Ales vs. Lagers

One of the first distinctions to make when we look at beer is the difference between ales and lagers.Within each, there are numerous styles, and most of what the average drinker will recognize will fall into one of these two categories. 

Several brewing techniques will traditionally categorize a beer as either an ale or a lager, but the main difference is the use of either Ale Yeast or Lager Yeast, respectively. 

Ales typically ferment at warmer temperatures, and flavors tend to be more forward, robust, and funky.

Lagers ferment cooler and are often characterized as being crisp, clean, and balanced. 

Ales

Withing the Ale category, you will find some of the world's most loved craft beers and some less familiar favorites.

Stouts and Porters


On the darker end, you have beers such as stouts and porter. These are beers typically brewed with darkly roasted malts that tend to be full-bodied with malt-forward flavors. These often have a higher alcohol content, but you will learn that few things about these styles are objective as you start looking at them. 

A good example of a porter is the fantastic Fat Nerd Vanilla Porter from Yulli's Brews, which is backed by a lovely chocolate & roasted malt character.

The Catchment Brewing, is offering Cow Tipper a creamy smooth stout to enjoy during winter.

Browns, Ambers, and Reds

These beers are lighter in color than stouts but still carry a leading malt presence. More often than stouts and porters, you will also find these beers will some noticeable bitterness, depending on the style. Flavors of toffee, biscuit, and caramel are common, and these beers can find a good balance between the darker, malt-heavy beers and more hop-forward brews.

Sour Beers

Sour beers are brewed with bacteria and wild yeast, which gives way to a funky, acidic beer. Sours like the Berliner Wiess are tart and often mixed with fruit, will the Gose is brewed with salt for a distinctive flavor.

Among all the sours available from our brewers, Smokey Sour from Frexi has been inspired from a mexican mezcal cocktail.

Wheat Beers

Wheat Beers have a full body and medium color. Beers like the Hefeweizen and Belgian Witbier are brewed with a distinctive yeast that has flavors of banana and clove.

The Witbier is commonly brewed with spices and orange zest.

Pale Ales/IPAs

When it comes to bitter beers, color is subjective, but the defining quality is the hop-forward bitterness. Pale Ales and Bitters are lighter in color, low-ABV beers with a strong hop flavor and aroma.

However, Imperial Pale Ales(IPAs) range from golden to black and have a much higher alcohol percentage. IPAs are also known for their hefty hop profile.


You could find a huge range among our brewers as they are one of the most common types brewed.

Lagers

Lager is both an umbrella style and a style in itself, and lager beers are the most commonly consumed beers worldwide.

American Lagers/Light Lagers

These are very light, easy-drinking beers that have a low ABV.  These are often brewed with rice for a more mild malt flavor, and they also have moderate to low bitterness.

Pilsner

One of the most common beer styles in the world is the Pilsner. It comes in several varieties but is primarily characterized by a golden color and a very even balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness.

Bocks and Other Lagers

There are several other lagers that all range in color, body, and ABV.

For example, the German Doppelbock is a strong, sometimes dark lager with low bitterness and dark fruit flavors. While the Mai Bock is a light-bodied lager with malt sweetness and moderate to low bitterness. Malt Liquor also falls into the Lager category and is known for being a high-ABV light-bodied beer with moderate-to-low hop presence and an overall mild flavor.

