Beerginners Guide: Beer vs Ale vs Lager

Whether you're new to the world of beer, or you just want to know what your know it all friends or colleagues are talking about, here is a brief explanation of the basics to beer, lager and ale

First thing’s first know what you’re tasting. Beer can be bitter, sweet full or light and can also vary in colour. Some distinctive buzzwords to use when describing beer are as follows:

Hoppiness:

Hops are flowers of the hop plant used in beer to flavour and stabilise it. Hops can give a bitter, citrus or zesty flavour to the beer. The more hops the bitterer the beer (try saying that 10 times fast!)

Malt:

This comes from the grain, barley. A malt beer will have a nutty or caramel flavour to the beer. The barley grain is usually roasted and the natural sugars it contains will caramelise, giving off a sweet taste and toasty aroma.

Colour:

Dark beers generally have a heavier, richer taste with notes of coffee or chocolate and can look like cola. You can often see through a light beer. The colour can range from a pale yellow to a golden honey. Light beers are clean and crisp tasting with a bitter or zesty taste.

So now you know what to look for, here comes the types of beer you can order and the foods you should pair it with.

Light Lager:

These are great for a refreshing summer watching outdoor sporting games. You’d want to wash down a hotdog or chips with these types of beer.

Indian pale ale:

Also known as IPA. These are the most popular craft beers and are often very hoppy or bitter and amber in colour. To contrast the bitterness of an IPA, we suggest pairing with rich foods like steak, burgers or Mexican food.

Lagers:

Popular in the UK, a lager is made with roasted malts and added syrups to give it that distinctive nutty sweetness. This type of beer is best with pizza, stews, and sausages and most European foods.

So, know you know a bit more about beer, what are you waiting for the pubs await! Alternatively, you can try some beers using our glasses, ready for delivery as we speak.