Volume II | Beer
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Ale
Top-fermented beer, made from malt and hops.
Amber Ale
Top-fermented, amber to deep red in color. This is a more modern, non-traditional style, and many of these beers borrow heavily from the characteristics associated with more classical styles such as "Pale Ales" or "Bitters." Amber ales are light to medium bodied. Flavor wise they can vary from generic to serious craft brewed styles with extravagant hoppy aromas and full malt character. Amber ales are often quite malty but not heavily caramelized in flavor.
Amber Lager
Top-fermented, with more malt that a lager; light toasted malt with a gentle creaminess. From amber to copper hued color, and generally more fully flavored than a standard pale lager. Caramel malt flavors are typical and hopping levels vary considerably depending on brewery. Alcohol levels are generally a maximum of 5% ABV.
B
Blanche Beer
Top-fermented, light or medium-bodied beer of golden amber color; fruity and floral flavors- orange peel, mango, pineapple, honey accents; sweet delicate finish.
Black/Schwarz Beer/Lager
Originally brewed in Thuringia, a state in eastern Germany; lager style brews are darker in color than their Munich counterparts; medium to full-bodied, rarely under 5%ABV, pronounced taste of a bitter chocolate, roasted malt note and a rounded character. Hop accents are generally low. Schwarz beers are not often attempted by US craft brewers.
Bock Beer /Lager
German, malty, full-bodied, bottom-fermenting; Bocks are a specific type of strong lager historically associated with the town of Einbeck (Germany). Color ranges from pale to deep amber tones, and features a distinct sweetness on the palate. Bock styles are an exposition of malty sweetness that is classically associated with the character and flavor of Bavarian malt. Alcohol levels are typically 5-6% ABV. Hop aromas are generally low though hop bitterness can serve as a balancing factor against the malt sweetness.
Bock, double Beer/Lager
Doppelbock, German very malty, full-bodied, bottom-fermenting; a sub-category of the bock style; extra strong, rich and weighty lagers characterized by an intense malty sweetness with a note of hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. Color ranges from full amber to dark brown; alcohol levels are typically 7-8%ABV. Brown Ale - American or English, full-bodied, low in hops.
D
Dark Lager/Dunkel
Top-fermenting, with sweetish notes and hints of chocolate; malt accents with low hop bitterness ; Dunkel is the original style of lager, serving as the forerunner to the pale lagers of today. These beers combine chocolate or licorice notes associated with the dark roasted malts and the roundness and crisp character of a lager. Munich Dunkel is fuller-bodied with a hint of bready sweetness.
F
Framboise Lambic Beer
Raspberry-flavored beer from Belgium; also see Lambics.
Fruit Beer
Fruit lambic beer, typically low in alcohol with intense fruit characteristics; also see Lambics.
H
Hefe Weizen Beer
Originally from Bovaria (Germany) summer-brewed wheat beer with a sweet and sour quality; insignificant hop flavor; alcohol level is typically 5-5.5% ABV, medium to medium-full body.
I
Imperial Style Stout
Beer with a pronounced chocolate flavor.
Imperial Stout
British beer, originally brewed for St.Petersburg Court; black to tar-colored, tick roasted flavor; dense; strong in alcohol (6-7%), with a note of sweetness. Burnt cocoa and dried fruit flavors are typical. Imperial stout was almost extinct until recreated by the British brewer Samuel Smiths in the early 1980s. The style has now been embraced by US craft brewers as a winter specialty.
India Pale Ale
Dry, strong, highly hopped; deep gold to amber in color, floral hop aromas and a distinctive hop bitterness on the finish.
L
Lager
Top-fermenting beer brewed primarily from malted barley, hops, and water; light in color, high in carbonation with a mild hop flavor.
Lambics
Belgium beer with distinctive and individualistic character; a unique vinous feature with a refreshing sourness and astonishing complexity; Lambics labeled as Gueuze are a blend of young and old beers. Such blending results in a sharp champagne-like effervescence and tart, toasty flavors. Lambics labeled as Faro have had sugar, caramel, or molasses added in order to impart a note of sweetness. Lambics are produced in small quantities near Brussels, Belgium capital. Lambic brewers use native wild yeasts in the open-air fermentation process aging in ancient oak barrels. US lambics are flavored with fruits. Kriek (cherry) and Framboise (raspberry) are the most popular and traditional fruits employed.
N
Nut Brown Ale
Dry, dark-colored, caramelized malt ale. Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Nut Brown Ale is dryish medium body, flavors of bittersweet chocolate covered citrus peel and roasted grain. Rogue Ales Hazelnut Brown Nectar has roasted coffee and woody nutshell notes. Goose Island Brewing Co. Nut Brown Ale is with fresh and vibrant nutty flavor.
O
Oatmeal Stout
British, dark, medium-to full-bodied, made with oatmeal; ranging from more roasted to sweet; a small proportion of oats used in place of roasted malt, which has the effect of enhancing body and mouth feel.
Oktoberfest Beer
German Lager with a bread aroma and golden color; Oktoberfest beers have become popular as September seasonal brews among US craft brewers, though they are not always classic examples of the German or Austrian style.
P
Pale Ale
Top-fermented, amber hue, full-bodied, very high in hops; originally was called “pale” as it was paler than the brown and black beers which were more popular at the time of the style.
Pilsner
Czech beer, dry, highly-carbonated, medium to full-bodied, with pronounced hoppy taste due to tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is the dense, white head. The alcohol levels must be such as to give a rounded mouth feel, typically around 5% ABV. German pilsner styles are slightly lighter in body and color.
Porter
British dark, red-brown to black in color, medium to medium-full bodied, and characterized by a flavor profile that can vary from very subtle dark malts to fully roasted, smoky flavors.
R
Rauchbier
Originally from Bovaria (Germany), beer with intense smoky aroma resulting from dried barley over fires fueled by beech trees.
Root Beer
Nonalcoholic carbonated beverage.
S
Saison Beer
Belgian, medium-bodied, highly-hopped spicy beer with citrus notes; lively carbonation from a secondary fermentation in the bottle; golden orange color.
Scottish Style Ale
Top-fermented, caramelized, typically full-bodied and malty beer, with some of the classic examples being dark brown in color. They are more lowly hopped than the English counterparts and often have a slightly viscous and sweet caramel malt character due to incomplete fermentation. The "Export" versions produced by Scottish brewers, the type mostly encountered in the US, are considerably stronger and maltier than the standard versions made available to Scottish beer drinkers.
Shandy
Beer mixed with lemonade and a splash of soda.
Smoked Beer
Beer with smoky flavors and aromas; also see Rauchbier.
Spiced Ale or Lager
Flavored with spices, e.g., cinnamon; herbs, fruits, or spices are added in order to impart flavor or color; seasonings can be used in the fermentation or as an addition of juice or extract. These beers are highly individualistic, and allow the brewers great creativity in their formulations. They will range from mild aromatic overtones to intense and pungently flavored concoctions.
Stout
Irish black, full-bodied, dark beer with a heavily roasted flavor profile and dark brown head. This is achieved by brewing with malt that has been kilned until it resembles burnt toast.
Sweet Stout
British, medium to full-bodied, almost creamy and mild, often show chocolate and caramel flavors. They are sometimes known as milk or cream stouts. These beers obtain their characters by using chocolate malts and lactic (milk) sugars in the brewing process.
V
Vienna Lager
Austrian amber lager with a yeasty aroma, malty toasted character and a hint of sweetness.
W
Wheat Beer
Primarily German and Belgian; light in color and flavor; very refreshing; a proportion of wheat is used in the mash to add a protein haze. |
