Beer Styles – Page 4 – BeverageBeaver

Today, in many quarters of the world, the term lager is used interchangeably with beers. That actually makes some sense, considering the most popular beers today are dominated by lagers. However, lagers and beers aren’t the same terms. We will shed more light on that in this article, but first, consider this overview of both terms. Beers are beverages brewed using malt, yeast, hops, and water. All beers fall into two main categories, depending on the type of yeast used during fermentation – lagers and ales. Lagers are simply beers brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast at cold temperatures. Simply put, all lagers are beers, but not all beers are lagers. That seems simple enough, doesn’t it? Still, it doesn’t tell the whole story. This article will walk you through the origin of beer and lagers, their properties, brewing process, ingredients, and popular examples. Considering how closely related they are, it may be a little tricky to differentiate between the two, but we have you covered below. Origin The documented history of beer is not as straightforward as you would expect. For starters, the exact date beers debuted is unclear to us, but experts generally believe it was 14000 years ago. There is no hard evidence of this, though. The first reliable archeological evidence about the history of beer suggests that it was brewed about 7000 years ago. The first beer recipe dates 4000 years ago. Reports suggest that beers were first brewed in ancient Mesopotamia, which is modern-day Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and part of Turkey. Today, there are two classes of beers, depending on the kind of yeast strain used, whether bottom or top fermenting. However, it was not always like this. In the early days, beers were exclusively brewed with top-fermenting yeast. That changed in the 15th century, though, when a new, hybrid yeast strain led to a different fermentation technique. Beers brewed using this hybrid yeast strain were known as lagers. While research indicates beers were first brewed in Asia, lagers were definitely first brewed in Northern Europe, specifically Germany. As mentioned, this was a result of a hybrid yeast strain. The production of the hybrid yeast strain was not intentional, but brewers made sure to capitalize on its brilliant result – lagers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHHKQ3UPMPM Beer is currently the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic drink and third most consumed after water and tea. That’s a very impressive feat by beers, and I can categorically say lagers are the major reason for it. Lager is the most popular beer style worldwide, and there are just so many different styles that appeal to various cultures and groups. Flavor The flavor of beer is influenced by multiple factors, including the brewing process and main beer ingredients. Lagers tend to have a weaker flavor than ales. This is largely because of the esters and phenols, byproducts of the ale yeast strain. These byproducts also confer the unique fruity aroma that has become a characteristic of ales. Lagers can have diverse flavors, considering the several different types available. Unlike ales, where the yeast strain drives the flavor, lagers generally have their flavor determined by the hops and malt used. The water used in fermentation can also be a huge determinant of beer’s flavor. When it comes to flavor, there are no winners. It all depends on what you like. Even among lager beers, there are different flavor profiles, which is good as you have the luxury of choosing one that best aligns with your taste preferences. Mouthfeel The mouthfeel of a beer is the sensation the beer produces in the mouth. This property is affected by several factors, including the beer’s carbonation, bitterness, alcohol content, and flavor profile. All of these combined can also determine the beer’s character. Beers that have high values for bitterness, alcohol content, carbonation, and flavor profile will have beer characteristics. In reality, you will notice this as a strong bite or kick when you drink the beer. In terms of the body, beers also differ. Ales are generally fuller in the body than lagers, implying that they feel heavier in the mouth. When choosing your beer, if you are a fan of something that feels light, crisp, clean, and refreshing, then lagers would be your go-to style. Smell Beer aroma is often a useful indicator of the brand and even style of a beer. While this is definitely a trickier indicator than most, it can be relevant. Lager beers have their aroma decided by the malts and hops used in brewing them. On the other hand, ales have their aroma generally impacted by the yeast strain used. Also, the higher the character of a beer, the likelier it is to have a strong aroma profile. Brewing Process Beers can be brewed in either of two primary ways. The first is bottom fermentation, and the other is top fermentation. Let’s consider them. Bottom-fermentation is the brewing technique that involves using bottom-fermenting