Different Types of Beer
With over 3,000 craft breweries in the United States, it’s safe to say that craft beer is bigger than ever. Knowing about the different types of beer can help your employees and bartenders make recommendations and suggestions about the best food and beer pairings. Additionally, knowing about the different types of beer can help you choose the right glass for each beer and potentially upsell customers to boost profits.
How is Beer Categorized?
All beers are either lagers or ales, and that's determined by the type of yeast used during the fermentation process. Lagers are made with yeast that ferments at the bottom of the beer mixture, and ales are made with yeast that ferments at the top. There are also spontaneously fermenting yeasts, which make wild or sour ales.
Once you’ve figured out if your beer is a lager or an ale, there is further differentiation determined by the flavor, color, and aroma of the beer. These determine what style family a given beer falls into. Within that style family, there are varieties, which have even more distinct characteristics.
For example, an American Lager and a German Helles are both lagers that belong to the "pale lagers and pilsners" style family. They are two different varieties of beer, however, and while they are similar, they are also distinctly different. Think of the different varieties like brothers; they have definite similarities, but ultimately, they are each their own person.
Read on to learn more about the three different ways beer ferments:
What is Top Fermentation?
The yeast that is used in ale production ferments throughout the beer and settles at the top of the liquid. It has a higher tolerance to alcohol and ferments at warmer temperatures when compared to the yeast that’s used to make lager.
Top Fermenting Styles of Beer
Here are some examples of top fermenting beers:
Brown Ale
Pale Ale
India Pale Ale (IPA)
Porter
Stout
Belgian Style Beer
Wheat Beer
What is Bottom Fermentation?
The yeast used in lager production is more fragile than what’s used to make ale, and it settles at the bottom of the liquid vessel after fermentation. It needs to ferment more slowly and at cooler temperatures than the yeast that’s used in ale production, and it has a lower tolerance to alcohol.
Bottom Fermenting Styles of Beer
Here are a few examples of bottom fermenting beers:
Pale Lagers and Pilsners
Dark Lagers
German-Style Bocks
What is Spontaneous Fermentation?
Lambics and sour beers are made with a process called spontaneous fermentation. This type of fermentation occurs when beer is exposed to wild bacteria and yeast. These beers originated in Belgium, but brewers all over the world have found ways to manipulate this process to create sour, funky-tasting beers of their own.
Spontaneous Fermenting Styles of Beer
Here are a few examples of spontaneous fermenting beers:
American Sour
Belgian Fruit Lambic
Flanders Red Ale
Belgian Gueuze
Different Styles and Varieties of Beer
Check out the tables below to learn about the different styles and varieties of beer.
Types of Pale Lagers and Pilsners
Pale lager and pilsners are golden-colored beers that are lighter in flavor and lower in alcohol content. This style of beer became popular in what is now modern Czech Republic and Germany.
American Lager
American lager is light in flavor, color, and alcohol content, and is often produced in large quantities.
ABV: 3.2-4.0% IBU: 5-15
Examples: Budweiser, Coors, Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pairs With: American cuisine, spicy food
Serving Temperature: 30-40 F
German Helles
German helles is maltier than a traditional pilsner and features a bright gold color.
ABV: 4.8-5.6% IBU:18-25
Examples: Victory Helles Lager, Stoudt's Gold Lager
Pairs With: German cuisine, pork, brie
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
German Pilsner
German pilsner is pale gold in color with a medium hop flavor and a slight note of maltiness.
ABV: 4.6-5.3% IBU: 25-40
Examples: Tröegs Sunshine Pils, Sierra Nevada's Nooner Pilsner
Pairs With: German cuisine, poultry, fish, spicy cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Czech or Bohemian Pilsner
Czech or bohemian pilsner is a straw-colored beer with a noticeably bitter hop flavor. These beers can sometimes have a floral aroma.
ABV: 4.1-5.1% IBU: 30-45
Examples: Lagunitas PILS, Dogfish Head Piercing Pils
Pairs With: Spicy food, Asian cuisine, sharp cheddar cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Dark lager is malty and smooth, with toasted caramel flavors. These beers tend to have mid-range alcohol content and lower bitterness profiles.
Amber American Lager
Amber lager features prevalent malt flavors with varying levels of hoppiness. This beer is also characterized by a darker color, caramel aroma, and smooth taste.
