Types of beer

[Dog Breath]

Can someone please help me understand what the different types of beer are? I used to think that there were just lagers, bitters, stouts and real ales. Lagers & stouts are pretty much their own class, although I do know that German lagers were originally dark.

Bitters and real ales I've always thought of as having the same parentage but it would seem that real ales are a lot more elaborate than I thought. For example, I like I.P.A.'s. I couldn't tell you how an IPA differs from any other real ale. Then there are Summer ales, cask ales, bottle conditioned ales, mild, pale ale, steam beer(?), brown ale, porter, etc.

I feel it's not just a straight forward answer but it will be appreciated.

 

[abeyptfc]

try searching on google, i found a website that told u how all the different beers were made, i cant remember it though sorry

 

[snail59]

Try this site. BEER STYLES GUIDE

 

[Dog Breath]

Thanks Snail. That's a big help :thumb:

 

[unclepumble]

IF you are ever thinking of brewing a beer to competition standards, you won't go far wrong looking at the BJCP Style Guidelines they are fairly robust not perfect but pretty good. whats more its these that come preloaded in most of the brewing software programs such as BEERSMITH, PROMASH etc, so if you go electronic recipe wise its easier to formulate your own recipes to a style by following the guidelines in the software.

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