Your Audacious Beer Tasting Guide

Abbey Dubbel

These are dark, malty, yeasty strong ales in the Trappist tradition, but produced (mainly) by secular brewers. Dubbels range between 6.5-8% abv, and have a dark brown, cloudy colour, and a palate mixing malt, a lush fruitiness, and yeast. They are typically bottle-conditioned.
– Rate Beer

Abbey Tripel

Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style. – Rate Beer

Amber Ale

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.– Rate Beer

American Dark Lager

A variant of "American" Standard, rendered dark with either brewer’s caramel or black patent malt. Aside from caramelly notes, these beers will not typically resemble other dark lager styles so much as they do the lighter styles, due to low amounts of hops, malt and body.
– Rate Beer

American Pale Ale

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma. This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads – Rate Beer

American Strong Ale

Not a style, per se, but the only logical category to incorporate the plethora of strong, stylistically vague beers coming from American micros these days. Some are related to English Strong Ales, but with more hop, while others are ultra-strong variants on the IPA theme. But no matter how varied their origins or characters might be, all are intense, potent, with generous quantities of hops and malt. – Rate Beer

Brown Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA 

American Double / Imperial Stout

Description: The American Double Stout gets some of it inspiration from the Russian Imperial Stout. Many of these are barrel aged, mostly in bourbon / whiskey barrels, while some are infused with coffee or chocolate. Alcohol ranges vary, but tend to be quite big, and bigger than traditional Russian Imperial Stouts. Most tend to have cleaner alcohol flavors, higher hop levels, and more residual sweetness. Very full-bodied with rich roasted flavors far surpassing normal stouts. – Rate Beer

Imperial stout, also known as "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Imperial Russian Stout," is a strong dark beer or stout that was originally brewed by Thrale's brewery in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, as "Thrale's Entire Porter".[7] It has a high alcohol content - nine or ten percent abv is common. Imperial stout exhibits very strong malt flavours, hints of dark fruits, and is often quite rich, resembling a chocolate dessert.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American IPA  

Description:
In the USA, IPA has gradually evolved into a distinct variant sometimes called American India Pale Ale Although some are made to traditional recipes, many American IPAs are brewed with citric American hop varieties such as Cascade, Chinook, Centennial, and Columbus. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American Pale Ale (APA)

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma. This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.– Rate Beer

American Pale Ale (APA) is a style of American beer based at least originally on beers of the British pale ale tradition. They are pale to amber in color and generally their flavor and aroma is centered around the citrusy and pine character of American hops with caramel-like malt flavors and fruity esters from the ale yeast playing a supporting role.[1] The style evolved in tandem with a renewed interest in ales and the insurgence of microbreweries in the United States which brought about a new focus on American hops.[2] . – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

References

1. ^ http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category10.html#style10A

2. ^ http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-3.html

Barley Wine

A Barley Wine is a strong, top-fermenting ale, with an alcohol contents of at least 9% and up to 13% (or more) by volume. Hops may be hardly noticeable at all or very noticeable. Sip them out of the special glass, that will concentrate the aroma. They are excellent with cigars or with dessert. American Barleywine– Rate Beer

Barleywine is a style of strong ale originating in England in the nineteenth century (derived from the March or October beers of the 18th century) but now brewed worldwide. Its natural sweetness is usually balanced with a degree of hoppy bitterness, though traditional English barley wines often have far less bitterness than their American counterparts. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bière de Garde

Medium bodied with hints of caramel or toffee. Cellared smell and flavor are characteristics. Color can vary from full gold to copper colored. Good head retention. The name means "beer for keeping" and is best when aged.

Medium bodied with hints of caramel or toffee. Cellared smell and flavor are characteristics. Color can vary from full gold to copper colored. Good head retention. The name means "beer for keeping" and is best when aged. – Rate Beer

 "Keeping beer", is a style of ale traditionally brewed in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. These farmhouse-style beers were usually brewed in the winter and spring, to avoid unpredictable problems with the yeast during the summertime.