ABV: 4.8-5.4% IBU: 18-30
Examples: Yuengling Lager, Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Pairs With: American cuisine, poultry and beef, cheddar
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Oktoberfest
Named for the celebration in Munich, Oktoberfest is a full-bodied beer with a rich, toasted flavor and a dark copper color.
ABV: 5.1-6.0% IBU: 18-25
Examples: Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen, Victory Brewing Company Festbier
Pairs With: German cuisine, meat and vegetables, spicy cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
German Schwarzbier
Schwarzbier is a dark beer that is surprisingly light in flavor. Schwarzbiers are less malty than would be expected, but still boast a slight sweetness.
ABV: 3.8-4.9% IBU: 22-30
Examples: Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, Guinness Black Lager
Pairs With: German cuisine, spicy food, muenster cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Vienna Lager
Vienna lager is reddish in color with a sweet malty flavor. These beers boast a subtle hop flavor and crisp drinkability.
ABV: 4.5-5.5% IBU: 22-28
Examples: Dos Equis Amber Lager, Great Lakes Eliot Ness, Blue Point Toasted Lager
Pairs With: German cuisine, Mexican cuisine, pork, spicy cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Types of German Bocks
Bocks are heavy on malty flavor, making them sweet and nutty. Bocks have lower alcohol levels, while doppelbocks, weizenbocks, and maibocks move up the alcohol scale.
Traditional Bock
The bock is a malty, sweet beer with a toasty flavor and a dark copper color.
ABV: 6.3-7.5% IBU: 20-30
Examples: Samuel Adams Winter Lager, Great Lakes Rockefeller Bock
Pairs With: German cuisine, meat and vegetables, chocolate, Camembert cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Doppelbock
Doppelbocks are stronger than the traditional style and boast a higher alcohol content and a fuller body.
ABV: 6.6-7.9% IBU: 17-27
Examples: Tröegs Troegenator Double Bock, Samuel Adams Double Bock
Pairs With: Heavy foods like red meat, pork, or ham, and sharp cheeses
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Weizenbock
Weizenbocks are wheat bocks and can take on fruity, malty flavors.
ABV: 7.0-9.5% IBU: 15-35
Examples: Victory Brewing Company's Moonglow, Southern Tier Brewing Company's Goat Boy
Pairs With: German cuisine, meat and poultry, chocolate
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Maibock
Maibocks are more pale and hoppy than traditional bocks, although the malt flavor is still present.
ABV: 6.0-8.0% IBV: 20-38
Examples: Capital Maibock, Hofbräu Maibock, Smuttynose Maibock
Pairs With: Italian and German cuisines, fish and shellfish, asiago and swiss cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Types of Brown Ales
Brown ales feature malty overtones and tend to have toasty, caramel flavors. They typically feature mid-range alcohol content and hop bitterness.
American Brown Ale
American brown ale is a dark beer without the bitterness of porters and stouts. This style boasts a dark caramel color and a medium to full-bodied profile.
ABV: 4.2-6.3% IBU: 25-45
Examples: Brooklyn Brown Ale, Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown
Pairs With: American cuisine, heavy foods like beef stew, red meat
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
English Brown Ale
English brown ale features a nutty malt flavor with a caramel aroma.
ABV: 4.0-5.5% IBU: 15-25
Examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, City Star Brewing's Bandit Brown
Pairs With: American cuisine, heavy foods, red meat, poultry, gouda cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Types of Pale Ales
Pale ales are generally hoppy but lower in alcohol content than IPAs. They are typically light, drinkable beers.
American Amber Ale
American amber ale is a malty, medium-bodied beer with a caramel flavor and amber color.
ABV: 4.4-6.1% IBU: 25-45
Examples: Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale, Stone Brewing Company's Levitation Ale
Pairs With: American cuisine, meat, fish, bleu cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
American Pale Ale
American pale ale is a medium-bodied beer with a noticable hop flavor and a light copper color.
ABV: 4.4-5.4% IBU: 30-50
Examples: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Pale Ale, Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale
Pairs With: Fish and seafood, poultry, cheddar cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Blonde Ale
Blonde ales balance the flavors of malt and hops nicely, and they often have a fruity aroma.
ABV: 4.1-5.1% IBU: 15-25
Examples: Victory Brewing Company's Summer Love, Flying Fish Brewing Company's Farmhouse Summer Ale
Pairs With: Italian cuisine, spicy food, fish, pepper jack cheese
Serving Temperature: 35-40 F
English Bitter
English bitters are named for the bitter flavor that the hops present. They have fruity flavors and lower alcohol content.
