UqT - Beer Styles

It's All About Style

You Got Style?

Beer is brewed with passion. Passion comes in many forms. Ergo, beer comes in many forms. In this global era, where you are in the world directly dictates the kinds of beer that would be on tap at the local pub. Over a hundred different beer styles - each with its individual character - exist, albeit some more popular (Pale Ales, Pilsners) than others (Oud Bruins, Russian Imperial Stouts). Certain styles require very exact serving temperatures (extra cold, cask, etc.) some require uniquely shaped pint glasses (or glasses that are smaller than pints to begin with), and others are typically brewed and offered in only one of the seasons (Winter Warmers, Oktoberfests, Spring Bocks, Summer Ales). Below is some information about the four main styles that we come across with. Hopefully you can use this inevitably helpful and priceless information to follow your own quest and discover for yourself, what it means to claim something as your favorite beer.

Click each style's link for more information on the history and characteristics of each style.

Stouts

The Stout is a dark brew that uses roasted malt or barley, lower proportions of hops, and contains moderate to high amounts of alcohol. Stouts pour smooth with a thick and creamy foam head that keeps its consistency through the consumption of the beer. Porters are a large and popular subset of stouts. Similar to the difference between Trappist and Abbey beers, porters are effectively moderate stouts, with subtle differences in the usage of ingredients and brewing varied by region. It is a common misconception that stouts, porters, and any other dark beers are heavier, more alcoholic, and contain more Calories. However, as an example, the world's most popular stout, Guinness Draught from St. James Gate (Dublin, Ireland), contians slightly less Calories and less alcohol than Busch, Budweiser, Milwaukee's Best, and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Think about that next time you're about to order an American Lager. Stouts are typically served in a Tumbler pint glasses (in the US) and Nionic glasses in other countries. Glasses are 20 oz to accomodate the large foam head. These wide mouth glasses make drinking easy. They are also durable, stack easily, and cost little to make.

Reviewed Stouts

Includes Dry, Porter, Imperial, Baltic Porter, Milk/Cream/Sweet, Oatmeal, Oyster, Coffee, Foreign/Export, and Cocoa among others.

11-22-16 - Hill Farmstead Damon
6-26-15 - Lakefront Brewing Fuel Cafe
3-09-15 - Uinta Crooked Line Labyrinth Black Ale
2-19-15 - Stone Coffee Milk Stout
2-16-15 - Carlsberg Sweden Pripps Carnegie Porter
1-23-15 - Bell's Porter
12-15-14 - Six Point 3Beans
10-17-14 - Marooned On Hog Island Oyster Stout
9-18-14 - Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout
8-13-14 - Left Hand Black Jack Porter
5-09-14 - Fort Collins Chocolate Stout
3-31-14 - Southern Tier Creme Brulee Black Water
2-20-14 - Boulevard Dark Truth Stout
1-16-14 - Harpoon Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Porter
1-02-14 - D&G Dragon Stout
10-18-13 - Watch City Breakfast Of Champions Espresso Nitro Stout
10-08-13 - Throwback Maple Kissed Wheat Porter
8-06-13 - Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout
5-17-13 - Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald
5-13-13 - Sam Adams Maple Pecan Porter
5-07-13 - Cambridge Brewing Company Charles River Porter
4-22-13 - Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero
4-10-13 - Saranac Irish Stout
3-14-13 - Harpoon Boston Irish Stout
3-08-13 - Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
3-01-13 - Allagash Black Stout
3-01-13 - Wagner Valley Oatmeal Stout
2-22-13 - Cambridge Brewing Cask Porter
2-20-13 - Harpoon El Triunfo Coffee Porter Session 44 100 Barrel Series
1-29-13 - Browar Witnica Black Boss Porter
1-29-13 - Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
1-14-13 - Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
1-02-13 - Aldaris Brewery Porteris
12-31-12 - Maine Beer Company Mean Old Tom
12-28-12 - Founders Breakfast Stout
12-27-12 - Magic Hat Heart of Darkness
11-29-12 - Three Heads Big Head Stout
11-08-12 - Belhaven Scottish Stout
11-05-12 - Nogne O Porter
10-30-12 - Farsons Lacto
10-16-12 - Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout
10-10-12 - Custom Brewcrafters Double Dark Cream Porter
10-07-12 - Belfast Bay McGovern's Oatmeal Stout
9-09-12 - Lion Stout
8-15-12 - Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
6-25-12 - Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
6-18-12 - Bar Harbor Cadillac Mountain Stout
6-04-12 - Stone Smoked Porter
5-13-12 - Sea Dog Riverdriver Hazelnut Porter
2-03-12 - BrewDog Tokyo* Stout

