Pale, crisp, and hoppy with a clean bitterness. The original golden lager, first brewed in Plzeň in 1842, and the style that most mass-market lagers worldwide are modeled after.

A malt-forward, gently sweet golden lager, softer and less bitter than a Pilsner. Munich's everyday beer.

Amber, malty, and medium-bodied, traditionally brewed in March and lagered through summer for autumn drinking. The classic style poured at Oktoberfest.

Strong, malty, and dark-ish lager with notable alcohol warmth. Doppelbock ("double bock") is an even stronger, richer variant.

Amber-colored with toasty, biscuity malt character. Exported to Mexico by Austrian and German brewers in the 19th century, it heavily influenced Mexican lagers like Negra Modelo.

Light-bodied, pale, and highly carbonated, made with a portion of corn or rice alongside barley malt. The style behind most major American mass-market beer brands.

Balanced, moderately hoppy, and amber-to-gold. The American version tends toward brighter, more citrusy hops than its earthier English counterpart.

Hop-forward and often quite bitter, originally brewed with extra hops (a natural preservative) to survive the long sea voyage from England to colonial India. The modern American craft beer movement's flagship style, now with countless sub-styles (Hazy/New England IPA, Double IPA, Session IPA).

Dark, roasty, and full-bodied, made with roasted barley for coffee and chocolate notes. Guinness (a "dry stout") is the best-known example; Imperial Stout is a much stronger, richer variant.

A dark, roasty ale similar to stout but historically lighter-bodied, predating stout as a style (stout was originally just a stronger version of porter, "stout porter").

Pale, cloudy, and made with a high proportion of wheat alongside barley. Distinctive banana and clove aromas come from the special yeast strain used, not from added fruit or spice.

A pale, cloudy Belgian wheat beer spiced with coriander and orange peel. Light, refreshing, and citrusy.

Dark, malty, and moderately strong, with notes of dried fruit and caramel from special dark candi sugar. Traditionally brewed by Trappist monks.

Pale but deceptively strong (often 8–10% ABV), with a fruity, spicy yeast character and a light body despite the alcohol.

A dry, peppery, highly carbonated farmhouse ale, originally brewed by farmers for seasonal workers. Refreshing despite its rustic, funky character.

Malt-forward with caramel sweetness and a reddish-copper color. Irish Red Ale is a milder, session-friendly version; American versions often add more hop bitterness.

Nutty, malty, and low-to-moderate in bitterness, with notes of toffee and toasted bread. A comfortable, easy-drinking style.

Despite the name, a beer, not a wine — very strong (often 8–12% ABV), rich, and malt-heavy, meant for slow sipping and sometimes aging like a fine wine.

A crisp, delicate pale ale fermented like an ale but conditioned cold like a lager, giving it a clean character that bridges both styles. A protected style name — legally, it may only be labeled "Kölsch" if brewed in or around Cologne.

A light, mild, easy-drinking pale ale designed to compete with pale lagers, popular in the American Midwest and Canada.

A sour, funky beer spontaneously fermented using wild yeast and bacteria naturally present in the air of the region, rather than a cultivated yeast strain. Often aged for years and blended (Gueuze) or fruited (Kriek with cherries, Framboise with raspberries).

A light, tart, low-alcohol wheat beer, historically served with a shot of fruit syrup to balance its sharp acidity.

Sour, vinegary, and fruity, aged in oak barrels for a wine-like tartness. Sometimes called the "Burgundy of Belgium" for its acidity and complexity.