A Brief Overview of Beer Styles and Appearance (#3 of 30)
From: breweducation.teachable.com
Disclosure: I found this website at the end of my research, way more well done. Check it out.
Download the Brewers Association 2022 Brew Style Guide Here!
(Whoops, this post was scheduled for yesterday April 12th and never went live) What makes some beer look like orange juice, coffee, milkshakes, etc.? That question came my way when I put the question out about what I should write about. The answer to that question (I think) is styles and or ingredients.
Ales Vs. Lagers
If you know nothing else about beers, it is good to know the difference between ales and lagers. Ales are typically fermented at warmer temperatures, which allows for a greater variety of flavors and aromas to develop in the beer. They tend to have a fuller body and a more complex taste profile.
On the other hand, lagers are fermented at cooler temperatures, resulting in a beer that is crisp and clean with a lighter body. While ales tend to have a more fruity and hoppy flavor profile, lagers are often described as having a more subtle taste that is easy to drink.
Yeast plays a big roll in differentiating ales and lagers. Beyond that, it really impacts almost every style of beer more than people think. It has a significant impact on the taste, aroma, and overall character of the brew. Ale yeast is top-fermenting and works better at warmer temperatures, resulting in a fruitier and spicier taste, fuller body, and thicker mouthfeel. On the other hand, lager yeast is bottom-fermenting and prefers cooler temperatures, producing a cleaner and crisper flavor profile, with less residual sweetness, resulting in a lighter body and a more refreshing taste. In short, the type of yeast used in the brewing process is a key factor that sets ales and lagers apart, and influences the unique qualities of each beer style. You can read more about this in my post here.
Culture
Shockingly, much like food, early on brewers brewed with what was accessible to them. Generations of refinement and expertise extrapolated delicious styles from all around the globe. Germany, The U.S., Mexico, Spain, you name it. Every country has their flagships rooted in tradition. The craft beer renaissance has really promoted a cross polination of these styles. In return, we’ve seen brewers get more and more creative.
Colors (SRM)
Image from American Homebrewers Association
SRM does not dictate the style of beer, but the color obviously has a big impact on the appearance of it. In the world of beer, SRM is a term that is often thrown around, but not everyone knows what it means. SRM stands for Standard Reference Method, which is a measurement of the color of a beer. Essentially, the higher the SRM, the darker the beer will be. The color of beer is determined by the malts used during the brewing process, with darker malts producing a darker beer. This measurement is crucial in identifying and classifying different beer styles, as different styles have varying SRM levels. For instance, light lagers such as Pilsners have a low SRM of around 2-4, while dark beers like stouts can have an SRM of 30 or more.
SRM plays a significant role in understanding the character and flavor of a beer. For example, a beer with a low SRM will typically have a lighter and crisper flavor, while a beer with a high SRM will have a richer and more complex flavor profile. Additionally, the color of a beer can impact its perception, with darker beers often being associated with a richer, heavier taste. Different beer styles have varying SRM levels, with lighter styles like Pilsners, Kölsch, and Wheat beers having low SRM levels, while darker styles like Brown Ales, Porters, and Stouts have higher SRM levels. Therefore, understanding SRM levels is an essential component of beer education and appreciation.
Serving Glasses
From Drizzly
A lot of confusion can occur when a group of friends orders beers and they all come in different glasses. So what’s the deal? A lot of people will point to different glasses capturing aroma or highlighting color. That is a lie. Bartenders will give all of your friends a pint glass and give you a tulip glass just to mess with you. It is a cheap laugh but the shifts are long and you are an easy target. This is science.
