BEER Cheat Sheet

Do you know the difference between a Weissbier and a Witbier?  Do you prefer Dubbel, Doppelbock or Single Bock? Do you know what a Kolsch or Gueze is?  Well, you do now. Who knew beer could be so diverse.

                                                                                                         Me and Yun on number...10 I think.
                                                                                               San Diego County Fair Beer festival 2011
                                                                                                      (Picture thrown in for no reason)

ABBEY - Strong, fruity, spicy, aromatic, complex.
ALTBIER - Bronze colored, snappy bitterness, full of malt flavor.
AMBER - Color signals caramelized flavors in amber ales and lagers
BARLEY WINE - Very strong, dark, bittersweet, malty, complex - a sipping beer. (Whatever!)

                                                                                                               Stone Old Gaurian Barley Wine

BIERE DE GARDE - Full-bodied, herbal, flavors of anise and earth
BITTER - Fruity and racy, subtle, low carbonation, robust hopping.
BOCK -  Dark (usually), strong, malty, toffeeish, full bodied, restrained bitterness.
BROWN ALE -  Dark, caramelized, fruity, light chocolate and coffee.
DOPPELBOCK - Very strong, dark, toffeeish, with some sweetness.
DORTMUNDER EXPORT - Golden, dry, bready, moderate bitterness.
DUBBELL - Dark, fruity, complex, raisiny, spicy.
DUNKEL/DUNKLES - Dark, malty, juicy, bready, moderate bitterness.
ESB - "Extra Special Bitter", amber, fruity, slightly strong, hoppy.
FRAMBOISE/FRAMBOZEN - Beer made with raspberries; can be sween or dry.
GUEUZE - Pale, dry, funky, wildly complex, quite tarte.
HEFEWEIZEN - Wheat beer with yeast, light bodied, spritzy, clovey, banana like.
HELLES - Golden, light bodied, malty, bready, restrained bitterness.
IMPERIAL STOUT - Very strong, dark, roasty, coffeeish, chocolaty, robust.
IPA - "India Pale Ale", amber, strong, dry, robust hop bitterness and aroma
KOLSCH - Very pale gold, bready, lightly fruity, restrained bitterness.
KRIEK-Beer made with cherries, can be sweet or dry.
LAMBIC - Fermented by wild yeasts (like your mamma!), tart base for gueuze and fruit beers, funky
MARZENBIER - Amber, bready, round, malty, caramelized, juicy, medium bodied.
MILD - Dark, lightly hopped, caramelized, raisiny, light bodied.
OKTOBERFEST - Should be the same as marzenbier, but sometimes paler.
OLD ALE - Somewhat strong, dark, caramelized, fruity, balanced bitterness.
OUD BRUIN - "Old Brown", dark, sweet and sour, fruity, juicy, raisiny, complex.
PALE ALE - Amber, snappy, dry, fruity, hoppy, with some caramel flavors.
PILSNER - If genuine, golden dry, sharply bitter, flowery, bready, snappy.
PORTER - Very dark, chcolaty, coffeeish, caramelized, hoppy.
RAUCHBIER - "Smoked beer", smoky flavors and aromatics, juicy, caramelized.
SAISON - Dry, sharp, spicy, complex, refreshing, hoppy, slightly strong.
SCHWARZBIER - "Black beer", dark, bitter chocolate, dry, caramelized, bready.
SCOTCH ALE - Dark, sometimes strong, malty, full bodied, restrained bitterness.

                                                                                Harvestoun Ola Dubh Scotch Ale - 12 year - YUM!

STOUT - Black, coffeesh, chocolaty, can bbe dry or sweet, strohng or modest.
TRAPPIST - Made by monks, stong, fruity, spicy, complex.
TRIPEL - Pale, strong, dry, fruity, complex, spicy, rummy, spirituous.
VIENNA-STYLE - Bronze, sweetish (not swedish), malty, bready, caramelized, light bitterness.
WEISSE/WEISSBIER - Wheat beer, usually with yeast (like your mamma!) See hefewizen.
WITBIER - Belgian wheat beer, hazy yellow, light bodied, citric, spritzy, slightly tangy.
BUDWIESER -  Slight taste of duck urine, watery, worthless.

*The above list was pulled directly from  "The Brewmaster's Table", Garret Oliver, Harper Colins 2005