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
    • 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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  2. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Hop driven bitterness with earth, pine and herbal notes balanced by a solid malt backbone.
  3. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Easy drinking full strength ale made with familiar Australian hops.
  4. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    An earthy aroma with musk and a touch of sweetness, the taste of Davidson plum is tart with some sourness and a slight bitterness.
  5. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    • Delicate
    • Clean
    Tasting notes
    Perfect food pairing: Burrata, shellfish and seafood
    Draught
    Draught
    Rating:
    100%
    French Pilsner
    Frenchies
    Sold By Frenchies
    Pay as little as $80.00
    24 pack
    $90.00
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  6. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    English style ale with a soft caramel sweetness balanced by earthy hops and a dry mineral finish.
  7. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    No hoppy features, not tropical, but great fruit nuances, and amazing complexity, soft, fruity complexity just hangs in the mouth, and doesn’t go away like most session ales.
  8. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Bright tropical hops balanced by an assertive bitterness.
    Lightning Minds Pale Ale
    Lightning Minds Pale Ale
    American Pale Ale
    Lightning Minds
    Sold By Lightning Minds
    Pay as little as $28.00
    8 pack
    $35.00
    24 pack
    $75.00
    4 pack
    $18.00
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  9. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Mango and Passionfruit. A sour to love.
    Man-goes Nowhere
    Man-goes Nowhere
    Sour Ale
    Urban Alley Brewery
    Sold By Urban Alley Brewery
    Pay as little as $39.00
    8 pack
    $47.00
    24 pack
    $115.00
    4 pack
    $24.00
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  10. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Subtle hoppy and malt notes. This beer is a great beer for a refreshing afternoon, perfect by itself. A real classic Australian Lager
    Mash Lager
    Mash Lager
    Lager
    Mash Brewing
    Sold By Mash Brewing
    Pay as little as $74.00
    16 pack
    Special Price $74.00 Regular Price $87.00
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  11. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Big stone and passion fruit hop profile with malt to match
  12. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Smooth, fruity, and floral.
    Slapshot Pale Ale
    Slapshot Pale Ale
    Australian Pale 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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  13. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    Hoppy with good finish. Lingers on the tongue.
  14. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    Tasting notes
    It's a beer lovers beer!
  15. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Smooth / Velvety
    • Delicate
    • Light
    Tasting notes
    Pineapple, lychee and honeydew melon shining through from the hop, with a delicate biscuit malty finish.
  16. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    • Clean
    Tasting notes
    Crisp Clean Ale
  17. Flavour Profile
    Hops
    Malt
    • Delicate
    • Clean
    Tasting notes
    Malty with a slight bitterness from classic German hops. Made with one malt and one hop. A true classic.
    Urban Lager
    Urban Lager
    Lager
    Urban Alley Brewery
    Sold By Urban Alley Brewery
    Pay as little as $43.00
    12 pack
    $50.00
    24 pack
    $92.00
    4 pack
    $19.00
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