The Most Popular Beer Styles: A Quick Guide for Beginners
There are hundreds of beers and thousands of different brands, but all this diversity can be divided into just a few groups. These are the so-called beer styles, which are usually determined by the nuances of production. For example, the method of fermentation, the temperature at which the malt is roasted, the type of grain added, and so on.
Belonging to one or another style does not guarantee that you will get a set of specific flavor characteristics, but it will help to highlight the main features - and as a result make a more accurate and correct choice.
Those or these?
Almost all existing beers can be divided into two categories. The first are ales, which are produced by top fermentation at high temperatures (about 20 degrees). The second group is the lagers, which are produced under cooler conditions and fermented under a lower fermentation method. Both ales and lagers can be either dark or pale, but the way the yeast behaves in the conditions created - whether it rises or settles to the bottom - ultimately affects the taste of the finished drink.
There is a third category: lambic. This beer is made by spontaneous fermentation, in which the role of specially added yeast is played by microorganisms that are in the environment. For this purpose the wort is left in open containers, but the production process is carefully controlled. Lambic has a unique sour taste and a characteristic aroma, in which you can distinguish notes of fruit, wine vinegar, wet hay and horse blanket. Often fruit and berries are added to lambic, which, on the one hand, soften its taste and, on the other hand, favorably emphasize it. The most popular variety is Belgian Cherry Creek.
What else?
Strictly speaking, all the other beers are derivatives of the main groups. But some of them are worth talking about separately. For example, beer can be classified according to the type of grain used for malting. Wheat Belgian beers are based on wheat, dark stout is based on roasted barley, and sour ale Gose is made from a mixture of several grains.
Another important criterion is the temperature at which the malt is roasted or dried. The higher the temperature, the darker the malt it turns out to be - and affects the taste of the finished beer accordingly. For example, dark malt makes porter, light malt makes British bitter and Czech pilsner.
In some cases, the place where the beer is made can also be responsible for the style of the beer. An example is Trappist beer, which is essentially an ale as well, but unique. It is brewed only in 13 breweries around the world, necessarily located in abbeys. However, all breweries regularly confirm their right to brew these beers by complying with a strict list of requirements, for example, obligatorily giving part of the proceeds to charity.
To taste all popular beer styles, come to the beer restaurant We'll find a drink you'll definitely like!
Coffee and beer - a match or a flop? Exploring the myths about the famous combination
Coffee and beer are drunk at different times and on different occasions, but they have much more in common than meets the eye. Beverages that were considered ordinary 10 years ago have now become gourmet products: craft beer and specialty coffee have won millions of fans. But what if you mix the two? Let’s find out how justified this combination is and what myths are associated with it. How did the combination of coffee and beer appear? Experiments with coffee and beer began in the middle of the XX century, when brewers and bartenders began to look for new flavors. But the real boom happened in the nineties and noughties due to the growing popularity of craft beer. The first successful variants were coffee stouts and porters — dark brews with deep flavors that perfectly complemented the coffee notes. Brewers added coffee at various stages: — during brewing — for a rich flavor;— during fermentation — for softness;— into the finished beer — as a cold coffee infusion. A good example of such a recipe is the Japanese beer Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, which can be tasted in Lambic beer restaurants. It’s a flavorful, dense ale brewed in the style of American imperial stouts with coffee beans added for espresso. Bartenders, too, have contributed to popularizing this unusual combination, creating original cocktails from coffee and beer. The most popular is the Black & Tan, which includes stout, lager and espresso. Today, such mixes are part of the craft culture. Is it true that coffee helps sober you up? One of the main myths is that coffee supposedly neutralizes alcohol. In fact, caffeine only masks intoxication. It creates the illusion of liveliness, but coffee does not actually lower blood alcohol levels. In addition, a cocktail of coffee and beer can increase the strain on the heart. If you drink coffee before alcohol, it will temporarily increase the activity of liver enzymes that break down ethanol. But this does not mean that it is necessary to increase the dose. Coffee with beer: harm or benefit? In moderate quantities, low-alcohol coffee beers (for example, stouts with 4-6% strength) are relatively safe. If you want to try such a mix, choose drinks from quality ingredients. For example: — Dark beer (porter, stout) and cold espresso.— Lager or ale and light coffee syrup. There are contraindications for such cocktails. Mixing coffee with beer is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and GI diseases, as well as those who use drugs incompatible with caffeine. The combination of coffee and beer is an interesting gastronomic experience, especially if you respect the measure. Come to Lambic — we will treat you to interesting drinks without harming your health!
20 May 2025
Bitter! Let's understand what IBU is and how bitterness affects the taste of beer
If you’ve scrutinized craft beer labels, you’ve definitely seen the mysterious IBU abbreviation on them. This indicator plays a key role in shaping the flavor of the beverage. Let’s find out what it means and why bitterness is one of the main criteria for evaluating beer. What is IBU? IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is an international indicator of beer bitterness. It indicates the concentration of isohumulone, an alpha acid found in hops, which gives the drink its characteristic bitterness. The higher the IBU, the more bitter the beer will be. However, the perception of bitterness depends not only on this indicator, but also on the balance with malt sweetness, strength and aromatic additives. Why do you need the IBU index? Before the advent of industrial brewing, a beverage could be either too sweet or, conversely, too sour or bitter. To achieve a harmonious flavor, brewers began to adjust bitterness with hops. In the past, herbs (thistle, mint, juniper) were used to soften sweetness, but today the main source of bitterness is hops. It is added at different stages of brewing to: — compensate for the sweetness of the malt;— add complexity and flavor to the beer;— increase shelf life (isohumulone has antibacterial properties). The first to calculate the bitterness of beer were the people of Great Britain, using the formula «pounds of hops per quart of malt». The modern IBU standard was developed to accurately categorize beers. How to calculate IBU? The bitterness index is determined using a mathematical formula: G = D × E D = (A × B) / (C × 0.1) Where: A — mass of hops (in grams); B — alpha acid content of hops (%); C — wort volume (in liters); E — loss factor (production time and beer density are affected); G — final IBU. The longer the hops are brewed, the more alpha acids pass into the wort, increasing bitterness. IBU scale: from lager to IPA Beer bitterness is measured on a scale of 0 to 120+ IBUs, but most beers are in the 5-90 range. Beer Style IBU Level Characteristics Pale Lagers 8–15 Light, smooth, minimal bitterness Wheat Ales 10–20 Fruity notes, low bitterness Porters/Stouts 30–50 Coffee, chocolate tones, moderate bitterness American IPA 50–80 Strong hop bitterness, citrus and pine notes Imperial IPA 80–120+ Extreme bitterness, high alcohol content Why is IBU not the main selection criterion? A high IBU does not always mean that the beer will seem too bitter. For example, sweet stouts (30-50 IBU) seem less bitter than IPAs due to caramel and chocolate notes. And light lagers (8-15 IBU) may be perceived as more bitter due to a lack of malt balance. How do you choose a beer based on bitterness level? If you don’t like bitterness — choose lagers, wheat ales, Belgian trippels (up to 30 IBU). If you like balance, try porters or amber ales (30-50 IBU). If you like a rich hop bitterness, an IPA or Imperial Stout (50+ IBU) is ideal. You can try any of these varieties in Lambic beer restaurants. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
20 May 2025