Typically, beers of this style are of a copper colour but vary from golden to almost black, and as the name suggests the origins of this style lies in the tradition that it was matured/cellared for a period of time once bottled (and most sealed with a cork), to be consumed later in the year, akin to a Saison. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belgian Ale

Belgian-style ales seldom fit neatly into classic beer styles, but this category represents those "session" ales (in Belgium this means under 7% abv!) that do not fit other categories. Colour ranges from golden to deep amber, with the occasional example coming in darker. Body tends to be light to medium, with a wide range of hop and malt levels. Yeastiness and acidity may also be present. – Rate Beer

Belgian - Abt/Quadrupel

Abt, or quadrupel, is the name given to ultra-strong Trappist and abbey ales. The name Abt was pioneered to describe Westvleteren and the beer that would become St. Bernardus. Quadrupel was pioneered by La Trappe. Abts are the darker of the two, with more rich, deep fruity notes. Quads are paler, with corresponding peachy notes. Neither have much in the way of hop, and both are very strong and malty. Though both are bottle-conditioned, abts trend more towards yeastiness. Alcohol is very high (10+% abv) for both. – Rate Beer

Belgian Strong Ale

Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales. – Rate Beer

Strong golden ales and strong golden pale ales are golden yellow beer types. They are crisp, and dry, with medium to high bitterness, slight sourness and aroma from hops. Unlike in darker style high alcohol content beers, which often use the sweetness of their malt to balance out the alcohol bite, strong golden ales are balanced against their high alcohol content by the bitter and sour flavor of their hops. Strong golden ales are definitely not introduction beers for those not used to drinking stronger, or Belgian style ales. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belgian White (Witbier)

Belgian style wheat beers are very pale, opaque, with the crisp character of wheat, plus the citric refreshment of orange peel and coriander. Ingredients sometimes also include oats for smoothness, and other spices such as grains of paradise. Serve with light cheeses or mussels. – Rate Beer

 A common varieties of wheat beer are witbieren ("white beers") based on the Belgian tradition of using flavourings such as coriander and orange peel. Belgian white beers often have spices such as coriander or bitter orange peel added, giving them a slightly fruity flavour. They are also often made with raw unmalted wheat, as opposed to the malted wheat used in other varieties – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Berliner Weisse

Very wheaty, very sour style of Berlin. Berliner weissebier has a barely perceptible hop content, low alcohol, and a sharp character. Often these are laced with syrups to cut the intense acidity, but purists will want to take them neat to enjoy the multi-faceted complexity and thirst-quenching character – Rate Beer

Brown Ale

Color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown. Lower in alcohol than porter, medium to full body flavor. Appropriate foods are apple pie, pork with brown sauce, beef vegetable soup and cheddar. – Rate Beer

California Common

Style originating in 18th century California, where brewers without access to refrigeration produced beers using lager yeasts and warm temperatures. These still retain some of the rounded character inherent in all lagers, but with a dose of ale fruitiness.– Rate Beer

According to the Beer Judge Certification Program, the term California Common beer, designated style 7B, is "narrowly defined around the prototypical Anchor Steam example", and other commercial examples include Southampton West Coast Steam Beer, Old Dominion Victory Amber, and Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager. The style "showcases the signature Northern Brewer hops (with woody, rustic or minty qualities) in moderate to high strength", is fermented with "a lager yeast, but one that was selected to thrive at the cool end of normal ale fermentation temperatures", and was traditionally fermented in open fermenters. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cream Ale

A mild, pale, light-bodied ale, made using a warm fermentation (top or bottom) and cold lagering or by blending top and bottom-fermented beers. Low to medium bitterness. Low hop flavor and aroma.– Rate Beer

Cream ale is a style of beer which describes an American beer resembling a Kölsch, as well as a beer served with nitrogen. They are generally brewed to be light and refreshing with a straw to pale golden color. Hop and malt flavor is usually subdued but some breweries give them a more assertive character.  hile cream ales are top-fermented ales, they typically undergo an extended period of cold-conditioning or lagering after primary fermentation is complete. This reduces fruity esters and gives the beer a cleaner flavor. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doppelbock

Doppel means double and while these are stronger brews than the traditional German bocks, they are typically not twice the strength. Color is light amber to dark brown. Very full body with a high alcoholic flavor. Low hop flavor and aroma. – Rate Beer

