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*JUST ADDED TODAY – Porter, Rauchbier and Saison*
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Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a porter and a stout? Can you tell your pilsners and your pale ales apart? Have you ever worried whether monks actually brew Trappist beers and what IPA really stands for?
If you have then you need to check out BeerSweden’s Ultimate Beer Style Guide – a list of many of the most common beer styles available here in Sweden. As well as giving you the heads-up on what to expect in terms of flavour I’ll also give you some examples of beers from each style to try and suggest some food dishes worth pairing with them.
Beer styles will be listed in alphabetical order, so without further ado lets start at the very beginning with:
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Abbey
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This term is applied to a wide range of strong ales that are either:
- Produced by breweries under an arrangement with a monastery but that doesn’t meet all the strict criteria of a Trappist brewery.
- A beer given the name of a defunct or made-up abbey by a commercial brewer.
- A beer branded as monastic, even though it’s got about as much to do with religion as Marilyn Manson.
Abbey beers are therefore something of false prophets but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the many different interpretations, especially dubbels and tripels (both distinctive Trappist styles).
Abbey beers are generally strong, fruity, spicy and complex. Well-known Abbey beer producers include Leffe, Affligem, Grimbergen and Maredsous.
Try:
St Feuillien Blonde: SB Article Number 1672
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Leffe Brun: SB Article Number 1336
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Food matches:
Dubbels are great with lamb, duck and beef stew. Tripels are more herby and go well with game birds and rich fish while Quadruples (the big guns) are robust enough to take on heavy game meats , beef, cheese and chocolate desserts.
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Altbier
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The name given to a style of top-fermenting beer that became popular in the Rhineland region of Germany in the early part of the 19th century. The word alt is German for ‘old’ or ‘old style’ and this beer is the German equivalent to an English ale (although it is cold-conditioned at temperatures closer to lager than ale).
Often a copper-brown full-bodied beer with a distinctly malty character and heavy use of hops.
Try:
Schlösser Alt: SB Article Number 1551-03
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Food matches:
Altbier may be ‘old’ but it’s still got it all going on with its combination of hoppy bitterness, sweet malts and subtle fruitiness making it a great all-rounder. Try it with roast chicken, pork and sausages.
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Barley Wine
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Barley wine, despite the misleading name, is actually a strong ale that became popular in England in the 19th century. At that time England was often at war with the French and it was considered the duty of true patriots among the upper classes to drink beer rather than wine.
English barley wines tend to be elegant, lusiciously rich, smooth, fruity malt wine-like beers that can be stored for a quarter of a century or more.
American-style barley wines on the other hand are generally far, far more aggressively hopped, with flavours of grapefruit, pine and quinine and are often higher in alcohol, with ABVs that can land anywhere from 8-15%.
Try:
Thomas Hardy’s Ale: SB Article Number 11277 (but hurry, it’s almost sold out!)
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Nils Oscar Barley Wine: SB Article Number 89474 (Beställningsvara)
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Hog Heaven from Avery Brewing: SB Article Number 11543
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Food matches: As well as making a great digestif, Barley wine beers are intense enough to partner strong cheeses, including classic cheddars, Gruyeres and my absolute favourite – a mature stilton. Because young barely wines are often ’sticky sweet’ they melt nicely into caramelized desserts like creme brulee. Remember that as barley wines age they become less sweet and more madeira-like in flavour.
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Bitter
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Once the UK’s national drink before the arrival of fizzy Euro-lagers, bitter is as British as the Queen, William Shakespeare and David Beckham rolled into one.
Bitter is sometimes misunderstood as a negative description but don’t let that put you off trying this style, as although by definition bitter beers have a medium to high level of bitter hops in them they come with an almost endless choice of supporting flavours and qualities.
Bitters are generally low to mid strength in terms of alcohol, making them the perfect ‘socialising drink’. They are often served in traditional pint glasses but can also be served in a wine glass at the dinner table, where they can match a vast range of different dishes.
Bitters should not be served fridge cold, so take bottles or cans out 15-20 minutes before opening them to allow the beer to warm up a bit and release some of the earthy, fruity hop aromatics they are known for.
