Beer Styles
Being a brewmaster is much like being a chef. There are hundreds of recipes at their disposal, but for all the myriad of styles of beer none are so defined that the brewmaster can’t add their own personal touch. Those slight distinctions and variations are what make today’s vast selection of beers so enjoyable.

So what constitutes a beer recipe?

In some circumstances the region and location of the brewery are defined, as in the case of the official Trappist beers which are only made under the directions of the monks of seven Abbeys in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Exceptions aside; most beer styles are defined by the type and amount of malt, the alcohol percentage of the beer, the colour, the mouth-feel, as well as the type and amount of hops used. Brewmasters even have a quantitative measurement for how many bittering hops are used. Each beer can be measured according to their IBU (International Bitterness Units), with the least bitter often between 10 to15 IBU and the driest beers sometimes approaching and occasionally exceeding 100 IBU.

There are a number of brewing organizations that have developed recognized definitions of beer styles but unlike the wine industry, which is highly regulated when it comes to labeling practices, breweries have free reign. While most attempt to adhere to the internationally accepted definitions; not all do. So beware, one brewery’s Pale Ale is not necessarily the same as another’s. It’s the brewmaster’s prerogative to take some liberties with the recipe, which is what any great chef would do.

Lagers and Light Lagers

American Lager – These are among the lightest of all beers. American lagers often have a sweet corn-like aroma and a light slightly sweet palate and very little hop bitterness. Perfect for the back deck and a cooler full of ice.
Helles – A very light style of German lager with more malt character than American lagers. They are made from exclusively malt rather than the high percentage of corn used in American lagers, which makes their finish slightly drier. These are refreshing patio beers with enough class that you might consider pouring them into a glass; unless you are too thirsty, of course.

Pilsner

German (Pils) – Classically from the town of Pilsen, the aroma of Pils can be slightly floral and spicy. The palate is effervescent and the beer finishes quite dry. These are definitely food-friendly beers that are versatile enough to pair with salads topped with creamy dressing or make great steaming beers for mussels and clams.
Bohemian (Czech) – A crisp, round and refreshing style of beer, the Czech Pilsners have a spicy, floral hop aroma, rich malt character and a long dry finish. They are significantly drier than most other lagers. The use of Saaz hops lends a distinctive character to these beers, which pair well with white fish and chicken in cream sauce.

Bock
There are a number of sub-categories of Bock ranging from the medium-bodied and highly carbonated Maibock to the high alcohol and extremely strong malty Eisbock beer; a seasonal specialty that is best served after dinner. There are so many styles of Bock available that you could serve a different one with every course.

Ales and Brown Ales

Northern English Brown Ale – the most famous Brown Ales, such as Newcastle Brown Ale, originate from Northern England and have toffee, caramel-like aromas and flavours. There is little carbonation in a Brown Ale and the malt sweetness of the beer dominates the relatively low hop character. Some might even call these session beers. Newcastle is the type of beer that you could easily become familiar enough to call it by its nickname; ‘newky brown’.

Red Ale

Irish Red Ale – Irish Red Ales are medium-bodied ales with caramel, and sometimes slightly butter-like malt aromas and flavours. The palates aren’t weighty and have just enough hop bitterness to balance their malt sweetness. An Irish Red Ale is a perfect accompaniment to Irish chicken stew.
North American Red Ale – Due to the rising popularity of Irish Red Ales, many North American producers have begun creating their own Red Ales. More often than not these are lighter in style. They have similar, albeit less obvious, caramel notes compared to Irish versions but are lighter and have very light hop bitterness. Lager lovers rejoice; here’s a style of ale that is smooth and easy to drink.

