Beer Types and Styles a thumb nail description

Beer Types & Styles

This text is from the nbwa.org site.

As a walk through the beer aisle
in a grocery or specialty store will confirm, there are many
brands and types of beer available in the U.S. today.These beers
differ for a variety of reasons, from the amount and types of
malt and hops utilized, to the timing and temperature used in
the brewing process.

Here is a beginner’s overview
of some of the most popular styles;
the fun comes in tasting and
experimentation:

Pale Ale
This is the classic English ale, with a
slightly bitter and malty finish. Look
for a fruity or flowery nose and a
copper color.

Brown Ale
Darker in color than Pale Ales, this beer
has a slightly nutty flavor and cola finish.
India Pale Ale
A copper colored, big-bodied, strongly
bitter flavored beer.

Porter
Legend says that the name of this beer
derived from its status as a favorite
drink of the porters at Victoria Station
in London. Porters are dry beers,
dark brown in color.

Stout
Originally developed as a heavier,
"stouter" version of the Porter,
Stouts are almost black in color.They
can be sweet or dry and have a
coffee-like flavor.

Lager
Lagers represent 95 percent of the
beer sold in the world.These beers
are light yellow, highly carbonated and
have a clean, refreshing taste.

Pilsner
The grandfather of light Lagers, true
Pilsners have a light to medium body,
a flowery, hoppy aroma, and a soft
mouthfeel.

Bock
Bocks are all-malt lagers.They have
a brown or ruby color and a strong
malt aroma.

Wheat
Wheat beers are very light, golden in
color and have a dry, tangy finish.