Beer Styles Demystified: A Guide for Hospitality Professionals – By Rohit Maingi, Principal Partner of Bottles and Barrels

Beer has been a popular beverage for millennia all over the world because of its lengthy history
and wide variety of types. The options accessible to beer fans and industry experts working in
the hospitality industry have multiplied dramatically in the current era of craft brewing. Because
of this, it become more crucial than ever for people working in the hospitality business to
comprehend the subtle differences between various beer varieties. In order to help hospitality
workers traverse the broad and rich terrain of this popular beverage, this book seeks to demystify
the world of beer types.
The Basics: Ale vs. Lager
It important to understand the fundamental difference between ales and lagers, the two main
types of beer, before diving into individual beer varieties.
– Ales: Ales are brewed at higher temperatures using top-fermenting yeast. They often have a
larger variety of tastes, ranging from fruity and complex to powerful and forceful. Pale beers,
India pale ales (IPAs), stouts, and porters are typical ale varieties.
– Lagers: Lagers, on the other hand, go through a colder bottom-fermenting yeast fermentation
process. They include varieties of pilsners, Helles, and Bocks and are renowned for their clear,
crisp flavor.
A Guide to Beer Styles:
1. Pilsner: The Pilsner is a traditional larger style that originated in the Czech Republic and is
crisp, energizing, and light in colour. It is renowned for its well-balanced bitterness and bready
maltiness.
2. IPA (India Pale Ale): With variants including American IPA, Imperial IPA, and New
England IPA, IPAs are a broad category. They have a noticeable hop flavor and deliver flavours
ranging from citrusy and piney to tropical and fruity.
3. Stout: Stouts are deep, thick drinks that frequently have roasted coffee and chocolate flavours.
Dry stout, sweet stout, and imperial stout are among the varieties.
4. Porter: Stouts and porters are similar, however, porters often have a lighter body and flavour.
They frequently have overtones of toffee, caramel, and chocolate.

5. Wheat Beer: Beers made with a large amount of wheat, such as Hefeweizen and Witbier,
have a light, hazy appearance and a crisp, somewhat peppery flavor.
6. Sour Beer: From Berliner Weisse to Gose and Lambic, sour beers come in a variety of
flavours. They may taste acidic, fruity, or funky since they are purposefully soured throughout
the brewing process.
7. Belgian Ale: Belgian ales are distinguished by their distinctive yeast strains, which provide
tastes that can be anything from fruity and spicy to complex and phenolic. Belgian Dubbel,
Tripel, and Quadrupel are among the styles.
8. Amber Ale: Amber ales include a variety of malt-forward, well-balanced bitter types. Red
Ale and American Amber Ale are two examples.
9. Brown Ale: Brown ales are distinguished by their nutty flavours and malty richness. English
and American brown ales are among the varieties.
10. Pilsner: Pilsners are light-colored, crisp, and highly carbonated lagers that strike a balance
between hop bitterness and malt sweetness.
Anyone working in the hospitality business must have a solid foundation in these fundamental
beer types. It allows experts to suggest beer and food pairings, direct customers to dishes they
might like, and improve the whole eating and drinking experience.
Additionally, the variety of beer types will only broaden and become more interesting as the craft
beer movement develops. The ability to traverse this complex environment will surely make
hospitality workers better able to cater to the tastes and expectations of their beer-loving
customers. So embrace the variety of beer varieties, and may guests always appreciate your
hospitality while enjoying the ideal pint!