Doppelbock or double bock is a Bavarian speciality beer that was first brewed by the monks of St. Francis of Paula. Alcohol content ranges from 6% to over 10% by volume. Historic versions had lower alcohol content and higher sweetness, and was considered "liquid bread" by the monks. Most versions are dark colored, but pale versions do exist. The color ranges from deep gold to dark brown in color, with a large, creamy, persistent head ranging from white for pale versions to off-white for darker versions, although doppelbocks with higher alcohol content may not display good head retention. It has a very strong malty aroma, with some toasty aromas. Some alcohol aroma may be present, and darker versions may have a chocolate-like or fruity aroma. The flavor is very rich and malty, with toasty flavors and noticeable alcoholic strength. Most versions are fairly sweet, due to little or no hop flavor. Paler versions may have a drier finish. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dortmunder/Helles

These two styles are closely related, the former hailing from Dortmund and the latter from Bavaria. Both are slightly strong (5.0-5.6%), malt-accented pale lagers. The cookie-like or bready maltiness should be very much in evidence in a traditional example. These beers are clean and easy to drink in quantity. Some Dortmunders made in Denmark and the Netherlands are stronger. – Rate Beer

Dortmunder is a pale lager that originated in the then industrial city of Dortmund in Germany. Originally brewed by Dortmunder Union in 1873, this soft pilsner style beer. Dortmunder breweries originally brewed a wheat based, dark coloured, short fermented beer. However, in 1873, when the golden coloured, pale barley based, slow fermented beer as brewed in Pilsen and known as Pilsener, became popular, several of the local breweries grouped together under the name Dortmunder Union to produce their own pale lager.
Like all other pale lagers the beer is a pale gold colour, with a moderate bitterness from the noble hops, a lean, well attenuated body, and a crisp carbonation. The local water contains a fairly high amount of sulfate, which gives the beer's taste a slight element of sulfur. It alsocontains more calcium carbonate (chalk) than average which tends to give a sharpness to the flavour of the hops. Brewers use less hop as to avoid the harsh hop notes, giving the beers a subtle emphasis on the malt flavours. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dry Stout

The "Irish-style" stout is typically a low-gravity stout with bitterness ranging between 30-45 IBUs. Roastiness is present, but restrained, and there should not be hops in either the flavour or aroma. A little bit of acidity can be present. Often, this type of stout is serving via nitrogen, with all the effects that has on a beer - low carbonation, extra-thick head, lifeless palate and muted flavour and aroma. – Rate Beer

Irish stout or dry stout (in Irish, leann dubh, "black ale") is very dark or rich in colour and it often has a "toast" or coffee-like taste. The most famous example, Guinness, is from Ireland. Its alcoholic content and "dry" flavour are both characterised as light, although it varies from country to country. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dunkelweizen

A dark take on the German wheat theme, dunkelweizens have the same banana and clove notes of their pale cousins, but also have earthy, toasty, chocolatey notes from the addition of dark malts. They are "shoulder season" wheat beers to many drinkers - something a little more robust than a hefeweizen for the fall and spring seasons, but not as rich as winter’s weizenbocks. Alcohol is between 4.8-5.6% generally, bitterness is low, and carbonation is high. Occasionally, you will see dark versions of American Wheats, but these are uncommon. – Rate Beer

Most commonly, dunkel beers are dark lagers, but the term is also used to refer to dark wheat beers such as Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel. Dunkel weizen is another term used to refer to dark wheat beers, which are fruity and sweet with slightly more malt than their lighter counterpart, the hefeweizen. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dunkler Bock

The dark Bock has a deep copper to dark brown color. Medium to full-bodied, malt sweetness and nutty or light toasted flavors dominate. Hop flavor and aroma can be light to non-existent. – Rate Beer

Eisbock

A stronger version of Doppelbock. Deep copper to black. Very alcoholic. Typically brewed by freezing a doppelbock and removing resulting ice to increase alcohol content.– Rate Beer

Eisbock is a traditional Kulmbach specialty beer that is made by freeze distilling a doppelbock and removing the ice to concentrate the flavor and alcohol content. Alcohol content ranges from 9% to over 14% by volume. It is deep copper to dark brown in color, often with ruby highlights. Head retention is frequently impaired by the higher alcohol content. It has a rich, sweet malty flavor, balanced by a significant alcohol presence. It has a clean, lager character with no hop flavor. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

