Popular Types Of Beer Explained

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There are so many types of beer, and with microbrewing and craft beer becoming more and more popular, it’s important to know the differences between some of the more popular beers. Learn more about beer and you’ll feel cooler when you go out with friends and coworkers.

Lagers

The word lager derives from the German word meaning “to store” because lagers are stored at nearly freezing temperatures before being distributed. Although they can be any number of colors from light to dark, they are generally somewhere in the middle of even lighter. Lagers are often described as tasting crisp and fresh.

Ales

Ales are made with a specific kind of yeast that make them taste fuller and a bit hoppier. They are darker than lagers, but they often still have some taste of fruitiness.

Porter

This beer is very dark in color, almost black, which says a lot about the depth of flavor it has. Although it is a heavier beer, there are still fruity notes to it, and is more aligned with the ale group of beers. Often porters will have the scent or taste of things like chocolate and coffee, but it can also be a bit smoky as well.