How to Tell the Difference Between Craft Beer Flavors
Craftbeer.com has some tips to help you spot the different types, and be educated on which one is the type you like. For instance, they list descriptions of the different origins for each:
- For the German-style craft beers they describe it as a "lager with complex malt character and floral hops."
- The Belgian-style beer is described as "fruity, spicy ales or sour beers."
- If you like pale ales, porters and stouts with "earth hop character" then the English-style is the one you want to order.
- American-style is described on the website as "hop-forward beers with flavors of pine, citrus and resin."
- The Belgo-American craft beers have "fruity and spicy Belgian yeast flavor with American-style hop character."
The website also gives you color clues for the different styles:
- If the beer is light or pale, then the flavor will be grainy. The different light/pale beers are blonde ales, helles, and Belgian-style.
- Beer that has an amber color will taste toasty. Beers that are this color are amber ale and amber lager.
- Brown beer will give you a flavor like roasted nuts, toasty, or chocolate. Brown ale, Marzen, and dopplebock will have a brown coloring.
- For beer that is black, the flavors associated are dark chocolate, coffee, espresso, and burnt toast. Dry stout, robust porter, and American black ale are part of this group.
For more ways to spot different types of craft beers, check out the full list at craftbeer.com.
You can use these tips at the America on Tap-Connecticut beer tasting event! It happens on Sept. 24 at the Ives Concert Park in Danbury. There will also be some great food and live music!