Pale Ale

Bitter – English Bitters have a wonderful fruity, caramel and hop quality on the nose, while the taste is rich with fruit, has little carbonation and finishes quite dry. Be warned, once bitten by the English Bitter bug, you’ll want to cozy up in your favourite pub or recliner with a pint and enjoy its complex flavours.
American Pale Ale – American Pale Ale’s are characterized by their intense hop aromas. The palate is extremely flavourful with the hop character from the nose extending through to the very dry finish. True American Pale Ales can be quite aggressive in character, so if you demand a lot of flavour in your beer, this just may be the style for you.
India Pale Ale – A pale coloured but generally very dry, slightly grassy, floral and fruity ale, which despite the rich hop character is only medium-bodied. India Pale Ale was originally developed in England to serve their troops stationed in India. The beer was loaded with hops, which acted as a preservative. Although, traditionally India Pale Ale has a lot of hop bitterness, they are still less hop-driven when compared to American Pale Ale. Perhaps not surprisingly, India Pale Ale is also a perfect partner to curry, a food and beer pairing that has been centuries in the making.
Imperial Pale Ale – An extremely intense beer with rich malt character and a strong dry finish. An Imperial Pale Ale makes a great pairing with the most flavourful curry dishes.

Porter
A rich malty ale with chocolate and toffee character, Porter has less roasted, burnt character relative to stout. Many versions have a slightly sweet character. Forget wine when it comes to dense chocolate-based desserts and serve up a Porter for a winning food and drink combination.

Scottish Ale
Scottish Ales can be broken into a number of sub-categories organized by number - 60 being the lightest and 80 the heaviest. Regardless of the strength, all Scottish ales are characterized by varying degrees of smoky, peaty malt character in the nose and relatively rich and sweet malt character. These very lightly carbonated beers can come across as slightly sweet so when it comes to matching with food, try them with the sweet caramelized flavours of stews or rich meat dishes such as roast lamb.

Stout
Stout comes in a range of styles but the most famous is unquestionably the Dry Stout (also known as Irish Dry Stout) style popularized by Guinness. Regardless of the styles, all Stouts feature intense roasted malt character in the form of chocolate, cocoa and even some burnt toast aromas and flavour.

Dry Stout – Stouts were historically made in the Porter style but slightly fuller bodied; hence the Stout tag. In terms of style, Guinness has become the standard for these rich, slightly creamy beers that have roasted barley, chocolate and coffee aromas and flavours combined with very dry finishes. Dry Stouts are extremely versatile food beers. Try using Guinness for making braises or stews, or for a delightful combination of flavours try matching a Dry Stout with oysters or smoked salmon.
Oatmeal Stout – An English version of Stout that is creamier and sweeter than Dry Stouts.
Foreign Extra Stout – The demand for Irish Dry Stout became so strong that there was a need to export the style of beer to all corners of the world, which lead to the development of Foreign Extra Stout. Foreign Extra Stout tends to be higher in alcohol and hops than traditional Irish Dry Stouts.
Russian Imperial Stout – The strongest and perhaps most complex Stouts, these beers have intense fruity and bittersweet chocolate aromas and flavours. The finish is dry and warming. Treat this beer like Port, a great post-dinner experience.

Trappiste/Belgian Strong Ale
Many of the best brewers in the world are monks. The true classics of Trappiste/Belgian Strong Ales come from one of seven recognized Abbeys. These typically strong ales range from lightly coloured Blonde Ales that are deceptively strong, to the richest ales, which are labeled as Tripel. These higher alcohol beers have rich malt character.

Wheat Ales
Wheat beers are known as the Champagne of the beer world. While wide variations of character exist among the various styles of wheat beer, most have a pleasant, food-friendly effervescence that make them the most versatile beers to pair with food.

Weizen – This isn’t your average beer experience. Look for banana and clove aromas and a palate that tingles with effervescence. A Weizen is a completely refreshing style.
Wit – If you’re looking for a unique style of beer, Belgian Wit may just be it. Belgian brewers treat making beer like cooking, which is evident in these beers seasoned with coriander and orange peel to create a deliciously fragrant style that is typically less effervescent compared to its German counterparts. These beers are delicious paired with light Asian cuisine.