Try:
Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale: SB Article Number: 1668
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Adnams The Bitter: SB Article Number: 1686
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Old Speckled Hen: SB Article Number 1356
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Food Matches
Bitters come in a huge range of flavours, making them great ‘all-rounders’ that often complement rather than dominate food. You simply can’t go wrong with traditional British dishes such as roasted pork or chicken, bangers and mash, shepherds pie and fish and chips.
Brown Ale
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When you think of brown ale I bet my PPM money you’re putting the word Newcastle before it. Makes sense of course as Newcastle Brown Ale has long been the biggest selling British ale in the Systembolaget. It appears the ‘Broon’ as it is affectionately known in its homeland has won the hearts of Swedish ale drinkers. Which is why it’s almost a shame to point out that Newcastle Brown Ale isn’t actually brewed in Newcastle anymore (and hasn’t been for years). It’s now going to be brewed 145 km away in Yorkshire. The sad transformation of a beer to just a brand is almost complete.
Brown ale is a style that became standard among the working classes in northern England who frowned upon the trend started by soft ‘southerners’ to drink paler ales.
British brown ales tend to have a malty aroma, moderate hops, a sweetish caramel palate and weigh in between 4-5% ABV. ‘New world’ interpretations tend to be stronger with lots of syrupy sweetness and bolder use of hops.
Try:
Newcastle Brown Ale: SB Article Number 1538
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Brooklyn Brown Ale: SB Article Number 1512
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Food Matches: Pork in almost any form, rough pâtés and sausages. Can also be used as a base to cook beef casseroles and stews (remembering to add some mushrooms too!)
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Dubbel
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If Bitter is the very essence of Britain then Dubbels (sometimes spelt doubles) are as Belgium as TinTIn . Traditionally a Trappist ale originally created by Westmalle in 1856 (so try this one!), Belgian Dubbels are rich malty beers often around 6.5-7% ABV with some dark fruit (rum and raisin) aromas and flavours and mild hop bitterness. They often display a caramel quality from the dark candy sugar used when brewing them. NEVER serve these beers too cold – it’s a cardinal sin and as you’ll miss the whole point. Around 10-12 Degrees Celsius poured into a brandy snifter is ideal.
Try:
Westmalle Dubbel: SB Article Number 1540
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La Trappe Dubbel: Beställningsvara Article Number 88685
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Food Matches: Lamb, duck, beef stew and a good steak. The dark fruits and ‘pruney’ sweetness of some dubbels matches well with ‘wild’ meats such as reindeer and elk.
IPA
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If you like your beers to pack a hoppy punch then this is the beer style for you. First developed by the British in the 1800s to withstand the long sea voyage to India and to quench the thirst of the Raj. The trick was to put so many hops into the strong beer before loading it onboard that it was impossible to drink. However, during the months at sea the hops and high level of alcohol helped prevent the beer from spoiling, and by the time it arrived in India it had matured into a clear, strong and bitter beer. Classic IPA’s use hard water to give it a refreshing mineral quality, while a boat-load of hops provide grassy aromas and a tongue-curling finish. US brewers helped revive IPA in the 1980s and it is today one of the most brewed styles of craft beer.
Try:
Marstons Old Empire: SB Article Number 1581
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……..Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA: SB Article Number 11528
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Food matches: Caramelisation in grilled meats is the perfect foil for IPA’s bitterness and fuller carbonation and helps ‘lighten’ any fat. Drier, sharper IPAs have the spice and strength to pair incredibly well with Indian cuisine, as well as other rich and powerful dishes.
Kölsch
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A straw-coloured ale that is fermented warm and then cold conditioned. Looks deceptively like a lager (and is served chilled) so it a good ‘cross-over’ from lager to ale. Traditionally brewed in Cologne in Germany, where it is revered above all other beers. Kölsch typically displays biscuit and bready malts mixed with orchard fruits and a creamy smooth mouth-feel (thanks to the occasional use of wheat) and a tangy finish.
Try: Going to Cologne, because right now I can’t find a bottle of kölsch at the Systembolaget 
Food Matches: Kölsch is a fairly low impact beer which means it goes well with a wide range of foods. It’s particuarly good with salads, where it mixes well with fresh greens and slips nicely into vinaigrette dressings. It could be a worthy alternative to pilsner when eating crayfish or toast skagen.
