Types of Beer

Lager:The term ‘lager’ in German means ‘storage’. Lagers are normally pale to golden colored beers, rich in carbonation and generally have less alcohol content compared to their ale counterparts. Beers are normally classified on the basis of the fermentation technique employed. There are some varieties of yeast which do top fermentation and some which do bottom fermentation. Lager is a bottom fermented beer and are best served chill (2-5 degree Celsius). Typical examples are Foster’s, Royal Challenge, Haywards 5000, and Kingfisher.

Ale:Ale is the other type of beer which is brewed by the top fermenting yeast. It is normally fermented at 15-24 degree Celsius. At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavor and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds. Real ale is produced using traditional techniques and without pasteurization. They have lower carbonation, higher alcohol content and should be served at a higher temperature (10-15 degree Celsius) compared to lager.

Pilsner, sometimes pilsener or simply pils, is a pale lager, developed in the 19th century in the city of Pilsen, Bohemia (Plzeň in the Czech Republic). A modern Pilsner has a very light, clear color from pale, really pale up to a golden yellow, and a distinct hop aroma and flavor. Czech Pilsners tend toward a lighter flavor with good examples being Pilsner Urquell and Staropramen, while those in a German style can be more bitter (particularly in the north, e.g. Jever) or even "earthy" in flavor. On the other hand, Dutch (Heineken, Amstel) and Belgian Pilsners (Jupiler, Stella Artois) have a slight sweet taste.

Stout and porter are dark beers made using roasted malts or roast barley. Served at cool temperatures. Examples are Haywards Black and Guinness. Various types of stouts are: Dry or Irish stout, Imperial tout, Porter, Baltic porter, Milk stout, Oatmeal stout, Chocolate Stout, Oyster stout, Coffee stout.

Weizen: Wheat beer is a beer that is brewed with a significant proportion of wheat. Wheat beers often also contain a significant proportion of malted barley. Wheat beers are usually top-fermented (in Germany they have to be by law).The flavour of wheat beers varies considerably, depending upon the specific style.

India Pale Ale, abbreviated IPA, is an ale that is light amber to copper in color, medium to medium-high alcohol by volume, with hoppy, bitter and sometimes malty flavor. IPA is a style of beer that is usually included in the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 18th century. Today, IPA is a popular style of beer among American craft brewers.