Weissbiers/Wheats

The Weissbier, or Weizenbier is a German light colored, top-fermented, sweet, fruity, aromatic, specialty yeast wheat based beer originally rooted in Bavaria. The typical malted barley is almost entirely substituted with wheat, which when combined with specific strains of yeast, produces fruity, clove and banana flavors and characteristics during the process of traditional fermentation. Wheat beers can be filtered or unfiltered after fermentation which results in the style's trademark cloudy appearance. IBUs for nearly all weissbiers rarely exceed 17-20, making them the least bitter style collectively. Foam heads are greater in proportion to most beers due to higher levels of carbonation produced by the yeast strains. Weissbiers are generally higher in alcohol than ales and lagers, and are served in special Weizen half liter glasses. These glasses are tall and curved to enhance the fruity aromatic characteristics that help give this style such an immense sensory experience.

Reviewed Weissbiers

Includes Weizenbier, Hefeweiss, Dunkels, Kristallweiss, Weizenbock, Weizen Eisbock, Pale Wheat, Lambic, Gueuze, Mars, Dark Wheat, Faro, Berliner Weisse, Kriek, Fruit Lambic, Witbier, La Biere Blanche, Wheatwine, and Gose among others.

12-29-14 - Franziskaner Weissbier
1-13-14 - Kiuchi Hitachino Nest White Ale
6-06-13 - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan White Hopsplosion
3-07-13 - Brasserie Lefebvre SA Blanche de Bruxelles
10-19-12 - Brauerei Aying Brau Weisse
9-04-12 - Thunder River Honey Wheat
4-20-12 - Sam Adams 26.2 Marathon Wheat
3-24-12 - Wurzburger Hofbrau AG Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel

Ales

The Ale is sweet, medium to full bodied, fermented relatively quickly, and utilizes malted barley and hops. Interestingly enough, the term "ale" originally described a beer that was brewed without the use of hops but today, describes beer that is almost universally brewed with some amount of hops to not only preserve the beer, but give it the quintessentially British bitterness that varies considerably from beer to beer based on the types of hops used, the amount of hops used, and the country of origin. Ales are diverse by nature, offering beer lovers a vast array of flavors, colors, aromas, and alcohol content. Fermenting ales takes place in temperatures well above most other styles, with temperatures climbing above 75 degrees in certain cases where secondary fruity flavors are desired. Sub- styles of ale historically originate from a diverse set of countries. Ales are served in a variety of glasses, the most common being a traditional mug, (or Stein if Sprechen sie Deutsch). German beer Steins have included lids initially to prevent the spread of the Black Plague by keeping flies out of the beer people were consuming.

Reviwed Ales

Includes Brown, Pale, IPA, ESB, Amber, Altbier, American Pale, Strong, Biere de Garde, Belgian Strong Dark, Belgian Strong Pale, Blonde, Burton, Tripel, English Special/Strong Bitter, English Strong, Belgian IPA, Saison/Farmhouse, Double/Imperial, Belgian Dark, Sahti, Roggenbier, Black, Bitter, Irish Red, American Strong, Scotch, Old, Braggot, Belgian, Wee Heavy, Rye, Mild, Golden, American Wild, Quadrupel, Biere de Champagne/Biere Brut, Cream, Dubbel, Flanders Red Ale, Pumpkin, Winter Warmer, Flemish, Oud Bruin, Cask (real), Barley Wine, and Pale Malt among others.

