Pale ale is characterized by its pale, golden color, and it typically has a hop-forward flavor profile. It is most often brewed using pale malted barley and features a moderate to high level of hop bitterness, and it typically contains notes of citrus, pine, and floral aromas. That will vary with the different varieties, though, as each has its own unique characteristics.  Following are several common types of pale ale:

American Pale Ale: This style of pale ale originated in the United States and is known for its aggressive hop character. It typically features a medium body, moderate to high hop bitterness, and a citrusy, piney flavor profile.  Examples: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale.

English Pale Ale: This style of pale ale originated in England as the title indicates and is known for its balanced hop and malt character. It typically features a medium body, moderate hop bitterness, and a biscuity, caramel flavor profile.  Examples: Bass Pale Ale, Boddington Pub Ale, Sam Adams Boston Ale.

Belgian Pale Ale: This style of pale ale is known for its fruity and spicy character. It typically features a medium body, low to moderate hop bitterness, and notes of fruit, spice, and yeast.  Examples: Orval Trappist Ale, Leffe Blonde, Ommegang BPA.

India Pale Ale (IPA): This style of pale ale originated in England and is known for its high hop bitterness and strong, complex flavors. It typically features a medium to full body, high hop bitterness, and a citrusy, piney flavor profile.  Examples: Lagunitas IPA, Stone IPA, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.

New England IPA: This style of pale ale, also known as Hazy IPA, originated in the Northeastern United States and is known for its hazy appearance and juicy, tropical fruit flavors. It typically features a medium body, low to moderate hop bitterness, and a creamy mouthfeel.  Examples: Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA, Avery Brewing Nomadic Dreamer, Sam Adams Wicked Hazy Juicy New England IPA.

West Coast IPA: This style originated on the West Coast of the United States, particularly in California. It is known for its bold and hoppy flavors, high bitterness, malty backbone, and it typically has a higher alcohol content.  Examples: Green Coast Brewing West Coast IPA, Stone Brewing Ruination IPA, Weathered Souls West Coast IPA.

Session Pale Ale: This style of pale ale is known for its low alcohol content and easy-drinking character. It typically features a light to medium body, low hop bitterness, and a crisp, refreshing finish.  These are good for beginners to pale ales or those who do not like the bolder IPAs.  Examples: Founder’s Session All Day IPA, Full Sail Session Hazy IPA, Deep Ellum Easy Peasy IPA.

There are other variations of pale ale out there as well, and the many craft brewers are coming up with their own distinct brews all the time.  Feel free to share some of the pale ales you have enjoyed in the comments below.

The post Beer 101: Pale Ale appeared first on Craft Beers and More.

Lagers: These beers are fermented and conditioned at low temperatures, and they are known for their crisp, clean taste. Common types of lagers include:

Pilsner: A pale, refreshing beer with a noticeable hop bitterness and a slightly malty flavor.

Helles: A German-style pale lager that is malt-forward and has a balanced, mild hop bitterness.

Bock: A strong lager with a rich, malty flavor and sometimes hints of caramel or chocolate.

Examples: Budweiser, Coors, and Miller are among the most widely known lagers, but there are plenty of selections beyond that.  Others include Samuel Adams Boston Lager, New Belgium Fat Tire, Amstel, Heineken, Modelo Especial, Shiner Bock, and more.

Ales: These beers are fermented at warmer temperatures and often have more complex and fruity flavors and are typically stronger on the hops.  Types of ales include:

Pale Ale: A hoppy and often slightly fruity ale that can range from golden to amber in color.

IPA (India Pale Ale): A bolder variation on ale known for its strong hop bitterness and often floral or citrusy aroma. Variations include American IPA, British IPA, and Double IPA (DIPA).

Stout: A dark, rich beer with flavors of roasted malt, chocolate, and sometimes coffee. Varieties include Dry Stout, Sweet Stout, and Imperial Stout.

Examples: Among the most popular ales available are Siera Nevada Pale Ale, Lagunitas IPA, and Guinness Stout.  Other examples include New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Founders All Day IPA, Bass Ale, Stone IPA, and Full Sail Amber.

Wheat Beers: These beers are brewed with a significant proportion of wheat in addition to barley. They tend to be lighter and sometimes have a cloudy appearance which comes from the suspended proteins from the wheat.  Two main types of wheat beers are:

Witbier: A Belgian-style wheat beer often brewed with spices like coriander and orange peel, resulting in a refreshing and slightly fruity flavor.

