Draught Beer Basics

styles of beer
Because of its complexity, beer is defined by a style. These styles
dierentiate beers by a number of factors, including (but not limited
to) aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel. There are three main
styles – Ale, Lager, and Hybrid - each having a variety of sub styles
that further categorize the beers characteristics. Below are a variety
of sub-styles with information on how to properly serve them and
recommended food pairings to experience beer as the brewmaster
intended.
Color Serving Temp Glass Type Pairings to Try
Abbey Tripel Strongest of the Belgian
Tripels; high alcohol content
50° - 55°F
10° - 13°C
Pesto, roasted asparagus,
cured meats, peach cobbler
Ale Beer that is fermented more quickly
and at warmer temperature with top-
fermenting yeast.
40 - 50°F
4.5° - 10°C
Bualo wings, pizza, spicy
food, nutty cheese like
parmesan and romano
Amber A beer named for its reddish-brown
color, ranging from pale to dark.
50° - 55°F
10° - 13°C
Chicken, seafood, spicy
foods, Port-Salut
Bock A strong, dark German beer brewed
during the springtime.
45° - 50°F
7 - 10°C
Rich foods like duck or
roasted pork, cured meats
British-Style Bitter A low-alcohol
content beer with a fruity aroma and avor.
Low carbonation.
50° - 55°F
10° - 13°C
Fish and chips, roasted
chicken or pork, mild
cheeses
Brown Ale Nutty, malty ale that is dark
brown in color with avors ranging from dry
to sweet.
50° - 55°F
10° - 13°C
Smoked sausage, roasted
pork, grilled salmon, gouda
Hefeweizen “Yeast wheat” in german;
an unltered wheat beer that is bottle
conditioned and cloudy when served.
40° - 55°F
4.5° - 7°C
Lighter fare, such as sushi,
seafood, weisswurst, citrus,
gruyere, feta or goat cheese
Imperial Stout A strong, hoppy black ale
that originated in Britain for export to Czarist
Russia (also referred to as “Russian Stout”)
50° - 55°F
10° - 13°C
Foie gras, long-aged
cheeses, dark chocolate