Alt
Top fermenting beer style from Dusseldorf. Alt, meaning "old" in German, is a copper colored beer, with spicy Baverian hop character.

Barley Wine
Strong ale from the UK, traditionally made by using the first part of the runoff from the mash tun, usually served in 6-7 oz. bottles, or "nips". Some are wine strength, hence the name.

Biere de Garde
"Garder" means to keep or to save. Northern French style strong ale. Bottled conditioned examples are available in the US. Golden or copper colored, they are also low in hop character.

Bitter
The term for draught pale ale in the UK. Copper colored and fairly hoppy, this is the most popular style of ale produced by British brewers.

Bock
Amber, malty strong lager of German origin, tradionally available in the Spring in the US. This style came from the town of Einbeck, and the name was eventually corrupted to Ein Bock, the German word for goats. Goats are used on many Bock Beer labels.

Brown Ale
Principally British in origin, although the stye is known in France and Belgium. The British make a sweet, London style brown ale, as well as the drier Northern version. Both are low in hops and get their color from a blend of roasted malt.

Cream Ale
US term for a light, golden, sparkling beer made in the Northeast. Low in hops, with a creamy head. Slightly sweet.

Doppelbock
Doppel means double in German. Not actually twice as strong as Bock, but definitely extra strong. Like Barley Wine, Doppelbock is also made with the first runoff from the mash.

Dortmunder
Beer from the city of Dortmund. Usually called Export, this lager is golden and slightly strong.

Dunkel
Dark lager in German

Export
Used to describe a golden, slightly stronger beer in Germany. Indicates a stronger version of Stout outside of Ireland.

Framboise
Belgian Lambic made with raspberries.

Hefe-weizen
Bavarian wheat beer with the yeast still in the bottle, "Hefe" means yeast in German, "weizen" means wheat or white. Spicy, clove flavors are derived from the special yeast strain.

Helles
Golden lager in German.

Imperial Russian Stout
Very strong British stout, originally brewed for the Russian Court. Basically, a black version of Barley wine, with lots of roasted malt and hops.

India Pale Ale
Very hoppy, somewhat stronger version of pale ale, made to last the voyage from the UK to India in the 1800s. Whole hops were added to the wooden casks just before shipping, a process called dry hopping.

Kolsch
Golden, fruity top fermenting beer from the German city of Cologne.

Kriek
Belgian Lambic made with cherries.

Lambic
Belgian beer produced by ambient fermentation, sometimes made with fruit. Yeast and other microorganisms present in the air around the brewery are allowed to ferment this style, then it is stored for many months in wooden casks.

Light Beer
Low calorie, golden American lager. Usually under 100 calories per 12 oz. serving.

Mailbock
Bock beer traditionally available in Germany in May. Brewed year round by some brewers.

Malt Liquor
Strong, low hopped American lager with very little body. Highly fermentable syrups are added to the kettle to boost the alcohol in this style.

Mild
British light bodied ale, low in hops and alcohol. Pale and dark versions of this popular draught beer are available in the Northern industrial regions in the UK.

Munich/Munchener
The malty beers of this city are traditonally dark, Dunkel, with slight Baverian hop character. The golden version, Helles, is also malty.

Old Ale
Strong ale with more alcohol than regular ales, but less than Barley wine.

Pale Ale
Traditionally, the bottled version of Bitter. Copper colored, and hoppy, the most popular ale in the UK. A West Coast version is more golden, and can be quite hoppy.

Pilsner/Pils
From the Czech city of Pilsn. A fragrant, golden lager with lots of Saaz hops. Deep golden, slightly malty, the classic Contintental brew. The name has been borrowed by brewers all over the world.

Porter
Blended Pale Ale and sweet stout were thought to be the original beers mixed together to produce this brew for the porters of London. Brewers eventually made their own versions of this style.

Rauchbier
From the Bamberg region of Germany, this amber lager is made with beechwood smoked malt. Very smoky and malty.

Scotch Ale
Malty, sometimes dark, Scotch ale is generally less hoppy than the British counterpart. Strong versions of the style are available in bottles.

Stout
Very dry, roasted black ale made famous by the Guinness Brewery of Ireland. Equally famous for the creamy head that nitrogen gives beer. Sweet versions available in the UK.

Trappist
Strong, naturally soured ales made by Trappist monks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Vienna
Amber, malty brews, originally from Vienna.

Weisse/Weizenbier
Generally bottle fermented, these unfiltered German wheat beers are known for their cloudy appearance and spicy, clovy flavor. Sometimes served with lemon slices.

Wit
Unfiltered Belgian wheat beer, called wit, or white, because of its cloudy apperance. Spiced with orange and coriander.

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