has been in existence for thousands of years, slowly being refined, studied and improved to what you currently taste today. Today's beer is a far cry from the first accidental soggy grain and yeast concoction and can be as simple or complex to suit the drinker's taste. When it comes to beer, knowledge makes all the difference, and this guide will help identify the major varieties and what makes them unique. Beer isn't just beer; it's history, art, craft and science combined to form the perfect drink to celebrate special occasions, honor traditions and reflect the individual style within us all. < • t WATER The foundation of beer and makes up 90% of beer content. Regional differences in water contribute to the unique flavor profiles of beers brewed with that water. HOPS Theflowering cone of a vineplant. Hops provide bitterness, flavor and balance to the malty sweetness in the beer. Hops also help in head retention and add different aromas like citrus, spice, grass, pine or woodsy notes. GRAIN Often described as the soul of the beer, grain plays a crucial role in determining strength and flavor of the beer. Most beers contain Barley Malt which has been soaked in water right up to the point of germination then quickly dried. Different roasting times produce different colors and flavors of malt from the same grain. The longer the roast time, the darker the malt andthe darker the color of the beer. Grain also provides the sugar source that will later produce alcohol during fermentation. YEAST If grain is the soul, then yeast is the life of the beer. Yeast isresponsible for turning fermentable grain sugar into alcohol. Many brewers today have cultivated yeast strains that they use consistently in their beers, some dating back centuries. The two main types of yeast are ale and lager. Ale yeasts are top fermenting because they ferment atwarmtemperaturesand riseto the top, producing esters that give off flowery, fruity or spicy character. Lager yeasts ferment at the bottom with cooler temperatures. Esters are not produced, resulting ina cleanandsmooth character to most lager beers. What happens when local townspeople get tired of low quality, inferior beer and pour out barrel after barrel into the streets? You make a new beer style! That's exactly what happened in Pilsen on October 5, 1842 when Bavarian Brewmaster Josef Groll created a golden-colored, crystal clear, crisp and happy lager. It's popularity spread across Europe and became known as Pilsner to honor the city of its birth. Hops are prevalent usually with a spicy bitterness and/or a floral CHEESE PAIRINGS flavorand aroma American, WhiteCheddar, Monterey Jack orMuenster Smooth FOOD PAIRINGS and crisp Pairs well withspicy witha clean, Tex-Mex orAsian dishes malty taste orenjoy with lighter foods suchas chickenor shellfish. Always good with bratwurst or CZech-style foods Usuallyanall malt brew with a subtle fruitiness, Blondes tend to be clear, crisp and dry with low to medium bitterness and aroma from hops, and some sweetness from malt. Hops character is of a noble variety, CHEESE PAIRINGS leaving a light to Brick, Edam, medium bitterness ~ Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack FOOD PAIRINGS Salads, Italian Palestrawto orchicken dishes, deep gold incolor grilled foods, --- fish, sushi and spicy fares Usually an all malt brewwith a __,, subtle fruitiness ----- HEFEWEIZEII These very well-known, German-style wheat beers are unfiltered and cloudy in appearance with flavors of banana andcloves. Little hops bitterness anda moderate level of alcohol. "Hefe" means "with yeast;· thus the cloudy appearance. "Hefe" means "yeast· thus the unfiltered and CHEESE PAIRINGS cloudy appearance Goat.Feta orCamembert This great warm FOOD PAIRINGS weather beer Pairs well with German when poured in a food such as cured foods, W eizen glass can be sausages and hamsor very refreshing enjoy with lighter fares like salads or shellfish --= - -~ PALE ALE In the 1980s, small breweries were searching for more flavor and put their own unique style into a traditional Pale Ale. Using local brewing ingredients, the American Pale Ale was born. Using American hops, the resultwasa more flavorful beer with pine, citrus and floral aromas, and it was a tremendous hit. This extremely popular brew has a good balance ......