Ales. These ferment quickly and are generally a bit sweeter, fuller-bodied, and have a fruity flavor. Indian Pale Ales (IPAs) have more hops and are generally bitter. This category includes pale ales, wheat beers, bitters, porters, stouts, barley wines, brown ales and tripels. Watch out for tripels – they’ve been fermented several times and can knock you off your feet. Lagers. These ferment slowly and tend to have a “crisper” flavor than ales and are, in general, less “hoppy. " Think of Heineken, Bud Light, Natural Light, Harp, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft – these are all light lagers. [2] X Research source This category also includes pilsners, Vienna lagers, bocks and marzens. Stouts. These really fall under the “ale” umbrella, but they are their own beast. A stout is dark and often creamy, with tastes of chocolate and coffee undertones. There’s also oatmeal and oyster stouts, too. For these, think Guinness, Beamish, and Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stouts. Bitters. These are English ales that have a deep bronze look and a well-hopped flavor (in other words, bitter). In general, they have greater depth than IPAs. It’s hard to qualify their taste beyond that as there are several categories: session or ordinary bitter, best or regular bitter and premium or strong bitter (often called Extra Special Bitters (ESB)). Wheat Beer (or Hefeweizen). This is an ale with a light yet hazy appearance. It often has a slight banana or clove flavor. Sometimes it’s spicy or apple-y, too. It’s not bitter and it’s often served with a wedge of lemon.
Ales. These ferment quickly and are generally a bit sweeter, fuller-bodied, and have a fruity flavor. Indian Pale Ales (IPAs) have more hops and are generally bitter. This category includes pale ales, wheat beers, bitters, porters, stouts, barley wines, brown ales and tripels. Watch out for tripels – they’ve been fermented several times and can knock you off your feet. Lagers. These ferment slowly and tend to have a “crisper” flavor than ales and are, in general, less “hoppy. " Think of Heineken, Bud Light, Natural Light, Harp, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft – these are all light lagers. [2] X Research source This category also includes pilsners, Vienna lagers, bocks and marzens. Stouts. These really fall under the “ale” umbrella, but they are their own beast. A stout is dark and often creamy, with tastes of chocolate and coffee undertones. There’s also oatmeal and oyster stouts, too. For these, think Guinness, Beamish, and Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stouts. Bitters. These are English ales that have a deep bronze look and a well-hopped flavor (in other words, bitter). In general, they have greater depth than IPAs. It’s hard to qualify their taste beyond that as there are several categories: session or ordinary bitter, best or regular bitter and premium or strong bitter (often called Extra Special Bitters (ESB)). Wheat Beer (or Hefeweizen). This is an ale with a light yet hazy appearance. It often has a slight banana or clove flavor. Sometimes it’s spicy or apple-y, too. It’s not bitter and it’s often served with a wedge of lemon.
Mugs – good for IPAs, red, black, brown, and blonde American Ales, Pilsner, English Stouts, smoked beer, witbier, American and English Porters Pint glasses – good for American Ales, IPAs, Pale Ales, English Bitter and mild English Ales, cream ales, dark Lager and Stouts. Goblets: Belgian IPAs and strong, dark ales, quadruples and tripels Pilsner glasses: Vienna and Japanese lagers, Euro dark and strong lagers, American malt liquors, pale and red lagers, doppelbocks Weizen glasses: Dark and pale wheat ales, and all “weizens”
Does your beer have a caramel, cocoa or coffee flavor? Pair it with a smokey flavor, like with char-grilled foods. Is your beer hoppy? This can provide an herbal contract to fattier foods, like salmon, pizza, and fried foods. Is your beer sweet and fruity? Think appetizer plates, like grapes, cheeses, and bruschetta.
Wanna get technical? Strong beers (like barleywines, tripels, dark ales) will be best enjoyed when kept just below room temperature, around 55-60F. Standard ales (like bitters, IPAs, dobbelbocks, lambics, stouts, etc) should be at “cellar temperature, 50-55F. Lighter beers (think lagers, pilsners, wheat beers, milds, etc) should be around refrigerated temperature, or 45-50F. [5] X Research source Think of it this way: the higher the alcohol content, the higher the temperature required and vice versa.
Don’t mix your glasses, either. If it’s a beer glass, use it as just a beer glass. Try putting beer in a milk glass and you’ll get the picture. It helps to chill the glass ahead of time.
Having head is very important to get to the true flavors of the beer. No head and you’ll lose what makes your beer tasty and delicious. It’ll also provide a stronger, more decadent aroma. You can also tilt the glass to the side at an angle when pouring the beer in.
If you head is forming too quickly (this happens with some beers), start pouring straight down the middle sooner. If it’s not forming, keep it at an angle.
Pour the glass half full, accumulating a large head Let the head dissipate slightly Pour again, aiming for that 1” to 1-1/2” of head in total
Think about the head. Is it foamy? Creamy? Quick to disappear? Consider its color. Is it more golden, red, or chestnut? Look at its consistency. Is it creamy? Thick or thin? Hazy with debris or clean as a whistle?
How does this beer differ from other beers you’re used to when you swirl it around? How does the carbonation loosen? What happens from the bottom to the top of the beer?
If need be, swirl it around again. Does this intensify the smell?
Then swallow. Then repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat. How is it changing with every sip? Does it change as you reach the bottom of your glass?
Okay, so you can let it get a little warm. Really, really cold beer has its flavors masked by temperature. Let it warm up a bit and you may notice nice changes. But there’s a line where it crosses and becomes not so tasty – if you wait, you’ll find that line.
