The 20 beer styles you should know about

Anyone who has ever dipped into the craft beer space knows about the India Pale Ale (IPA). What makes that same IPA a double or even a triple? The answer is pretty simple. There are more hops and malt used in the brewing process when producing these higher-octane IPAs. There's also an ABV threshold that classifies such a beer. A double IPA is any beer that is 7.5% or higher, and a triple IPA begins at 10.5%. 

This style of beer is perfect for those who don't like beer. There's no hop flavor that comes through with a gose, which is due to the sourness and saltiness that dominates this brew. The body of this beer is credited to the lactic acid built up throughout the brewing process and the coriander that is incorporated. 

An ideal summer beer, where the Kolsch stands out among its peers is in its simplicity. This beer style is somewhere between a lager and an ale due to the nature of how it's made, taking parts of the lager and ale process and infusing it into its own process. One of the most well-known versions of this beer is the Reissdorf Kolsch from Cologne, Germany, which is the official beer of the city. 

When beer drinkers bring up sour beers, there's a good chance they're referring to a Berliner Weisse. This particular sour is a wheat beer, and unlike a similar style such as Gose, there is no salty or coriander taste that comes through. Berliners typically feature a fruity flavor and are low on the ABV scale. 

Altbier is not a common style found at your local breweries because it's among the oldest recipes in the space. Its name even translates to "old beer." This German-rooted craft is a mild beer that typically drinks smooth and is amber in color. 

Most people see a dark and heavy beer and call it a Stout. While that generally is true, at least from the appearance, it's not always the case. A lot of those beers are actually Porters, which are frequently lumped in with Stouts. The most famous Stout is the Guinness Draught, which is surprisingly a light beer despite its dark body. For comparison's sake, a pint of Guinness checks in at 4.2% ABV, which is the same as a Miller Lite. 

A personal favorite of mine, the Cream Ale, has seen a sort of revival among American breweries. This style can best be summed up in its clean, crisp taste. It's also unique in that it originated in the States, unlike most beers that trace their roots to Germany. You won't find any cream in this ale, so don't let the name fool you. 

There's a heavy use of brown malt in this beer that lends itself to the dark coloring of this pour. Created in London, the Porter presents more hoppiness than the Stout, a beer it is often mistaken for. Between the two styles, Porters tend to be more preferred due to the lightness of their bodies. There are a lot of well-known porters, including ones by Founder's Brewing and Deschutes. 

A broad term, the English Bitter is a style of pale ale that typically clocks in at a lower ABV, even down to 3%. Fuller's London Pride is among the most recognized English Bitters. These beers have a copper look to them and are actually very easy to drink despite what the name may suggest. 

This beer can best be described as malty and dark-colored. They don't classify in the Porter or Stout category, though their body can sometimes look similar. The Brown Ale has a caramel taste and is best drank on a cool day because of its toasty nature. If you're looking to try one out, the Newcastle Brown Ale is among the most recognized beers in the category. 

If you see "Cervesa" on the menu, it actually means Mexican Lager. Cerveza just translates to "beer" in Spanish. Most people know what a Mexican Lager is thanks to the popularity of Corona and Modelo. El Dorado hops and Mexican Lager yeast set these beers apart. These beers are typically associated with the summertime due to their crushability and the fact that they pair very well with citrus. 

Does this beer have wine in it? No, but its complexity and ABV certainly live up to the wine's name. Barleywines can clock in upwards of 13% ABV. Another characteristic that aligns with wine is that this beer can get better as it ages, which is why you'll often see these listed as being aged on the menu. Its high ABV is due to the extra malt and hops that are needed. These are the perfect sipping beers. 

If you've walked into a brewery and saw "Cold IPA" listed on the board, you probably were confused. Isn't all beer cold? Why would anyone want a "Warm IPA"? There's no doubt the marketing could be a little beer with this style, but where its name stems from is in its brewing process. Lower temperatures are used (a.k .a. it's brewed cold), and lager yeast is heavily used, which is why a Cold IPA has a crisper taste than most regular IPAs. Next time you see this one available, give it a shot. You won't be disappointed. 

Maibock, or Heller Bock, is very similar to a Pilsner. They differentiate slightly in their ABV as Maibocks come in at a higher percentage due to the increased usage of hops. Don't let the pale color fool you; these beers pack a punch. 

Don't confuse a Triple IPA with a Tripel. Both are high in ABV, but the Tripel packs a larger punch. Their strength is masked by their body, which tends to be golden. Tripel is generally served in smaller bottles, such as the Chimay Tripel. Another major player in the Tripel comes from Victory Brewing on the East Coast with its Golden Monkey, which comes in at 9.5% and an overwhelmingly positive score on BeerAdvocate.com.

An Irish Red Ale is true to its name as the body gives off a red glow. Kilkenny, Smithwick, and Killian's are some of the more common beers in this style. They're lower on the ABV scale, falling between 3-4.5%. Some breweries will classify a beer as an Irish Red Ale by adding caramel coloring but not actually using the necessary kilned malts and roasted barley required to give its natural hue. 

When I think of Saisons, spice quality typically comes to mind. Many Saisons will mix their spice flavoring with fruits. This beer qualifies as a pale ale. One of the more widely used spices incorporated in the Saison is coriander, which highlights Brewery Ommegang's Hennepin. This beer is heavy on coriander, along with ginger and orange peel. 

I've been finding this style more and more on the East Coast than I ever have. The Japanese Rice Lager has a similar base to traditional lagers, but its drier finish separates the two. One of the most popular rice lagers is Sapporo Premium Beer. 

A staple among craft brewers, the Hefeweizen is most comparable to a wheat beer (think Blue Moon) due to its use of yeast and wheat in the brewing process. This beer traces its roots to Germany, which is why some of the popular Hefeweizens, like Weihenstephan Hefe-Dark and Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, call Germany their home. 

One of the attributes most commonly associated with Schwarzbier's is its coffee-like hints. Chocolate is also another common descriptor of this style. These beers are very similar to Stouts in their appearance but are far lighter on the palate. The name itself translates to "Black Beer" in Germany.