yeast, known as Saccharomyces pastorianus, between 35˚ and 50˚F. This is the brewing technique that produces lagers. Contrastingly, top-fermentation is the brewing technique involving a top-fermenting yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, between 60˚ and 70˚F. The principle behind naming the techniques is whether or not yeast rises to the top during fermentation. Saccharomyces pastorianus never rises to the top during fermentation, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae rises to the top of the fermentation tank before sinking to the bottom. The warmer temperature ales are brewed at make them easier and faster to brew than lagers, which have to be cold-conditioned and aged for an extended period before the final brew is obtained. Ingredients Beer has four main ingredients, regardless of style and brand. These ingredients are malt, water, yeast, and hops. Considering the ingredients are all the same, the reason there are so many styles is that the type and quality of the ingredients used may differ. The malt and hops primarily influence the flavor and aroma profile of lagers. However, ales generally have these properties influenced by the yeast used. Malt is the source of sugar in fermentation and is necessary to allow the yeast to feed and then release alcohol as a byproduct. Different grains, like barley, rye, corn, and wheat, can be used for fermentation. Of these grains, barley malt is by far the commonest used. Some breweries also decide not to malt a portion of their grains, combining malted and unmalted grains in the fermentation tank. Hops are important for bittering the beer, as most know. However, hops also help preserve the beer, and some special hops, known as aroma hops, give the beer a specific flavor. More than 80 different hop varieties and brewers decide which hop to use depending on the beer style and the desired properties. Further, yeast is a critical ingredient in fermenting beer. Of course, there are two types of yeast strains used, depending on the style of beer desired. After yeast, water is the final primary ingredient. Beers are typically fermented using plain, distilled water. However, some lagers use specific types of water to achieve a specific flavor and taste profile. Some lager beers, for example, use mineral-rich water from springs in specific locations. Alcohol Content The alcohol content of beer, measured in alcohol by volume (ABV), determines how much pure alcohol is in beer. The higher the ABV, the more alcoholic beer is. In the broadest of senses, beers fall between 4 and 7% ABV. However, some beers may have as low as 3.5% ABV, and some may have as high as 13%. Lagers generally have between 4 and 6%. Again, however, many lagers exceed and go below this range. The alcohol content of beer, as with most beer properties, depends on the brewing technique employed. Beers brewed in warmer conditions – ales – are more alcoholic than those brewed in colder temperatures – lagers. This is because the yeast that actually produces alcohol thrives better in warmer temperatures and will produce more alcohol. Appearance I severely risk sounding like a broken record, but beer’s appearance hugely depends on the brewing technique employed. Ales have a cloudier appearance than lagers because the latter are left to age longer than ales. This means the beer has enough time to settle and increase its clarity. Aside from clarity, the color and head of beer contribute to its appearance. Beers can take up several different colors, ranging from light yellow to jet black. This also applies to lagers, as some styles can be very pale and light, while some are dark and amber-colored. As important as beer’s appearance is in judging its style, it is not a reliable metric for differentiating between two beers. This is simply because of the high degree of overlap between beer styles and their appearance. For instance, light American lagers can have a pale yellow color, but so can pale ales. Popular Examples Of Each Beer Style Since all lagers are beers, it may be a little tricky to use their popular examples to differentiate them. Notwithstanding, below, popular lager beers are under the heading lagers, while other examples of beers are under the heading beers. Lagers Yuengling LagerSamuel Adams Boston LagerGuinness Black LagerBudweiserVictory Helles Lager Beers Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s Pale AleLagunitas Imperial Red AleDogfish Head 60-Minute IPABlue Moon Winter Abbey AleGuinness Draught References https://www.tapvillesocial.com/craftbrewu/2018/5/8/what-is-the-difference-between-ales-and-lagers#:~:text=What%20exactly%20is%20the%20difference,%CB%9A%E2%80%9350%CB%9AF).https://advancedmixology.com/blogs/art-of-mixology/ale-vs-lagerhttps://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/a-history-of-lager/#:~:text=Lager%20beers%20originated%20in%20Northern,for%20literally%20thousands%20of%20years.https://aeronautbrewing.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/history-of-lagers/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_beer