English Strong Ale

Malty, with complex fruity esters. Some oxidative notes are acceptable, akin to those found in port or sherry. Hop aromas not usually present, due to extended age. Medium amber to very dark red-amber color. Malty and usually sweet. Alcoholic strength should be evident, though not overwhelming. Medium to full body alcohol should contribute some warmth. An ale of significant alcoholic strength, though usually not as strong or rich as barleywine. Usually tilted toward a sweeter, more malty balance. Often regarded as winter warmers, and often released as seasonal beers. – Rate Beer

European Strong Lager

Most commonly found in Poland, but also in other European countries as well, especially the East. These are essentially stronger versions of pilsners, though the increased malt and alcohol will noticeable reduce the hop accent. Because these are usually all-malt, and comfortably hopped, they are easily distinguishable from malt liquors. Without the malt character of bocks, these are worthy of a style all their own. – Rate Beer

Fruit Beer

Any ale or lager made with fruit. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and strength vary depending on the type of fruit used. – Rate Beer

German Hefeweizen

Depending on the style can range from pale and light body to dark brown with full body. Wheat beer is characterized by it’s cloudy appearance and it’s banana and sometimes vanilla aftertaste.– Rate Beer

Weissbier (or Weißbier), as it is called in German, refers to several different types of wheat beer. The term Hefeweizen refers to wheat beer in its traditional, unfiltered form. The term Kristallweizen (crystal wheat), or Kristall Weißbier (crystal wheat beer), refers to a wheat beer that is filtered to remove the yeast from suspension. Additionally, the filtration process removes wheat proteins present in the beer which contribute to its cloudy appearance. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Golden Ale/Blond Ale

There are a few different types of blond ale. The first is the traditional "Canadian Ale", an adjunct-laden, macrobrewed, top-fermented equivalent of the American Standard. The second is common in US brewpubs - a light starter ale, with marginally more hop and body than a macrobrew, fewer adjuncts, but still not a flavourful beer by any means. The British interpretation is easily the boldest, hoppiest blond ale rendition. Some of these can almost be considered American Pales they are so hopped up - very crisp, refreshing, with relatively low alcohol compared with their North American counterparts. – Rate Beer

Blonde ales, also called golden ales range in color from that of straw to golden blond(e). They are clear, crisp, and dry, with low-to-medium bitterness and aroma from hops, and some sweetness from malt. Fruitiness from esters may be perceived but do not dominate the flavour or aroma. A lighter body from higher carbonation may be noticed. The lightness in the use of hops and malt can make blonde ales a good introduction to craft industry beers for consumers only familiar with mass-marketed beers. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Baltic Porter

The historical remnants of the 19th c. Baltic trade in imperial stouts, Baltic Porters are typically strong, sweet and bottom-fermented. They lack the powerful roast of an imperial stout, but have an intense malt character. Alcohol ranges from 7-9.5% abv. Though they are typically lagers, there are a handful of top-fermented examples. – Rate Beer

Exports of Porter from Britain to the Baltic inspired brewers across the region to try making it themselves. Every country with a Baltic coastline continues to brew Porter today. A version known as "Baltic porter", is brewed in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland , Russia and Sweden. It has a higher alcohol content than ordinary porters. Baltic porter was introduced from Britain in the 18th century as a top-fermenting (i.e., ale-style) beer. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maibock / Helles Bock

Maibocks are a traditional Teutonic seasonal specialty. We brew ours to be hugely malty and subtly finished with a variety of continental hops, with an eye-pleasing russet brown color. – Rate Beer

The maibock style is a pale version of a traditional bock. It is a fairly recent development compared to other styles of bock beers, frequently associated with springtime and the month of May. Alcohol content ranges from 6.3% to 7.4% by volume. The flavor is typically less malty than a traditional bock, and may be drier, hoppier, and more bitter, but still with a relatively low hop flavor, with a mild spicy or peppery quality from the hops or alcohol content. It is a clear lager, deep gold to light amber in color, with a large, creamy, persistent white head, and moderate to moderately high carbonation. There is some dispute as to whether the Heller ("pale") bock and the Mai ("May") bocks are the same style, but they are generally agreed to be the same. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Imperial Stout