3-03-17 - Creature Comforts Tropicalia
7-08-16 - The Alchemist Heady Topper
7-06-16 - Hill Farmstead Double Citra
6-27-16 - Indeed Brewing Old Friend Holiday Ale
5-28-16 - Tree House Brewing Julius
1-29-16 - Wells Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale
11-06-15 - Iron Duke Juneau Alaskan Spruce Tip Ale
9-28-15 - Harpoon Brewery 2014 Beer Trip Tuscan Pool Party Session 52 100 Barrel Series
8-14-15 - Tree House Haze Imperial IPA
7-24-15 - Small Town Brewery Not Your Father's Root Beer
7-20-15 - Andrew's English Pale Ale
5-19-15 - Maine Beer Company Red Wheelbarrow Ale
3-26-15 - Opa Opa A10 Warthog Double IPA
2-27-15 - Stone Enjoy By 12-26-14 IPA
2-05-15 - Brasserie d'Orval Orval Trappist Ale
1-14-15 - Brouwerij Van Steenberge Gulden Draak
1-12-15 - Maine Beer Peeper Ale
1-12-15 - Cooper's Vintage Ale 2009
1-09-15 - Uinta Wyld Extra Pale Ale
12-02-14 - Frampton Nuit D' Automne Ale
11-18-14 - Brasseurs R.J. Belle Gueule Rousse
11-07-14 - Cisco Brewers Indie Pale Ale
10-03-14 - Keegan Ales Hurricane Kitty
9-29-14 - Anderson Valley Boont Blonde Ale
8-27-14 - Saison Dupont
7-13-14 - Harpoon Long Thaw White IPA
7-11-14 - Harpoon Citra Victorious Session 50 100 Barrel Series
6-30-14 - John Harvard's Ultimate Warrior
6-12-14 - Two Roads Road 2 Ruin
5-30-14 - 21st Amendment Back In Black Black IPA
5-28-14 - Oppigards Winter Ale
5-05-14 - Brown IPA Session 49 100 Barrel Series
4-26-14 - Pretty Things Jack D'Or
4-17-14 - Shipyard Black IPA
4-09-14 - Spencer Trappist Ale
3-13-14 - Stone 12-12-12 Vertical Epic Ale
3-10-14 - Harpoon Polskie Mastne Session 48 100 Barrel Series
2-28-14 - Great Lakes Christmas Ale
2-21-14 - Goose Island Sixth Day
2-13-14 - Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
2-06-14 - Jack's Abby Hopstitution Cask Ale
2-04-14 - Rohrbach Kacey's Kristmas Ale
12-13-13 - Allagash Curieux
11-27-13 - Southern Tier Pumking
11-26-13 - Watch City Shillelagh Irish Red Nitro Ale
11-18-13 - Shipyard Pumpkinhead
11-14-13 - Firestone Double Jack
10-30-13 - Ommegang Hennepin
10-30-13 - Harpoon Saison Various Session 47 100 Barrel Series
10-11-13 - Amarcord Birra Artiginale Italiana AMA Boinda
10-02-13 - Throwback Hopstruck Red IPA
10-02-13 - Red Hook Audible Ale
9-12-13 - Traveler Curious Traveler
8-26-13 - Ommegang Three Philosophers
8-20-13 - Adirondack Beaver Tail Brown Ale
7-28-13 - Boulevard Double Wide IPA
7-11-13 - Pizza Port Summer Pale Ale
7-01-13 - Omission Pale Ale
6-12-13 - High And Mighty Pas De Dieux
6-04-13 - Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.Grand Cru
5-31-13 - Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
5-23-13 - Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
5-15-13 - Allagash Four Ale
5-10-13 - Widmer Brother's Columbia Common Spring Ale
5-03-13 - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! Equinoxe du Printemps
5-01-13 - Harpoon Hoppy Belgian Style Blonde Ale Session 46 100 Barrel Series
4-26-13 - Boston Beer Works Double Pale Ale
4-23-13 - Sam Adams Irish Red Ale
4-09-13 - Cask Centennial Hops IPA
4-05-13 - InBev Abbaye de Leffe S.A. Leffe Blonde
3-21-13 - Carlow O'Hara's Irish Red Ale
3-04-13 - Harpoon Directors' Cut Session 45 100 Barrel Series
2-28-13 - New Glarus Spotted Cow
2-26-13 - Cambridge Brewing Sgt. Pepper
2-19-13 - Great Divide Denver Pale Ale
2-14-13 - Three Heads Brewing Skunk Black IPA
2-11-13 - Left Hand Sawtooth Ale Nitro
1-24-13 - Lagunitas Imperial Red
1-22-13 - Clown Shoes Lubrication
1-17-13 - Brouwerij Liefmans Goudenband
1-15-13 - Troegs Mad Elf 2011
1-10-13 - Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale
