Belgian/Dutch strong ale in the style of the local monastic brews.
Examples: New Belgium Abbey, Leffe Blonde
Top Fermenting Beer Style from Dusseldorf. Alt, meaning “old” in German, is a copper colored beer, with spicy Bavarian hop character.
Examples:Alaskan Amber, Schell's Schmaltz's Alt (seasonal)
Strong ale from the UK, traditionally made by using the first part of the runoff from the mash tun, usually served in 6-7 oz. bottles, or “nips”. Some are wine strength, hence the name.
Examples:Sierra Nevada Big Foot(Seasonal), Bell's 3rd Coast Old Ale, Alaskan Barley Wine(seasonal)
“Garder” means to leave or save. Northern French style strong ale. Bottled conditioned examples are available in the U.S. Golden or copper colored, they are also low in hop character.
Examples:New Belgium Lips of Faith Biere De Garde(seasonal), SummittBiere De Garde (seasonal)
The term for draught pale ale in the UK. Copper colored and fairly hoppy, this is the most popular style of ale produced by British brewers.
Examples:Foster's Premium Ale, Goose Island Honker's Ale, Surly Bitter Brewer
Amber, malty strong lager of German origin, traditionally available in the Spring in the U.S. This style came from the town of Einbeck, and the name was eventually corrupted to Ein bock, the German word for goats. Goats are used on many Bock Beer labels.
Examples:Shiner Bock, Schell's Bock(seasonal), Sam Adam's Cherry Chocolate Bock(seasonal)
Principally British in origin, although the style is known in France and Belgium. The British make a sweet, London style brown ale, as well as the drier Northern version. Both are low in hops and get their color from a blend of roasted malt.
Examples:New Castle Brown Ale, Third Street Lost Trout Brown Ale, Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
U.S. term for a light, golden, sparkling beer made in the Northeast. Low in hops, with a creamy head. Slightly sweet.
Examples: Third Street Rise to the Top Ale, Capital Hop Cream
Doppel means double in German. Not actually twice as strong as Bock, but definitely extra strong. Like Barley Wine, Doppelbock is also made with the first runoff from the mash
Examples: SpatenOptimator, Capital Dopplebock(Seasonal), PaulanerSalvator
Beer from the city of Dortmund. Usually call Export, this lager is golden and slightly strong.
Examples: Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
Dark lager in German
Examples:FranziskanerDunkel Weiss, Beck's Dark, WarsteinerDunkel
Used to describe a golden, slightly stronger beer in Germany. Indicates a stronger version of Stout outside of Ireland.
Examples:Special Export
Belgian Lambic made with raspberries.
Examples:LindemansFramboise, New Belgium Frambozer(seasonal)
Bavarian wheat beer with the yeast still in the bottle, “Hefe” means yeast in German, “weizen” means wheat or white. Spicy clove flavors are derived from the special yeast strain.
Examples:Magic Hat Circus Boy, FranziskanerHefe-Weisse, SvyturysBaltas
Golden lager in German
Examples:LeinenkugelHoppinHelles, Spaten Lager
Very strong British stout, originally brewed for the Russian Court. Basically, a black version of Barley wine, with lots of roasted malt and hops.
Examples: Leinenkugel Big Eddy(seasonal), Deschute's The Abyss(seasonal) Surly Darkness(seasonal)
Very hoppy, somewhat stronger version of pale ale, made to last the voyage from the UK to India in the 1800’s. Whole hops were added to the wooden casks just before shipping, a process called dry hopping.
Examples:New Belgium Ranger IPA, Odell's IPA, Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA, Summit Saga IPA
Golden, fruity top fermenting beer from the German city of Cologne.
Examples: Lake Superior Kayak Kolsch
Belgian Lambic made with cherries.
Examples:New Belgium Lips of Faith Kriek, LindemansKriek
Belgian beer produced by ambient fermentation, sometimes made with fruit. Yeast and other microorganisms present in the air around the brewery are allowed to ferment this style, and then it is stores for many months in wooden casks.
Examples:Lindeman's Framboise Lambic, New Belgium Sour Vintage Series
Low calorie, golden American lager. Usually under 100 calories per 12 oz. serving.
Examples:Miller Lite, Coor's Light, Bud Light
Bock beer traditionally available in Germany in May. Brewed year round by some brewers.
Examples:Rogue Dead Guy Ale, New Belgium Hoppy Bock(seasonal), Summit Maibock
Strong, low hopped American lager with very little body. Highly fermentable syrups are added to the kettle to boost the alcohol in this style.
Examples: Mickey’s, Steel Reserve, Old English
British light bodied ale, low in hops and alcohol. Pale and dark versions of this popular draught beer are available in the Northern industrial regions in the UK.
Examples:Tallgrass Pub Ale
The malty beer of this city are traditionally dark, Dunkel, with slight Bavarian hop character. The golden version Helles, is also malty.
Examples:Schell's Dark, Beck's Dark, Capital Dark
Strong ale with more alcohol than regular ales, but less than Barley wine.
Examples:Bell's Third Coast Old Ale, Lake Superior Old Man Winter(Seasonal)
Traditionally, the bottled version of Bitter. Copper colored, and hoppy, the most popular ale in the UK. A West Coast version is more golden, and can be quite hoppy.
Examples:Third Street 3 Way Pale Ale, Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Summit Extra Pale ale
From the Czech city of Pilsn. A fragrant, golden lager with lots of Saaz hops. Deep golden, slightly malty, the classic Continental brew. The name has been borrowed by all brewers all over the world.
Examples: Pilsner Urquell, Sam Adams’s Noble Pil(Seasonal), Schell’s Pilsner
Blended Pale Ale and sweet stout were thought to be the original beers mixed together to produce this brew for the porters of London. Brewers eventually made their own versions of this style.
Examples: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Gray’s Bully Porter
From the Bamberg region of Germany, this amber lager is made with beechwood smoked malt. Very smoky and malty.
Examples:
Malty, sometimes dark, Scotch ale is generally less hoppy than the British counterpart. Strong versions of the style are available in bottles.
Examples:Belhaven Scotch Ale, Leinenkugel Big Eddy Scotch Ale, Brau Brothers Bancreagie Scotch Ale
Very dry, roasted black ale made famous by the Guinness Brewery of Ireland. Equally famous for the creamy head that nitrogen gives beer. Sweet versions available in the UK.
Examples:Guinness Stout, Murphy's Stout, Gray's Oatmeal Stout
Strong, naturally soured ales made by Trappist monks in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Examples:Chimay, Latrappe
Amber, malty brews, originally from Vienna.
Examples:
Generally bottle fermented, these unfiltered German wheat beers are known for their cloudy appearance and spicy, clovy flavor. Sometimes served with lemon slices.
Examples: Bell’s Oarsmen, Schell’s Star of the North
Unfiltered Belgian wheat beer, called wit, or white, because of its cloudy appearance. Spiced with orange and coriander.
Examples: Blue Moon, New Belgium Snap Shot(Seasonal), Hoegaarden White Ale