It might be confusing to make sense of the different types of beer available in the market, especially because they are all made of water, malted barley, yeast, and hops. As a generic word, the beer includes the different styles of fermented malt beverage, including ales and lagers and all the individual and hybrid styles that fall under these headings. Beer can be broadly classified into — Ales, Lagers and Stouts.

1. Ales

Ales originated in England and are made by brewing a top-fermenting yeast at room temperature. They have lots of hops and malt, which give them a more characteristically bitter taste and darker colour.

Pale Ale — It is made with gently roasted barley and pale malt and is bitter and spicy.

Examples: Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Ale, Newcastle Founders’ Ale

Brown Ale — Brown Ale ranges from dark amber to copper colour and contains a higher level of malt. These beers are mild in flavour and taste ranges from sweet to earthy.

Examples: Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale, Imperial Nut Brown Ale

Porter — Porters are very dark beers that are nearly opaque. These are made with roasted malt or barley and some even taste like chocolate.

Examples: Sierra Nevada Porter, Smoked Porter, Fuller’s London Porter

2. Lagers

Lagers originated in Central Europe, are created when bottom-fermenting yeast is cold-brewed at low temperatures for longer time periods. They are lighter in colour, and mild and fruit-flavoured. Varieties of lager include:

Pale Lager — The most popular type of lager, it has a lighter colour and body, highly carbonated and a much lighter taste.

Examples: Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Ale, Newcastle Founders’ Ale

Pilsner — The Pilsner was first created in the 1840s in Plzen, Czechoslovakia. It is similar to the Pale Lager in colour but is much more bitter.

Examples: Pilsner Urquell, Dos Equis, Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Light Lager — A beer that contains lesser hops and barley to make a low-calorie beer.

Examples: Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Coors Light

Dark Lager — Dark Lagers are more full-bodied and flavorful. They are malty and have a gentle hops flavour.

Examples: Guinness Black Lager, Michelob Dark, Heineken Dark Lager

3. Stouts

Stouts are the darkest and thickest type of beer available and are typically made with highly roasted malt or barley. They have a thick, creamy head and are very full-bodied.

Examples:  Guinness Extra Stout, Highland Black Mocha Stout, Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

Are you a beer aficionado? Find out the different kinds of glasses that you should be drinking your beer in.