ABV: 3.0-4.2% IBU: 20-35
Examples: Sharp's Brewery's Doom Bar Bitter, Surly Brewing Company's Bitter Brewer
Pairs With: Fried food, fish, feta cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
English Pale Ale
Also known as "extra special bitters," English pale ales have a strong hop flavor that is balanced by sweet malt.
ABV: 4.5-5.5% IBU: 20-40
Examples: Black Sheep Ale, Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale
Pairs With: American and English cuisines, meat, and English cheeses
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Types of India Pale Ales (IPAs)
IPAs (short for India pale ales) boast strong hop bitterness with piney and floral flavors. These beers also have high alcohol content.
American IPA
American IPAs have more hops, big herbal or citrus flavors, and high bitterness compared to pale ale.
ABV: 6.3-7.5% IBU: 50-70
Examples: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
Pairs With: American and Indian cuisines, meat, poultry, fish, and gorgonzola cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Imperial or Double IPA
Imperial or Double IPAs are American IPAs, but with a stronger flavor, hop bitterness, and a higher alcohol content.
ABV: 7.0-14.0% IBU: 65-100
Examples: Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny the Elder, Lagunitas Maximus
Pairs With: American cuisine, meat, fish, and sharp cheddar
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
English IPA
English IPAs are similar to the American style, but with a weaker hop flavor and lower alcohol content.
ABV: 5.0-7.0% IBU: 35-63
Examples: Goose Island India Pale Ale, Shipyard IPA, Samuel Smith’s India Ale
Pairs With: American and Indian cuisines, fish, and parmesan cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Types of Porters
Porters are all dark in color, and they feature flavors reminiscent of chocolate, coffee, and caramel. They tend to be more chocolatey than brown ales, and less coffee-like than stouts.
American Imperial Porter
American imperial porters are dark in color, but lacking in burnt malt taste. They also boast a malty sweetness.
ABV: 7.0-12.0% IBU: 35-50
Examples: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Porter, Stone Smoked Porter
Pairs With: American cuisine, barbecue, meat, and asiago cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
English Brown Porter
English brown porter is similar to the American style, but usually with a lower alcohol content and less malt sweetness.
ABV: 4.5-6.0% IBU: 20-30
Examples: Shipyard Longfellow Winter Ale, Arcadia London Porter
Pairs With: American and English cuisines, meat, chocolate, and fontina cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Robust Porter
Robust porters are stronger and more bitter than a brown porter with a subtle caramel flavor.
ABV: 5.1-6.6% IBU: 25-40
Examples: Smuttynose Robust Porter, Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter
Pairs With: American and English cuisines, heavy foods like stew, and colby cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
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Types of Stouts
Stouts are dark beers that are similar to porters, but with stronger roasted flavors. This style also features mid to high alcohol levels.
American Stout
American stouts feature malt flavors working to create strong chocolate and coffee notes, but without overpowering hop bitterness.
ABV: 5.7-8.9% IBU: 35-60
Examples: Highland Black Mocha Stout, Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Pairs With: Heavy foods, meat, oysters, chocolate, and brie cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
American Imperial Stout
American imperial stouts are strong dark beers with a malty flavor and a deep black color.
ABV: 7.0-12.0% IBU: 50-80
Examples: Dogfish Head Brewery's Worldwide Stout, Stoudt's Fat Dog Imperial Stout, Bell's Java Stout
Pairs With: Heavy foods, poultry, aged cheddar
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Oatmeal Stout
As their name suggests, oatmeal stouts feature oatmeal in their malt blend. This adds smoothness and sweetness to the beer.
ABV: 3.8-6.0% IBU: 20-40
Examples: Young's Oatmeal Stout, Tröegs Java Head Stout
Pairs With: Meat, shellfish, chocolate, camembert cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Milk Stout
Lactose sugar adds a sweet caramel or chocolate flavor to milk stouts.
ABV: 4.0-7.0% IBU: 15-25
Examples: Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Lancaster Brewing Company's Milk Stout, Samuel Adams Cream Stout
Pairs With: Mexican cuisine, beef, chocolate, ice cream, and cheddar or goat cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Irish Dry Stout
Irish dry stouts are dark beers; black in color with a bitterness that comes from roasted barley.