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Lambic Fruit Beers
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As far away from ‘normal’ beer as most people want to get, but give this beer style a chance as it can be a spectacularly interesting drink. Certainly the way it is made is, using wild yeasts from a small patch of Belgium’s Senne Valley to spontaneously ferment beer (known as lambic beer), which then has fruit added to start a funky secondary fermentation, often in wooden casks. Typically cherries (kriek) and framboise (raspberry) are used, although blackcurrant (cassis) and peaches (Peche) are also worth trying. Traditional kriek and framboise are sharp and dry, while more commercial versions are sweeter, often using fruit syrups to dull the natural tart acidity. Shockingly different. I dare you to try one!
Try:
Timmermans Kriek: SB Article Number 1666
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Food Matches: Lambics are quite low in bitterness but have plenty of acidity to make up for it, which is often balanced with sweet, almost sugary fruit flavours. They stand out at the dessert course and are an absolute given with anything chocolate-based, where they wipe the floor with wine, providing a fruity hit with a soft carbonation that massages your taste-buds with every mouthful.
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Lambic/Gueuze
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If these beers were a music genre they would be jazz; misunderstood and difficult to appreciate. Lambic is an ancient style which embraces natural fermentation with uncultured ‘wild’ yeasts and other flora unique to certain parts of Belgium’s Senne valley, home to most Lambic brewers. The beer is then fermented for a year or more in wooden casks (some of which are hundreds of years old), developing pungent aromas and bizarre flavours such as wet dog, horse blanket and cheese. Sound good? It is! Gueuze is a blend of young and old lambics, and is generally easier to drink. Naturally cloudy and becomes less sour and more sweet with age.
Try:
Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Vieille: SB Article Number 1694
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Food matches: Lambics are very rare outside Belgium, so I’ll turn immediately to gueuze. With its noticeable acidity gueuze can have a champagne-like quality to it and makes an impressive aperitif. It goes hand in glove with most seafood and put it with a tangy goats cheese for a heavenly taste experience!
Pale Ale
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Classic British ales of the style first developed in Burton-on-Trent in England during the 18th and 19th centuries. The extraordinarily hard water from Burton (which contains high levels of gypsum) proved to be perfect for making sparkling pale ales. Brewed using pale ale malts they are generally light amber to gold in colour, smell of flowers and spicy hops (sometimes with a bit of egg and struck matches thrown in!) and have a robust bitter finish. US pale ales are very different from their UK cousins, bursting with grapefruit and pine flavours and often a little stronger in alcohol.
Try:
Fullers London Pride: SB Beställningsvara 71393
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Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: SB Article Number 1525
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Food Matches: British versions pair well with roasted meats – with lamb and pork my personal favourites. Pastas with a creamy sauce also work well. US pale ales are the ultimate BBQ beers, and their strong fruit and hops character makes them excellent partners to Mexican, Thai and other complex. spicy dishes.
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Pilsner
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The most copied style in the world, boasting some of the planet’s best beers and many of its worst! Originally brewed in the Czech Republic in 1842 when Pilsner Urquell was first sold in the market square in Pilsen. At the time it was the world’s first ever golden beer. Word of this amazingly clear refreshing drink quickly spread and within a few years it was being copied by brewers everywhere. The term pilsner is often misused (the beer has to come from Pilsen to be a true Pilsner, but many fine examples can be found in Germany) so pay extra attention to the country of origin to be sure.
Try:
Pilsner Urquell: SB Article Number 1566
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Jever Pilsener: SB Article Number 1506
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Food matches: Genuine Pilsner is an elegant beer; pure, clean and refined in taste. It goes well with a whole cook book of foods, excelling with shellfish, spicy dishes (where it’s refreshing qualities can put out the fires caused by chillies etc) and is suprisingly good with caviar!
