Types Of Craft Beer Explained

You asked for it, we (Craft Beers) delivered! There are so many craft beers being produced every year it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. That’s not even mentioning the hundreds of different beer styles out there. And so, we’re here to help. We’ve done the hard work for you and broken the most common styles you’re bound to see down into nice and digestible short bites. While there are countless others we could talk about, we’ll keep it simple for now and maybe do a part two to explore other styles we might have missed.

The first step if you don’t know where to begin is to break down what styles you like or what you think you will like! 

IPA 

A beer style that is almost synonymous with craft beer for all it has done for the craft beer market in recent years. Today, it has overtaken lagers as the most requested and favoured beer of craft drinkers. 

IPA, short for India Pale Ale, encompasses numerous styles of beer such as West Coast and East Coast IPA, New England IPA, Double IPA, Hazy, session, and more. IPAs have gained its levels of fame for their hoppy, herbal, citrus or fruity flavours. They are generally on the bitter side but not exclusively as it depends on the hops used. Some IPAs can taste like pure citrus, while others are dank and bitter. If you’re just starting out with the style, look for a good West Coast IPA as these are generally in the middle of fruity/bitter or try a session IPA if lagers are generally more your style. Or if you’re feeling truly adventurous, look for a milkshake IPA (contains lactose) or the fabled Triple IPA!

IPAs are usually a beer drinker’s first introduction to the world of craft beer and a fantastic entry to a world of flavours. Be sure to pay attention to not only the different sub-genres of IPA, but also the hops, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

IPAs we recommend: Sierra Nevada Cold Torpedo, Ballykilcavan Clancy’s #9, Wicklow Wolf Tundra

Lager 

A style most common with the big macro breweries, but there are a huge number of craft breweries out there keeping the classic style alive and strong. Lagers are usually the first style of beer anyone tries before dipping their toes in the world of craft beers. In terms of flavour, they are crisp, full-bodied, and refreshing without any aggressive flavours or bitterness. They are also generally low in alcohol and a great way to start expanding your flavour awareness.

If you’re looking to branch out, the lager family covers other styles such as the classic Oktoberfest Marzen (fantastic bready notes in these), Pilsner (the original lager style were founded in the city of Pils), or something very different with a bock beer (a dark lager from the roasted malt used)

Lagers we recommend: Whiplash Blue Ghosts, Kona Longboard, Hitachino Nest Lager 

Pale Ale

Another popular style of beer, and what some consider the beer style that bridges the gap between lagers and stouts. As the name implies, this style is pale in colour from the pale malt used and is very approachable with lots of flavour, without being too heavy. 

Like IPAs, pale ales are usually hoppy but have a lower ABV. As always, there are a few sub-genres definitely worth exploring such as amber ale, American pale ale, blonde ale and Saison ales. Be sure to experiment and see if you prefer the more hoppier American pales or the maltier Belgian blonde ales.

Pale ales we recommend: Einstok Arctic Pale Ale, Lough Gill Breakers, Cloudwater Happy Easy 

Red Ale 

A sub-genre of ale, but one that is quite different and worth highlighting. Red ales shift the focus away from the hoppier side of things and are somewhat sweet, with a lightly hopped tea-like flavour, and viscous body. Try an Irish Red Ale and you won’t be disappointed! 

Red ales are a nice and well-rounded beer style, with a pleasant toasted malt character in many examples, and sometimes a bit of a dry finish. 

Red ales we recommend: White Hag Celebration, Reel Deel Mayo Red, Yellowbelly Red Noir 

Stout 

A beer style that is synonymous with Ireland, and for a good reason! This dark beer belongs to the dark ale family and is perfect for those who are already fans of coffee or sweetened espressos as all that roasted malt is bound to appeal. The flavour of stouts can vary depending on where they come from. Ireland and the UK favour sweeter, creamy, low bitterness stouts, while in the US, for example, they can have a more bitter finish and a higher malt count, meaning more pronounced flavours of coffee and dark chocolate.

Stouts are certainly heavier than the styles we’ve looked at earlier and might look far heavier to drink with their dark flavours, but it’s those unfermented sugars and roasted malt that gives them that alluring creamy, coffee, sweetness. If you’re looking to branch out, try milk stouts or dessert stouts if you’re looking to go even sweeter, or imperial stouts if you’re looking for bigger and bolder brews with higher ABVs.

Stouts we recommend: Lineman Pulse, Wicklow Wolf Black Castle, Founders KBS Espresso Stout

Porters

Continuing our look at the dark ale family tree with a style founded in the UK. A common question is how porters differ from stouts. And is a good question! The first key difference is in the ingredients: porters are made with malted barley and stouts with unmalted roasted barley. While this might sound similar on paper, porters tend to carry a malty sweetness and bitter hoppiness, but of course, this depends on the ingredients used. They can also be a little spicy or bitter depending on the brewery! 

Overall, porters are perfect for those who like coffee but feel stouts are a bit too heavy in that direction, or those looking for less of a gap between ales and dark ales and wanting some hoppy bitterness with a chocolately note.

Porters we recommend: Crafty Bear Proper Porter, Mescan Baltic Porter, Einstok Toasted Porter 

Belgian Style

Belgium’s rich beer culture is one every beer drinker should explore at some point. There is a rather impressive amount of beer styles from Wit beer, Lambics, Dubbels, Tripels, Quadrupels and so on. 

So what makes a beer Belgian style? Well, aside from the obvious (coming from Belgium, usually the Trappist monasteries), the key difference is the yeast used! Yeast is one of those unsung heroes in what makes a beer taste so good. If you’re looking to start out, look for a Trappist ale. These have been made by monks for centuries and refined to perfection!

Belgian-style beers usually carry fruity, spicy, and sweet flavours with hints of banana and esters. They are usually higher in alcohol content than other beer styles and a low bitterness.

Belgian Style Beers we recommend: Orval, Westmalle Dubbel, Duvel

Sour 

If hops and bitterness aren’t your thing, then a sour beer might just be the one for you. This style of beer is an up-and-comer, especially in the States and around Flanders and Berlin which have their own sub-genres of the style. 

Sour beers are usually very tart and dry and very different from the lagers and IPAs you might have tried before. Some may add fruit such as cherries, peach, mango, or raspberry to add a sweet touch to the sourness. 

The deliberately acidic, somewhat funky flavour comes from the fermentation process and agents used. Don’t be afraid to try out a fruity Berliner Weisse, a cherry-infused Lambics or Gueuze, or a lemony gose.

Sour beers we recommend: DOT Brew Got Fruit, Garage Beer P9, Rye River Kahuna Krush  

Barley Wine 

While wine in the title could mislead or confuse, this beer style falls under the ale family. Barley wine beer is often very malt-forward and one of the strongest beer styles, hence the term 'wine' in the label.

This deep amber brew is often aged for a number of years to allow the flavours to really mature. Expect toffee, molasses, caramel, fruit flavours along with a warming alcohol punch and hop bitterness. 

Like a good one, try this one with a good dish such as rich game dishes, desserts or strong cheeses!

Barley wines we recommend: Moersleutel Can Brulee, Widmer Brothers Barley Wine

Which style of craft beer is your favourite? And what are some of your favourite craft beers? Be sure to let us know as we love a good aul chat about craft beers. 

If you still can’t find that perfect beer, then be sure to browse our range of gift sets, ales, stouts, New In, and between here on Craft Beers Delivered! Lastly, make sure to follow us on our Instagram, Facebook & Twitter to see what we’re getting up to such as our new in, sales, recommended brews, and competitions!

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