International Beer Day is celebrated in more than 200 cities across the globe — and here at Tasty Pizza, we’re happy to raise a toast and rejoice in the unmatched greatness of beer. To celebrate, let’s take a look at the different styles of beer that stem from ales and lagers.

Different Styles of Ale

Ale is the parent to several types of beers. It’s brewed at room temperature with top-fermenting yeast and has a fruity and spicy flavor. Ale also breaks down into different styles, including stouts, wheat and India pale ale (IPA):

• IPA. This style of ale is popular because it uses different varieties of hops. Most IPAs have a citrus, pine or floral aroma and a mild bitter taste, as well as a strong, hoppy flavor.
• Stout. Stouts are a dark, strong beer. They’re made with roasted malt or barley, hops, water, and yeast. They tend to have a heavily roasted flavor with hints of coffee, chocolate, molasses, and licorice.
• Wheat. A lighter beer, wheat beer is mostly made with wheat and a small amount of malted barley. Flavor varies between wheat beers, but many have a fruity taste and aroma. They’re also considered an excellent beer for summer due to their lightness and lack of aftertaste.

Other styles of ale include Belgians, porters, browns, and sours. If you’re interested in an ale, we serve local craft beers called Castle Cream Ale, Obsidian Stout, IPA and Four Cords.

Different Styles of Lager

Lagers are brewed with a bottom-fermenting yeast and are stored at cooler temperatures — that’s the difference between lagers and ales. Lagers offer a clean, crisp taste that highlights the flavors of the hops and malts. Different types of lagers include pale and dark lagers, as well as bock:

• Pale Lagers. Pilsners are a favorite type of lager, as well as India Pale Lager. These lagers are lighter in color and body, which makes for a dry, lean taste. They also have a substantial amount of carbonation and vary in bitterness based on the hop used
• Dark Lagers. These lagers have a distinct, smooth malty flavor. Dark lagers range in color from amber to a deep reddish brown, but they’re considered a light beer. Dark lager styles include Dunkels and Helles.
• Bock. This style of beer used to be classified as a dark lager but now has a lighter color. Its flavor lies in its malts rather than its hops. Bocks also have a heavier body than dark and pale lagers.

Whether you’re a fan of lagers or ales, we offer both at Tasty Pizza — plus delicious, thin-crust pizza that’ll complement your choice of beer, no matter what it is. Visit us to try our locally brewed craft beer and freshly made pizza while you watch the latest UFC match.