Beer Style Guide
Ever stood at the bar trying to work out which style of beer you might like? Well here is our guide to six styles of beer you may encounter.
Mild
The most traditional of all beer styles and currently enjoying a bit of a revival. Mild is less hopped than bitter, often with a chocolaty character, and nutty and burnt flavours. Resulting from the use of well roasted malts or barley they are usually dark (or very dark) in colour. The strength can vary considerably although a range of 3.0% to 3.5% ABV is usual.
Golden Ales
The newest style, designed to attract ‘lager drinkers’ to cask beer. Generally pale in colour and well hopped. The use of pale malts produces a biscuity and juicy character, the selective use of hop varieties produces a citrus and peppery taste. The colour can range from pale amber, through gold and yellow to straw. The strengths can range from 3.5% to 5.3% ABV. This is a particularly thirst-quenching style and benefits from being served cool. It is also worth noting that there are now many cask conditioned lager-style brews available, truly representative of the original style.
Pale Ale (IPAs)
Indian Pale Ales (IPAs) were originally brewed for shipping to the colonial market in the 19th century, being high in alcohol and hops their preservation qualities allowed shipping around the world. With strengths in excess of 5%, the lower strength Pale Ale was produced for the local market. Nowadays Pale Ales tend to be bottled versions of bitter from 3.5% ABV upwards.
Old Ale
An older style originally produced before the industrial revolution when the beer would be stored for long periods in unlined wooden barrels. Here they would pick up some of the lactic sourness from the air and the wood. The style has re-emerged in recent years. Old ales do not have to be particularly strong and can be no more than 4%ABV; neither do they have to be dark.
Porter & Stout
Named after the London street porters who were the major customers of the 18th Century. Stronger versions exceeding 8%ABV became known as Stout Porter as during this period ‘Stout’ was the generic term for the strongest or stoutest beer in a brewery. Brewed from the darkest, highest roasted malts the colour can range from dark brown to black. A certain Dublin brewer named Arthur Guinness once decided to create his own interpretation and a legend was born.
Bitter
Tends to be deep bronze to copper in colour resulting from the use of darker malts such as crystal. Bitter grew in popularity as it could be stored in cellars for only days prior to being served in pubs. They generally fall into the 3.4% to 3.9% band, with Best Bitter 4% upwards but a number of brewers label their ordinary Bitters ‘Best'. With ordinary Bitter, look for a spicy, peppery and grassy hop character, a powerful bitterness, tangy fruit and juicy and nutty malt.
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| Mike Greenwood |  |  |
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