It is almost St. Patrick’s Day. It is a day of the year when many mind’s turn to one thing – beer. But, if you are not a beer aficionado, you may not know exactly what to look for in a good beer. Beer is usually divided into two groups: ale and lager.
There are different types of ale. One is wheat beer. Wheat beer originated in Belgium and Germany, but many American companies currently make it. These are usually pale in color and they may have a fruity or crisp-edged flavor. On the label of a wheat beer, you may be the words “white,” “wit,” weiss,” or “weizen.” Wheat beer goes well with salads and fish entrees, but they are also great to serve with a dessert.
Pale Ale and Bitter are classic British ales. Bitter is served on tap, just slightly colder than room temperature. It has little carbonation and the crispness works well with gamey meats like duck and goose. When bitter is bottled and filtered, it turns into pale ale. Pale Ale is stronger and goes great with many things including bread and cheese or fish and chips. India Pale Ale is a strong, bitter type of pale ale.
Porter Ale is the result of a blend of beers and was once hand blended by bartenders for each customer. Popular in both Britain and America, it tastes like a combination of both stout and pale ale. It may be served with anything from soups and stews to burgers.
Stout is what many think of as a classic Irish beer. It can have either coffee or chocolate flavor and is dry. Despite its dark look, it actually contains less alcohol than many other beers. It is great with seafood and desserts.
In addition to the ales, there are different types of lager. Pilsner is what most people think of as “beer.” Budweiser is a good example of one of the best-known pilsner beers. The second type of lager is bock. These beers are dark, with strong, malty flavors. They go great with pork.
If you are not sure what type of beer you would like, you may want to have a beer party at your house. Buy several different brands, invited all your friends, and be sure to try a little of each.