The craft beer revolution has taken the world by storm in recent years, captivating both seasoned beer enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Craft breweries have been popping up in every corner, offering a diverse range of unique and flavourful beers that challenge traditional notions of what beer can be.
Pale Ales and India Pale Ales (IPAs)
Pale Ales and India Pale Ales (IPAs) are undoubtedly the powerhouses of the craft beer movement. Both styles share a common trait – hop-forward beers but vary significantly in their hop intensity and overall character.
Pale Ales are known for their beautiful balance between hops and malts. They exhibit a delightful amber-to-copper colour with a moderate bitterness that doesn’t overpower the palate.
On the other hand, IPAs take hop intensity to the next level. The term “India Pale Ale” refers to British colonisation when extra hops were added to beer destined for India to preserve it during long voyages. Modern IPAs showcase an array of hop-forward flavours and aromas, ranging from intense citrus and tropical fruits to resiny and dank notes.
Lagers
Thanks to their crisp, clean, and refreshing nature, lagers have long been the most consumed beer style globally. However, the craft beer movement has elevated lagers by exploring unique yeast strains, hopping techniques, and malt varieties, resulting in a diverse and exciting range of options.
Pilsners, a classic substyle of lagers, are renowned for their light, golden appearance, and soft, biscuity malt backbone. Noble hops impart floral and herbal notes, providing a gentle bitterness and a refreshing finish.
Bocks, another lager substyle, offers a more robust and malt-forward experience. With various varieties like traditional Bocks, Doppelbocks, and Eisbocks, these beers boast rich caramel and toffee flavours with a subtle warmth from the higher alcohol content.
Stouts and Porters
Stouts and porters are the go-to choices for those seeking a darker and richer beer experience. Both styles owe their depth of flavour to roasted malts, which impart coffee, chocolate, and sometimes smoky notes.
Stouts come in various substyles, including Dry Stouts, Sweet Stouts, and Imperial Stouts. Dry Stouts, exemplified by the iconic Guinness, offer a dry and roast profile with hints of coffee and dark chocolate.
On the other hand, Sweet Stouts present a smoother and creamier mouthfeel with added lactose for sweetness. And Imperial Stouts, often aged in barrels, exhibit an even bolder flavour profile with intense chocolate, coffee, and sometimes vanilla or bourbon notes.
Porters, while similar to stouts, are lighter in body and flavour. They offer a more approachable roasted character with a slightly nutty and malty sweetness. American craft brewers have further expanded the boundaries of porters by experimenting with adjuncts like coconut, coffee, and even peanut butter, elevating the style to new heights.
Sours
Sour beers have experienced a significant resurgence in popularity, captivating, adventurous beer enthusiasts with their unique and tangy taste. These beers are intentionally brewed to be acidic and owe their distinct flavour profile to adding fruits or using wild yeast strains.
Berliners Weisse is a traditional German sour beer style that showcases a light, refreshing body with a pronounced tartness. This beer is often served with fruit syrups, providing a customisable and delightful drinking experience.
Lambics, hailing from Belgium, are spontaneously fermented with wild yeast strains, imparting complex flavours. Fruit Lambics, such as Cherry or Raspberry Lambics, combine the natural sourness with the sweetness of the added fruits, creating a harmonious balance of flavours.
Wheat Beers
Wheat beers are beloved for their light and cloudy appearance due to the significant portion of wheat used in the grain bill. These beers often showcase fruity and spicy yeast notes, making them perfect for a summer day or any occasion when refreshment is key.
German Hefeweizens present a cloudy and effervescent appearance with a prominent yeast-derived banana and clove aroma. The wheat malt adds a subtle bready character, making this style an excellent thirst-quencher.
On the other hand, American Wheat beers are often more neutral in yeast character, allowing the hops to take centre stage. Depending on the hop selection, these beers can range from crisp and citrusy to floral and tropical.
Belgian Ales
Belgian Ales are renowned for their complexity and diversity, stemming from the country’s rich brewing tradition. These beers exhibit various flavours and characteristics, from the Trappist Ales brewed by monks to the popular Belgian Dubbels, Tripels, and Quadruples.
Trappist Ales, crafted within the walls of Trappist monasteries, are known for their dedication to quality and tradition. They often have a fruity, spicy, and complex aroma with a notable malt sweetness, all balanced by a warm and inviting alcohol presence.
Belgian Dubbels boast a beautiful mahogany colour and a rich, malty sweetness, often with notes of dark fruits like raisins and plums. Tripels, however, are lighter in colour but pack a robust punch of fruity esters and spicy phenols.
Amber and Red Ales
Amber and Red Ales strike a beautiful balance between malt-forward and hop-forward characteristics. They often exhibit a rich caramel sweetness with a touch of hop bitterness, making them a delightful choice for those seeking a harmonious blend of flavours.
Amber Ales, with their reddish-brown hue, provides a medium-bodied drinking experience. The malt profile imparts a balanced combination of toasty, biscuity, and caramel notes, while the hops add a gentle bitterness and aroma.
Red Ales, slightly darker than Amber Ales, offer a bolder malt presence with deeper caramel and toffee flavours. Depending on the brewery’s style, Red Ales may lean towards being more malt-forward or showcase a more pronounced hop character.
Are you planning to buy craft beer kegs?
For premium craft beer kegs Paramount Liquor offers a wide selection of craft beer kegs from the most sought-after breweries. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast, a seasoned event planner, or simply want to treat your guests to an unforgettable beer experience, Paramount Liquor’s carefully curated collection boasts an impressive range of styles, from hoppy IPAs and rich stouts to refreshing lagers and tantalising sours.