Your beer cheat sheet
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    At Northwestern, our beer choices usually range from water to piss water. But out in the real world, there are actually dozens of beer varieties. There are two basic categories: ales and lagers, both of which you’ve probably seen on the pong table. Here’s the difference:

    Photo by Jamie Wiebe / North by Northwestern.

    Lagers

    Country of origin: Germany

    Fermentation temperature: 45 to 55 degrees F

    Yeast characteristics: Bottom fermenting. Brewers use yeasts that ferment in the wort at the bottom of the vat.

    Color: Tend to be a lighter yellow in color

    Flavor: Clean and crisp. You won’t taste the bitter hops as much as you would in an ale.

    Average alcohol content: 2 to 5 percent

    Common lagers: Bud Light, Coors Light, Heinekein, Corona, Miller High Life, Amstel Light, Busch, Keystone Light

    Most common sub-genres:

    • Pilsner/Pale lager: Light but somewhat bitter. People used to differentiate between a pilsner and a pale lager, but now brewers seem to use the terms interchangeably. Today, just think of it as a “premium” lager. Examples: Beck’s, Stella Artois, Pilsner Urquell

    Ales

    Country of origin: Britain

    Fermentation temperature: 60 to 75 degrees F

    Yeast characteristics:
    Top fermenting. Brewers use yeasts in ales that ferment in the wort at the top of the vat.

    Color: Usually darker in appearance than a lager, sometimes amber-colored or darker.

    Flavor: Complex, rich, and somewhat bitter. Some brewers even add hints of fruit.

    Average alcohol content: 4 to 7 percent

    Most common sub-genres:

    • Pale ale: Bitter and a sweet, hoppy flavor. Examples: Bass Ale, Dogfish IPA, Budweiser Pale Ale
    • Brown ale: Nutty and sweet. Known for going down smoothly. Examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, Sierra Nevada Brown Ale, Goose Island Nut Brown
    • Stout ale: Roasted coffee flavors. Often sweet. Examples: Guinness, Russian Imperial Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout
    • Bitter ale: Rich in hop flavor with some bitterness. Examples: Goose Island Honker’s Ale
    • Amber ale: Bitter but smooth. Amber in color. Examples: Budweiser American Ale

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