What are the differences and how can I recognize them from taste?
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Does nobody understand the spirit of ELI5?
#ELI5
> what does it mean if a beer is a lager, pilsner, ale or ipa?
What does it mean if a soda is a cola, lemon-lime, root beer, or orange?
They’re just different “flavors” of soda.
Lager, pilsner, ale, IPA are just “flavors” of beer. They’re “styles”. They may be made differently, they may have different ingredients, but they’re just variations. Just like there are variations of soda.
> how can I recognize them from taste?
How can you recognize a lemon-lime soda from a cola? How do you recognize an orange soda from a root beer?
“Hmm, this tastes like I am eating an orange, it must be orange soda. Hmm, this other one tastes like the cherry on top of a sundae, so it must be cherry soda”.
How? Practice. Taking careful consideration of what you’re tasting.
So open up an IPA, take a sip, and try to remember, “This is what an IPA generally tastes like”.
Different orange sodas taste differently from each other, but they all have an “orange-y” flavor. The same is true of IPAs. They differ from each other, but they all share some basic notes.
Does nobody understand the spirit of ELI5?
#ELI5
> what does it mean if a beer is a lager, pilsner, ale or ipa?
What does it mean if a soda is a cola, lemon-lime, root beer, or orange?
They’re just different “flavors” of soda.
Lager, pilsner, ale, IPA are just “flavors” of beer. They’re “styles”. They may be made differently, they may have different ingredients, but they’re just variations. Just like there are variations of soda.
> how can I recognize them from taste?
How can you recognize a lemon-lime soda from a cola? How do you recognize an orange soda from a root beer?
“Hmm, this tastes like I am eating an orange, it must be orange soda. Hmm, this other one tastes like the cherry on top of a sundae, so it must be cherry soda”.
How? Practice. Taking careful consideration of what you’re tasting.
So open up an IPA, take a sip, and try to remember, “This is what an IPA generally tastes like”.
Different orange sodas taste differently from each other, but they all have an “orange-y” flavor. The same is true of IPAs. They differ from each other, but they all share some basic notes.
If it tastes terrible, it is probably an ipa. However people still drink them and say they like them, almost like a fashion statement
If it tastes terrible, it is probably an ipa. However people still drink them and say they like them, almost like a fashion statement
Beer is like any other foodstuff. It’s all in the recipe.
Sourdough bread? It tastes the way it does because of how it’s made. Completely different from rye bread, and they taste very differently too. Same with beer. Different recipes, different techniques, different results.
Beer is like any other foodstuff. It’s all in the recipe.
Sourdough bread? It tastes the way it does because of how it’s made. Completely different from rye bread, and they taste very differently too. Same with beer. Different recipes, different techniques, different results.
So broadly speaking there are two types of beer. You have Ale’s and Lager’s. The difference between these two are the strain of yeast used to ferment them.
Ale yeast is most popular and easiest to work with. As it does it’s work best at room temperature. Lager yeast needs colder temperatures to work effectively. So is generally more difficult to produce. But not *that* difficult with modern technology.
Aside from the yeast there isn’t much difference between an ale and a lager. Sitting at different temps for the ferment likely does something to the flavor. But as far as ingredients it’s mostly the same.
All beers are made of (malted) grain, and yeast. Hops are frequently added as flavoring and preservative. You can also add whatever flavoring agents. The English like to use non-hop flavoring herbs.
When you start getting more specific than ale or lager you’re talking about these ingredients and the ratios of them.
A wheat beer for example might be mostly or exclusively wheat for the grain (instead of barley which is the normal grain used).
A Belgian Whit is fermented with citrus fruits/peels.
An IPA is an India Pale Ale. It’s made with a lot of hops. Like a lot. Remember how I said the hops act as a preservative? So way back in the day when the British empire ruled India, they supplied their troops with beer rations. But they found normal beers went bad before they got to India. So they developed a beer that can be preserved for a very long time for the express purpose that it’s still good when it gets to India. Thus the India Pale Ale.
A porter typically has dark roasted grains added to give it a darker nuttier color and flavor. And is heavily hopped.
A stout is like a porter but lighter on the hops.
In case you’re having trouble following. Wheats, Belgian Whites, porters, stouts, and pale ales are all ales.
So what kinds of beers are Lager’s? Well, Pilsners are a lager. There’s also Pale Lager’s which are probably what most people think of when they think of American domestic beer, bud lite, Miller lite, etc. And recently getting popular again are black Lager’s or dark Lager’s, which is like a pale lager but with roasted grains. So nuttier in flavor.
It’s a whole big wonderful world of beer out there. I recommend you try a few! Even if you don’t like some, there’s probably something out there to your liking.
So broadly speaking there are two types of beer. You have Ale’s and Lager’s. The difference between these two are the strain of yeast used to ferment them.
Ale yeast is most popular and easiest to work with. As it does it’s work best at room temperature. Lager yeast needs colder temperatures to work effectively. So is generally more difficult to produce. But not *that* difficult with modern technology.
