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For beer novices, choosing a type of beer to drink can be difficult when your only experience has been with drinking light beer in college. Follow this guide when selecting a type of craft beer based on your taste preferences and if you are eating a meal with the beer.
Lambic
Taste: Dry, light and fruity. Can sometimes taste tart.
Goes with: Pastries or fruit desserts, dishes with cream or butter sauces
Brands: Mort Subite, Belle Vue, Cantillon, and Saint-Louis
Lager
Taste: Smooth, slightly tangy and light flavor
Goes with: Fish and strong dishes such as curry
Brands: Sam Adams, Yeungling, Budweiser, Beck's, Stella Artois
Pale Ale
Taste: Lighter-bodied with a moderate tang or sometimes a caramel or toasted, spicy aroma.
Goes with: A wide range of food, such as soups, salads, pizza or burgers
Brands: Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA and 90-Minute IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Smithwick's
Wheat Beer
Taste: Crisp, lighter beer with a mild flavor. American versions have a distinctive citrus taste.
Goes with: Salads, sushi or vegetable dishes
Brands: Blue Moon, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, Hoegaarden
Brown Ale
Tastes: Smooth, full bodied with a nutty or woody flavor
Goes with: Meats such as roast pork, grilled chicken or smoked sausage
Brands: New Castle Brown Ale, Pete's Wicked Ale
Bock
Taste: Strong and heavy with either a sweet or dry taste. Characterized by caramel, toffee and toasted malt flavors.
Goes with: Game, lambs, heavy sausage or creamy desserts
Brands: Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Bock, Michelob Amber Bock
Porter
Taste: Dark with a rich, slightly bitter and sometimes sharp taste
Goes with: Roasted or smoked foods, strong cheeses
Brands: Fuller's London Porter, Yuengling Dark-Brewed Porter
Stout
Taste: Dry and intense with a coffee-like finish
Goes with: Shellfish or meat dishes, chocolate desserts
Brands: Guinness, Samuel Adams Imperial Stoutr
