Ales

Question 1

What is Kölsch?

Answer 1

Ale from Cologne fermented at cooler than normal temperatures

Question 2

What is Brown Ale?

Answer 2

Spawned from Mild Ale, maltier and sweeter on the palate, with a fuller body. Low hops aromas and bitterness.
4-7% ABV

Question 3

What is Pale Ale?

Answer 3

Brewed with hard water, enhancing clarity and bitterness. Generally balanced between malt and hops.
American Pale Ales tend to be cleaner and hoppier; British Pale Ales are more malty, buttery, and aromatic.
4-7% abv

Question 4

What is Scotch Ale?

Answer 4

Also known as “Wee Heavy.” Long boil in the kettle for greater caramelization. Sweeter, fuller-bodied, higher in alcohol, with pronounced malty caramel and roasted malts; may exhibit tea-like bitterness.
ABV 6-10%

Question 5

What is Mild Ale?

Answer 5

Quintessential session beer, characterized by low levels of hops and low alcohol. Breaks down into Dark Mild and Pale mild.
ABV 2-6%

Question 6

What is Burton Ale?

Answer 6

The original product of Burton-on-Trent (made famous by Pale Ales and IPA). All malt, long boil. Dark, sweet, malty in style. Extremely popular pre-Industrial revolution, but went into steep decline in the 20th century due to the taste for dry, hoppy beers, and heavy taxing on higher alcohols during the wars. Virtually extinct.
ABV: 5-12%

Question 7

What is Old Ale?

Answer 7

Also known as “Stock” Ales. Low attenuated beers with high levels of dextrin. Historically transferred into vats to mature (hence the name).
Dark in color, fruity, vinous, intense malt, sharp alcohol. Vintage varieties may show low levels of oxidation; stronger versions may seem akin to port. May be sours.
ABV 4-12%

Question 8

What is Belgian Ale?

Answer 8

Ale brewed with Belgian yeasts. May be spiced.
May be pale or dark; also seen in Strong versions (Duvel Strong Pale Ale is a classic). Begian IPA is an emerging style.
ABV 4-7% for “normal” styles
Strong/IPA ABV 7-15%

Question 9

What is Stout?

Answer 9

Drier, darker, more full-bodied than Porter. Traditionally British, made from dark malted barley; now nearly synonymous with Guinness (made from unmalted barley and therefore drier and higher acid).
Subcategories include Milk Stout (brewed with lactose, lower alcohol), Oatmeal Stout (smoother, nutter mouthfeel), Chocolate Stout, Russian Imperial (8-12% ABV)
ABV 4-7%

Question 10

What is Foreign/Export Stout?

Answer 10

A style of stout brewed at higher alcohol for a long journey; traditionally found in the tropical regions.
6-9% abv.

Question 11

What is Porter?

Answer 11

Originally a blend of an old ale (stale or soured) a new ale (pale or brown), and a mild ale, creating a taste neither new nor old. Fueled the industrial revolution in Britain.
Brewed using pale malt plus black, crystal, chocolate, or smoked brown malt. Generally sweeter and less roasted character than stouts.
Baltic Porters were brewed at higher alcohols for shipping.
ABV: 4-7% (7-10% for Baltic Porters)

Question 12

What is Roggenbier?

Answer 12

Germany rye ale. Spicy, sour rye and clean hop characters. Similar styles may be called Rye Beer elsewhere.
ABV 4-6%

Question 13

What is Scottish Gruit/Ancient Herbed Ale?

Answer 13

Usually a concoction of sweet gale, yarrow, wild rosemary, and other herbs. May be highly intoxicating and aphrodisical.
Basically a category that recognizes the ancient ales.

Question 14

What is Gose?

Answer 14

Originally from Leipzig, Germany. Unfiltered wheat beer, 50-60% malted wheat. Low hop bitterness, spice from the addition of ground coriander and salt. Ma be laced with flavored or colored syrups.
ABV 4-5%

Question 15

What is Berliner Weissbier?

Answer 15

Top fermented, bottle conditioned, wheat beer, made with traditional cerevisiae and also lactobacillus.
Refreshing, tart, sour, acidic, citrus fruit, no hop bitterness.
ABV 2-5%

Question 16

What are the syrups added to Berliner Weissbier?

Answer 16

Ordered “mit schuss”
Himbeere: raspberry
Waldmeister: woodruff

Question 17

What is Altbier?

Answer 17

“Old Beer” from Dusseldorf. Name refers to longer conditioning, resulting in mellowed fruitiness, smooth, delicate.
A “Sticke” is a stronger version of Altbier.
ABV 4-7%

Question 18

What is Sahti?

Answer 18

Finnish farmhouse ale, one of the last few primitive ales. Traditionally mashed in wooden barrels, and then clarified by running the mash into a kuurna (wooden trough) and through a filter of juniper branches, creating a juniper infusion.
Wort is not boiled after lautering, leaving lots of protein and body. A cloudy, unfiltered beer with lots of sediment, typically unhopped (balanced by the sharp resiny note of juniper).
ABV 7-11%

Question 19

What is an English Bitter?

Answer 19

An ale with more pale malts and higher hop levels. Low carbonation and alcohol. Traditionally served cask-conditioned (may be seen in bottle). Also seen as Extra Strong Bitter.
ABV: 3-5%
ESB ABV: 4-7%

Question 20

What is barleywine?

Answer 20

Strong, intense beer, sweet to bittersweet, may be fruit dominant or hop dominant.
American varieties are generally more heavily hopped than British or other European efforts. Very ageworthy - can be cellared for years.
ABV 7-12%

Question 21

What is Braggot?

Answer 21

An ancient style, dating back to the 12th century (at least). Essentially mead or beer blended with spices and herbs, balanced between honey, malt, bitterness, and sweetness.
Historically blended behind the bar. Modern expressions may or may not be spiced (?).
ABV: 6-12%

Question 22

What is Saison?

Answer 22

Also called Farmhouse Ale
Brewed in the winter for drinking in the summer, preserved by hops and spices. Originated in Wallonia (southern Belgium).
ABV: 5-8%

Question 23

What is Bière de Garde?

Answer 23

Moderate to mediumm bodied, more fruity than hoppy, slight malty sweetness. May be earthy/funky. Often not chill proofed, often cask conditioned.
ABV: 6-8%

Question 24

What is Cream Ale?

Answer 24

Spawned from the American light lager, brewed as an ale but finished with lager yeast or blended with lager to finish. Usually use adjuncts like rice or corn, but may be all-malt. Low hop bittering.
ABV: 4-8%

Question 25

What is American Wild Ale?

Answer 25

A belgian influenced style involving the introduction of “wild” yeast, such as brettanomyces, pediococcus, or lactobacillus through old, inoculated barrels, sour mash, or actual inoculation.