Imperial stouts are usually extremely dark brown to black in color with flavors that are intensely malty, deeply roasted and sometimes with accents of dark fruit (raisin, fig) or milk sourness. The bitterness is typically medium and often the low sie of that. Imperial stouts are strong and often exceed 8% by volume.– Rate Beer

Imperial stout, also known as "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Imperial Russian Stout," is a strong dark beer or stout that was originally brewed by Thrale's brewery in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, as "Thrale's Entire Porter".[7] It has a high alcohol content - nine or ten percent abv is common. Imperial stout exhibits very strong malt flavours, hints of dark fruits, and is often quite rich, resembling a chocolate dessert. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Imperial/Strong Porter

Imperial or extra-strong porters fall in between the traditional porter, a Baltic porter, and an imperial stout. They range from around 7.5% upwards, with hefty dark malt character, but lack the overt roastiness of an imperial stout. – Rate Beer

Imperial/Double IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and ot her malts providing support. – Rate Beer

Within the USA, there is even a distinct type of IPA called the "West Coast IPA," which goes for a much more bitter, hoppy character than other IPAs, although the east coast brewed and Ballantine IPA was just as highly hopped as (and in some cases, more highly hopped tan) as many so called "West Coast" IPAs. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

India Pale Ale (IPA)

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine. – Rate Beer

IPA descends from the earliest pale ales of the 17th century, when the term "pale ale" probably simply distinguished ales which were light in colour compared with brown ales of that day.[2] By the mid-18th century, pale ale was mostly manufactured with coke-fired malt, which produced less smoking and roasting of barley in the malting process, and hence produced a paler beer.[3] One such variety of beer was October beer, a pale well-hopped brew popular among the landed classes, who brewed it domestically; once brewed it was intended to cellar two years.[4]– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   

Irish Ale

The red ales of Ireland have a gentle maltiness, caramelly, earthy notes, and a generally restrained hop character. They are session ales, so alcohol is generally at 5% abv or less, though you will find the occasion stronger example. – Rate Beer

Know for a well balanced profile. More of a roasted sweet malt taste with a light finish. Little hop presence makes the Irish Red a favorite. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia     

Kölsch

Golden, top-fermented style native to Köln, Germany. The style has a very narrow profile and many beers that consider themselves to be kölschbiers are not. Generally they have a moderate bitterness, but fairly prominent hop flavour (typically Spalt, Tettnang or Hallertau). They have high effervescence, medium esters, but a rounded, stylish character derived from lagering. – Rate Beer

Kölsch is a local beer speciality, brewed in Cologne, Germany. It is a clear beer with a bright straw yellow hue, and it has a prominent, but not extreme, hoppiness. It is less bitter than the standard German lager beer, Pils. Furthermore, Kölsch is top-fermented at a relatively warm temperature (13 to 21°C, or 55 to 70°F) and then cold-conditioned, or lagered.[1] – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  ^ Ray Daniels, Designing Great Beers (Boulder, Colorado: Brewers Publications, 1996), 127-8 and 136-9.   

American Lager

The colour of pale lager ranges from light bronze to nearly transparent and the alcohol anywhere from 4-6%. Adjunct usage may be quite high, though in some cases the beer is all-malt. Carbonation is typically forced, though not always. These beers are brewed for minimum character, though faint traces of hop or malt may show through. More likely though is that adjuncts like corn will show through, or you’ll find notes of higher alcohols (fuel notes) due to the use of high-gravity brewing. The body will be thin and watery, and the finish is typically non-existent. – Rate Beer

A type of pale lager, traditionally made and consumed in North America. It derives ultimately from the Czech Pilsner, but is characterized by a much lighter color and body and the frequent use of rice or corn as adjuncts. Worldwide, the best-known example is likely Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser, though prominent brands are also made by Coors Brewing Company (United States), SABMiller (South Africa/United States/United Kingdom), Molson (Canada), and others. The American-style lager is the predominant choice among America's largest brewing companies, and is also commonly found in microbreweries throughout the USA. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

