How to Choose the Ideal Craft Beer for Your Palate

When we’re talking about the most popular beverages in the world, beer takes third place on the list, right after water and tea. And this is not surprising at all, considering that beer is the ideal beverage for multiple occasions – from family dinners and social events, to simple relaxing days at home.

However, not all beers are created equally, and not all beer enthusiasts find different beers equally tasty. On the other hand, not all of us are skilled or have the time to brew beer at home. So, whether you want to do some beer online shopping to get your regular beer supply, or want to try out something new and different, we made a list of the most popular craft beer styles to help you choose the ideal flavour for yourself.

What Does Craft Beer Mean?

Before we start with our list of different beers, it’s essential to mention that many people consider craft beer as an alternative to the mass-market beer we buy from our local stores. And even though you’re probably thinking that “beer is beer”, regardless of whether you buy it at your local or online craft beer shop, know that there’s much more to craft beer.

First of all, unlike commercial mass-production beer, craft beer is produced in small batches at micro-breweries using traditional brewing techniques and high-quality ingredients. In fact, commercial beer producers manufacture beer in large quantities, and to achieve this in the most efficient and economical way, they must use the most recent brewing technologies and cheaper ingredients.

This is not the case with small breweries, as they always use premium ingredients such as high-grade barley and hops to achieve distinct and superior flavours. And as much as this means great freedom for experimenting, producing craft beer is very labour-intense, and therefore more expensive than any commercial beer.

Lager Beer

Now that you know the basic aspects of craft beer, you’re ready to hit your favourite beer store or do beer online shopping from the comfort of your home. And once you start exploring, one of the most common styles of craft beer you’ll come across are lagers.

Lager beer, or commonly known as pilsner is a very popular type of beer known for its refreshing aroma and palate-cleansing feel. In fact, this beer was one of the first blond beer styles and served as an inspiration for creating most of the world’s beers today.

When it comes to their flavour, lager beers and pilsners are made with spicy and floral hops to add a firm bitterness to the flavour, while some of them may feature distinct flavours of smoke or caramel. This beer can be consumed with different dishes such as fish and chips, pasta aglio e olio, roast meat, and sausages. To sum up, lager beer and pilsners are the perfect choices for those who like the beers that taste straight, without any flavours or consistencies to spice up the entire experience.

Ale Beer

Ale beer may not be among the most commonly produced types at craft breweries, however its heritage is not to be underestimated. In fact, ale beers you can find with beer online shopping come in their blond, golden, red, and brown variants, and depending on their colour, their malt flavours can range from bread and crackers to caramel and toffee.

When it comes to their hops, they’re usually moderately bitter and have a floral taste. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t find ale that has candy sugar, spicy and even fruity notes. And since ale beer tends to have a versatile taste, it can be paired with almost every type of Asian food.

On the other hand, light-coloured ales are considered to go best with light-coloured foods, while darker ales go exceptionally well with roasted meat and foods with soy sauce. Without further ado, pick a light ale if you want to enjoy an easy and light beer flavour, or a dark one if you want to try something unique or you enjoy mixtures of flavours.

Indian Pale Ale (IPA) Beer

Except for larger beers and ales, you’ll also stumble upon a wide range of IPAs once you visit your favourite beer store. These craft beers are typically fruitier and tend to have a sourer taste than the other types, even before adding the hops. But once they’re added, IPAs can have strong flavours of citrus fruits, passion fruit, mango, or pine needles.

On top of this, you can also come across an IPA beer described as “New England-style”. This type is typically hazy, murky and has a little bit of thicker consistency than the typical Indian Pale Ale. However, have in mind that New-England style beer will taste similar to juice and leave a less bitter aftertaste than other craft beer styles.

When it comes to food pairing, IPAs go best with Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese food, even though people also tend to combine them with fast food such as pizza and burgers. However, some types such as double, triple or milkshake IPAs have strong and overwhelming flavours, and it’s best to consume them on their own. Hence, this beer is recommended for those who prefer bolder beer flavours and find the mass-market beer tasteless and not “spicy” enough.

Wheat Beer

Wheat beer can be found in your chosen local or online beer shop under different names such as Hefeweizen, Witbier, or Saison, depending on the country it originates from. As their name states, these beers are brewed with huge amounts of wheat and mixed with malted barley. German-styled wheat beer typically tastes like banana or has clove notes, while Dutch and Belgian styles may leave a mouthfeel of orange peels or coriander seeds.

Due to their sweeter taste, wheat beers are very versatile and can be paired with most foods. However, hard cheese platters, non-smoked salmon, and other seafoods are considered the best match. Besides this, you can also consume wheat beers on their own, especially if you’re the type of person who has a sweet tooth and doesn’t like the bitter and resinous taste of lagers and IPAs.

Sour Beer

Sour beers are a very unique type of craft beer, brewed with the bacteria used for producing yogurt. Hence, even though sour beers tend to be acidic and strong, it’s not uncommon to stumble upon ones brewed with fruit to get a softer taste.

The unique taste of sour beer tends to be the perfect companion to sweet foods such as the classic cheesecake, although it can perfectly cut through a platter of soft cheeses. Also, if you like trying out unexpected flavours, or you simply prefer strong and acidic fruits, the flavour of sour craft beer won’t disappoint you.

Stout Beer

Stout craft beers are brewed with heavily-roasted malts which is why they tend to smell and taste like chocolate, coffee and even roasted bread. However, it’s not uncommon for craft breweries to add lactose, so the beer gets a less bitter, sweeter taste and creamier body.

If you’re the type of person who adores chocolate and coffee, feel free to try out a dry-style stout with a nice dish of cheesecake. On the other hand, if you’re a person who prefers wine or neat spirits rather than a glass of gassy beer, a barrel-aged stout beer might be the perfect companion to your cheese platter.

Cider

Last, but not least, cider is actually fermented apple juice with honey. And even though not everyone considers cider a beer, you can still find it in various styles. Depending on their adjuncts, ciders can taste still or fizzy and dry or sweet.

Pick one if you have an ultimately sweet tooth, and pair it with a juicy dish of pork chops or Indian food. Now that you found out about different beer styles and their tastes, it’s time to hit your favourite shop and pick the perfect craft beer for your palate.