Beer: Expert Guides and Resources

The following list has been compiled by the Beer Judge Certification Program and is used by the American Homebrewers Association for competitive purposes. This hierarchical list presents an overview of all the world's beer styles (along with Cider and Mead). All beers are categorized as Ale, Lager or Mixed Style; under each of these headings are listed all of the major beer styles (in capital letters) and their sub-styles.

Fermentation problems occur frequently to homebrewers, and a common one is that the would-be beer just never started fermenting. Before you pour your homebrew down the sink, make sure the process actually hasn't started — judging fermentation by the bubbles (or lack thereof) coming out of the airlock can sometimes be deceiving.

Of the four main ingredients used in homebrewing beer (barley, hops, yeast, and water), barley makes the biggest contribution. Barley gives beer its color, underlying flavor, sweetness, body, head of foam, and mouthfeel. Barley also contributes the natural sugars that feed the yeast, which in turn converts the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation.

In case you need the metric equivalents of basic measurements, keep this simple conversions guide close by when you’re brewing your own beer at home: Liquid Conversions Mass Conversions 1 teaspoon (tsp.) = 5 milliliters 1 ounce (oz.) = 28 grams 1 tablespoon (Tbsp.) = 15 milliliters 1 pound (lb.) = 0.45 kilogram 1 ounce (oz.

The first beer brewed by American colonists was at Sir Walter Raleigh’s Roanoke colony in 1587. The beer must not have been very good, though, because Colonists continued to request shipments of beer from England. (Unfortunately, most of the ships’ consignments of beer were drunk on the transatlantic crossing by thirsty sailors.

Religious orders have been brewing beer in Europe since the Middle Ages. These monastic brews are always widely praised and prized but often misunderstood — mostly due to their origins. Many people believe that monastic brews are both rare and of high potency. Though some are, indeed, rare and many can pack a punch, the exquisite brews made by the Cistercian, Benedictine, and Trappist orders can’t be so easily defined.

The mellow, flavorful Brown Ale can be a delightful addition to a rich, hearty garlic and onion soup. You can roast additional heads of garlic for future use: Simply freeze the unpeeled heads in a well-sealed container for up to six months. Prep time: About 10 min Cook time: About 1-1/4 hr Yield: 4–5 servings 3 large heads garlic 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil 4 tablespoons butter 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (optional) 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 5 cups beef or vegetable stock (preferably homemade) 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme or your favorite herb 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 12-ounce bottle English Brown Ale 1 cup croutons and 1-1/2 cup fresh grated cheese (Gruyère, Kaseri, or smoked provolone) Strip off the majority of the papery skin on the outside of the garlic heads; cut the tip end off each head of garlic to expose cloves.

Because beer is widely available in a variety of different styles, describing it isn’t as easy as it used to be. Knowing a handful of colorful beer descriptors comes in handy when discussing beer with others. Here’s a sample list to get you started: Aggressive: Boldly assertive aroma and/or taste Balanced: Malt and hops in similar proportions; equal representation of malt sweetness and hop bitterness in the flavor — especially at the finish Complex: Multidimensional; many flavors and sensations on the palate Crisp: Highly carbonated; effervescent Diacetyl: Buttery or butterscotchy aroma or flavor Estery: Fruity aromas Floral: Full of aromas reminiscent of flowers Fruity: Flavors reminiscent of various fruits Hoppy: Herbal, earthy, spicy, or citric aromas and flavors of hops Malty: Grainy, caramel-like; can be sweet or dry Roasty/toasty: Malt (roasted grain) flavors Robust: Rich and full-bodied The following are two other terms commonly used to describe a beer, but they don’t describe taste: Mouthfeel is the tactile sensory experience of the whole inside of the mouth and throat — warmth (alcohol) in the throat, dryness, carbonation, and so on — and includes a sense of body.

Most beer drinkers tend to drink just a couple different beer styles without straying too far off the beaten path. But to fully understand and appreciate the wider spectrum of beer styles, here are a few types of beers that every beer drinker should taste at least once: Belgian Fruit Lambic: Well-aged ale with surprising, effusive fruit aroma and taste; intoxicating fragrance Doppelbock: Strong, dark, and caramel-like Bock Beer with two times the flavor and body of Bock (doppel your pleasure, doppel your fun) Imperial Stout: Dark, rich, and creamy Stout with complex grain flavors; a brew to chew Rauchbier: Oktoberfest beer made with a portion of beechwood-smoked malt; delicious and unique but takes somewhat of an acquired taste (great with smoked cheese or sausage) Witbier: Perfumy Belgian Wheat Beer made with orange rind and coriander seed; like nothing else in the beer world Certain brands of beer have become synonymous with distinctly different flavor profiles.