Lambic - Faro

Faro is a lambic blend with the addition of sugar. These are well-carbonated, and are sweeter and more refreshing than gueuze. The flavour is often straightforward and sugary, with lighter barnyard and funk notes than other lambic styles. The odd variant contains other spices like orange peel as flavouring.– Rate Beer

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer's yeasts, Lambic beer is instead produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pale Lager

The colour of pale lager ranges from light bronze to nearly transparent and the alcohol anywhere from 4-6%. Adjunct usage may be quite high, though in some cases the beer is all-malt. Carbonation is typically forced, though not always. One thing that doesn’t vary is that neither the malt nor the hops make much of an impression on the palate. These beers are brewed for minimum character, though faint traces of hop or malt may show through. More likely though is that adjuncts like corn will show through, or you’ll find notes of higher alcohols (fuel notes) due to the use of high-gravity brewing. The body will be thin and watery, and the finish is typically non-existent. – Rate Beer

Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness. Pale lagers tend to be dry, lean, clean-tasting and crisp (due to acidity from the forced carbonation). Flavours may be subtle, with no traditional beer ingredient dominating the others. Hop character (bitterness, flavour, and aroma) ranges from negligible to a dry bitterness from noble hops. The main ingredients are water, Pilsener malt and noble hops, though some brewers use adjuncts such as rice or corn to lighten the body of the beer. There tends to be no butterscotch flavour from diacetyl, due to the slow, cold fermentation process. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pilsener

While the definition of "pilsner" is open to much debate in the beer community, it generally refers to pale, hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up. Pilsners that do not meet the specific characteristics of a German or Bohemian pils will be given this generic The birth of Pilsner beer can be traced back to its namesake, the ancient city of Plzen (or Pilsen) which is situated in the western half of the Czech Republic in what was once Czechoslovakia and previously part of the of Bohemian Kingdom. Pilsner beer was first brewed back in the 1840's when the citizens, brewers and maltsters of Plzen formed a brewer's guild and called it the People's Brewery of Pilsen.– Rate Beer

A modern Pilsner has a very light, clear colour from pale to golden yellow, and a distinct hop aroma and flavour. Czech Pilsners tend toward a lighter flavour,. It is generally regarded as different from other pale lagers by a more prominent hop character, particularly from the use of Saaz noble hops. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Porter

Black or chocolate malt gives the porter it’s dark brown color. Porters are well hopped and heavily malted. This is a medium-bodied beer. Porters can be sweet. Hoppiness can range from bitter to mild. Porters are often confused with stouts. – Rate Beer

Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined.[1] The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts. The name "stout" for a dark beer came about because a strong porter may be called "Extra Porter" or "Double Porter" or "Stout Porter". The term "Stout Porter" would later be shortened to just "Stout"– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

Saison

Fruity esters dominate the aroma. Clarity is good with a large foamy head on top. The addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citrusy flavor. Light to medium bodied with very high carbonation. Alcohol level is medium to high – Rate Beer

Saisons are sturdy farmhouse ale that was traditionally brewed in the winter, to be consumed throughout the summer months. Not so long ago it was close to being an endangered style, but over recent years there's been a massive revival. The type of malt determines the color of the saison, and although most saisons are of a cloudy golden color as result of the grist being mostly pale and/or pilsner malt, the use of darker malts results in some saisons being reddish-amber. Some recipes use wheat, and though the use of spices is uncommon, it is not unheard of. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Schwarzbier

Dark brown to black. Medium body. Roasted malt evident. Low sweetness in aroma and flavor. Low to medium bitterness. Low bitterness from roast malt. Hop flavor and aroma, "noble-type" OK. No fruitiness, esters.– Rate Beer

Schwarzbier, or "black beer," is a German dark lager beer. It has an opaque, black color and a full, chocolatey or coffee flavor. Although they share some similar flavors they are quite a bit milder tasting and less bitter than British Stouts or Porters. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scotch Ale

Scotch Ale was the name given to a strong pale ale from Edinburgh in the 19th century. This was typical of the strong pale ales brewed in Britain at that time - mainly pale barley malt and moderate hopping, and were not that stylistically different to English Strong Ales or Barley Wines. The name however became regionalised so that a strong pale ale from Scotland became known as a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. Beers using the designation Scotch Ale are popular in the USA where most examples are brewed locally. Examples of beers brewed in the USA under the name Wee Heavy tend to be 7% abv and higher, while Scottish brewed examples, such as Belhavens Wee Heavy, are typically between 5.5% and 6.5% abv. – Rate Beer

