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Ale vs. lager -

All beers either fall into the category of an ale or a lager. The only difference between the two is in the yeast that the beer ferments, and if it settles at the top or the bottom.

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Lager fermentation -

The yeast in lager fermentation settles at the bottom of the brew, and it's a much slower process. Any type of lager or bock is made this way.

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Ale fermentation -

Ale fermentation means that the yeast settles at the top. This process is done at warmer temperatures. Any beer directly called an ale goes through this process, but so do beers like porters and stouts.

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Spontaneous fermentation -

An exception, wild and sour ales go through spontaneous fermentation, meaning that (safe) bacteria is introduced to get that tangy flavor. 

But, of course, you can divvy out beers into more categories than this! Click on to find out more about the most common types of beer.

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Pale lagers and pilsners -

Gaining popularity in places like Germany and the Czech Republic, pale lagers and pilsners are light beers. They are typically low in alcohol content, and don't have an overwhelming taste.

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Pale lagers and pilsners -

This category includes American lager, German pilsner, German helles, and Czech or Bohemian pilsner.

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Dark lager -

A smooth lager, dark lager tends to have a malty and toasted flavor profile. It has a low count on the IBU (international bitter units) and has a higher alcohol content than pilsners.

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Dark lager -

This category includes Oktoberfest, amber lager, German schwarzbier, and Vienna lager.

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German bock -

Particularly malty, bocks generally have a sweeter flavor. They range in alcohol content, and have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 6% to around 9.5%.

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German bock -

This category includes traditional bock, doppelbock, weizenbock, and maibock.

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Brown ale -

While brown ales may look like dark lagers, they are distinct. They also use malt, though they end up with caramel-type flavors. In addition, they have a kick of hops.

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Brown ale -

This category only includes two types of beer: the American brown ale and the English brown ale.

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Indian pale ale (IPA) -

The hoppiest beer around, IPAs are generally high on the alcohol scale and very bitter. They may also bring in some floral notes.

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Indian pale ale (IPA) -

This category includes the American IPA, imperial or double IPA, and English IPA.

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Pale ale -

If you've ever wondered about the difference between Indian pale ales and standard pale ales, look no further. The main difference is in the alcohol content, as both are bitter, hops-oriented beers, but pale ales have a lower ABV.

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Pale ale -

This category includes the American pale ale, blonde ale, English bitter, English pale ale, and perhaps, surprisingly, American amber ale.

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Porter -

Porters are one of the darkest beers out there. They are defined by their sweeter notes, such as coffee, caramel, and chocolate.

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Porter -

This category includes the American imperial porter, the robust porter, and the English brown porter.

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Stout -

While the flavor profile of stouts is similar to that of porters, they tend to be more coffee-like and have stronger roasted notes. They are a filling beer, and generally have at least a mid-level ABV.

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Stout -

This category includes numerous types of beer, including American stout, American imperial stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and Irish dry stout.

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Belgian-style ale -

Not known for their bitterness, these beers still pack a bunch. With a high ABV and often featuring fruity notes, Belgian-style ales are a treat!

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Belgian-style ale -

This category also includes many different beers, such as Belgian pale ale, Belgian dubbel, Belgian tripel, Belgian quadrupel, Belgian strong dark ale, and Belgian saison.

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Wheat beer -

A classic, wheat beers are simply those that are wheat based. They are often mixed with other flavors to become a specialty beer (which we'll touch on later), but they're the perfect refreshing brew for a summer day.

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Wheat beer -

This category includes American pale wheat, Belgian witbier, Berliner weisse, dunkelweizen, and the recognizable hefeweizen.

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Wild and sour ales -

A burgeoning category, wild and sour beers are gaining in popularity around the world. The bacteria in the brew mash are what give them that tangy flavor.

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Wild and sour ales -

This category includes American sour, Belgian fruit lambic, Flanders red ale, and Belgian gueuze.

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Specialty beer -

A large category, specialty beers are actually standard-style beers with added ingredients. This may mean a fusion with fruit, but it could also mean a mixture with other spirits for an even stronger brew!

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Specialty beer -

This category is the widest one, as it includes American black ale, barrel-aged beer, chocolate beer, coffee beer, fruit/vegetable beer, gluten-free beer, herb and spice beer, honey beer, pumpkin beer, rye beer, session beer, and smoke beer.

Sources: (Webstaurant Store)

See also: The most popular beers around the world

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