Beer Styles

[Pokes28]

That is a good list. I can probably break it down a bit simpler than that though.


You have two fundamental types of beer. Ale and Lager.

The brewing process of each is way more similar than different however there are some fundamental differences between the two. First is the yeast. In Ales, the yeast works from the top down. In Lagers the yeast works from the bottom up. Yes, you can 100% make two completely different beers simply by changing the type of yeast.

Ales ferment at a warmer temperature and Lagers at a cooler temperature. As a result, Lagers are easier to be consistent however they dont develop much flavor from the yeast (which is actually esters as mentioned in a previous thread). Ales are far more complex and have much more flavor. That is why on the posted list, there are a ton of ales and just a few lagers. However there is more lager consumed around the world than ale. Why? Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.