ABV: 3.8-5.0% IBU: 30-40
Examples: Guinness Draught, Murphy's Irish Stout, Beamish Irish Stout
Pairs With: Heavy food like beef and stew, barbecue, burgers
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Types of Belgian Styles
Belgian beers are known for their spiced, sweet, and fruity flavors and high alcohol content. Despite their high alcohol content, belgians are usually low in bitterness.
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian pale ale contains a toasted malt flavor that is subtle enough to not overpower the taste of the hops.
ABV: 4.0-6.0% IBU: 20-30
Examples: Weyerbacher Brewing Company's Verboten, Samuel Adams Belgian Session
Pairs With: American cuisine, fried food, fish, salad, and tangy cheeses
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Dubbel
Belgian dubbels feature rich and malty flavor with a spicy, fruity note.
ABV: 6.3-7.6% IBU: 20-35
Examples: Chimay Premiere, Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale, Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel
Pairs With: American cuisine, barbecue, meat, and Limburger cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Belgian Tripel
Belgian trippels are lighter-bodied beers with a slight hoppy bitterness and a high alcohol content.
ABV: 7.1-10.1% IBU: 20-45
Examples: Victory Golden Monkey, Weyerbacher Merry Monks
Pairs With: Pasta dishes, meat, poultry, gouda cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Quadrupel
Belgian quadrupels are dark brown, full-bodied beers that exhibit flavors like brown sugar and fruit. They also have a very high alcohol content.
ABV: 7.2-11.2% IBU: 25-50
Examples: Weyerbacher QUAD, Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers
Pairs With: Smoked meat, goose, brie cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Belgian strong dark ale features a very high alcohol content with complex fruity flavors.
ABV: 7.0-15.0% IBU: 20-50
Examples: Bell's Brewery's Hell Hath No Fury Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery's Raison D'Être
Pairs With: American cuisine, barbecue, bleu cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Saison
Saisons (also known as farmhouse ales) have earthy notes and a medium hop flavor.
ABV: 4.4-6.8% IBU: 20-38
Examples: Samuel Adams Rustic Saison, Dogfish Head Brewery's Noble Rot, Victory Brewing Company's Helios
Pairs With: Indian and Asian cuisine, poultry, seafood, and parmesan cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Types of Wheat Beers
As you might have guessed, wheat beers use wheat as their malt. They are generally lighter in color and alcohol content. Their tangy flavors go great with fruit, and brewers often add seasonal fruits to wheat beer.
American Pale Wheat
American pale wheat beer is pale in color, lower in alcohol content, and with a light bready flavor.
ABV: 3.5-5.6% IBU: 10-35
Examples: Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat, Shipyard Summer Ale
Pairs With: Mexican cuisine, spicy food, poultry, and mozzarella cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Witbier
Witbier gets its name from its white color, and has a light, fruity flavor to match.
ABV: 4.8-5.6% IBU: 10-17
Examples: Hoegaarden White Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery's Namaste, Blue Moon Belgian White, Victory Brewing Company's Whirlwind Witbier
Pairs With: Seafood, poultry, pork, salad, and soft cheeses
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Berliner Weisse
Berliner Weisse is tart, sour beer with a pale color. Sometimes raspberry syrup is added to dull the sour taste.
ABV: 2.8-3.4% IBU: 3-6
Examples: Dogfish Head's Festina Peche, Freetail Brewing Company's Yo Soy Un Berliner
Pairs With: German Cuisine, ham, salad, and soft cheeses
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Dunkelweizen
Dunkelweizen is a darker version of a Hefeweizen. These beers have a malty flavor with hints of banana.
ABV: 4.8-5.4% IBU: 10-15
Examples: Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen, Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel
Pairs With: German and Indian cuisines, fish, and goat cheese
Serving Temperature: 40-45 F
Hefeweizen
Hefeweizen is a light colored wheat beer with a crisp taste that can sometimes have hints of cloves or apples.
ABV: 4.9-5.6% IBU: 10-15
Examples: Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen, Magic Hat Circus Boy
Pairs With: German cuisine, seafood, fish, and brick cheeses
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
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Types of Wild & Sour Ales
Wild or sour ales are typically very low in alcohol, and feature tart, sour flavors that come from (safe) bacteria in the brew mash.
American Sour
American sour beer packs a wild punch from certain bacteria that are introduced during the fermentation process.