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  1. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    Strate & Amarillo hops impart subtle notes that, if in a wine, might be expressed as barnyard. Finishes dry and crisp.
    11 Days Pale Ale
    11 Days Pale Ale
    Australian Pale Ale
    Jervis Bay Brewing Co
    Sold By Jervis Bay Brewing Co
    Pay as little as $43.00
    8 pack
    $51.00
    16 pack
    $84.00
    4 pack
    $26.00
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  2. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    Tasting notes
    Super juicy mango flavoured New England IPA balanced with a fruity hop bitterness
    7th Day Hazy IPA
    7th Day Hazy IPA
    Hazy IPA
    7th Day
    Sold By 7th Day
    Pay as little as $42.00
    8 pack
    $50.00
    16 pack
    $80.00
    4 pack
    $25.00
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  3. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
  4. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    Tasting notes
    The fresh citrus and tropical aromas that swirl around this golden elixir will guarantee that summer sensation all year round
  5. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Dry
    • Fizzy
    • Clean
    Tasting notes
    Little body and colour with high clarity. Low sweetness is met with blasts of ginger on the nose and in the mouth. Mild citrus on the nose as well. Clean finish with a lingering spice from the fresh ginger additions.
    Aether Ginger Beerd
    Aether Ginger Beerd
    Ginger Beer
    Aether Brewing
    Sold By Aether Brewing
    Pay as little as $43.00
    8 pack
    $51.00
    16 pack
    $85.00
    4 pack
    $26.00
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  6. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Fizzy
    Tasting notes
    Brewed traditionally with real raspberries for a tart and jammy taste. It’s gluten-free, all natural, vegan, zero sugar, lower calories, preservative and additive-free.
  7. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    Tasting notes
    A moderate body and smooth finish lead the way to endless drinkability on any occasion.
    Aether XPA
    Aether XPA
    XPA
    Aether Brewing
    Sold By Aether Brewing
    Pay as little as $36.00
    8 pack
    $42.00
    16 pack
    $70.00
    4 pack
    $21.00
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  8. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    A blissful symphony of hops in a tropical oasis!
    Affinity
    Affinity
    Tropical Ale
    Blackflag Brewing
    Sold By Blackflag Brewing
    Pay as little as $38.00
    8 pack
    $42.00
    16 pack
    $70.00
    4 pack
    $21.00
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  9. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    • Clean
    • Light
    Tasting notes
    Crisp mouthfeel with a moderate degree of clarity. Strong aroma and taste of a fruit salad from the hops, particularly stone fruits and citrus. Little aftertaste as the hops and malt burst in the mouth and dissipate rapidly
    All Australian Pale Ale
    All Australian Pale Ale
    Pale Ale
    Aether Brewing
    Sold By Aether Brewing
    Pay as little as $38.00
    8 pack
    $45.00
    16 pack
    $75.00
    4 pack
    $23.00
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  10. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    • Light
    Tasting notes
    Tastes like beer, doesn't feel like beer.
    All Nighter
    All Nighter
    Rating:
    80%
    Ale
    Urban Alley Brewery
    Sold By Urban Alley Brewery
    Pay as little as $31.00
    8 pack
    $37.00
    24 pack
    $92.00
    4 pack
    $19.00
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  11. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Chewy
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    The perfect seasonal IPA making use of one of our favourite citrus fruits. Pairs well with a Korean BBQ.
  12. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Chewy
    Tasting notes
    An easy drinking ale with subtle bitterness and clean malt finish.
    American Pale Ale
    American Pale Ale
    American Pale Ale
    Rocks Brewing Co
    Sold By Rocks Brewing Co
    Pay as little as $41.00
    12 pack
    $50.00
    24 pack
    $82.50
    6 pack
    $25.00
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  13. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
  14. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    Light, refreshing finish
    Astro Punk
    Astro Punk
    XPA
    Blackflag Brewing
    Sold By Blackflag Brewing
    Pay as little as $44.00
    8 pack
    $48.00
    16 pack
    $73.00
    4 pack
    $24.00
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  15. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Sharp
    Tasting notes
    Malty, complex and refreshing this Bière de Garde pours a deep ruby colour with notes of bread crust, dry fruit and spice on the nose. The lean body allows the smoothness of the malt to shine, finishing on a subtle fruit note. Perfect food pairing: light blue cheese, red meat, slow coooked
  16. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    Tasting notes
    Eclipse is front and centre in the IPA. A new hop to the market. Eclipse is known for its beautiful citrus/madarin aroma and taste, with the subtle additions of Melba and galaxy you get that pine and passionfruit additions which balance this IPA beautifully. With the addition of aurura malt and oats it give sthis beer a beautiful golden glow and soft mouthfeel.
  17. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    Tasting notes
    Just beer. Australian Beer.
    Australian Lager
    Australian Lager
    Lager
    Dad & Dave's Brewing
    Sold By Dad & Dave's Brewing
    Pay as little as $49.00
    16 pack
    Special Price $49.00 Regular Price $58.00
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  18. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Thin
    Tasting notes
    Refreshing cider, medium dry, fresh apple notes and balanced acidity,
  19. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    Tasting notes
    Pairing Victoria’s very own Pale malt with a bold crystal malt gives this Brewi a biscuit finish with medium bitterness throughout.
  20. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Hop driven bitterness with earth, pine and herbal notes balanced by a solid malt backbone.
  21. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Sharp
    Tasting notes

    Mango, stonefruit and citrus are all to the fore, while a welcome bitterness gently washes the pallet clean.

  22. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    Tasting notes
    The IPA for IPA lovers and non-lovers alike.
  23. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    Slightly Bitter and with Stonefruity and
  24. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Dry
    Tasting notes
    Upfront strong molasses, caramel, coffee, chocolate and coffee aroma and flavour, married with lightly citrus and floral notes from the hops.
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