The most basic beer style guide is Lager, Stout and Bitter.

However, there are a huge number of variations in these 3 categories. Some variations are slight and subtle in taste and appearance, while others are instantly recognizable. Many variations of all the above exist – such as Golden ale, Amber ale, Imperial stout, American style lager, Vienna Style lager, and so on. Many of the variations are due to the ingredients used or subtle mix of the ingredients or the maturation process. For now we will concentrate on the main styles of beer, with examples from our own product range where possible. We will try to add more beer styles as time progresses. If you want to add a beer style or variation to our knowledge, please forward your contribution to us. We would welcome it!

To begin the style guide, beers are broadly divided into two categories – Bottom Fermented and Top Fermented. This simply means that the yeast works at the top or at the bottom before removal. Most beers are bottom fermented. Lagers are generally bottom fermented while Weisse Beer is a top fermented beer.

We will now give a brief outline of a reasonable selection of beer styles that can be encountered in Ireland. It is by no means the comprehensive list of beer styles – that could run to well over 100 styles.

Lager

In some countries the term 'lager' is applied to beer produced in the most basic and straightforward way. It is the most popular beer style. But the quality can vary. Premium Lagers from Germany would be classed as amongst the best in the world. In general the term applies to any bottom fermenting beer. Example: Furstenberg Premium Lager

Pilsener - Bohemian

Originally brewed in the Bohemian city of Pilzen in 1842, Pilsner is the style others rushed to copy during the nineteenth century “lagering” revolution. These beers should be straw to deep gold in colour with a distinctive flowering spicy hoppiness and a dry finish. Czech pilsners are more full-bodied and maltier than their German counterparts. Our Example: Okocim Pils

Pilsener - German

A classic German Pils is a very light straw colour and well hopped with a good deal of hop bitterness and a moderate hop flavour and aroma. Typically lighter, drier, hoppier, more effervescent, and less smooth than a Czech-style Pilsner.

Munchener

The Munich brews were traditionally dark lagers with a spicy-malty-coffeeish palate, but today includes pale lagers with a distinctively malty accent. Example: Hofbrau Original.

Vienna Style Lager


This style of lager was developed by brewing pioneer Anton Dreher in Vienna, Austria during the mid-nineteenth century. It is pale red to deep amber in colour, light to moderately hopped, and malty. This style is probably one of the world's best food accompaniments along with wheat beers. Example: Brooklyn Lager, 77 Lager

Helles

The name means pale or light and delivers a mild hop character with a touch of malt sweetness. Example: Neuswansteiner

Festbier

Sometimes called Marzenbier and traditionally associated with Munich’s Oktoberfest event, it has a golden, bronze or amber appearance and full flavour with a delicate malt sweetness. They tend to be closer to 6% abv than 5%. Example: Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier

Bock

Bocks are rich, malty, brown German lagers that are typically brewed in the autumn or winter for consumption in the spring. Originally they were consumed by fasting monks because they provided a good source of nutrition when no solid food was allowed. American bocks tend to be lighter in body and colour than their German counterparts. In all varieties, the hop flavour and aroma should be low.

Doppelbock

A beer made for drinking by the fireside. In German, döppel means double, but that does not mean a döppelbock is double the strength of a normal bock. Also brewed by monks who wanted a full-bodied, strong, "liquid" bread to drink during their lenten fast. Very smooth and devilishly alcoholic. Doppelbock is well aged and complex and can be light or dark in colour. Example: Doppel Hirsch

Weisse Beer

Or Wheat Beer. Brewed from Malted wheat and Malted barley, it is available in 2 types – Hefe (cloudy) for which the yeast is retained and Kristall (clear) when the yeast is removed. Both are full flavoured with a refreshing zesty, spicy and complex taste. Example: Hofbrau Munchner weiss

Bitter /Pale Ale

The term Bitter usually refers to draft English ale while the term Pale Ale best describes bottled versions of Bitter. This style is typically lightly carbonated with a bronze to deep copper colour. Beers in this style are not as bitter as the name may suggest, but instead possess a floral-spicy palate derived from the fragrant English hops used. Example: Trashy Blonde

Best Bitter

Best is a stronger version of Bitter but there is considerable crossover. Bitter falls into the 3.4% to 4.1% band, with Best Bitter 4% upwards. Example: Cribyn

Mild

An English term for a lightly-hopped ale, usually of lower alcohol content and sometimes darker in colour. Normally served on draught at a pub.

India Pale Ale / East India Pale Ale


IPA gained its name due to its popularity among British troops in colonial India. The high gravity of the beer allowed it to mature during its long voyage from England to India and the high hop bitterness worked as a preservative. What resulted was a golden to deep copper-coloured ale with a full flavour and high hop bitterness. Example: Brooklyn EIPA, Punk IPA

Brown Ale

The popularity of this beer style has waned over the past century, but is currently enjoying a comeback. Southern English brown ales are generally dark, sweet, and low in alcohol. The northern English versions are often drier and more potent. Both are made with softer water than pale ales. American brown ale typically has more pronounced hop bitterness, flavour, and aroma. Example: Brooklyn Brown Ale

Irish Red Ale

An Irish ale, noted for its reddish colour, full body, and sweetish, sometimes buttery palate. Example: Legbiter

Golden Ales

This new style of pale, well-hopped and thirst quenching beer developed in the 1980s as independent brewers attempted to win younger drinkers from heavily-promoted lager brands. Many micro and regional brewers make their own versions of the style. Strengths will range from 3.5% to 5.3%. The hallmark will be the biscuity and juicy malt character derived from pale malts, underscored by tart citrus fruit and peppery hops, often with the addition of hints of vanilla and cornflour. Golden ales are pale amber, gold, yellow or straw coloured and above all, such beers are thirst quenching and served cool. Example: Golden Valley, Barelegs

Alt

Germany’s most direct comparison with British ales, these are amber in colour, have a good firm malt character and are well hopped. It is quite dry, but smooth and well balanced.

Stout

The darkest and most intimidating of brews. This dark, heavy, opaque ale has a high percentage of roasted grains. Stout styles include dry, sweet, Imperial, and oatmeal.

Dry Stout

This is typically an Irish-style stout. It has a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish.

Sweet or Milk stout

Typically English stouts, these have less roasted bitter flavour and more full-bodied mouthfeel than Dry stouts. Example: Night Beacon

Imperial Stout

Typically exceed 8% alcohol by volume and were originally brewed for export to the Baltic countries. Best served in a plain pint glass at room temperature. Also called Imperial Russian stout or Imperial stout. Example: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Brewdog Paradox, Brewdog Tokyo

Porter

This beer style was born as a mixture of inexpensive "green" beer such as mild or brown ale with an expensive aged beer. In 1730, a man named Harwood brewed a substitute for the mixture and advertised it as being richer and more nourishing than ordinary ale, and was intended for porters and other heavy labourers. Porter is a very dark, top-fermented beer with a spicy, chocolaty character. Dark malt flavours dominate, yet porter is lighter in body and malt character than stout.