Although the market for strong ales started to decline toward the end of the 20th century, the Russian importer John Martin in the 1930s encouraged both Irish and Scottish brewers to make strong beers for his Russian customers. John Martin used the names Bulldog Ale, Christmas Ale and Scotch Ale. John Martin's Scotch Ales are now brewed in Russia; the assumption has grown that French ale is a style of strong ale unique to Scotland.
While beers made in Scotland are sometimes labelled "Scottish ale" by the brewery in the same way that beers from Cornwall may be labelled "Cornish ale" and beers from Kent may be labelled "Kentish ale", there is no evidence that these beers are any different from those made in other parts of the British Isles.

However, brewers in the USA tend to apply the term "Scottish ale" to pale ales with low hop levels and a malty sweetness. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Smoked

The classic smoked beers hail from Bamberg in Franconia, Germany. These are made using malt that has been smoked over beechwood. The insistent smokiness may be applied to any lager style. In North America, the same technique has been used to make smoked porter. Whiskey malt beers are made using peat-smoked malt. – Rate Beer

Sour Ale

Sour ale is a broad spectrum of wild ales, from the fruity Flemish sours such as Rodenbach Red and Liefmans Goudenband, to the experimental wild ales recently gaining popularity in the United States. – Rate Beer

Stout

Many stouts do not fit the classic "Irish" definition as exemplified by Guinness, either due to their hop or roast rates, or higher gravity (in the case of many American stouts). They are still basic stouts, however, not falling into any of the subclasses.– Rate Beer

Stout and porter are dark beers, and more specifically ales, made using roasted malt or barley,[1] hops, water, and ale (top fermenting) yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest beers, typically 7% or 8%,[2] produced by a brewery. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oatmeal Stout

Originally a drink for lactating mothers, oatmeal stout was described as nutritional on early labels. Oats are in the same family as barley, and a small addition yields great flavor. Popular in the late 1800’s, the last oatmeal stout was brewed before the First World War until Samuel Smith reintroduced this style in 1980 – Rate Beer

Oatmeal stouts usually do not specifically taste of oats. The smoothness of oatmeal stouts comes from the high content of proteins, lipids (includes fats and waxes), and gums imparted by the use of oats. The gums increase the viscosity and body adding to the sense of smoothness. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

Sweet Stout

Dark brown to black in colour. Sweet stouts come in three main varieties - milk stout, oatmeal stout, and foreign stout. Milk stouts are made with the addition of lactose, and are sweet, low-alcohol brews. Oatmeal lends a smooth fullness of body to stouts, while foreign stouts are stronger (6.5-8% abv) and have a sweet malt profile and high esters. All of the sweet stouts are noted for their restrained roastiness in comparison with other stouts, and low hop levels.– Rate Beer

Milk stout (also called sweet stout or cream stout) is a stout containing lactose, a sugar derived from milk. Because lactose is unfermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it adds sweetness, body, and calories to the finished beer. Contemporary labelling standards in place since 1945 prevent the use of the term in the UK. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vienna

Given this name because the style was developed around Vienna, Austria. A light to medium body, with a malty aroma. Beers produced and labeled as Marzen or Oktoberfest are likely to be of the Vienna Lager style. – Rate Beer

The Association of Brewers defines the beer class Vienna lager as a reddish brown or copper colored beer with medium body and slight malt sweetness. The malt aroma and flavor may have a toasted character. Hop bitterness should be clean and crisp. Noble-type hop aroma and flavor should be low or mild. As with most lagers, fruitiness due to esters is a defect. Diacetyl, which can impart a butterscotch aroma and flavor, should not be perceptible. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Weizen Bock

Strong, dark wheat beers. Weizenbocks typically have a high ester profile, with more malt and alcohol than is typically associated with a wheat beer. – Rate Beer

Wheat Ale

Golden to light amber in color, the body is light to medium. The wheat lends a crispness to the brew, often with some acidity. Some hop flavour maybe be present, but bitterness is low. Not as estery as German or Belgian-style wheats. – Rate Beer