Just like people, there are only two kinds of beer...

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There's no shortage of unusual beer names and obscure beer styles, but knowing some of the major style differences can help you to pick an unfamiliar beer from a list while having a pretty good idea of how its going to taste, and by trying something new, you might find a beer that you really, really like. 

So where can the casual beer drinker begin? Here are some basics.


Beer can be roughly divided into two categories: lagers and ales. 

What's the difference?

If this question were on an exam, you could give the following answer:

The primary difference between lagers and ales is the the type of yeast used for fermentation. Ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures than lager yeast does.

While this is a correct answer, it doesn't address the difference in flavor, which is all I really care about. 

How does this difference affect how the beer actually tastes?

Ale yeast ferments at a relatively warm temperature: 65°F – 70°F (18°C - 21°C). Ale yeast floats to the surface of the fermentation vessel before settling to the bottom. Ales tend to have fruit aromas, and have a pronounced, complex taste. They also have coarse, larger bubble carbonation, which affects how the beer feels in your mouth.

Lager yeast ferments at cooler temperatures (46° - 55°F, 8°C - 13°C) than ale yeast does. Lager yeast does not float to the surface of the fermentation tank. Lagers tend to be dryer than ales, with a subtle, clean, balanced taste and finer bubbles. 

There are many beer styles within both the ale and lager families, but they all have similar properties:

Ales

• complex flavors
• more robust
• fruity aromas
• pronounced, complex taste

Lagers

• subtle, clean, crisp flavors
• lighter body
• tend to be smoother
• highly carbonated

In the next beer post we'll taste some lagers.