How many beer styles are there?
This is a great question. Understanding the answer will go a long way in helping you find the beer you love most, making it easier to navigate the ever-expanding choices at the tap. Including all the major beer styles and all of their sub-styles (see below), there are believed to be over 100 different beer styles in the world.
All beer is either an Ale or a Lager
To begin, all beers are either ales or lagers, and that's determined by the type of yeast used during the fermentation process. (See our recent post Ale vs. Lager – What’s the Difference? for more information). Lagers are made with yeast that ferments at the bottom of the beer mixture and ales are made with yeast that ferments at the top. There are also spontaneously fermenting yeasts, which make wild or sour ales. Other factors that contribute to defining a beer style are: region of origin, ingredients, appearance and brewing method.
The BIG Styles
Ales tend to be more complex beers. They are often served at room temperature and contain a rich aroma and flavor. Examples include: Pale Ale, India Pale Ale (IPA), Brown Ale, Irish Beers, Scottish Style Ales, Bock, Porter and Stouts.
Lagers are clean, refreshing beers, typically with a light aroma and flavor and are usually served cold. These are the most common beers found in America and include the following styles: Dark Lagers, Wheat Beers and Pilsner.
And then there are are hybrid beer that are neither ales nor lagers. Ranging from creamy ales (dark) to kolsch (light), hybrids are a product of unique brewing methods and are increasing in number as craft brewers continue to experiment.
Once you know the difference between ales and lagers, choosing a beer that you will like becomes a little bit easier. However, within each style there are a number of varieties based on color, flavor and aroma. These sub-styles (see list below) create the great abundance of beer we see on tap.
So how many beer styles are there? A lot—and the number is increasing every day. This creates a wonderful problem: How do you choose a beer to drink?
The best approach is trial and error—sample, sample, sample. Try as many of these styles as you can. As you try new beer styles you will soon discover those you really like. You will eventually know with certainty the Big Style (ales or lagers) and the sub-style (porters, stouts, pilsners, IPAs, etc) you prefer. Perhaps you will discover that you love them all. But one thing is for sure—once you know, choosing new beers will be forever easier.
Cheers!
Sub-Styles
Belgian and French Origin Ales
- Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ales
- Belgian-Style Dubbel
- Belgian-Style Tripel
- Belgian-Style Quadrupel
- Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
- Belgian-Style Pale Ale
- Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale
- Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale
- Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian-Style Wheat
- Belgian-Style Lambic
- Belgian-Style Gueuze Lambic
- Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic
- Belgian-Style Table Beer
- Other Belgian-Style Ales
- French-Style Bière de Garde
- French & Belgian-Style Saison
British Origin Ales
- Classic English-Style Pale Ale
- English-Style India Pale Ale
- Ordinary Bitter
- Special Bitter or Best Bitter
- Extra Special Bitter
- English-Style Summer Ale
- Scottish-Style Light Ale
- Scottish-Style Heavy Ale
- Scottish-Style Export Ale
- English-Style Pale Mild Ale
- English-Style Dark Mild Ale
- English-Style Brown Ale
- Old Ale
- Strong Ale
- Scotch Ale
- British-Style Imperial Stout
- British-Style Barley Wine Ale
- Brown Porter
- Robust Porter
- Sweet or Cream Stout
- Oatmeal Stout
- Double Red Ale
- Contemporary Gose
German Origin Ales
- German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style Kölsch
- Berliner-Style Weisse (Wheat)
- Leipzig-Style Gose
- South German-Style Hefeweizen / Hefeweissbier
- South German-Style Kristall Weizen / Kristall Weissbier
- German-Style Leichtes Weizen / Weissbier
- South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen / Weissbier
- South German-Style Dunkel Weizen / Dunkel Weissbier
- South German-Style Weizenbock / Weissbock
- Bamberg-Style Weiss (Smoke) Rauchbier (Dunkel or Helles)
- German-Style Altbier
- Kellerbier (Cellar beer) or Zwickelbier - Ale
- Adambier
International Ale Styles
Irish Origin Ales
North American Origin Ales
- American-Style Pale Ale
- Fresh "Wet" Hop Ale
- Pale American-Belgo-Style Ale
- Dark American-Belgo-Style Ale
- American-Style Strong Pale Ale
- American-Style India Pale Ale
- Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
- American-Style Amber/Red Ale
- Imperial Red Ale
- American-Style Barley Wine Ale
- American-Style Wheat Wine Ale
- Golden or Blonde Ale
- American-Style Brown Ale
- Smoke Porter
- American-Style Sour Ale
- American-Style Black Ale
- American-Style Stout
- American-Style Imperial Stout
- Specialty Stouts
- American-Style Imperial Porter
- Session India Pale Ale
European-Germanic Lager
- German-Style Pilsener
- Bohemian-Style Pilsener
- German-Style Leichtbier
- Münchner (Munich)-Style Helles
- Dortmunder / European-Style Export
- Vienna-Style Lager
- German-Style Märzen
- German-Style Oktoberfest / Wiesen (Meadow)
- European-Style Dark / Münchner Dunkel
- German-Style Schwarzbier
- Bamberg-Style Märzen Rauchbier
- Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier
- Bamberg-Style Bock Rauchbier
- Traditional German-Style Bock
- German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock
- German-Style Eisbock
- Kellerbier (Cellar beer) or Zwickelbier - Lager
Hybrid/mixed Beer
- Brett Beer
- Session Beer
- American-Style Cream Ale or Lager
- California Common Beer
- Ginjo Beer or Sake-Yeast Beer
- Light American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast
- Light American Wheat Ale or Lager without Yeast
- Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager with or without Yeast
- Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast
- Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager without Yeast
- Rye Ale or Lager with or without Yeast
- German-Style Rye Ale (Roggenbier) with or without Yeast
- Fruit Beer
- Field Beer
- Pumpkin Beer
- Chocolate / Cocoa-Flavored Beer
- Coffee-Flavored Beer
- Herb and Spice Beer
- Specialty Beer
- Specialty Honey Lager or Ale
- Gluten-Free Beer
- Indigenous Beer (Lager or Ale)
- Smoke Beer (Lager or Ale)
- Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale)
- Historical Beer
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
- Aged Beer (Ale or Lager)
- Other Strong Ale or Lager
- Non-Alcoholic (Beer) Malt Beverages
- Belgian-style Fruit Beer
- Chili Pepper Beer
- Mixed Culture Brett Beer
- Wild Beer
International Styles
North American Lager
- American-Style Lager
- American-Style Light (Low Calorie) Lager
- American-Style Low-Carbohydrate Light Lager
- American-Style Amber (Low Calorie) Lager
- American-Style Premium Lager
- American-Style Pilsener
- American-Style Ice Lager
- American-Style Malt Liquor
- American-Style Amber Lager
- American-Style Märzen / Oktoberfest
- American-Style Dark Lager
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