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BEER
STYLES AND TYPES
There
are numerous styles of beer, broadly classified as either ale or lager.
ALES.
Older by far of the two great classes of beer, ales are typically fermented
close to room temperature, most often between 60 and 70xF. Ale yeast floats on
the surface as it works, hence the term "top-fermenting." At these
warm temperatures, yeast produces abundant amounts of flavor chemicals such as
esters and aldehydes, which give ales their characteristic fruity and spicy
aromas.
LAGERS.
In the 15th century Germans, fermenting in very cool caves, began to cultivate a
type of yeast adaptable to cool temperatures, which sank to the bottom during
fermentation. At the much cooler temperatures of 35-50xF, bottom-fermenting
beers take much longer to mature, requiring an extended aging or "lagering"
time in the brewery. Cooler temperatures suppress the production of fruity,
spicy flavors, generally producing smoother, less complicated aromas than ales.
ABBEY
ALE. A dark, rich and strong
Belgian ale brewed in the style of Trappist monasteries, using century old
guidelines.
Strength ranges are designated from enkel (single) to quadruple (or
character).
ALT
(Ale). A traditional German brewing
process of top fermentation being warm and the aging process being cold, like
with lagers. Dusseldorfer Alt is usually ruby brown, crisp and bitter, while
Kolsch Alt is from the Cologne region of Germany and is pale, delicate and
moderately hopped.
AMBER
ALE. This is a vaguely defined American style ale, where anything goes, as long
as it's amber, with a moderate hop taste.
AMBER
LAGER. This is a vaguely defined American style lager of normal strength.
It is usually pale to medium amber and lightly hopped. AMERICAN
ALE. A top fermented beer which is
similar to lager but with a richer, heavier and more complex taste. Has a range
of color from blonde to dark brown.
BARLEY
WINE (Ale). A very strong ale, with
an alcohol content of 8 percent or higher.
It is usually amber to medium brown and often highly hopped.
It is a great winter warmer and should be sipped like brandy.
Requires several years in the cellar as it improves with age.
BIERE
DU GARDE (Ale). A French "laying down" beer, it is placed on its side
for aging. Blonde to copper in
color, it has a medium to strong alcohol
content.
BITTER
(Ale). This classic, everyday drink of England is gold to amber in color, low to
medium in alcohol content and quite bitter. Should be lightly carbonated. BOCK
(Lager). This extra strong full-bodied lager, is traditionally brewed in Germany
during the winter and served as a springtime beer.
It has a moderately high alcohol content and is usually lightly hopped.
BROWN
ALE. This British style ale is brewed in two distinctly different formats: the
Northern England version is medium bodied, reddish in color with a fruity or
nutty taste, while the version made in Southern England is lighter bodied,
darker in color and sweeter to the palate.
CREAM
ALE. An American style golden ale with a delicate hop character, it is often
aged cold like altbiers.
DARK
LAGER. This is a very lightly hopped normal strength lager with a deep amber to
medium brown color. Usually accented by a roasted malt character. DOPPELBOCK.
An extra strong, very full bodied double bock, amber to dark brown color.
It is often sweet and creamy and may be tangy or fruity.
DORTMUNDER
(Lager). An evenly balanced lager, in the style of the city of Dortmund,
Germany, it has a pale golden color and is traditionally stronger than other
German style lagers.
DRY
LAGER. A style of beer with all the carbohydrates being fermented, creating a
drier beer with less after taste. DUNKEL.
Full bodied lagers, which are well hopped, but almost always with a
bitter taste. Color ranges from
deep red to black.
FARO
(Ale). A diluted, sweetened lambic variant, sometimes seasoned with spices.
FRAMBOISE
(Ale). This is a lambic or Belgian sour brown ale to which raspberries have been
added. FRUIT
BEER. A tart and pale beer made from a blend of young and old lambics to which
fruit or fruit flavoring has been added.
GUEUZE.
A sweaty or tart tasting beer made from a blend of young and old lambics. HEFE.
The German
name for yeast, this unfiltered wheat beer is cloudy and bottle
conditioned with yeast. The prevalent tastes are citrus or clove. HERB
& SPICE BEER. A beer, to which
spices or herbs other than hops, has been added. ICE
BEER. Made extensively in the
United States, this beer has a higher alcohol content due to the freezing during
production. IMPERIAL
STOUT (Ale). This is very strong in taste and alcohol content.
This was originally created for exporting to the frozen areas of Russia.
The coloring is very dark to black and a heavy, rich taste.
INDIA
PALE ALE. This ale was developed by
the British to endure the long voyage from England to India.
It is golden to deep copper in color and quite hoppy. KRIEK
(Ale). A lambic variant created by
the adding of dark, sour cherries.
LAMBIC
(Ale). A family of wild-fermented
beers made near Brussells. All are
acidic, vinous, and usually well carbonated.
LIGHT
LAGER. Low in calories and
strength, this American original pilsner is very pale and lightly hopped.
MAIBOCK
(Lager). A well-hopped, pale
version of the Bock beer style.
MALT
LIQUOR. This is a stronger version
of the American lager.
MUNICH
HELLES (Lager). Popular in southern
Germany, this golden colored lager is of normal strength and lightly hopped.
NON-ALCOHOLIC
BEER. This is beer without alcohol,
usually removed by evaporation or other industrial methods.
PALE
ALE. Golden to copper in
color, the European version tends to be heavily malted, while the American
version is more hopped. Both may be
fruity.
PALE
LAGER. This is a mainstream American or international lager, made most often
with corn or rice adjuncts.
PECHE
(Ale). A lambic variant created by adding peaches.
PILSNER
(Lager). Originating in Pilsner, Czechoslovakia, this pale to golden colored
beer provides a dry, crisp taste with a flowery finish.
PORTER
(Ale). A variety of three ales creates a very hoppy and malty beverage which is
strong in flavor and alcohol content. The
taste is often sharp with a hint of burnt charcoal.
RAUCHBIER
(Lager). A smoked beer made from
malt.
RED
ALE. An American style ale
originally in imitation of Irish blends.
This ale is typically a
deep reddish-amber and not too bitter.
RED
LAGER. An American style lager,
resembling amber lager, but with a
slight reddish cast.
SAISON
(Ale). This farmhouse ale from French-speaking western Belgium has an exotic
spicy fermentation character.
SCOTTISH
ALE. The national style of
Scotland, this ale is available in a range of strengths, from quite light to
near barley wine. This
ale is sweet and rich with a creamy head and is more malty than hoppy.
STEAM
BEER. A unique American style beer created in California.
STOUT
(Ale). Born from porters, this ale
is very dark to black in color and is served warm. Tastes range from molasses to charcoal with a malty or bitter
sweetness.
TRAPPIST
ALE. True Trappist is brewed at
Trappist monasteries in Belgium and is dark, rich and strong with a fruity
taste. WHEAT
BEER. A general term for any beer
made with wheat malts. The taste
may vary greatly, but is usually tart and yeasty.
WEIZEN
(Ale). This traditional wheat ale from Bavaria has a pale golden color and is
often hopped.
WITBIER
or WHITE BEER (Ale). A delicate wheat and oat beer from northern
Belgium,
named for its opalescent haze, the result of unfermented starch.
Stronger, darker versions exist. |
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