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Porter
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A beer with a past more complicated than Anna Anka. Debate rages in the beer world about its exact origins but I’m going with this story. In London back in the early 1700s it was quite common for drinkers to ask for their beers to be be ‘blended’ from different casks to get the flavours they were after. This was a pain for the landlord and made for a long wait for the customer. In 1722 a brewer produced a single beer that mimicked the flavours of a particularly popular blend which was a big hit with the London porters – burly chaps (who liked a drink) who hauled stuff around the capital all day long. It became known as porter beer and the name stuck. Porter therefore came first and out of it stout porter (a strong type of beer which later dropped the porter tag and became known simply as stout) evolved. History lesson over.
Try:
Carnegie Porter: Systembolaget Article Number 1497
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Oppigårds Starkporter: Systembolaget Article Number 1443
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Food Matches: With its abundance of roasted flavours porter can handle the charred tastes of grilled and BBQd meat. It’s a natural fit with steaks and homemade hamburgers and big enough to take on ‘wild’ meats such as elk and reindeer. It combines well with less intense chocolate desserts such as mouses and souffles (darker more bitter chocolate dishes may need a stout to take care of them).
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Rauchbier
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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drink bacon and ashtrays? That was the impression I got the first time I tried a Rauchbier (German for smoked beer). Rauchbiers are odd, assertive beers that get their smoky flavours from the malts used to brew them, which are dried over an open flame. The level of smokiness can vary from extremely mild to what tastes like chain smoking an entire packet of Prince cigarettes.
Try:
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier: Systembolaget Article Number 1359
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Food Matches: No surprise that smoked beers go very well with any food that also has a smoky quality to it, such as smoked meats and fish. Pork is a favoured match of many Germans. Once you get over the initial shock of this beer style you may get hooked on smoking combinations!
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Saison
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Pale ales brewed in the Flanders region of Northern France and in Belgium during Autumn and Winter and stored for drinking during the summer months traditionally by farm labourers in the field who considered them liquid bread.
Saison (French for season) is an honest, nourishing and rustic style of beer and can have some exciting extra ingredients added to give amazing complexity such as a orange peel and pepper. They really can taste of the countryside and ‘in season’ are excellent summer beers.
Try:
Nøgne Ø Saison: Beställningsvara Number 83825
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(Nils Oscar also do an excellent saison to watch out for- in season of course!)
Food Matches: With its combination of spicy hops, brisk carbonation, subtle acidity and biscuity malts saison is just made to drink with food. It is a real catch with almost all fish – with salmon a particular favourite. Its peppery notes means it also combines well with the spices and herbs in Thai and Indian cuisines.
Coming soon…..
Stout
Trappist
Tripel
Wheat Beers
Tasting beer is both a physical and a psychological experience, so the environment in which you sample beers can have a bearing on your appreciation of them. Try to avoid tasting beers in a noisy, crowded or smoky room. It’s much better to be somewhere comfortable where you can relax and try some great beers surrounded by great people.
I’d suggest you taste a maximum of six beers at any one time. This is because unlike when you taste wine you shouldn’t spit the beer out (if you do you’ll miss out on the bitter bite of most beers) which means the effects of alcohol will inevitably blunt your tasting ‘tools of the trade’ the longer the tasting goes on. It’s best to taste a few beers on several separate occasions rather than lots of beer all at one time
Many types of beer come with their own unique glasses which have been specifically designed to capture and heighten the experience of a specific beer. However not many people have these glasses at home so I’d recommend a standard red wine glass or brandy snifter, as their ‘balloon’ shape holds in aromas and makes it easier for you to swirl the beer without spilling it down your front!
Unless you’re planning to host a beer and food dinner I don’t recommend you serve food during your tasting. You want to give your tastebuds a bit of room to do their thing without confusing them with strong flavours and smells from crisps, peanuts, cheeses or other snacks. However it’s always a good idea to have some cold water on hand to cleanse the palate and if you’ve really can’t resist munching then some unsalted crackers can also help ‘reset’ your tastebuds (and get a bit of food in your stomach to help absorb some of that alcohol too!)
The answer is no-one! One of the great things about beer tasting is that you can never be wrong – tasting beers is very subjective and everyone translates taste according to references from their own personal experiences. There are some objective characteristics of beers that are roughly measurable and experienced by the majority of people in the same way (for example if a beer is flat or fizzy, sweet or bitter). The rest is open to interpretation – your interpretation.
