There are two basic categories of beer – Ales and Lagers. There are also specialty beers which don’t fall easily into these categories, and I’ll explain why later on. I’ll cover the basic types of beer in this post.
Ales: Ale is a type of beer that is brewed at warmer temperatures, because the type of yeast used needs the the warmer temperature to ferment properly. The yeast will actually gather at the top of the container (as opposed to the bottom with lagers). Sierra Nevada’s Pale ale is good example of an American Style Ale.
Hall, Michael. "Drinking Beer - Beer Types."
Lager: Lager is a type of beer that needs to be stored at cooler temperatures in order to ferment properly. The yeast will actually settle at the bottom of the container (as opposed to the top with ales). Sam Adams Boston Lager is a popular American Pilsner style lager and one of my personal favorites.
Hall, Michael. "Drinking Beer - Beer Types."
Specialty Beers: Specialty beer types are often a hybrid of Ales and Lagers and are difficult to categorize under the two traditional styles. Magic Hat #9 is a good example of a specialty beer.
One thing is for sure whether you’re brewing an Ale or a Lager – they’ll both give you a pretty good buzz!
Cheers!
References:
Szamatulski, Tess, and Mark Szamatulski. Clone brews: recipes for 200 commercial beers. 2nd ed. North Adams: Storey Pub., 2010. Print.
“Guide to Beer Types and the Different Styles..” How To Be A Beverage Snob (Coffee, Tea, Wine and Beer). N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. <http://www.2basnob.com/beer-types.html>.
Hall, Michael. “Drinking Beer – Beer Types.” Drinking Beer – Always a good idea. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. <http://www.drinkingbeer.net/Be
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