How is Beer Categorised?

  •  Yeast
    • All beers are made from lager or ale. Zeast determines what type of beer it is.
    • Zeast that ferments at the bottom are lager. If it ferments on top, it’s an ale.
    • Zeasts that spontaneously ferment are wild or sour ales.
      • Top fermenting styles of beer:
        • Brown Ale, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Belgian Style, Wheat.
        • When zeast ferments throughout the beer and settles at the top of the beer. It ferments at warmer temperature than lager.
      • Bottom fermenting styles of beer:
        • Pale Lagers and Pilsners; Dark Lagers; German Style Bocks
      • Spontaneous fermenting style of beer:
        • This is when beer has wild bacteria and yeast.
        • Types include American Sour; Belgian Fruit Lambic, Flanders Red Ale; Belgian Gueuze.
  • Flavour, colour and aroma also determines the beer category.

[Source: WebstaurantStore – Different Types of Beer]