Hefeweizen: A German-style wheat beer known for its banana and clove-like flavors, often with a cloudy appearance.

Examples: Probably the best-known wheat beer is Blue Moon, though it is actually a cross-over with an ale. Others include Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, Samuel Adams Summer Ale, Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier, Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat, and Live Oak Hefeweizen

Belgian Styles: Belgium is famous for its diverse range of beer styles, often characterized by unique yeast strains and complex flavors. Some notable Belgian styles include:

Dubbel: A dark, malty ale with flavors of dried fruit, caramel, and spices.

Tripel: A strong, pale ale with a slightly sweet character and often a higher alcohol content.

Saison: A farmhouse ale with a fruity and spicy character, originally brewed in the Wallonia region of Belgium.

Examples: The Chimay Belgian ales are some of the best known, but others include Duval, St. Bernadus, Trappistes Rochefort, Leffe Blond, and New Belgian Trippel

Sour Beer: Sour beers are intentionally brewed to have a tart or sour taste, achieved through various methods of fermentation and aging. Examples include:

Berliner Weisse: A low-alcohol, pale, and cloudy German-style sour wheat beer often served with flavored syrups.

Gose: A German-style sour beer brewed with coriander and salt, offering a unique and slightly salty flavor profile.

Lambic: A traditional Belgian sour beer often spontaneously fermented, with fruity and complex flavors.

Examples: Lindeman’s is probably the best-known among the sour/lambic beers but others include Victory Sour Monkey, Sierra Nevada Wild Little Thing, Lagunitas Aunt Sally, and Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale

Specialty and Hybrid Beers: These encompass a wide range of experimental and blended styles that may incorporate various ingredients and techniques. The various types include Kolsch, fruit beers, barrel-aged beers, altbier, steam beer, and more.

Examples: Abita Purple Haze, Prost Kolsch, Real Ale Black Quad, Brauerei Schumacher Alt, Anchor Steam

The post Beer 101: The Basic Types of Beers appeared first on Craft Beers and More.

Many of us love a good beer and indulge in the frothy stuff on a regular basis.  But whether you are drinking a lager or a pale ale or one of the darker varieties like a porter or a stout, and whether it came from a craft brewery or one of the major producers, do you know what actually goes into the beer you are drinking?  And do you know how those ingredients come together to make the final product?

At its most basic, beer is an alcoholic beverage made through the fermentation of malted barley and other cereal grains.  The core ingredients of beer typically include water, malted barley (or other grains), hops, and yeast. Following is a quick look at the beer-making process:

Malting: Barley grains are soaked in water to germinate, and then dried in a kiln which then halts the germination process. This produces malted barley, which contains enzymes that convert starches into fermentable sugars during brewing.

Mashing: The malted barley is mixed with hot water in a process called mashing to extract sugars, enzymes, and other important compounds. This process provides the fermentable sugars, known as the wort, that yeast will later consume to produce alcohol and carbonation in the beer.

Boiling: The wort is boiled and hops are typically added during this stage which bring bitterness, flavor, and aroma to the beer. Boiling also sterilizes the wort, helping to prevent contamination.

Cooling and Fermentation: After boiling, the wort is cooled and then transferred to a fermentation vessel. Yeast is added, and fermentation begins as the yeast consumes the sugars in the wort and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process can take days and up to several to weeks, varying depending on the style of beer being brewed.

Maturation: After primary fermentation is complete, the beer is often allowed to age so that it can mature. This helps to develop flavors, either smoothing out or intensifying the taste of the final product depending on the ingredients used, the time of the maturation, and the process.

Packaging: Once the beer has completed the steps above and achieved the desired flavor and quality, it is ready for packing into bottles, cans, and/or kegs where it can be sent out for final consumption (that is, we can start drinking it).

The complexity and time involved in this process will vary depending on if this a home brew, a craft product, or a beer made for major consumption. The basic types of beers that will be created are Lagers, Ales, Wheat Beers, Sours, and Specialty/Hybrid Beers which I will look at in our next Beer 101 post.

You can read more about the beer-making process in Beer Brewing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Homebrewing for Craft Beer Lovers.

The post Beer 101: How Beer Is Made appeared first on Craft Beers and More.