So What Am I Drinking?

So What Am I Drinking?

by Ed Yashinsky

You should have a little background information before ordering your first microbrew or you may find yourself with a pint glass of something you will never finish. Depending on who you ask there are four or five different beer types, along with a never-ending variety of distant cousins and bastard sons. Knowing something about each type will make you look like a seasoned pro at any brewpub or bar in central Pennsylvania.

Ales

Ale describes a brew that is fermented at room temperature with top-fermenting yeast. Most ale is reddish-brown with a fruity aroma and a complex flavor. English ale variations include mild, bitter, pale ale, India pale ale (IPA), brown ale, old ale, and barley wine. Belgium ales consist of Flemish brown, Belgian red, Saison, Belgian golden, and Trappist beer. For many years, ales waned in popularity but currently have become a staple for many microbreweries.

(Jenny Harmon serves em up at Fire House)

Lagers

A lager is fermented at cold temperatures and then cold-stored for up to three months to create a crystal clear beer. Lager yeast produces beer that is characteristically clean and round, though not always complex. Some lager types include a helles, pilsner, marzen, dunkle and bock. Lagers tend to fit the characteristic of what most Americans call beer.

Porters and Stouts

Porters and Stouts are almost black in color and have a highly roasted or toasted taste. Both varieties are fermented with ale yeast’s, lending a slightly fruity taste. Although originally associated with London, porters and stouts are more famous for their long association with Ireland, most notably for Guinness Stout. If a brewery offers both a porter and stout, the porter will usually be lighter in body and taste.

Wheat Beers

Wheat beers are unique because of their refreshing taste and tartness. Traditionally, wheat beers use yeast ale and produce an extremely pale foam, which explains the European use of white or wit when describing this beer. Wheat beers, which tend to have a low alcohol content, usually consist of approximately 50 percent wheat (versus a barley majority in other beers).

Lambics

It has been said that Belgium is the Disneyland of beers, and the lambic family surely lends credence to that statement. Fermented with wild yeast’s, the lambic family consists of lambics, gueuzes, faros, and fruit beers. Many products can be created by mixing different aged lambics to produce memorable fruity hybrids.