Aside from the yeast there isn’t much difference between an ale and a lager. Sitting at different temps for the ferment likely does something to the flavor. But as far as ingredients it’s mostly the same.
All beers are made of (malted) grain, and yeast. Hops are frequently added as flavoring and preservative. You can also add whatever flavoring agents. The English like to use non-hop flavoring herbs.
When you start getting more specific than ale or lager you’re talking about these ingredients and the ratios of them.
A wheat beer for example might be mostly or exclusively wheat for the grain (instead of barley which is the normal grain used).
A Belgian Whit is fermented with citrus fruits/peels.
An IPA is an India Pale Ale. It’s made with a lot of hops. Like a lot. Remember how I said the hops act as a preservative? So way back in the day when the British empire ruled India, they supplied their troops with beer rations. But they found normal beers went bad before they got to India. So they developed a beer that can be preserved for a very long time for the express purpose that it’s still good when it gets to India. Thus the India Pale Ale.
A porter typically has dark roasted grains added to give it a darker nuttier color and flavor. And is heavily hopped.
A stout is like a porter but lighter on the hops.
In case you’re having trouble following. Wheats, Belgian Whites, porters, stouts, and pale ales are all ales.
So what kinds of beers are Lager’s? Well, Pilsners are a lager. There’s also Pale Lager’s which are probably what most people think of when they think of American domestic beer, bud lite, Miller lite, etc. And recently getting popular again are black Lager’s or dark Lager’s, which is like a pale lager but with roasted grains. So nuttier in flavor.
It’s a whole big wonderful world of beer out there. I recommend you try a few! Even if you don’t like some, there’s probably something out there to your liking.
There are two types of primary styles: Ale and Lager. These are dependent on their yeast type and fermentation temperature and duration. Lagers are fermented cold and long, ales warm and short.
Lager styles such as Pilsner, Lager, Helles, Bochs, etc. will all have a cleaner and crisper taste and mouth feel to them. They’re usually not heavy or high in alcohol. “Watery” can be a description, but it does a disservice to good examples of the style. Lagers tend to be amber to light brown in color. Pilsners are lighter. They key is a balance between flavors: swettness of the malt vs bitterness of the hops. A good lager or Pilsner will have that balance. To achieve this, recipes are very simple. One style of malt, one type of hop. This actually makes a good lager the mark of a good brewery, as they’re the most difficult style to make. Any imperfection is noticeable. That’s why Miller, Bud, and Busch all insist drinking their (pilsner) swill ice cold so you don’t taste the awfulness.
Ales tend to be sweeter, maltier, and hoppier, depending on style. They also utilize a plethora of grains to make the malt profile. Lagers tend to use a single type of malt. Ales will have all kinds blended: barley, oats, wheat, crystal malt, rye, etc. While Lagers focus on balancing the flavor, ales tend to make a flavor shine with complimentary flavors. Though a traditional “ale” is fairly balanced, it’s when you get to styles like wits and IPAs that the style makes its special ingredient shine. IPAs are ales with an abundance of hops. They’re the hot sauce of the beer world. Forwardly bitter, and good ones have a malty finish.
The secret 3rd style is sours. Technically ales, but with a bacteria that imparts a sour/acidic taste. Nothing tastes quite like a sour. They can make you pucker up or they may just taste like juice.
I recommend going to a brewery and getting a flight (sampler). No harm in trying and seeing what you like and tasting for yourself.
There are two types of primary styles: Ale and Lager. These are dependent on their yeast type and fermentation temperature and duration. Lagers are fermented cold and long, ales warm and short.
Lager styles such as Pilsner, Lager, Helles, Bochs, etc. will all have a cleaner and crisper taste and mouth feel to them. They’re usually not heavy or high in alcohol. “Watery” can be a description, but it does a disservice to good examples of the style. Lagers tend to be amber to light brown in color. Pilsners are lighter. They key is a balance between flavors: swettness of the malt vs bitterness of the hops. A good lager or Pilsner will have that balance. To achieve this, recipes are very simple. One style of malt, one type of hop. This actually makes a good lager the mark of a good brewery, as they’re the most difficult style to make. Any imperfection is noticeable. That’s why Miller, Bud, and Busch all insist drinking their (pilsner) swill ice cold so you don’t taste the awfulness.
Ales tend to be sweeter, maltier, and hoppier, depending on style. They also utilize a plethora of grains to make the malt profile. Lagers tend to use a single type of malt. Ales will have all kinds blended: barley, oats, wheat, crystal malt, rye, etc. While Lagers focus on balancing the flavor, ales tend to make a flavor shine with complimentary flavors. Though a traditional “ale” is fairly balanced, it’s when you get to styles like wits and IPAs that the style makes its special ingredient shine. IPAs are ales with an abundance of hops. They’re the hot sauce of the beer world. Forwardly bitter, and good ones have a malty finish.
The secret 3rd style is sours. Technically ales, but with a bacteria that imparts a sour/acidic taste. Nothing tastes quite like a sour. They can make you pucker up or they may just taste like juice.
I recommend going to a brewery and getting a flight (sampler). No harm in trying and seeing what you like and tasting for yourself.
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