____ of malt and hops CHEESE PAIRINGS Mild orSharp Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Feta, The higherproportion Parmesan or Romano of pale malts result in a ~ lighter color FOOD PAIRINGS Pairs well with a wide range of foods. Best with a burger Bitternesscan range from lightly ~ or sausage pizza floral to spicy but can beenjoyed with Asian, Mexican orCajun dishes First created to make the long trip from England to India, IPAs are well-hopped and have a higher alcohol content than a pale ale. First created to make CHEESE PAIRINGS the long trip Asiago, Colby, from England Double Gloucester, to India Parmesan or Bleu Cheese FOOD PAIRINGS IPAsare Pairs well with well-hopped spicy food such and have a as curry or enjoy higher alcohol with grilled meats. content than Some bitter IPAs a pale ale pair well with salty or fried foods EIR. ■ 4C~INI A■BER Amber Lager was first brewed in Austria around 1840 and gets its color and sweet, toasted flavor from the generous amounts of caramel malt. American Amber uses the traditional caramel malts while providing more robust hops flavors and aromas to create a unique, new variety. A lagerwith wide appeal. Contains CHEESE PAIRINGS more malt and overall Sharp Cheddar character than their or Bleu Cheese lighter sister styles --- FOOD PAIRINGS Versatile; try Generally low _.­ barbecue, roasted in bitterness chicken, pork chops or pizza with pepperoni. Can't go wrong with a big cheeseburger ~------ Marzenbier (March beer) is full-bodied. rich. toasty and typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content. CHEESE PAIRINGS Smoked Gouda, Gruyere, Emmental orSwiss FOOD PAIRINGS Typically brewed Pairs well with for Oktoberfest foods like sausages. Wiener Schnitzeland sauerkraut. Also enjoy with steaks and burgers while avoiding the tangy sauces \, ,, I '. .• ~ I ,i •- J~ ~ Sometimes called "Traditional Bock;' these hearty, German-style lagers' copper to dark brown color display a thick, rocky head and robust body. Toasted and caramel notes define the aroma and flavor while mild hops help keep the rich malt character from becoming overpowering through the finish. These hearty, German-style lagers CHEESE PAIRINGS display a thick, rocky Gruyere, Cheddar, head, a robust body and Emmental or Fontina a mild hops balance which results ina beer FOOD PAIRINGS ofsubstance Pairs well with German dishes such as pork, sausage, and roasted orgrilled game E GL ■ S BROWIALE Spawned from the Mild Ale, Brown Ales tend to be very malty and sweeter with a fuller body, nutty aroma and tastes of light caramel. Color can range from reddish brown to dark brown. Some versions will lean toward fruity esters, while others tend to be drier with nutty characters. All seem to have a low hops aroma and bitterness. Color ranges from reddish brown to dark brown with a fuller body Most have CHEESE PAIRINGS low hops aroma Asiago, Cheshire, and bitterness Colby, Emmental, Gloucester, Gouda orGruyere Taste varies between fruity FOOD PAIRINGS esters to drier Beef stew, grilled with nutty and roasted meats, characters pork or sausage A hardworking beer for the working man. Originating in London during the 18th century, Porter was popular with transportation workers, thus the name. Very complex taste and mild hops bitterness. Color ranges from dark brown to black. 13 CHEESE PAIRINGS Smoked Gouda, Very complex Fontina, Gruyere or taste and mild Gorgonzola hops bitterness FOOD PAIRINGS Roasted and smoked meats go great with the caramel roasted flavors Color ranges from of Porter. Enhances dark brownto black char-flavors ingrilled foods such as steaks, burgers, chicken and pork. Try traditional fish and chips for an authentic pubfeel Take a Porter and make it stronger, and you will havea "Stout." The dark color is achieved by roasting barley to the point of being burnt, creating a wide flavor range from chocolate to coffee. CHEESE PAIRINGS Feta, Colby, Strongest Manchego Porter beer or Bleu Cheese FOOD PAIRINGS Very black Roasted, charbroiled incolor and grilled meats like steak, ribs or chicken complement the roasted flavors of thebeer. For dessert, enjoy anything chocolate TASTING IIOTES 15 TASTING IIOTES 16 .