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.
Shop by Style
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Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
- Light
Tasting notesTastes like beer, doesn't feel like beer. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
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Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
Tasting notesEclipse 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. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
Tasting notesPairing Victoria’s very own Pale malt with a bold crystal malt gives this Brewi a biscuit finish with medium bitterness throughout. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Dry
Tasting notesUpfront strong molasses, caramel, coffee, chocolate and coffee aroma and flavour, married with lightly citrus and floral notes from the hops. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
- Clean
Tasting notesClean, refreshing lager with a subtle lingering hoppiness. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Clean
Tasting notesThis beer is Lagered not filtered!Coast TrackView BeerLagerSold By Sunday Road Brewing12 packSpecial Price $50.00 Regular Price $57.0024 pack$87.00 -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Creamy
Tasting notesThe use of caramel and chocolate malts give our beer it’s velvety red colour and creamy off-white head making it mysteriously inviting. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Clean
Tasting notesBold, robust, bitter, clean, crisp.
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Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Delicate
Tasting notesEnglish style ale with a soft caramel sweetness balanced by earthy hops and a dry mineral finish. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
Tasting notesThis light, spritzy session beer is full of summer flavours like passionfruit and citrus with some light herbal and resinous notes. Flaked oats have been used to retain body and mouthfeel. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Smooth / Velvety
Tasting notesMango, passion fruit, blackcurrant, apricot and pineapple hop aroma making this beer super fruity combined with strong caramel malt character.India Red AleView BeerRed IPASold By Prancing Pony Brewery24 packSpecial Price $119.00 Regular Price $141.0012 pack$77.00 -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Dry
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Flavour ProfileHopsMaltTasting notesBitter and citrus
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Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Dry
Tasting notesPunchy aroma of grapefruit, pineapple and apricot. Dank pine notes from dry hopping. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Delicate
- Clean
Tasting notesMalty with a slight bitterness from classic German hops. Made with one malt and one hop. A true classic. -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Clean
Tasting notesThis west coast style IPA is packed full of all your favourite American hops, bringing aromas and flavours of tropical fruit, grape, mango, berry, and hop resin. The assertive hop bitterness is well balanced by a bready, caramel malt sweetness.View Beer -
Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
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Flavour ProfileHopsMalt
- Clean
Tasting notesThis classic lager will have you coming back for another pint, with the usual esters on the nose, and a clean crisp lager malt flavour followed by a hint of lingering hop bitterness.