Close-up of five tall glasses filled with different types of beer with varying colors placed on top of a wooden counter.

Setting your brewery apart in the craft brewing industry requires understanding the artistry and business expertise involved in beer production. As a brewery business owner, you're crafting not just beer but creating an experience and shaping a culture with innovation.

Appreciating the legacy of classic beer styles is important because they allow you to create and experiment with different ingredients for new styles. Mastering these styles solidifies your brewery's credibility and reputation and enhances your creative potential to tailor brews that resonate with your customers.

Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, such as advanced fermentation or quality brite tanks, ensures your production processes meet qualitative and quantitative demands, enhancing quality and efficiency. These classic beer styles you should start brewing will give you a competitive edge and drive your business's sustained success in a dynamic market.

Lager

Originally from Central Europe, lagers exemplify clean, crisp flavors and refreshing qualities. Crafted through a meticulous fermentation process at low temperatures, these beers are popular for their pale appearance and light taste, which cater to a wide range of palates.

Lager production demands precision in temperature control and timing, ensuring a smooth, well-balanced finish that distinguishes it from more robust styles. Lager brewing enhances technique and provides a solid foundation for experimentation and innovation.

Pilsner

Pilsners have a clear, straw-like appearance and aromatic profile that boasts floral and spicy notes. Originating in the 19th century in the Czech city of Plzeň, these golden beers use soft water and Saaz hops, which impart a distinct bitterness that lingers gracefully on the palate.

The craftsmanship of a pilsner is intricate, demanding precise control over temperature and timing to ensure the final product achieves its hallmark crispness and brilliant clarity. Achieving the desired balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness is crucial; it defines the pilsner experience as refreshingly brisk yet sophisticated in its simplicity.

Stout

Tall glass filled with dark beer over a napkin on top of wooden counter surrounded by pieces of chocolate and muffins.

One of the classic beer styles you should start brewing is stouts, they stand out for their robust, roasted flavors derived from unmalted roasted barley. Originating in Britain and Ireland, they have different tastes, from the dryness of a classic Irish stout to the sweetness of a milk stout, incorporating coffee, chocolate, and oatmeal.

These complex profiles make stouts popular among those who seek a bold, intense beer experience. Crafting a stout involves a deep understanding of the malt's roasting process and the balance of bitterness and sweetness through precision and innovation in brewing techniques.

Porter

Porters are medium-bodied beers that bridge the gap between light ales and intense stouts. Distinguished for their harmonious blend of chocolate, caramel, and malt flavors, porters offer a smooth, satisfying drinking experience that appeals to everyone who enjoys dark beer.

Their versatility lies in their ability to deliver complex yet approachable taste profiles and their capacity for creative innovation. Modern brewers often infuse porters with distinctive additions of vanilla, coffee, or bourbon, enhancing their depth and offering novel twists on this classic style.

India Pale Ale (IPA)

India Pale Ales, colloquially known as IPAs, represents contemporary craft brewing renowned for their distinctive hop-forward profile. Originating in the 19th century England, IPAs started with elevated hop content and higher alcohol volume to withstand the difficult journey to British troops stationed in India.

Modern IPAs range from West Coast to New England varieties and have unique flavor combinations such as vibrant citrus, resinous pine, floral notes, or tropical fruit undertones. This versatile style allows for continuous innovation with hop varieties, ensuring each IPA offers a fresh sensory experience.

Amber Ale

Glass mug with a handle filled with a red beer with a thin line of foam on top placed on a wooden table with a red background.

Amber ales have an inviting reddish color infused with caramel malts. This style is popular for its flavor profile, which balances moderate hop bitterness with a malt-forward sweetness, resulting in a satisfying experience for beer enthusiasts.

The caramel malt contributes to the ale's toasty and slightly sweet notes, providing depth and complexity similar to toffee or biscuit flavors. This makes amber ales versatile enough to pair with various foods, complementing roasted meats and spicy cuisine. Brewing amber ale demands precision in regulating the malt and hop balance to achieve its signature smooth finish.

Wheat Beer

Wheat beers, particularly Belgian and German varieties, have light, refreshing qualities with a unique complexity. Their cloudy appearance sets them apart from clearer beer styles. Integral to their profile are the spices, commonly including coriander and orange peel, which elevate their natural citrusy notes and enhance their inherent drinkability.

Some brewers go further by serving wheat beers with a slice of lemon or orange, adding an extra layer of zest that complements their slightly sweet and crisp taste. Wheat beers demand strategic brewing, with a balance of yeast, hops, and spices to achieve their signature smooth yet rich palate.

Saison

Saisons, originate from Belgium, have a complex flavor profile that combines fruity aromas with earthy undertones. Traditionally brewed in the cooler months to drink during the warmer seasons, these ales offer a refreshing quality that is simultaneously spicy and dry, thanks to their characteristically high carbonation levels.

The versatility of saisons makes them an excellent complement to seafood and spicy cuisine, enhancing the meal experience with their subtle peppery notes and fruity esters. Brewing a saison requires precise fermentation techniques and a balance of ingredients, ensuring that each batch delivers the hallmark dry finish and dynamic taste that defines this beloved style.

Belgian Dubbel

Belgian dubbels are popular for their intricate and multifaceted flavor profile. These ales have different tastes, including dark fruits such as raisins and figs, with notes of caramel and subtle spices. Their mahogany flavor is emblematic of their depth and complexity, with a robust yet remarkably smooth finish.

Brewing a Belgian dubbel requires patience and precision, as the beer requires careful fermentation, a meticulously controlled brewing environment, and ample time to mature and fully. This dedication results in a satisfying ale that honors its origins and captures the imagination of contemporary beer enthusiasts seeking a beverage with quality and sophistication.

Learning about the classic beer styles you should be brewing will give you the opportunity to expand your offering and experiment with innovation. Each style provides a unique sensory delight and encapsulates centuries-old brewing with modern advancements. Brite tanks, essential elements in the fermentation and maturation process, play a pivotal role in ensuring the clarity, carbonation, and overall excellence of the final product. Investing in our quality brite tanks for sale will enhance the precision and efficiency of your brewing operation to produce beers that achieve the delicate balance of complexity and taste.

Classic Beer Styles You Should Start Brewing