If you’re typically a wine or spirits drinker and are interested in entering the wide world of beer, it’s probably pretty daunting to figure out where to even start. There are so many beer varieties and countless styles, so becoming a new beer drinker could be pretty overwhelming. Luckily, sommelier, spirits expert, and director of Good Wine Good People Dan Belmont has your back.
What are the different styles of beer? And, what’s the difference between ale and lager? Well, we also include a little beer 101 below for you novices out there.
“Historically, I’ve tried not to be terribly cerebral when it comes to beer. With wine and spirits being such a big part of my day-to-day work, I’d gravitate to beer as a bit of an escape—an opportunity to turn my brain off,” says Belmont. “Enter: my home-brewing, beer-wizard brother-in-law who expanded my beer world in a big way.”
Belmont’s brother-in-law introduced him to some of the greats–Westveterlen, Heady Topper, Cantillion, and so many more. “Each visit, we would explore new categories, and those experiences have largely informed the list below.”
Belmont has selected 10 outstanding beers that are solid flagship or tentpole examples to explore among 10 of the world’s most popular beer styles.
“And, we’re just scratching the surface here,” Belmont adds.
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LAGER: Budweiser Budvar Original, Czech Republic
Lager’s are one of the most widely consumed styles of beer in the world! Sweet, smooth and crisp, you can’t deny the immense drinkability of a good lager. “The OG’s date back to the 1400’s where a bottom-fermentation process was used in continental Europe,” says Belmont.
Budweiser Budvar Original is produced by the Czech National Brewery, literally state-owned in the Czech Republic and is produced from a 750 year old recipe. “It’s affordable, accessible and delicious. Perfectly balanced malt, with subtle sweetness and bitterness, carbonation is spot on.”
PILSNER: Urpils, Germany
Pilsners are a type of modern lager (originating in the 19th century), but with notably more spicy, hoppy character. “They’re light in style, generally clear, and very refreshing,” Belmont says.
The Urpils from Karlsberg Brauerei is brewed according to the German Beer Purity Law, is an award-winning classic, hop-forward and fresh. “I dare you to have only one,” he adds.
Note: This beer isn’t available to purchase online, but it’s a must-try if you’re ever in Germany!
ALE: Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, United Kingdom
Ale is another broad category with a lot of sub-genres. Generally defined by yeast that does its thing on the top (as opposed to the bottom like a Lager), Ales are fermented at higher temperatures, as preferred by the yeast. That process yields a more flavorful, but a comparably less crisp brew, according to Belmont.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of the Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, it’s a proper British Ale, with lots of history and a litany of awards. It’s best enjoyed from a fresh cask, standing outside of a pub with good friends.”
IPA: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, USA, California
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. They originated in the 1700s and were originally exported to India. Essentially, a Pale Ale has extra hops and more alcohol, both acting as preservatives keeping the beer fresh on the journey to India.
“As the modern interpretation of IPA is rather broad, I offer to you the first American hop-forward selection—the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It really marked the birth of the American IPA. It’s all about the American-variety hop character, which has a wide spectrum of flavors and aromas including floral notes, pine-y, resinous character, and citrus-like frutiness,” says Belmont. “Their IPA range continues to explore the category, with the Torpedo, essentially an early ‘Double IPA’.”
STOUT: Guinness, Ireland
“Listen, there’s a lot of great Stouts out there, but the most ubiquitous is Guinness, and the quality and consistency can’t be beat,” Belmont says.
Guinness is a symbol of Irish culture and heritage since the 13th century. The draught (pronounced ‘draft’) is known for its smooth texture due to its low level of carbon dioxide and the creaminess of the head caused by the very fine bubbles that arise from the use of nitrogen. “Stouts include a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color. And, believe it or not, it’s lighter than many beers – with less calories than a Budweiser!”
SAISON: Dupont, Belgium
A Saison is a “farmhouse ale”–traditionally brewed in winter and bottled in summer. “They ferment at higher temps which gives the resulting brew a more fruity, spiced profile,” Belmont notes. “Typically not hoppy, they range from sour to bitter, and perhaps why I enjoy them so much, they boast a dry finish, never sweet.”
Saison Dupont has been brewed at the farm since 1844. It boasts high-toned citrus and lots of spice. “A favorite of mine for food-pairing: Cheeses; moules frites; even asian-cuisine!”
WHEAT: Schneider Weisse, Germany
“Just go to Munich. What are you waiting for?! It’s a beer paradise, and no visit is complete without a meal (and many steins) at Schneider Weisse,” jokes Belmont.
Wheat beers use a lot of wheat in comparison to malted barley. The Schneider Weisse ‘Original Tap 7’ has been made with the same recipe since 1872. It is a classic taste of Bavaria. “Darker than you may expect, it boasts flavors of crusty bread and baked bananas. Just a little sweet, balanced with earthy spice and bitterness.”
BITTER: Harvey’s Brewery Sussex Best Bitter, United Kingdom
“A ‘bitter’ is a sub genre of the Pale Ale. This style of beer boasts big drinkability. It is known as ‘Real Ale,’ is traditionally served from a cask, and is ruby-amber in color,” says Belmont. It’s a sessionable alcohol, which means it has a lower alcohol content and is meant to be consumed in multiple servings without becoming intoxicated. “And yes, it’s a little bitter—but not in the aggressive IPA style.”
Harvey’s Brewery is the oldest independent brewery in Sussex, and still family owned today for 200-plus years. “The Sussex Best is the flagship brew, and the bitterness is well balanced with malt and caramel.” Belmont notes.
BELGIAN ABBEY BEERS: Abbaye de Rochefort 8, Belgium
“Belgium doesn’t f*ck around when it comes to beer. Much in thanks to centuries of monastic culture,” says Belmont. “Monks are the responsible for some of the best wine, beer, spirits, and cheese that the world has ever seen.”
Here we have the best in the monk biz—Rochefort Abbey has been brewing beer since 1595 with all its beer still made on site, a requirement to earn the title of ‘Trappist beer.’ “The 8 is a dark Trappist dubbel (double), which is a proper cold weather brew that’s phenomenal with cheese, beef (think stews), and game,” says Belmont. “The Rochefort 8 is dark brown with reddish hues and notable aromas of dried and tropical fruit. It’s no joke at 9.2% ABV. It’s a real winter warmer.”
CIDER: Eden Cider Deep Cut, USA, Vermont
Here’s the thing: real artisan cider is more closely related to wine production than beer production, according to Belmont. But, for whatever reason, cider is more often categorized with beer.
“I think the artisan cider industry needs all the love it can get, so here we are,” he says. “This is America’s heritage beverage! The go-to from the onset of colonization. While several reasons contributed to the decline in popularity (down to near obscurity), artisan cider is making a comeback over the last few decades. It should be celebrated!”
“Eden cider has been crushing it (pun intended) up in Vermont since 2007. It has been pushing the artisan cider category in big ways. This includes their ‘Harvest Cider, Nothing But Apples’ line of canned hard ciders. Deep cut is no joke. It’s 6.2% ABV and is a proper dry (not sweet) cider, using both tannic and table apples (like McIntosh).
It has 0 sugar and 0 carbs—take all of my money!”
While you’re drinking your way through this list, check out Belmont’s list of The 5 Best Autumn Beers to Celebrate the Death of Summer.