July is American Beer Month, so we thought it would be the perfect time to discuss some of the many nuances associated with this centuries old beverage.  Historians aren’t exactly sure when man began brewing beer, but they seem to agree that this process is as old as agriculture.  Fortunately, time has improved brewing techniques and spawned the hundreds of thousands of different beer choices available to us today – so it’s time for your urban tribe to move beyond the keg.

Lagers versus Ales

All beers can be broken down into two general categories which describe the type of yeast used and the temperature that fermentation occurs – lagers or ales. Lager means to put aside or store as these beers are brewed with bottom fermenting yeast which takes longer.  Lagers are also fermented at colder temperatures allowing the hops and malt to assert their flavors.  Conversely, ales are made with top fermenting yeast and fermented at warmer temperatures.  Ales mature more quickly than lagers, and ales contain more alcohol.

What’s Your Style?

The Brewers Association 2007 Beer Style Guide recognizes 125 different beer styles.  Some of the terms are intuitive, because they describe the color of the beer or its country of origin.  But others need a little more of an explanation.  We’ve listed some of the more general beer styles you’re likely to see on the menu of your favorite brew pub below.

Ales - Numerous styles of beer can be described as ales.  Pale ales are particularly popular and this term can encompass many styles such as Classic English, American, or Summer.  Ales are gold, copper, or bronze colored and have a nice balance of malt and hops. 

Amber Ales – This is a pale ale, popular in the U.S. and France, that uses colored malts to produce an amber color.  American hops tend to produce a more bitter flavor.

Lambic – A type of Belgium beer that is spontaneously fermented.  Fruit lambics such as framboise or kreik are bottled with secondary fermentation.

Porter – A red-brown to black colored beer that can vary from a subtle dark malt favor to a roasted, smoky taste.

Stout – A very dark, almost black beer with a heavy, roasted flavor.  Stouts can be dry, sweet, or brewed with oats.

Wheat Beer – A beer that is brewed with wheat instead of barley.  They often have a cloudy or hazy appearance.

Lagers – Developed by the Germans, lagers are aged and generally have a cleaner character.

Bock – Stronger than your typical lager.  Its robust malt character has a dark amber to brown color.  Doppelbocks are even stronger.

Pilsener – A popular golden lager first brewed in Bohemia.  Sometimes abbreviated to pils, this beer is known for its clean flavor and satisfying taste.

We can’t make you a beer expert overnight, but we can tell you the recipe for how to become one:  years of traveling the world tasting the many beers it has to offer.  Bottoms up!