1-04-13 - Genesee Brew House Winter Warmer Ale
1-02-13 - Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
12-21-12 - Long Trail Brewmasters Series Centennial Red
12-21-12 - Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA
12-20-12 - Allagash Old HLT
12-19-12 - Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale 2012
12-18-12 - Full Sail Brewery Wreck The Halls
12-16-12 - Boston Beer Works Bunker Hill Blueberry Ale
12-13-12 - Boston Beer Works Beantown Nut Brown Ale
12-12-12 - Fort Collins Red Banshee
12-11-12 - Goose Island Christmas Ale 2011
12-10-12 - Innis & Gunn Original Winter Beer 2011
12-10-12 - Wolaver's Organic Brown Ale
12-06-12 - Erie Brewing Mad Anthony's APA
12-05-12 - Green's Endeavour Dubbel Ale
12-04-12 - Custom Brewcrafters Fresh Hop Harvest Ale
12-03-12 - Custom Brewcrafters Pile Driver IPA
11-01-12 - Harpoon White IPA Session 43 100 Barrel Series
10-23-12 - Pretty Things St. Botolph's Town
10-11-12 - Stevens Point 2012 Black Ale
10-09-12 - Harpoon UFO Pumpkin Ale
10-03-12 - BrewDog Dogma
10-01-12 - Sam Adams Fat Jack
9-30-12 - Hambleton Toleration
9-23-12 - Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale
9-22-12 - Kona Koko Brown
9-16-12 - Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale
9-08-12 - Wachusett Country Pale Ale
9-08-12 - Ithaca Ground Break
9-07-12 - Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged Beer
9-04-12 - Erie Misery Bay IPA
8-14-12 - Blue Point No Apologies Double IPA
8-14-12 - Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale
8-09-12 - Ballast Point Sculpin
8-08-12 - Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
8-07-12 - Cape Ann Fisherman's Ale
8-07-12 - Steven's Point Drop Dead Blonde Ale
7-30-12 - Belfast Bay Lobster Ale
7-03-12 - Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot
7-03-12 - Jake N Joes (Harpoon) IPA
6-25-12 - Alltech Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
6-18-12 - Shipyard Brewing Summer Ale
6-13-12 - High and Mighty Beer Of The Gods
6-08-12 - Wachusett Green Monsta IPA
6-04-12 - Rock Art American Red Ale
5-14-12 - Baxter Stowaway IPA
5-13-12 - Sea Dog Bluepaw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale
5-05-12 - Belhaven Scottish Ale
4-30-12 - Blue Hills Red Baron Ale
4-20-12 - Sam Adams Black Ale
4-10-12 - Allagash Brewing Company Tripel Ale
3-29-12 - Stone Ruination IPA
3-24-12 - Harpoon Catamount Maple Wheat Ale Session 41 100 Barrel Series
3-14-12 - Harpoon Celtic Ale
3-13-12 - Harpoon Black IPA Session 40 100 Barrel Series
2-24-12 - Lake Front New Grist Gluten Free Ale

Lagers

By far and away, the Lager is the most popular style of beer in the world. Unlike ales, lagers are brewed at low temperatures. Lagers take longer to ferment and condition than ales, and produce a wider range of alcohol levels than other styles. Another property of lagers that separates it from other styles is the ingredients, primarily the use of adjuncts, or non-malted cereals. This enables brewers to produce beer with higher ABVs because of the increased amount of sugar in non-malted barley. Yeast consumes sugars to live and produce alcohol as a by product of metabolic processes. Lagers vary considerably in color, strength and bitterness. Pilsners, Pale Lagers, and Dortmunders round up the top sub-styles in the Lager family, and are enjoyed in many regions of the world. Like ales, certain lagers will require to be served in special glasses, but most adjunct based brews will serve well in a traditional pint glass or Stange. Taller glasses are used to bring out sweet malt and bitter hops in more delicate beer.