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TYPES OF BEER
Lager
The word lager is derived from the German verb “lagern”,
which means: to store. During the late middle ages,
before the days of refrigeration, fermentation was a
hit-or-miss affair, especially during the hot summer
months. To ensure a supply of beer for the summer,
brewers in the Bavarian Alps stored kegs of spring
brew in icy mountain caves. As the beer slowly aged,
the yeast settled, creating a drink that was dark
but clear and sparkling with a crisper, more
delicate flavour. In 1842, lager acquired its
familiar golden colour when a brewery in Pilsen,
Czechoslovakia perfected a pale, bottom-fermented
version of the beer. Lagers typically take more time
to brew and are aged longer than ales. Lagers are
best enjoyed at cooler-than-room temperature.
Bock Beer
The other bottom-fermented beer is bock, named for
the famous medieval German brewing town of Einbeck.
Heavier than lager and darkened by high-coloured
malts, bock is traditionally brewed in the winter
for drinking during the spring.
Ale
Although the term covers a fascinating variety of
styles, all ales share certain characteristics.
Top-fermentation and the inclusion of more hops in
the wort gives these beers a distinctive fruitiness,
acidity and a pleasantly-bitter seasoning. All ales
typically take less time to brew and age then lagers
and have a more assertive, individual personality,
though their alcoholic strength may be the same.
Ales are best enjoyed at room temperature or
slightly warmer.
Porter and Stout
Whether dry or sweet, flavoured with roasted malt
barley, oats or certain sugars, stouts and porters
are characterized by darkness and depth. Both types
of beer are delicious with hearty meat stews and
surprisingly good with shellfish. The pairing of
oysters and stout has long been acknowledged as one
of the world's great gastronomic marriages.
Dry
“Dry” refers to the amount of residual sugar left in
a beer following fermentation. This type of beer is
fermented for longer than normal brews so that
practically all of the residual sugar is converted
into alcohol. The result is a beer which consumers
describe as having a crisp flavour, clean finish and
very little aftertaste. |