ABV: Varies IBU: Varies
Examples: Samuel Adams American Kriek, Weyerbacher Riserva
Pairs With: Fruit and strong cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Fruit Lambic
Belgian fruit lambics are brewed with fruit to make an intense sweet and sour flavor.
ABV: 5.0-8.9% IBU: 15-21
Examples: Upland Brewing Company's Raspberry Lambic, Dogfish Head Festina Lente
Pairs With: Fruit, salad, chocolate, and soft cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Flanders Red Ale
Flanders red ale evokes a malty, fruity flavor underneath a strong sour taste brought on by Lactobacillus bacteria during fermentation.
ABV: 4.8-6.6% IBU: 5-18
Examples: New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie, The Lost Abbey's Red Poppy Ale
Pairs With: Meat, blue cheese, and cheddar cheese
Serving Temperature: 45-50 F
Belgian Gueuze
Gueuzes are aged beers that give off a very strong sour flavor.
ABV: 6.2-8.1% IBU: 9-23
Examples: Brouwerij Boon's Boon Gueuze, The Bruery's Rueuze
Pairs With: Strong cheeses
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Types of Specialty Beers
Specialty beers can be any type or style. The differentiating factor is usually the addition of a specific ingredient, like honey or pumpkin, that can be added to most styles of beer.
American Black Ale
American black ales are dark in color and feature a malty, roasted flavor with medium to high hop bitterness. This style is sometimes called a black IPA.
ABV: 6.0-7.5% IBU: 50-75
Examples: Lagunitas NightTime, Founders Dark Penance, Victory Yakima Glory
Pairs With: Aged cheeses, seafood, and chocolate
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Barrel-Aged Beer
A barrel-aged beer is any type of beer that has been aged in a wooden barrel. Sometimes these barrels have been used to hold bourbon, wine, or other spirits, adding to the flavor of the beer.
ABV: Varies IBU: Varies
Examples: Allagash Curieux (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel), Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout, Narwhal Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
Pairs With: Varies
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Chocolate Beer
Chocolate or cocoa can be added to any style (lager or ale) to form a delicious chocolate beer.
ABV: 2.5-12.0% IBU: 15-40
Examples: Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, Shenandoah Chocolate Donut Beer, Boneyard Beer Company Backbone Chocolate Espresso Stout
Pairs With: Varies
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Coffee Beer
Coffee beer is typically a porter or stout with added coffee flavor. This flavor can be achieved by steeping coffee beans in water or in the beer mixture.
ABV: 2.5-12.0% IBU: 15-45
Examples: Samuel Adams Black & Brew Coffee Stout, Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout, Stone Brewing Company’s Coffee Milk Stout
Pairs With: Meaty stew, hard cheeses
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Fruit and Vegetable Beer
Any type of beer can be infused with fruit and vegetable flavors, so flavors will vary greatly.
ABV: 2.5-12.0% IBU: 5-50
Examples: Samuel Adams Rebel Grapefruit IPA, Modern Times Beer’s Fruitlands Sour Cherry Gose, Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Pairs With: Salad, brie cheese
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
Gluten Free Beer
Gluten free beer is brewed with fermentable sugars and grains that do not contain gluten. These beers vary in color, flavor, and alcohol content.
ABV: Varies IBU: Varies
Examples: Wicked Weed Brewing’s Gluten FREEk, Widmer Brothers Brewing Company’s Omission IPA, Lakefront Brewery’s New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner
Pairs With: Varies
Serving Temperature: Varies
Herb and Spice Beer
Herb and spice beer is any lager or ale that has added flavors from roots, herbs, or other spices. Pumpkin spice and holiday spice beers are examples of this style.
ABV: 2.5-12.0% IBU: 5-40
Examples: Dogfish Head’s Midas Touch, Rogue Ales’ Juniper Pale Ale, Small Town Brewery’s Not Your Father’s Root Beer
Pairs With: Varies
Serving Temperature: 45-55 F
Honey Beer
Honey beers are ales or lagers that are brewed with honey to add sweetness and unique flavor.
ABV: 2.5-12.0% IBU: Varies
Examples: Boulder Beer’s A Honey of a Saison, Samuel Adams Honey Queen, Burial Beer Company’s The Keeper’s Veil Honey Saison
Pairs With: Salad, light creamy cheeses
Serving Temperature: 50-55 F
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